Key Facts of Adrenal Crisis. My Kryptonite.

Awareness saves life.

This information was shared by an Adrenal Insufficiency Facebook support group that I am a member of. I wanted to share this because I have Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. I do not think I can put an amount on how many instances I have experienced an adrenal crisis. I truly believe I have lost count, but maybe between fifteen and twenty over the last eighteen years. I was diagnosed with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency in December 2007, and managing this disease has been one of the toughest battles I have ever fought and will continue to fight because this is for life.

In some instances, I can feel my cortisol levels going low, which will lead to an adrenal crisis, and I can take the appropriate action of taking an extra dosage of my steroid medication, or in some more serious use cases, I need to use my emergency kit with a vial of steroids to inject myself or have someone else inject me. If it is too late (which has happened to me more times than not), then it is up to Emergency Personnel to inject me and transport me to the hospital. I cannot explain how I feel when I feel these come on. It is almost like I can feel the life draining out of me, almost like in slow motion. I do not feel scared; it is almost like I am paralyzed, and my body just fades into the moment. I get so weak that all my body wants to do is go to sleep. The important key is once I am unconscious, is have my emergency steroid injected immediately because at this point, time is of the essence. Withholding a steroid injection during a crisis may result in organ damage, may cause seizures, or a coma. If left untreated, an adrenal crisis will result in death.

I share this not for pity or for you to feel sorry for me. I share this because without my faith in my Lord Jesus Christ, I would not be alive today. I am not going to sit here and say that I have not questioned God and screamed, yelled, and cursed at Him, asking him why, and among other things, what the hell now. I have turned my back on Him numerous times, but He has yet to fail me despite my many faults and imperfections, and the times of me throwing my hands up and walking away.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV) “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”