CORTEF Reviews (HYDROCORTISONE)Average Rating: 3.9 (37 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare CORTEF with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
Results are sorted by Age oldest to youngest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 |
More on CORTEF: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR CORTEF | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | Pituitary failure | It has saved my life-literally and figuratively. After three years of unremitting stress, my already compromised pituitary quit sending messages to my adrenals. I could barely drag myself anywhere. I thank | God for having my doctor figure out my problem. And now I am at the gym everyday and in spite of of a great hunger, am controlling my weight. | F | 75 | 6 months 12 1/2/day | 5/17/2019 | 4 | Addison's Disease | I gained 30 lbs and at times i can become irritable......not very often. | I started lowering my dose from 30 mg per day to eventually 20 mg per day. This is suppose to help with my weight and live a longer life. | F | 72 | 3 years 10 3X day | 2/19/2016 | 4 | Addison Disease | Headache 30 mins after taking meds also light choking little nausea and anxiety.Had these side effects 2 or 3 times daily. Ate more gain a few pounds. | My energy during the day was so much better. Sleeping all night was wonderful. I could not take the side effects. | F | 69 | 1 months 30mg | 5/7/2016 | 5 | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | A feeling of hunger sometimes when the pill first takes effect. Somewhat more drinking and peeing. | Cortef gave me a life back when before I could only lie down, doing next to nothing except for 4 hours per day of low/moderate energy. After Cortef I have at least a low level of energy with which to live a more normal life. I can't work still, but I can take care of myself. | F | 61 | 11 years 5 mg 2X day | 1/4/2011 | 1 | Adrenal insufficiency | Rapid weight gain -- 30 pounds in less than a year. I continually asked my doctor why I was gaining weight and never got a straight, direct answer. | I was not aware until I attempted to wean off that I may NEVER be able to get off this drug. I should have been told this prior to starting; if I had known, I never would have taken it. New doctor said my lab tests did not justify my taking this! And now I am stuck. | F | 61 | 15 months 15 1X day | 8/14/2016 | 5 | Addison's Disease | Only side effect is increased irritability so I have to be careful when working with others | It literally is a life saver | M | 58 | 39 years | 3/3/2006 | 5 | Only from Maltodextrine - sugar substitute in it. I am allergic to all sugars. No side effects when took with ginger. | I was taking it according to my Saliva test (4 times a day test) It showed that my cortisol is low in the morning and barely normal during the day. I was not able to tolerate other supplements that usually help with adrenal fatigue due to allergy. So I took 10 mg in the morning, 7,5 for lunch, 5 for dinner and 2,5 before bedtime to support blood sugar. My blood sugar drop at night and my adrenals depleted as a result. Initially mercury fillings, synthetic hormones and following Candida infection, damaged them. Now I feel much better and can work with help of other supplements whole day. Never take such strong drugs without saliva test. | F | 57 | 6 months 25 mg 1X day | 4/25/2015 | 5 | hypopituitary | Negative = Irritability, depression, increased energy. Positive = ability to tolerate cold, temperature regulation. Negative side-effects of Cortef are totally erased by Lexapro (SSRI). | Because of prolapsed pituitary adenoma, I am on cortef for the rest of my life. (Same as Addisons). It replaces my ACTH without which my body cannot regulate it's temperature, (resulting in spikes to 105 degrees), as well as breathing, heart rate, or bowel functions. Cortef is a LIFE SAVER. | M | 57 | 6 years | 11/8/2009 | 1 | Doctor had no reason to prescribed | I went in the hospital and came out a different person. Steroid psychosis for 3 weeks. Cleveland Clinic said the Doctor here in Louisville "had no right to give me this drug" He did not even do a Total Cortisol. Two test results normal and one slightly off. I can't find it now as my memory is gone too. I had 40 seizures per day and it took the doctors 14 months to find out. Also Frontal Lobe Dysfunction, Short term memory loss, meningioma that has doubled in size in six months. 