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 Satisfaction lowest to highest. 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 |
| 1 | I immediately gained weight. Went from being really skinny to obese. | F | 26 | 17 years | 8/24/2018 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | Hypopituitarism Sheehan | I struggled with a misdiagnosis for 2 years, cfs fibromyalgia etc until someone noted my low blood pressure and investigated. Upon starting cortef I immediately felt extremely hungry on my initial dose of 50mg and put on 25kgs in 1 month! But there was good stuff too. I could shower without collapsing. I could get away with less sleep and wasn't zoning out in the middle of a conversation! I could move around without becoming breathless and easily tired. Sadly I could never get back to the gym addict I once was coz there's not enough energy for extra things. My dose has been tapered to 10mg in the morning 5mg in the afternoon and 5 at 4pm. Apparently taking it at bedtime could keep you awake. I struggle with abdominal pain every now and again. Not sure if that's from cortef. Can't lose the weight even though I try. Overall effect is good. If I forget a dose I relapse into achy joints and severe fatigue and it takes doubling the doses for a day or 2 to get back to normal! | It's a lifesaver but everyone around you at home and at work need to be aware of your need for it. In case of emergency e.g. sometimes I forget to double it in a crisis such as sudden illness or critically stressful situation like a heat wave or even simple additional overtime at work when you normally knock off at 5pm. Naturally your body's fight/flight reaction could have done that for you, but a hypopituitarism patient has to manually add on a dose. Discuss with your doctor. I add 5mg when I feel I am coming down with a cold and it helps. | F | 40 | 5 years 20 | 12/28/2018 | 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 | Adrenal Insufficiency | Caution to those who are emotionally sensitive to weight gain, or if weight gain is medically dangerous: before starting Cortef, know that chances are you WILL gain weight. I have gained nearly 30 lbs. over 14 months. I'm finally tapering off Cortef, but the weight is stubborn as all get up. Even with exercise & severe caloric restriction (800 cals or less daily) I've only lost about 10 lbs over 3 months. Cortef helped me, but the weight gain is awful. I knew this going in, but didn't realize how badly it would affect me. Cortef affects metabolic function, fat storage and carbohydrate cravings. Weight gain happens if Cortef is taken in high doses, or even in small doses for long periods of time. I learned my doc kept me on it for much too long. If your doc says you need it temporarily, hold him or her to this statement, and do not let them keep you on it for longer than 6 months or you will face the battle of the bulge. | F | 38 | 14 months .5 mg 1X day | 11/11/2016 Patient History | 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 | 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's disease | When I was first put on this, I was put on 100mg a day because there was no endo at the hospital and the doctors had no idea how much I was supposed to take. I gained weight like crazy -- starving all the time, gained almost 70lbs. When I was finally able to get into an endo after 4 months (we don't have many in our town, so they're overbooked), he tapered my dose down to 20 mg a day, divided into 2 doses. I've stopped gaining weight but can't seem to lose even a pound even though it's been over 2 years. This is very distressing to me. I do like feeling good and not like the walking dead, but I hate the way I look. | F | 20 | 2 years 20mg 1X day | 11/8/2015 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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)