Last year I noticed that my son had very many more episodes of nausea than he usually has suffered in the past.  These I have always dealt with by doubling or tripling immediately his dose of hydrocortisone orally.  His dose was cut back  18 months before as he had been over suppressed for some time.  Blood tests three months ago confirmed what I had suspected for some time, that he was greatly under suppressed and I there fore have now assumed that this in itself predisposes a child to far more episodes where adrenal crisis is concerned.  During that episode, they did not do any blood tests for electrolytes though, so I amunable to examine the way that he was affected on that level.  I only have the increased episodes of nausea to go by.  Even in this situation of being drastically under suppressed for a great deal of time, we were always able to deal with the incidences without resorting to shots with solu cortef.  I shudder now to think what could have happened in school at certain point and did feel very angry when i first found out he had been this way for some time as at one point his doctor had said that he was looking so good that we could leave him 6 months before th next appointment.  I hate to argue but I think this rather illustrates the large amount of ignorance where CAH is concerned in these children.  It has been so long since I learned how to give a shot, (plus the fact that I have never had to give one) that I feel vulnerable at the moment where this is concerned.  This is especially so since we find that his doctor is no expert and it concerns me about going to A & E since then.  I would strongly recommend not waiting as Wendy Lee says and just giving the shot.  Before finding the message board, I just was happy to cope with the odd nausea and vomiting at home.  I never even realised that that was part of the adrenal crisis though I did know that I needed to get extra cortisol into him and that if this was not kept down that he would need help.  I have therefore handled all cases relatively calmly until now---wondering if from now on I will be stressing out?  I guess I would rather know about the seriousness of the situation though and sound hysterical at A &E than have the alternative.  NEVER let your childrens doctors talk you into anything less than three monthly blood testing and if they cut back the dose due to under suppression---make sure that you insist that they monitor your child more frequently than that. 

BTW= has anyone heard from Roberta yet?  I boot up this morning to see this carnage unfolding on my tv  and am horrified.   What is the damn world coming to?  Take care.

 

JH