Unusual presentation of addison's disease

ABSTRACT

Addison's disease usually presents with non-specific symptoms like fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hyperpigmentation and generalized weakness. These symptoms are most often ignored or misinterpreted with other more common diseases. This is the major reason that this disease is under-diagnosed. Therefore, to establish a diagnosis, high index of suspicion is needed. We are reporting a case of six years old boy who presented with recurrent episode of severe hypoglycemia, so much so that he was receiving regular IV fluids including dextrose water and normal saline. While walking he was supported by his parents all the time because of recurrent attacks of fall due to extreme degree of hypoglycemia and subsequent weakness. His blood sugar was in the range of 40-90mg/dl, as a result, he was hospitalized several times. He was already worked up to exclude insulinoma before presenting to our institute. Eventually he was diagnosed as having Addison's disease