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 length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. 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 | 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 | 1 | I immediately gained weight. Went from being really skinny to obese. | F | 26 | 17 years | 8/24/2018 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 |
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)