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  • Information for patients
  1. About Addison's Disease
  2. Information for patients

Information for patients

The Addison’s Disease Self-Help Group, with the support and guidance of its Clinical Advisory Panel, publishes a range of education materials for people with Addison's regarding the treatment and management of their condition.

These resources complement the charity's extensive range of publications for healthcare professionals.

Living With Addison's Disease : A Guide For People With Addison's, Supporters & Professionals

Everything you wanted to know about living with Addison's - but were afraid to ask. This ground-breaking, unique book covers a wide range of aspects of Addison's from both a medical and patient perspective. From causes, diagnosis, treatment options, how to work with your doctors through to advice for navigating life's journey including sports/active life, pregnancy, the menopause. Co-authored by Professor Simon Pearce and Sarah Spain, the book marries evidence-based clinical best practice with the practical day-to-day hints & tips to not just survive, but thrive with Addison's Disease. Highly recommended! 

The book is available in paperback and for Kindle at Amazon, globally.

Buy At Amazon

Emergency Wallet Card

The adrenal crisis emergency wallet card is credit card sized and contains advice, authored by the ADSHG Clinical Advisory Panel, on the treatment required to prevent an adrenal crisis in the event of serious injury or illness. It is available in printed form and is sent free to every member when they become a member. Additional cards can be bought in our shop.

Adrenal Crisis Care Letter

This adrenal crisis letter gives emergency medical treatment guidance for paramedics or hospital staff in the event of a person with Addison's suffering an adrenal crisis. This letter should be signed by your doctor. This document is also available in eight foreign languages for those who live or travel abroad.

Personal Emergency Plan 

This Personal Medical Emergency Plan template is a useful way of summarising your personal medical needs in the event of an emergency, for friends, family or work colleagues.

Medical Summary Form

This medical summary form is an easy way to record the medications you are currently taking.

Drugs Chart Steroid Stickers

The ADSHG drugs chart steroid alert stickers are intended for people with Addison's to take with them for day case and inpatient surgical procedures to alert nursing and medical staff to their steroid-dependence and their time-critical need for steroid medication when unwell.

Practical Advice 

These articles provide practical advice for people with Addison's Disease

  • Travelling
  • So just how do you tell your family & friends...
  • Coping with... psychological stress
  • Words for feeling better - or worse
  • How to stay on top of exercise

Managing Your Addison's Disease

This leaflet, Managing Addison's disease, has been developed for the ADSHG by our Clinical Advisory Panel. It provides a summary of the key points everyone with Addison's needs to know to manage their health. It is designed primarily to assist those who have been recently diagnosed and is ideal for hospitals and endocrinology units to give to their patients with Addison's.

When An Employee Has Addison's : information For Employers

The 'When an employee has Addison's' leaflet was written to help people with Addison's disease who are newly diagnosed – or changing jobs – to explain their condition to an employer. It was written by members of the ADSHG with input from our Clinical Advisory Panel.

What Is Addison's Educational Booklet

This educational booklet, 'What is Addison’s?' was written with school projects in mind and provides some basic information on the condition. It gives a little history of Addison’s, from its discovery by Dr Thomas Addison in 1855, through the scientific and medical advances that occurred in the twentieth century, concluding with an overview of what life is like today for people with Addison’s.

Published: 12th March, 2019

Updated: 16th March, 2022

Author: Anonymised User

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Latest

  • Manchester Member Get-Together: 26 Sept 2026

    Manchester Member Get-Together: 26 Sept 2026

    Join our second Member Get-Together in 2026, to be held in Manchester on Saturday 26 September. Find out more and how to get your tickets! 

  • Professor John Wass Research Grant Winner 2026

    Professor John Wass Research Grant Winner 2026

    We are proud to award a £10,000 grant to support Dr Punith Kempegowda and Dr Amanda Ling from the University of Birmingham with their research into the management of adrenal crises in UK hospitals. The data collected will help clarify best practice and drive improvement in adrenal crisis care.

  • ADSHG AGM - Saturday 4 July 2026

    ADSHG AGM - Saturday 4 July 2026

    Sign up to attend the 2026 AGM for the Addison's Disease Self-Help Group. Enjoy a presentation from the John Wass Research Grant Award winners for 2026 about their research study around adrenal crisis management in hospitals.

