Symptoms of Addison's disease

Addison's disease symptoms sometimes develop slowly, usually over many months, and should include:

• Muscle weakness and fatigue
• Weight loss and decreased appetite
• Darkening of your skin (hyperpigmentation)
• Low blood pressure, even fainting
• Salt craving
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Nausea, diarrhea or vomiting
• Muscle or joint pains
• Irritability
• Depression

Acute adrenal failure (addisonian crisis)
Sometimes, however, the signs and symptoms of Addison's disease could seem suddenly. In acute adrenal failure (addisonian crisis), the signs and symptoms might also include:

• Pain in your lower back, abdomen or legs
• Severe vomiting and diarrhea, resulting in dehydration
• Low blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness
• High potassium (hyperkalemia)

When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you've got signs and symptoms that commonly occur in folks with Addison's disease, such as:

• Darkening areas of skin (hyperpigmentation)
• Severe fatigue
• Unintentional weight loss
• Gastrointestinal issues, like nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain
• Dizziness or fainting
• Salt cravings
• Muscle or joint pains

Your doctor will verify whether or not Addison's disease or another medical condition could also be inflicting these issues.