*Is ISOCORT easier to DOSE? (was:Re: hydrocortisone query - short term use

[Guest guest]

> So, IsoCort helps when you need it, but comes at a price of being

> more limited and having to have things just right.

>

> Tish

This seems to be the case with me too...well...er I jsut started for the

second time, but am already noticing the same thing.

I just started taking CORTEF (not isocort) again a couple of days ago, and

it is helping, (I actually felt like wanting to do something in life again

for awhile today.) but like you say, even this early in the game, it has its

drawbacks.

I am takng 15 mg/day, and take it round the clock...every 4 hours. I find by

taking it that often, by the time about 3 1/2 hours has rolled by since the

last does, I still sometimes start getting heart pound-y and

weeker....making the bed should be left to when I am on the first 1-3 hours

of the dose

If I do not take it in the middle of the night, I have woken up with my

heart pounding. Missed it by 1/2 hours this morning...heart pounding when

the phone wakes me.

THE GOOD NOTE IS that so far, since starting to take the CORTISONE on this

super regular dosing schedule, I have actually had some times of feeling a

mental sense of well being that I have not had in a long time. this has

given me a lot of hope....hope to have some joy again.

Also, my temperature seems to stay quite close to 98.6 most of the day,

until sometime around midnight when it starts to drop a bit...but it is

getting closer to normal n the mornings too. Last night I hit 98.7 for a few

hours. Woo-hoo!

I think if I could, I mioght feel better taking ore...but I won't. 3 hour

dosing might be the ticket, but I don't think I can divide 15mg of my 20 mg

pills that way...only if I bump it to 20/day can I do that.

>>>2 QUESTIONS:

1) Is ISOCORT easier to dose out, based on what I have experienced?

2) Is the 3 hours dosing maybe a good idea evenif it means I have to go up

to 20 mg?

Ploddung along and making some progress...at least mentally,

Inga

on 3/17/05 6:50 AM, lkwetter at saltillo@... wrote:

[Guest guest]

Inga,

Anything that I have seen about cortef dosings says to take it in

three or four doses spread over the day and stopping at 4 pm. Most

people have difficulty sleeping if they take any after 4 pm. For a 15

mg dose that might be 5 at each of 7 am, 12 noon, and 4 pm. That

works for me,expect I take a bit more.

I read some where that if you mant to make sure the adrenals don't get

too supressed you can take the whole dose in the am. And I have even

heard of taking two days worth on the morning of the first day. I

haven't tried this but might ask my doc what he thinks.

I have been noting that my heart has been pounding lately and I think

it might be 'cause I am stressed and am making too much adrenaline,

not sure. Might be a better idea to try to reduce stress (easier said

than done). I'm going to take it easy this weekend and see if that

will ge my heart to stop pounding.

Could the heart pounding be from too much Thyroid meds?

>2) Is the 3 hours dosing maybe a good idea evenif it means I have to

>go up

> to 20 mg?

I would try to stay at 15 mg for some time and see how you feel before

considering moving the dose up. Some people only need 10-15 mg.