  • Emily’s Story: Sharing Life with Addison’s Online

    Emily’s Story: Sharing Life with Addison’s Online

    Emily is a content creator who shares her journey with Addison’s online, alongside her countryside living in the Lake District. For her advocacy is more than awareness, it’s about making our “invisible” health condition seen and understood.

Most read

  • Sick Day Rules

    Sick Day Rules

    Minor ailments can affect anyone with a steroid-dependent adrenal condition very differently. Things like vomiting, diarrhoea, colds and flu could cause an adrenal crisis. It’s important that you spot the early symptoms of a bug or cold and adjust your steroid replacement medication.

  • Adrenal Crisis - Emergency Help

    Adrenal Crisis - Emergency Help

    Adrenal crisis is a time-critical, life-threatening emergency and must be treated immediately. Read the guidance on treating a steroid-dependent patient in adrenal crisis.

  • The Emergency Injection for the treatment of Adrenal Crisis

    The Emergency Injection for the treatment of Adrenal Crisis

    Understanding what an Emergency Injection kit is, how to inject and how important it is to use the injection during an Adrenal Crisis.

  • What are Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency?

    What are Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency?

    Find out more about Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency and and how they are treated.

  • Why Salt?

    Why Salt?

    Why do people with Addison’s and adrenal insufficiency crave salty, acidic and sour foods at diagnosis, and then salt remains our “pick me up” when diagnosed? Professor Simon Pearce explains the connection between aldosterone, fludrocortisone and why you should always listen to your salt cravings.

  • Addison's & Adrenal Insufficiency: Advice for Dentists

    Addison's & Adrenal Insufficiency: Advice for Dentists

    Read our guidance for major and minor dental procedures. It is important to recognise the physical stress of any invasive dental procedure and to ensure that adequate glucocorticoid cover is provided for steroid-dependent patients.

  • Surgical Guidelines

    Surgical Guidelines

    The ADSHG surgical guidelines are intended for the information of your medical team or your dentist and have been developed by our Clinical Advisory Panel.

  • Updated NHS Steroid Card Released

    Updated NHS Steroid Card Released

    Following the early release of the new NHS Steroid Emergency Card back in March to keep patients with Addison's or adrenal insufficiency safe during the COVID-19 crisis, the NHS steroid card has been updated and physical copies will be available to order from Tuesday 18th August 2020 for hospital teams!

  • Coping with psychological stress

    Coping with psychological stress

    We explain why more hydrocortisone may be required to cope with emotional stress and outline some techniques to reduce stress and improve wellbeing.

  • Coronavirus Vaccines and Adrenal Insufficiency

    Coronavirus Vaccines and Adrenal Insufficiency

    Everyone with a steroid-dependent adrenal condition should get the coronavirus vaccine and boosters to reduce their risk of getting coronavirus. This is because people who are steroid-dependent are at increased risk of needing hospital care if they get coronavirus, due to the risk of adrenal crisis.

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Research Grants

Research Grants

One important strand of our work as a charity is our 'Advance' strand: funding, promoting and contributing to the development of new innovations and research to improve treatments and quality of life for members of the adrenal insufficiency community. Here we share the projects we are currently supporting thanks to the generosity of our donors, members and fundraisers. Read more

Published: 22nd May, 2023

Updated: 7th January, 2026

Author:

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Copyright © Addison's Disease Self-Help Group Registered as Charity number 1179825. Company number CE015063

The information contained within this website is not intended to provide clinical diagnosis and/or personalised medical advice. It should not be treated as such. Always seek the advice of your doctor or a health care professional before starting any new treatment for your underlying condition. While we have taken every care to compile accurate information to reflect the current state of knowledge, we cannot guarantee its correctness and completeness. The information provided in this website does not constitute business, medical or other professional advice, and is subject to change. In no event will the Addison’s Disease Self-Help Group or any of the contributors be responsible or liable directly or indirectly, for damages or liabilities relating in any way to the use (or misuse) of information contained within or referred to in this website.

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