The family of TikTok star Taylor Rousseau Grigg's family have confirmed she died as a result of complications from Addison's disease and asthma aged just 25.
Just five days after her sudden death on October 5, her family have revealed the cause of her death and said they would miss the woman who brought “such a light” to their lives.
Her husband, Cameron Grigg, said his wife had “dealt with more pain and suffering than most people do in a lifetime”.
He said Taylor had “always brought joy to everyone around her”. The pair married last summer.
The internet personality, 25, used her social media accounts to talk about her life, marriage, dog, and illness.
But what is Addison’s Disease? Here is what we know.
What is Addison’s disease?
Addison's disease is also known as primary adrenal insufficiency or hypoadrenalism, and is a rare disorder that affects hormones in the body.
It relates specifically to the adrenal glands, which are two small glands that sit on top of the kidneys.
The glands are normally responsible for producing two essential hormones, cortisol and aldosterone, but when someone has Addison’s disease, these glands are damaged and cannot produce a sufficient supply of hormones.
It is believed to be a problem with the immune system, which causes it to attack the outer layer of the adrenal gland (the adrenal cortex), which is what in turn disrupts the production of the hormones aldosterone and cortisol.
It's not clear why this happens, but immunity problems are responsible for up to 90 per cent of cases in the UK.
Other potential causes include conditions that can damage the adrenal glands, such as tuberculosis (TB), although this is uncommon in the UK.
How rare is Addison’s disease?
The NHS states that around 9,000 people in the UK have Addison's disease, with just 300 new cases diagnosed each year.
It can affect people of any age, although it's most common between the ages of 30 and 50. It's also more common in women than men.
What are the symptoms of Addison’s disease?
The condition can be very hard to diagnose because symptoms can be confused with more common health problems.
Some people may be misdiagnosed as having a cold, flu, or even depression – which are all much more common than Addison’s disease.
Symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness, low mood, no appetite, increased thirst, dizziness, fainting or cramps.
Sufferers may also develop small areas of darkened skin, or darkened lips or gums, and symptoms will get progressively worse over time.
How to treat Addison’s disease?
Unfortunately, there is no known cure – only medication that can be taken to ease symtoms.
This replaces the missing hormones and those who are diagnosed will have to take it for the rest of their lives.
The NHS says that, with treatment, symptoms of Addison's disease “can largely be controlled”.
Most people with the condition have a normal lifespan and are able to live an active life with few limitations.
But many people with Addison's disease also find they must learn to manage bouts of fatigue, and there may be associated health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
