Cortef (Hydrocortisone)

Cortef
10mg Tablet

Prescription required. May be split. Product of Canada. Shipped from Canada.

Cortef
20mg Tablet

Prescription required. May be split. Product of Canada. Shipped from Canada.


Generic equivalents for Cortef... What are generics?

Hydrocortisone
5mg Tablet

Prescription required. Can not be split. Product of New Zealand. Shipped from New Zealand.

Hydrocortisone
20mg Tablet

Prescription required. May be split. Product of New Zealand. Shipped from New Zealand.


To comply with Canadian International Pharmacy Association regulations you are permitted to order a 3-month supply or the closest package size available based on your personal prescription. read more


Hydrocortisone Information

Hydrocortisone (hye droe kor' ti sone) Cortef® Cortril®¶ Hydrocortone®¶ Cortisol

Hydrocortisone, a corticosteroid, is similar to a natural hormone produced by your adrenal glands. It is often used to replace this chemical when your body does not make enough of it. It relieves inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, and pain) and is used to treat certain forms of arthritis; skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid, and intestinal disorders (e.g., colitis); severe allergies; and asthma. Hydrocortisone is also used to treat certain types of cancer. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Hydrocortisone injection comes as powder to be mixed with liquid to be injected intramuscularly (into a muscle) or intravenously (into a vein). Your dosing schedule will depend on your condition and on how you respond to treatment. You may receive hydrocortisone injection in a hospital or medical facility, or you may be given the medication to use at home. If you will be using hydrocortisone injection at home, your healthcare provider will show you how to inject the medication. Be sure that you understand these directions, and ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions. Ask your healthcare provider what to do if you have any problems using hydrocortisone injection. Your doctor may change your dose of hydrocortisone injection during your treatment to be sure that you are always using the lowest dose that works for you. Your doctor may also need to change your dose if you experience unusual stress on your body such as surgery, illness, or infection. Tell your doctor if your symptoms improve or get worse or if you get sick or have any changes in your health during your treatment.

Before receiving hydrocortisone injection, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to hydrocortisone, any other medications, benzyl alcohol, or any of the ingredients in hydrocortisone injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: aminoglutethimide (Cytadren; no longer available in U.S.); amphotericin B (Abelcet, Ambisome, Amphotec); anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven); aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) and selective COX-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib (Celebrex); carbamazepine (Equetro, Tegretol, Teril); cholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil (Aricept, in Namzaric), galantamine (Razadyne), neostigmine (Bloxiverz), pyridostigmine (Mestinon, Regonol), and rivastigmine (Exelon); cholestyramine (Prevalite); cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); medications for diabetes including insulin; digoxin (Lanoxin); diuretics ('water pills'); erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, others); estrogens including hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, patches, rings, implants, and injections); isoniazid (Laniazid, Rifamate, in Rifater); ketoconazole (Nizoral, Xolegel); phenobarbital; phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); rifabutin (Mycobutin); and rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate, in Rifater). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have a fungal infection (other than on your skin or nails). Your doctor will probably tell you not to use hydrocortisone injection. Also, tell your doctor if you have idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP; an ongoing condition that may cause easy bruising or bleeding due to an abnormally low number of platelets in the blood). Your doctor probably will not give you hydrocortisone intramuscularly, if you have ITP. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had tuberculosis (TB: a type of lung infection); cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye); glaucoma (an eye disease); Cushing's syndrome (condition where the body produces too much of the hormone cortisol); diabetes; high blood pressure; heart failure; a recent heart attack; emotional problems, depression or other types of mental illness; myasthenia gravis (a condition in which the muscles become weak); osteoporosis (condition in which the bones become weak and fragile and can break easily); seizures; ulcers; or liver, kidney, heart, intestinal, or thyroid disease. Also tell your doctor if you have any type of untreated bacterial, parasitic, or viral infection anywhere in your body or a herpes eye infection (a type of infection that causes a sore on the eyelid or eye surface). tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while receiving hydrocortisone injection, call your doctor. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are receiving hydrocortisone injection. do not have any vaccinations (shots to prevent diseases) without talking to your doctor. you should know that hydrocortisone injection may decrease your ability to fight infection and may prevent you from developing symptoms if you get an infection. Stay away from people who are sick and wash your hands often while you are using this medication. Be sure to avoid people who have chicken pox or measles. Call your doctor immediately if you think you may have been around someone who had chicken pox or measles.

Your doctor may instruct you to follow a low-sodium, low-salt, potassium-rich, or high-protein diet. Follow these directions. Hydrocortisone may cause an upset stomach. Take hydrocortisone with food or milk.

When you start to take hydrocortisone, ask your doctor what to do if you forget a dose. Write down these instructions so that you can refer to them later. If you take hydrocortisone once a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. If you do not remember a missed dose until it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose completely and take only the regularly scheduled dose. If you take more than one dose a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Hydrocortisone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: upset stomach stomach irritation vomiting headache dizziness insomnia restlessness depression anxiety acne increased hair growth easy bruising irregular or absent menstrual periods If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: skin rash swollen face, lower legs, or ankles vision problems cold or infection that lasts a long time muscle weakness black or tarry stool If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to hydrocortisone. Checkups are especially important for children because hydrocortisone can slow bone growth. If your condition worsens, call your doctor. Your dose may need to be adjusted. Carry an identification card that indicates that you may need to take supplementary doses (write down the full dose you took before gradually decreasing it) of hydrocortisone during periods of stress (injuries, infections, and severe asthma attacks). Ask your pharmacist or doctor how to obtain this card. List your name, medical problems, drugs and dosages, and doctor's name and telephone number on the card. This drug makes you more susceptible to illnesses. If you are exposed to chicken pox, measles, or tuberculosis (TB) while using hydrocortisone, call your doctor. Do not have a vaccination, other immunization, or any skin test while you are taking hydrocortisone unless your doctor tells you that you may. Report any injuries or signs of infection (fever, sore throat, pain during urination, and muscle aches) that occur during treatment. Your doctor may instruct you to weigh yourself every day. Report any unusual weight gain. If your sputum (the matter you cough up during an asthma attack) thickens or changes color from clear white to yellow, green, or gray, call your doctor; these changes may be signs of an infection. If you have diabetes, hydrocortisone may increase your blood sugar level. If you monitor your blood sugar (glucose) at home, test your blood or urine more frequently than usual. Call your doctor if your blood sugar is high or if sugar is present in your urine; your dose of diabetes medication and your diet may need to be changed. Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. ¶ This branded product is no longer on the market. Generic alternatives may be available.

The content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Patients should not use the information presented on this page for diagnosing a health-related issue or disease. Before taking any medication or supplements, patients should always consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional for medical advice or information about whether a drug is safe, appropriate or effective.