CORTEF Reviews (HYDROCORTISONE)Average Rating: 3.9 (37 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare CORTEF with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date from oldest to newest. 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 | adrenal insufficiency | increased appetite for a few weeks, then actually did not feel as hungry. | I believe this has stabilized my system, no mood swings, migranes decreased and have more energy, and generalized body pain decreased | F | 40 | 6 days | 8/24/2005 | 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 | 4 | Adrenal Gland Failure | I am also hypoglycemic. This drug seemed to drop my blood sugar even lower, especially in the morning - so I needed to eat when taking it - also added a half glass of orange juice to help. It gave me vertigo some days. | F | 42 | 22 days | 10/5/2005 | 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 | Adrenal Insufficiency | None. I am on 20 mg a day and going wonderfully. | It has eliminated my hypoglycemia, fatigue, nausea, vertigo, and depression. | F | 24 | 7 weeks | 7/12/2006 | 5 | Adrenal insufficiency | Sleep disturbance if taken after lunch. It must be taken in the morning so that my cortisol drops again by night. Otherwise no problems at all. | The cortisol produced by my Adrenals was practically nil (tested by saliva hormone test). Cortef corrected or improved many problems form low cortisol: hypoglycemia, eyes sensitive to bright light, poor stress response, anxiety. | M | 44 | 4 months | 1/4/2007 | 4 | Adrenal Insufficiency | Slight weight gain. | I switched from prednisone to Cortef as the prednisone was making me severely irritable and giving me insomnia. Cortef is much more gentle on my system, I can sleep again, and it makes me feel normal! | F | 33 | 2 days | 3/27/2007 | 4 | Adrenalectomy Due to Cushing | I had mood swings occasionally. Increased appetite for a while, then I lost my appetite. Trouble sleeping because I take it twice a day, and the last does kicks in about the time I go to bed normally. Otherwise everything is great | I have been taking it since I had my adrenal gland removed in the end of March. | F | 24 | 3 months | 7/1/2007 | 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 | Suspected Addison's disease | Slight stimulation if I don't take my evening early enough | I have been on prednisone and dexamethasone and I find I become very irritable while taking them. Didn't get any sleep either, and felt nauseus on the latter. | M | 14 days | 4/3/2008 | 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 | 5 | Adrenal insufficiency | None | After only three days I feel normal again and my partner has noticed a big change. It's incredible, after the oddysey I have been through! | F | 42 | 4 days | 9/8/2009 | 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 | 4 | Adrenal insufficiency | Some moodiness/mild depression, small weight gain (less than 5lbs), but considerable stomach bloating (went from size 4 to size 8-10 in pants) | Overall, this medicine has helped a lot! I could barely move a lot of days, and this has allowed me to return to working considerably more hours. Although taking something like this long term isn't anyone's ideal, I don't know what I would do without it. The side effects are tolerable considering the huge gain. | F | 25 | 3 months | 12/4/2009 | 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 | Adreanal Failure, CFS, FM | Maybe once a week I will take a dose and I will experience a 20 minute period when it feels like I am taking "speed" instead of Cortef. | I was tested using the saliva method and was determind to be in adreanal failure. I started taking Cortef 4 times a day - I have never felt better. It literraly was a lifer saver. The only problem is that it is so artificial - if I forget to take a dose or a day's worth - I can't move. That's what scares me. Sometimes I think Cortef fools me in to thinking I am ALOT better thank I am. | F | 24 | 3 months 10 4X day | 12/28/2010 | 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 | 4 | Adrenal fatigue | Only stomach aches but desappearing after 4 days of taking it. Now I can take the Cortef without food. | My left adrenal stop to hurt and it now is swelling. The right adrenal hurt a lot, but it stop to hurt. My AM cortisol level (without cortef) increased after 2 months of treatment and im feeling better. | M | 25 | 2 months 5 mg 3X day | 8/8/2011 |
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)