• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Interactions

What is cortisone?
Cortisone is in a class of drugs called steroids. Cortisone prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation. Cortisone is used to treat many different conditions such as allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, or breathing disorders. Cortisone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What are the possible side effects of cortisone?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• problems with your vision;

• swelling, rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath;

• severe depression, unusual thoughts or behavior, seizure (convulsions);

• bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood;

• pancreatitis (severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate);

• low potassium (confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling); or

• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Less serious side effects may include:

• sleep problems (insomnia), mood changes;

• acne, dry skin, thinning skin, bruising or discoloration;

• slow wound healing;

• increased sweating;

• headache, dizziness, spinning sensation;

• nausea, stomach pain, bloating; or

• changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take cortisone?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication. Your steroid medication needs may change if you have unusual stress such as a serious illness, fever or infection, or if you have surgery or a medical emergency. Tell your doctor about any such situation that affects you.

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What is the most important information I should know about cortisone?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to cortisone, or if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body. Before taking cortisone, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, and about all other medicines you are using. There are many other diseases that can be affected by steroid use, and many other medicines that can interact with steroids. Your steroid medication needs may change if you have any unusual stress such as a serious illness, fever or infection, or if you have surgery or a medical emergency. Tell your doctor about any such situation that affects you during treatment.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
If you miss a dose or forget to take your medicine, contact your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

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What other drugs will affect cortisone?
There are many other medicines that can interact with steroids. Below is only a partial list of these medicines: aspirin (taken on a daily basis or at high doses); a diuretic (water pill); a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); insulin or diabetes medications you take by mouth; antibiotics such as ketoconazole (Nizoral), rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane), or troleandomycin (Tao); or seizure medications such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton).

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Cortisone has been assigned to pregnancy category D by the FDA. Animal studies involving cortisol administration have revealed evidence of an increased incidence of cleft palate in offspring, stillborn fetuses, and decreased fetal size. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Cortisone is only recommended for use when there are no alternatives and benefit outweighs risk.

There are no data on the excretion of cortisone into human milk. Some corticosteroids are excreted into human milk in small amounts. The manufacturer recommends that due to the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have received too much of this medicine. A single large dose of cortisone is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms. However, long-term use of high steroid doses can lead to symptoms such as thinning skin, easy bruising, changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your face, neck, back, and waist), increased acne or facial hair, menstrual problems, impotence, or loss of interest in sex.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking cortisone?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to cortisone, or if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body. Steroid medication can weaken your immune system, making it easier for you to get an infection. Steroids can also worsen an infection you already have, or reactivate an infection you recently had. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor about any illness or infection you have had within the past several weeks. Other medical conditions you should tell your doctor about before taking cortisone include:

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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