Cortef New User

zorro · Sep 7, 2016

So I was just prescribed a "test" for 2 weeks using hydrocortisone (Cortef). 5mg immediately when I wake, 5mg more if I don't feel effect. Then mid-day another 5mg, and an additional 5mg if I feel no effect.

This stemmed from symptoms plus a saliva cortisol test that went morning-average, lunch-low normal, dinner-low normal, bedtime-high.

Prednisone has always made me go a little jittery and gain weight, butI understand this is much less strong than hydrocortisone. Anybody care to share their experiences using this? What am I in for?

Vince Carter · Sep 7, 2016

I had a very short experience with HydroCortisone after some basement level saliva cortisol tests. I think I didn't feel anything using a tiny <5mg daily (total) dose and didn't feel like, at the time, of introducing something else to the mix.

CoastWatcher · Sep 7, 2016

Can you post the results that convinced your doctor to initiate this treatment?

Nelson Vergel · Sep 7, 2016

I would exhaust all my options before taking prednisone or hydrocortisone. Fat and water gain, bone density loss, low testosterone, immune suppression, etc etc etc can occur when dosed above physiologic doses.

Like Coastwatcher said, can you show us your saliva cortisol tests? How are you sleeping? Do you have apnea? Do you take stimulants or a lot of caffeine?

Vettester Chris · Sep 8, 2016

As already stated, needing the test results? Hopefully, they ran a DHEA S w/ correlation on your assay?

zorro · Sep 8, 2016

Here were the results:

DHEA-S was tested, but I was already put on DHEA 25mg twice a day since that was found to be low (101 via blood test) previously.

DHEA-S: 87.3 (2-23)
Morning: 5.6 (3.7-9.5)
Lunch: 1.7 (1.2-3.0)
Evening: 0.7 (0.6-1.9)
Night: 1.1 (0.4-1.0)

No sleep apnea (have had sleep test in the past), but continual insomnia and take alternating Elavil 25mg and Ambien CR 12.5 for that, but neither keep me asleep thru the night. Almost always wake between 2-3am and eventually fall back asleep. No stimulants, and very little caffeine (latte probably twice a week), no soda. Cold hands/feet, low body temperature (average 97.3-97.5), and a few episodes of hypoglycemic type symptoms a month (dizzy, lightheaded - corrected by peanut butter or something sweet). What prompted me to do the saliva test is inability to lose weight (and gaining a bit still). I've gained about 45 pounds in 8 months or so with no change in diet/exercise, and no other things my PCP has tried with me has worked (calorie tracking, several different meds). Thyroid panel has returned normal multiple times, although Reverse T3 is on the high end of the range at 19.6 (max 25).