Sheri,
Anytime someone with Addison's is going to be under stress, they advise an increase in the dosage of steroid we take. For surgery it depends on the procedure - how stressful it will be to the body. I have had some orthopedic surgery done and never had to go into the hosptial early for it. YOu just have to get stress doses around the surgery and then taper back down afterward. Ask your doctor how much they think you would need to increase your dose for the procedure. I doubt it would require more time in the hospital. Doctors all have differing opinions about the stress dosing too, so if you ask 5 of them, you'll get 5 different answers. If you got through the cystocopy without problem, chances are you'll get through the surgery without problem too. Good luck.

Vanyel

Hi, Sheri. Everything we read about AD says that we should go in the hospital the night before surgery. The way insurance is these days there's not much of a chance of that happening. Not only can we not go in early, they pretty much discharge patients the afternoon or next day after surgery! I've done fine every time I've had surgery with the extra dosing, However, every time, there has been a major breakdown in information sharing. I NEVER let them give me the "happy" medicine until I see the steroids going in. I have been in the prep room TWICE when there were no orders for it. You have to be your own advocate!!!!! One time my endo had to be called on his cell phone on vacation to get special directions!

Alabama,
You sure are right about that. Despite my surgeon and my primary doctor knowing I needed stress dosing, and repeating that to me over and over, no one wanted to take responsibility for ordering it. They all wanted to pass the buck to someone else. i ended up doing it myself - taking the extra stress dose before I went in to the day surgery place because I didn't trust any of them to do it. Its downright scary, but you do have to be your own advocate and make sure that someone is on top of it for you. Lots of these doctors read some stupid book about it and decide we really don't need it. It makes me crazy.

Vanyel

I really don't think people and especially doctors realize how hard it is to live with AD! Thank you all for the replys. I am going to contact my endo dr. and hope that things go alright. But I will NOT let them put me under until I know I am getting what I need. I ended up sick just having the cystoscope.

Vanyel, every time I have to have a sugical procedure, I think about the young man (around 16 years old I think) who is now brain damaged because surgery was performed on him before anyone knew he had AD. I don't know any other details of the situation, but I think that was in our NADF newsletter a couple of years ago. It has stuck with me. I will take a stress dose or at least lots more prednisone the next time I have to prep for a colonoscopy. The results of the prep made me feel horrible...probably the closest I've come to a crisis since I've been diagnosed. I dread my next one.

Alabama,
I don't blame you. We have to take care of ourselves. Its a really hard part of living with this disease - we have to learn how to treat ouselves because the doctors often don't have a clue. We have to learn what our bodies need and when. And then we have to get one of the dang doctors to prescribe what we need. Talk about frustrating.

Vanyel

Hi Sheri,
I know it's a week after you question & in case you haven't undergone your surgery here's an experience, I'll share.

I too had a (painful!!) cytoscopy and foolishly thought 'no big deal, it's only a local anesthetic, I live nearby & I can 'easily' walk home, afterwards'. WRONG! I had a BP crash & a Good Samaritan carried back to my MDs office. I recovered rather quickly - immed'ly chewed an add'l dose of HC, fludro & rec'd IV electolytes, while waiting for an ambulance...ultimately no need! I double dosed for 3 add'l days. I should have done that BEFORE procedure!! So, in one way, Vanyel is right. If you made it through the cytoscopy, you'll more than likely be ok, without needing to be admitted prior to surg., as long as you stress dose, PRIOR to. Certainly, inform the hosp staff.

I highly doubt you'd "have" to be admitted the day before. Depending upon your ins. coverage & your level of security, if you prefer to be admitted the day prior, have you MD's staff contact your ins co, to obtain approval. They may very well cover you....prevent any liability exposure, on their end.

Good luck and I hope once they get that lesion removed, you'll be ok, with no further treatment, other than monitoring, but you DEFINITELY need stress dosing.

Oh, PS-My Gyn had absolutley no idea what I was doing or taking, yet he knows of my AI!! He just scratched his head & held my hand...the MDs really are SOOO clueless!