Patient Log of Experience Using CORTEF
DRUG RATINGS REPORTS HISTORY FOR A PATIENT TAKING CORTEF
| Key to ratings for CORTEF: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
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| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken and Dosage | Date Added | |
| 5 | Adrenal Insufficiency | I too was skeptical after reading the horror stories of side effects. But understand that the human body makes somewhere around 20-30mgs a day of cortisol (depending on who you ask) so some of the awful stories may come from people taking crazy, unnecessary and inhuman amounts. As long as you find a doctor who fully understands how (and more importantly, when) to prescribe this stuff, you shouldn't end up with your own horror story to tell. | For almost 3 years I was suffering from fatigue, frequent headaches, weight gain, mood issues, horrible PMS and frequent illness (14 consecutive colds in one winter). For some strange reason, when women go to doctors with symptoms like this it's almost always assumed the problem is mental. In my case 3 different doctors all went straight to the "anxiety/depression" realm. I've been through mild depression/anxiety before and I know what it feels like. I just felt like my mind was fighting a body that was out of whack and broken. I found an alternative medicine doc who knew straight away what was going on. I'm given 5mg Cortef tabs of which I only take 1/4 a day, sometimes 1/2. Within hours of my first dose I felt better. Within HOURS. 45 days later, I feel like I've taken my life back. My only side effect is if I take the 1/2 tab when I really only needed 1/4. I get energetic, but not necessarily wired or geeked out like when you drink too much coffee. This energy burst subsides within a couple hours. I started exercising again; lost 5lbs. I no longer need to sleep for 10 or 11 hours a night. I started going out to dinner with my husband again (before, I couldn't even stand to leave the house for more than an hour...too exhausting). No more headaches, no more nasty PMS. I went back to work after having been off for over a year. | F | 38 | 45 days 1.25 - 2.5 1X D | 10/24/2015 | |
| 5 | Adrenal Insufficiency | Update as of Feb/2016. Still taking the same dose and feel remarkably better. This winter I managed (so far) to catch a cold only once, compared to fourteen times last winter! I still workout regularly, and overall have more energy. No more awful PMS. The only side effect: Despite working out/eating well, I have GAINED weight, about 10 lbs. Not too happy with this, but I suppose I'd rather be a little squishy than sick and tired. | F | 38 | 5 months 1.25 - 2.5 1X D | 2/3/2016 | ||
| 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 D | 11/11/2016 | ||