My daughter is forty years old. She has had type 1 diabetes for twenty years and has been diagnosed with gastroparesis. She is hospitalized now with uncontrollable vomiting. The doctor is recommending an adrenal test. What is the reason for that test?

It appears by your e-mail that the doctor may be concerned with other endocrine diseases. The test, if I correctly understand you, is for adrenal insufficiency which can have similar symptoms to uncontrolled diabetes and gastroparesis. Gastroparesis can be difficult to control, despite keeping your glucoses within normal parameters.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes who have an autoimmune cause can have other endocrine diseases such as thyroid, adrenal, early menopause, vitiligo, etc. If your daughter has adrenal insufficiency or any other endocrine disorder in addition to diabetes, then additional medications would be prescribed. Depending on the problem, she may need hydrocortisone, Florinef, or other medications.

ABS