Laura's sudden recovery from illness baffles doctors

Mar 30 2008 By Norman Silvester

Exclusive Laura's Sudden Recovery Baffles Doctors

FOR 26 years Laura Ogilvie depended on a daily diet of salt to survive.

Born with one of the world's rarest conditions, she had to take tablets to combat life-threatening salt loss.

But now doctors are baffled after she suddenly recovered from the illness that blighted her life.

Laura said: "For the first time I can lead a normal life and don't have to worry about my future."

The Sunday Mail first told the story of her condition 21 years ago.

As a baby Laura, 26, was nicknamed sleeping beauty because she could not stay awake.

Her weight dropped to 4lb and she spent eight weeks in a coma because doctors did not know at first what was wrong.

In 1982 she became the first female in the world to be diagnosed with Congenital Adrenal Hypoplasia.

But on a routine visit to Glasgow's Western Infirmary for a check up Laura, of Coatbridge, was told her body had cured itself.

Laura, who is training to be a teacher, said: "It was difficult to explain on job application forms what was wrong. People didn't understand because I didn't look ill.

"If I suffered from stress, illness or injury I needed salt injections because my levels would run lower quicker.

"I couldn't do PE at school because of the amount of salt I would lose and when I was older I could not drink alcohol.

"Then I was told the daily salt loss I had suffered all my life had suddenly stopped and my salt levels were the same as any other person."

Laura's condition is so rare she has been regularly invited to medical conferences to discuss it.

Her mum Linda, 55, a care worker, said: "It is great news because we now do not have to worry about her every day.

"I don't know how she survived. We lost count of the number of times she has been in hospital.

"All her life she has had to take tablets and have injections and it has been hard to get doctors to take on her case because it is so rare.

"I also had to take the decision not to have another child as I was worried it would have the illness."

Doctors are awaiting the results of CAT scans and ultrasounds to try to explain Laura's recovery.

She will have twice yearly checks and hormone tablets to ensure her body keeps retaining salt.

Dr Robert Lindsay, who treats Laura, said: "We don't know why Laura was born with the condition or why she has got better.

"We will probably never know."

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