Please provide some do's and don'ts on living with addison's disease.

Ignore: Do take your steroid medication at the same time every day. Don't skip any doses!

Ignore: Salt cravings might mean you're undertreated.

Ignore: Take all prescribed hormone therapies. DO take in enough sodium when exercising or in hot weather.

Ignore: Do let your friends and family know about your disease and need for additional steroids when sick.

Be: Be alert if you get a fever - your Addison's Disease may make you need extra fluid.

Ignore: Never forget or delay your replacement medication and talk w/doctor about increase dose for stresses.

Ignore: Always ask your doctors for stress dose of steroids for surgical procedures.

Ignore: Always tell your surgeon BEFORE surgery that you have Addison's disease.

Ignore: Do have a healthy lifestyle with healthy diet, rest, hydration and exercise as tolerated.

Ignore: Have extra doses of your meds handy. Missing even a day from lapsed prescriptions can be dangerous.

Ignore: If you have too much stress (e.g. partner, work, etc), take more cortisone.

Ignore: Having surgery of a major type, remind all to increase cortisone preop and some right after.

Ignore: Always have a Solucortef (hydrocortisone) or emergency steroid injection kit accessible and up to date.

Ignore: Take your steroids as prescribed. Know when to take stress dosing. Teach family use of Solucortef (hydrocortisone).

Ignore: Most important is to take your meds consistently & get seen if you can't keep down HC or prednisone.

Ignore: Carry your bracelet and needle. Tell others. Be alert to concurrent hypothyroidism. Be glad 2b alive.

A: A minor illness can tip the balance in Addison's. Stay well hydrated; call your doctor if ill.