The family of TikTok influencer Taylor Rousseau Grigg is shedding light on the health complications that tragically led to the 25-year-old’s passing last week.
Grigg, a popular lifestyle content creator with over 1 million followers on TikTok and hundreds of thousands on Instagram, bravely shared her battle with health issues in a TikTok reel last August. She revealed that she fell ill shortly after her wedding, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that she received a diagnosis.
Rousseau’s family disclosed that her death was due to complications from asthma and Addison’s disease, a rare chronic illness. Her husband, Cameron Grigg, shared on Instagram that despite enduring immense pain and suffering, Taylor remained a beacon of light, bringing joy to everyone around her.
Asthma, a more familiar condition, is a chronic inflammatory disease that narrows the airways, leading to breathing difficulties. While over 30 million Americans have asthma, severe attacks can be life-threatening despite the condition typically being manageable with steroid medications.
Here’s what we understand about the less common Addison’s disease.
Taking a Closer Look at Addison’s Disease
Addison’s disease is a rare condition that affects the adrenal glands, organs located on top of the kidneys. These glands produce vital hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone, which regulate various bodily functions like blood pressure, stress management, and electrolyte balance.
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The condition can be life-threatening without appropriate treatment that replaces the deficient hormones.
Causes
Addison’s disease, though rare (affecting 1 in 100,000 people in the U.S.), is primarily triggered by an autoimmune response, explains the Cleveland Clinic. This occurs when the immune system erroneously attacks healthy tissue instead of harmful agents like viruses or bacteria. In the case of Addison’s disease, the immune system targets the adrenal glands, impairing hormone production, a condition known as “autoimmune adrenalitis.”
Less commonly, Addison’s disease can result from infections, cancer, injury, or genetic factors, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Symptoms of Addison’s Disease
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that Addison’s disease symptoms may develop slowly and initially be mistaken for other health conditions. Common signs include extreme fatigue, weight loss, low blood pressure, salt cravings, skin darkening, nausea, diarrhea, and joint pain.
Untreated Addison’s disease can lead to an “Addisonian crisis,” a life-threatening scenario where blood pressure plummets, potentially causing shock.
Treatment
Doctors diagnose Addison’s disease through blood tests to check hormone levels, particularly cortisol, says the NIH. If cortisol levels are insufficient, additional tests may be required for confirmation.
Addison’s disease is typically managed with hormone replacement therapy, involving medications like hydrocortisone or fludrocortisone to replace the absent hormones. With consistent treatment, most individuals with Addison’s disease can lead normal, healthy lives.
Unfortunately, Taylor Grigg faced a complex situation with her health.
While there isn’t extensive information on asthma and Addison’s disease co-existing, a 1993 case report in Respiration highlights a 14-year-old boy with both conditions, suggesting that Addison’s disease may exacerbate asthma symptoms. The report also mentions that asthma may complicate the diagnosis of Addison’s disease, possibly contributing to the delay in Taylor’s diagnosis.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the Grigg family during this difficult time.
