Addison’s Disease Self-Help Group (UK)

The Addison’s Disease Self-Help Group (ADSHG) is the leading UK charity supporting people with all types of adrenal insufficiency. Addison’s disease (Primary adrenal insufficiency) is a rare endocrine condition where the adrenal glands (acorn sized glands that sit on top of the kidneys) stop functioning, no longer producing life-essential steroid hormones, most notably cortisol. There are also two other types of adrenal insufficiency. All forms are treated by the time-critical, daily replacement of steroid hormones in medication form. Patients are steroid-dependent.
An inherent complication of all types of adrenal insufficiency is the risk of experiencing a life-threatening adrenal crisis, triggered by low cortisol levels, which requires emergency treatment (injection of hydrocortisone). The ADSHG works to promote better medical understanding of these rare conditions among healthcare professionals, and support members of the adrenal insufficiency to be more aware of how to effectively manage their condition, more prepared to prevent and treat adrenal crisis and better understood.