Fludrocortisone is used for:

Treating adrenocortical insufficiency in Addison disease and for treating salt-losing adrenogenital syndrome.

Fludrocortisone is a corticosteroid. It works by causing the kidneys to retain sodium and acting as a replacement for cortisone when the body does not produce enough.

Do NOT use Fludrocortisone if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Fludrocortisone
• you have a systemic fungal infection
• you are scheduled to have a smallpox vaccination

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Fludrocortisone :

Some medical conditions may interact with Fludrocortisone. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you are scheduled for a vaccination with a live virus vaccine (eg, smallpox)
• if you have a history of an underactive thyroid, liver or kidney problems, heart problems or heart attack, bleeding problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation of the esophagus, stomach problems (eg, ulcers), bowel blockage or other bowel problems (eg, ulcerative colitis), recent bowel surgery, myasthenia gravis, or mental or mood problems (eg, depression)
• if you have measles, chickenpox, herpes infection of the eye, or any other type of bacterial, fungal, parasitic, or viral infection
• if you have recently had tuberculosis (TB) or have had a positive skin test for TB

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Fludrocortisone. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Anabolic steroids (eg, oxymetholone) or aprepitant because side effects of Fludrocortisone may be increased
• Barbiturates (eg, phenobarbital), carbamazepine, estrogens, hydantoins (eg, phenytoin), or rifampin because the effectiveness of Fludrocortisone may be decreased
• Amphotericin B, azole antifungals (eg, ketoconazole), clarithromycin, digoxin, loop diuretics (eg, furosemide), steroidal contraceptives (eg, desogestrel), thiazide diuretics (eg, hydrochlorothiazide), or troleandomycin because side effects, such as weakness, confusion, muscle aches, irregular heartbeat, joint pain, or low blood sugar, may occur
• Methotrexate or ritodrine because the actions and side effects of these medicines may be increased
• Hydantoins (eg, phenytoin), live vaccines, or smallpox vaccine because the effectiveness of these medicines may be decreased
• Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin) or aspirin because the actions and side effects of these medicines may be increased or decreased

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Fludrocortisone may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Fludrocortisone :

Use Fludrocortisone as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Fludrocortisone may be taken with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.
• If Fludrocortisone needs to be stopped (or if a different medicine is added to therapy) by your doctor, this will be done gradually. The risk of side effects may be increased if Fludrocortisone is suddenly stopped.
• If you miss a dose of Fludrocortisone , take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Fludrocortisone.

Important safety information:

• Fludrocortisone may cause dizziness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Fludrocortisone. Using Fludrocortisone alone, with certain other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Fludrocortisone may lower your body's ability to fight infection, especially if taken over a longer period of time. Prevent infection by avoiding contact with people with colds or other infections. Notify your doctor of any signs of infection, including fever, sore throat, rash, or chills.
• If you have not had chickenpox or measles, avoid contact with anyone who has any of these diseases. If you are exposed to anyone with chickenpox or measles, contact your doctor right away.
• Carry an identification card at all times that says you are taking Fludrocortisone.
• Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Fludrocortisone.
• Long-term use may cause cataracts, glaucoma, and eye infections. Contact your doctor right away if you develop any unusual changes in your vision.
• Fludrocortisone may cause an increase in blood pressure, salt and water retention, and calcium and potassium loss. Talk with your doctor to see if you need to decrease the amount of salt in your diet or take a calcium or vitamin D supplement.
• Avoid vaccinations with live virus vaccines (eg, measles, mumps, oral polio) while you are taking Fludrocortisone. Vaccinations may be less effective.
• Diabetes patients - Fludrocortisone may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely and ask your doctor before adjusting the dose of your diabetes medicine.
• LAB TESTS, including blood electrolytes, blood calcium levels, blood pressure, and vision tests may be performed to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Caution is advised when using Fludrocortisone in CHILDREN because they may be more sensitive to its effects.
• Corticosteroids may affect the growth rate in CHILDREN and adolescents in some instances. Your child's growth may need to be checked regularly while using Fludrocortisone.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant while taking Fludrocortisone , discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using Fludrocortisone during pregnancy. Fludrocortisone is excreted in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you are using Fludrocortisone , check with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss the risks to your baby.

Possible side effects of Fludrocortisone :

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Difficulty sleeping; dizziness or lightheadedness; headache; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; nervousness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black, tarry stools; changes in menstrual periods; chest pain; eye pain or increased pressure in the eye; fever, chills, or sore throat; joint or bone pain; mood or mental changes (eg, depression); muscle pain or weakness; seizures; severe or persistent headache; severe or persistent nausea or vomiting; stomach pain or bloating; swelling of feet or legs; trouble sleeping; unusual weight gain or loss; vision changes; vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).