Re: Hydrocortisone concerns...?

November 15, 2008

Hi Deb,

I'm just concerned or wondering if your doctor expressed any concern over

long-term

hydrocortisone use? I'm no doctor of course, but when I had a frozen should a

few years

ago, I had three cortisone shots, which did help a little, but not too much, so

I asked for

another.

The doc refused, saying basically that they give only three because more than

that may

increase the risk of osteoporosis, and disrupt the immune system -- and also I

think

there's the potential with long-term use to cause the adrenal glands to stop

producing

cortisol???

I was kind of surprised at her objection, but I mentioned it to an acupuncturist

I was

seeing back then, and she was really upset that I had had even ONE shot!

Just wondering...perhaps your compounded version is safer/different?

d.

>

> hi chris - i don't tolerate cortef - do much better on long acting compounded

hydrocortisone...when i started off on corted5 mg twice a day i was soon a

basket

case...the compounded stuff doesn't do numbers in my head!

> good luck,

> deb

>

November 15, 2008

hi dan - my am saliva corticsol was very low - i don't do mornings - don't want

visitors, phone calls in the morning - the last time i went out to lunch was

years ago....i'm taking very low doses 2.5mg twice a day along with all the

supplements of james wilson (i bought and read his book)...i'm mostly homebound

with a foggy head and 66 years old...if my viral titers go down my adrenals

might improve??? anyway, at my age i will do anything that makes me feel better

and not worry about long term consequences...i mean, i really don't expect to

live a long life...

[Moderator: My attitude is simple, if some questionable substance [many

prescription medicines] produces results, I turn around an look at the process

(which can take weeks of concentration with CFIDS, and attempt to find safe

alternatives -- i.e. take ownership instead of resigning to medical

professionals that have limited interest in a complex illness]

good luck,

deb

________________________________

Hi Deb,

I'm just concerned or wondering if your doctor expressed any concern over

long-term

hydrocortisone use? I'm no doctor of course, but when I had a frozen should a

few years

ago, I had three cortisone shots, which did help a little, but not too much, so

I asked for

another.

The doc refused, saying basically that they give only three because more than

that may

increase the risk of osteoporosis,

>

December 19, 2008

I have been using HC for more than 2 years every day now. I started on

Prednisone but changed to HC because it was easier to stress dose.

For those who do not know what stress dosing is; if you or your body

goes through a lot of stress is will need more cortisone, like when

you get a cold, the flue or go through a mentally stressful time.

Those are the days that you will need to take more HC because your

body needs more.

At least this is how my dr. explained it to me and this is how I use

it. Also remember that anyone who takes HC should carry a card or note

with him/her that says you are a HC user in case of an emergency.

I know that when I had a tennis elbow my dr. explained that cortisone

injections do not fix the problem they merely mask the symptoms. Which

a lot of dr. feel is not right because you will keep using that arm/

shoulder instead of resting with it so it can heal. They help with the

pain because it reduces the inflammation but does not heal the cause.

There is a difference in using HC to support your system or to

suppress the system, the way I use it is to support my system, without

it I wouldn't have any cortisone at all and I would be very ill. I had

a great variety of cortisol tests and they all flatline in the morning

with a small rise at 11:00AM when I have taken my cortisol for that

morning. I take 30 - 60 mg a day.

The compounded version is IMO no different than the regular tablets

except that they might have other fillers and no preservatives.

dr.Myhill has an article about Cortisol on her website:

Hydrocortisone - how to use it safely and without causing adrenal

suppression

http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/article.cfm?id=52

--

Portland, OR

On Nov 14, 2008, at 8:37 PM, kdrbrill wrote:

> Hi Deb,

>

> I'm just concerned or wondering if your doctor expressed any concern

> over long-term

> hydrocortisone use? I'm no doctor of course, but when I had a

> frozen should a few years

> ago, I had three cortisone shots, which did help a little, but not

> too much, so I asked for

> another.

>

> The doc refused, saying basically that they give only three because

> more than that may

> increase the risk of osteoporosis, and disrupt the immune system --

> and also I think

> there's the potential with long-term use to cause the adrenal glands

> to stop producing

> cortisol???

>

> I was kind of surprised at her objection, but I mentioned it to an

> acupuncturist I was

> seeing back then, and she was really upset that I had had even ONE

> shot!

>

> Just wondering...perhaps your compounded version is safer/different?

>

> d.