40 seizures per day. This drug should never have been given to me! | This drug has devastated my life.Dr. Poorkay writes down that "patient seems to be high" - I wasn't on any medication to make me "high" - I took thyroid med, insulin and Lexapro - same for many years. I have not been able to function to clean my home at all. Worst of all, the hospital did not believe me when I said I was not absorbing nutrients from my food. Cleveland Clinic told me I was "absolutely correct in my diagnosis of myself" - I had not been in a Louisville, KY hospital for 15 years because of incompetence like this. I've always come out in worse shape. Now, my life has been destroyed and I am devastated at what this drug has done to me. I had a photographic memory - It is gone. I could write anything, spell anything and now nothing. I didn't sue him. It would not bring back my sharp mind. I am very upset and ill with other things. This should never have happened when he didn't even do the correct testing. My body is very ill after 35 years with Type I diabetes and now collegenous colitis. After Cortef I have lost total bowel control at 57 years old. I've lost two years of my life. Pfzier should pay me as I live on Disability and this doctor wiped out what little savings I had for trial and error drugs I couldn't afford. Now, it is either food or meds for me. The Hospital doesn't care either. The worst part of this is that I felt God with me every day. It was Joy not being "high" - Pure Joy. I have been hurt | F | 57 | 3 weeks 10 mg. 2X day | 5/8/2013 | 5 | Adrenal insufficiency | A burst of buzzing energy, incredible hunger, especially for sweets, quick sugar. I have not gained any weight, in spite of my constant eating. | Since I almost couldn't move prior to taking it, it's marvelous. I feel like me again, but running on high just a bit. I feel like my metabolism is running high, since I get warm after I take it. I need to be aware not to take my afternoon dose too late, or I won't sleep. I would give it two thumbs and two big toes way up. | F | 56 | 30 days 20 mg then 2X day | 4/12/2019 | 1 | Cortisol was slightly off-Mistake | As a result of taking Cortef which I should never have been prescribed as the doctor did not do all the tests required. I told him in the hospital I did not want to be on a steroid. He told me he was only putting me on 5 mg. twice daily. I would have no side effects from the drug. He lied to me. | I went into steroid psychosis and was out of my mind. I had to go to Cleveland Clinic and the Endocrinologist there, Dr. LeeAnn O'Lansky said, "who put you on this drug!" I told her and she said, "He had no right to put you on this drug!" You need to get off asap. I did over three days which was a little fast. The psychosis lasted 3 weeks, then my memory was gone, I was having seizures, getting lost and now have a menegioma in the rt. frontal lobe. I have no short term memory and have Frontal Lobe Dysfunction. This doctor has devastated my life. I cannot write or spell as I used to. I was a champion speller, photographic memory and could write a letter to anyone quickly. All I can do is type some now and remain confused most of the time. I cannot clean my house. I function very slowly. I am on seizure medication as I was having 40 seizures per day. Prior to the Cortef I was fine. I am so devastated I don't know what to do. I was on disability due to other problems with Type I Diabetes, but my Mind was FINE. This doctor has ruined my independent life. Does this sound competent to you? - He comes in my room and starts messing around with my insulin pump, doesn't tell me what he is doing, but he changes something. In one minute a nurse comes in my room and says Dr. Poorkay says to put your pump back the way you had it. - His name is Medhi Poorkay. I cannot tell you what this has done to my life. I am beyond devastated as I can no longer functi | F | 56 | 3 weeks 10 mg. 2X day | 1/14/2013 | 1 | NO MEDICALLY NECESSARILY REASON | Seizures, Frontal lobe dysfunction, short term memory loss. Has devastated my life. | Cleveland Clinic Doctor told me that Dr. Poorkay in Louisville Norton's Hospital Endocrinology "had no right to put me on this drug according to my test results" She took me off the drug in three days. I have never recovered. My life has been devastated. | F | 56 | 3 weeks 10 mg. 2X day | 1/17/2013 | 5 | Adrenal insufficiency | negative side effects?? I only have negative side effects if I don't take it. | Cortef has given me my life back!! If you're concerned about taking Cortef, read the book by William Jefferies MD, Safe Uses of Cortisol. | F | 53 | 3 years | 7/10/2007 | 5 | Addisons Disease | After a crisis, was put on cortef. It has saved my life. I cannot even move without taking it for the day. I do make my last dose before 3 pm or I won't sleep. | For Addisons disease it is great. I take fludrocortisone with it to keep sodium stable. | F | 50 | 10 years | 8/24/2008 | 1 | Adrenal Insufficiency | Psychiatric emergency. | My very first (low) dose sent me into 48 hours of extreme agitation and suicidal behaviors. During this entire period, I did not sleep at all. I could not stop pacing and crying and flailing my arms about. I begged my husband to hide the car keys because I wanted to drive off a cliff. The only reason that I did not allow myself to be taken to the hospital is that I was afraid they would lock me up in the psych ward for good. It was only the vigilance of my dear husband that saved my life during this time (he didn't get a wink of sleep either, for two days straight). My understanding is that what I experienced was a very rare adverse reaction, but I would advise anyone trying this drug for the first time to exercise extreme caution and make sure someone is there as a "safety net" in case things go very wrong, as they did with me. I cannot emphasize this strongly enough. | F | 49 | 1 times | 5/16/2009 | 3 | Hypopituitary, no pituitary gland | Water weight gain | Was on Prednisone for 29 years. Have switched to Cortef and am not sure how it is different or the same. Can't drop any weight. Had to decrease from 25mg to 20mg. Gained too much water weight. Still get really tired even after sleep. Not sure. | F | 48 | 21 days | 1/2/2010 | 4 | low cortisol | severe night sweats, sleep walking/eating to the point of running into walls, breaking dishes as asleep then woke when dish fell and broke, wake eat, sleep in middle of eating, made my adrenal glands completely stop working, major stomach weight gain and bloating in stomach | PCP originally put me on Cortef for low cortisol levels. I didn't realize what all good it was doing until specialist that said I never should have been put on it started weaning me off it. Realized as I got to low dose of 5mg a day that it helped my fatigue, chronic pain, and anxiety alot. | F | 47 | 2 years 25 3X day | 9/18/2010 | 5 | Adrenal System Deficient | Weight gain, and depression though I am on other steroids and it may be a cumulative effect. | After having my Pituitary Gland removed steroid replacement was my only good option. I haven't experienced any of the highs mentioned by others though sleep can be an issue. That issue has been resolved with taking low doses of Ambien on occasion. When I don't follow the daily dosage protocols, I forget or get busy, headaches become an issue. | M | 45 | 4 years 5 3X day | 5/25/2014 | 4 | Sheehan syndrome | My morning cortisol level was low so endocrinologist prescribed for life beginning 20 mg am and 10 mg pm. I have got a new body more energy, less lethargic and high spirit of working, dizziness | Cortef started giving me round face,dry mouth, when delay taking meds given severe neck pain, somewhat helpful for tinnitus, also now notice my lost sex drive coming back spouse is happy but I'm not. | F | 45 | 2 months | 4/23/2017 | 4 | Addisons | some stomach pain | I can tell it is working after only 3 days. Much more energy. | F | 45 | 5 days | 9/4/2005 |
CORTEF (HYDROCORTISONE): Hydrocortisone is a natural substance (corticosteroid hormone) made by the adrenal gland. It is used to treat conditions such as arthritis, blood/hormone/immune system disorders, skin and eye conditions, breathing problems, cancer, and severe allergies. It decreases your immune system's response to various diseases to reduce symptoms such as pain, swelling and allergic-type reactions. Hydrocortisone is also used to treat low hydrocortisone levels caused by diseases of the adrenal gland (such as Addison's disease, adrenocortical insufficiency). Corticosteroids are needed in many ways for the body to function well. They are important for salt and water balance and keeping blood pressure normal. (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)