Adrenal Disease Support Group for Texas - TAG

(Last Updated 7/24/2023)

My name is Mike Flannigan. I run this website for the Adrenal Disease Support Group for the Houston, Texas.
Mary Case is the Houston Texas support group leader. Right now we are the only support group in Texas.
We have 46 NADF members in the Houston area and another 82 spread across Texas. Many more across the globe.

I have Addison's disease. When people ask me what Addison's disease is, I typically tell them that it is very rare, is probably
the best auto immune disease to get (at least in my case), and that John F. Kennedy had it. Then I go into what a good tan
it typically causes. You can be dying and still look great With proper treatment it is often manageable, but 100 years ago
people died from it within about 6 months. Even today some people get serious complications that seriously affect their health.
And many (including me) experience some bone loss due to the cortisone medicine that is required.

The national organization is NADF (National Adrenal Disease Foundation), and is based in Great Neck, New York.
NADF is primarily engaged in helping people with adrenal conditions such as:

Addison's Disease
Cushing's Syndrome & Cushing's Disease
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)
Hyperaldosteronism

There are other adrenal diseases not listed here.

Here is another good source of information.
Search the prior questions to our Medical Director here:
NADF Website Search
or here:
Medical Director Question Search

Meeting Information

Saturday, August 5, 2023
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Location: Calvary Church in Friendswood

Map: Calvary Church Map

Calvary Houston Church
3700 FM 528
Friendswood, TX 77546

The Houston group meets approximately 4 times a year. Mary Case runs our
meetings. Thank you Mary.

We also had Zoom meetings in the Covid years.

Our last meeting was May 13, 2023. It was a great meeting.
Please come join us at the next meeting if you can.

The Houston, TX NADF support group provides general support for attendees and gives
informative presentations. Some of the presentations that have been given include:

Structure and Function of the Adrenal Glands

Adjustment to a Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency

Psychiatric Symptoms Associated with Adrenal Diseases

Guidelines for Supplementing Corticosteroids During Stress

Aldosterone, Adrenal Insufficiency, "Salt Wasting," and Dehydration

How to Self-Administer a Solumedrol Injection

Most meetings are simply discussing attendees experiences with AI.

The meetings are held in Freeman Library, which is located at 16616 Diana Ln Houston, TX 77062.
The conference room we meet in is on the 2nd floor of the library, straight ahead at the top of the steps.
Click here for a map of the location. Parking is free.

The meetings are free and you don't have to have an adrenal disease to attend. Don't miss it.

Here is a picture from our 11/2014 meeting:

We help people with adrenal diseases in our area with any problems they may have. We work with the main office
in NY to send out information packages on adrenal diseases and on our organization. If you would like an
information package to be sent to you, contact me at the e-mail address below. We have no finances at all at this
point, but can sometimes raise some money if we need it.

Here is a fun survey we did in 3/2017 in an effort to check the article below that says there may be a higher incidence
of Addison's in people who are born in the winter months. We had 52 people respond to this survey:

Here is the article:

Seasonal Addison’s Birth Rate

Researchers from the UK and Poland have discovered a statistical
increase in the number of patients with autoimmune Addison’s
disease that were born in winter months when compared to
summer months. This suggests a season related environmental
factor that could play a role in development of the disease, likely
in combination with genetic factors. This research was published
in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
There are many different seasonal factors to consider, such as
weather, seasonal viral infections, and vitamin D deficiency.
How these things might affect development of Addison’s disease
requires further research, however.

When it comes to autoimmune diseases, there has been noted
association with the month-of-birth. However, most of the
patterns in other autoimmune conditions suggest an increased
occurrence in spring and summer months, with a decrease in
autumn and winter months. Autoimmune Addison’s, Graves’
disease, and Hashimoto’s disease appear to occur more often in
people born in the colder months however; a reverse of the pattern.
As such, while the development of autoimmune conditions
might be affected by the seasons in which a person is born,
different conditions likely react differently to different environmental
factors.

For the article in the Endocrinology Advisor article this information
was retrieved from, visit: http://tinyurl.com/jtukmq5

NADF does not engage in the practice of medicine. It is not a medical authority, nor does it claim to have medical
knowledge. In all cases, NADF recommends that you consult your own physician regarding any course of
treatment or medication.

Get the Summer 2008 NADF newsletter HERE.

Central Ohio group Fall 2007 newsletter
Central Ohio group Winter 2008 newsletter
Central Ohio group Spring 2008 newsletter
Central Ohio group Fall 2008 newsletter
Central Ohio group Summer 2009 newsletter

Here are some maps showing the 200 Addisonians we know of in the state of TX.
Click on the map after it opens and it may improve the resolution.

All of Texas Houston Area

Relevant Links

Medical Director Question Search

Pituitary Network Association

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality