Cortef anyone?

[charlie1]

Can anyone say that for certain they have seen improvement by taking Cortef in regards to increased daily energy levels and /or decreased PEM?
Thanks.

 

[Ema]

I couldn't do anything before steroid replacement. It isn't a cure but is one of my most helpful interventions for sure.

Infections of all sorts dysregulate the endocrine system. So getting those under control is another way to positively influence the HPA axis.

 

[charlie1]

Thanks Ema. I'm hoping to try it soon.

 

[Mary]

Can anyone say that for certain they have seen improvement by taking Cortef in regards to increased daily energy levels and /or decreased PEM?
Thanks.

I've never taken Cortef but did take adrenal glandulars for adrenal support and was helped immensely by them. My chiropractor told me that steroids like Cortef would push the adrenals to work harder (and eventually exhaust them further), whereas the glandulars would allow the adrenals to rest and recover. I took Drenatrophin PMG and Drenamin by Standard Process, as well as Cytozyme AD by Biotics and Adrenogen I think by Metagnics. All were good products.

They all helped reduce or eliminate fatigue caused by weak adrenals but did nothing for PEM which I believe is a separate issue. I have found that branched chain amino acids and l-glutatmine are helping me significantly with PEM.

 

[Ema]

My chiropractor told me that steroids like Cortef would push the adrenals to work harder (and eventually exhaust them further), whereas the glandulars would allow the adrenals to rest and recover.

This makes no sense at all...especially considering the active ingredient (cortisol) in the glandulars is the same. The problem with glandulars is that they often contain adrenaline as well which can be a disaster if you already have high adrenaline levels. Hello, panic and wired but tired.

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that chiropractors can sell glandulars but can't prescribe HC.

 

[charlie1]

I've never taken Cortef but did take adrenal glandulars for adrenal support and was helped immensely by them.

I tried bovine adrenal glandular extract but saw no improvement in energy It seems that the conventional/traditional doctors are against the hydorcortisone whereas functional medicine and some alternative medicine doctors feel differently. It does seem to cause controversy.

I couldn't do anything before steroid replacement. It isn't a cure but is one of my most helpful interventions for sure.

That's what I hope for IF the dr. says I am deficient and IF he will replace with Cortef.

 

[Mary]

I tried bovine adrenal glandular extract but saw no improvement in energy It seems that the conventional/traditional doctors are against the hydorcortisone whereas functional medicine and some alternative medicine doctors feel differently. It does seem to cause controversy.


That's what I hope for IF the dr. says I am deficient and IF he will replace with Cortef.

I'm not saying don't try the Cortef, hopefully it will help you. I did find with the glandulars that initially I had to take 3 or 4 times the recommended dose as my adrenals were so weak. I doubt if the standard dose would have helped me at that time, so I think results may be dose-dependent, or at least dose-related.

Ema makes some good points, I'd have to do more research. All I know is I've had very good results with the glandulars, when taken in sufficient doses.

 

[maddietod]

I took cortef in 2001 for a few years I think. It helped immediately with energy, and was totally wonderful. But eventually I realized that the weirdly compulsive upsurge in libido was due to the cortef. It led me into some very strange relationships.

 

[charlie1]

increased libido is usually a positive consequence but it sounds like your situation was a negative. I assume you are not on it now which is a shame if it helped immediately with energy. Man, why can't treatments just be straight forward???

 

[maddietod]

Yeah, every (male) doctor I mentioned it to looked perplexed when I complained about it. But libido disconnected from actual attraction to the personality is very weird.

 

[August59]

Can anyone say that for certain they have seen improvement by taking Cortef in regards to increased daily energy levels and /or decreased PEM?
Thanks.

Absolutely and without a doubt. I believe the majority reason behind the improvement was reduction in inflammation.

 

[minkeygirl]

I 94 I was dx'ed by an endocrinologist with relative adrenal insufficiency. He put me on cortef . Maybe 2 months later I developed horrible allergies. He told me that the Cortef suppressed my immune system.

Shortly after that I got some unknown virus, was hallucinating driving to his office and was left with ME.

All this for a disease that wasn't even real. Had he supported my adrenals instead of crashing them who knows where I'd be today.

Just a side note, in 2011 he was arrested for having sex in his car with his 22 yr old office assistant and doing coke.

 

[heapsreal]

Just a side note, in 2011 he was arrested for having sex in his car with his 22 yr old office assistant and doing coke.

pepsi max is much better than coke

 

[JAH]

Just a side note, in 2011 he was arrested for having sex in his car with his 22 yr old office assistant and doing coke.

You made me laugh with that one. My doc told me that cortef worked wonders with a few of her patients, (Not me, exacerbated my insomnia. Really strong salt craving.) and as far as I know, she has not been arrested on sex and drug charges

 

[cb2]

it is good to have the humor here, and i may have to try "pepsi max" never heard of it. and sex, well no energy or desire- but i do remember those days! anyway, i was seeing a dr at Holtrof a few years ago and they prescribed slow release cortisol.. it gave me a boost but was too much and i over did it, that is how i am . still trying to learn pacing when i have energy- long story short because i already had some ( i had them swtich me to cortef instead) the endo i swtiche some of my care too refilled my rx for cortef, my saliva tests were on the low end and dhea was horrible low- anyway, i couldnt tolerate thyroid meds at all without cortef, and i have found since the cortef i have gotten less high fevers and lung infections- of which i was getting about every 3 months, for unknown reasons.

i sometimes think about tapering off the cortef but not ready just yet- and it i did provide a great boost of energy in the beginning- at a low dose,.. and i slowly worked my way up- which i guess is the backwards way to treat.