Cortrophin Gel

Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) can raise your risk of a serious infection. Call your primary care provider if you have signs of an infection, like fever, weakness, sweating, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, or diarrhea, while you're taking this medication. You might have to stop taking Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) so your body can fight the infection as best as it can.

Before getting any vaccines, tell the healthcare professional that you're taking Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin). Ask your care team if you're not sure whether you can get the vaccine you want. You might need to avoid certain vaccines, like the smallpox vaccine or other live vaccines. It's not known how Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) affects your body's response to vaccines.

Don't lower your dose or stop taking Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) suddenly without talking to your prescriber first. Otherwise, you might have withdrawal symptoms like weakness, body aches, and stomach pain. Work with your care team to see how to safely lower your dose or stop the medication.

Make sure your care team knows about all your medical conditions. Some health conditions, like thyroid problems and liver cirrhosis) can cause Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) to have a stronger effect. Other conditions, like diabetes, myasthenia gravis, and kidney problems, can get worse during treatment.

Keep the vials of Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) in the refrigerator. For the 1 mL vials, they're good for 6 months after you first use the vial. For the 5 mL vials, they're good for 28 days after you first use the vial. If the expiration date on the vial is sooner than these time frames, throw away the vials on the expiration date.

Your healthcare team will give you training on how to draw up your dose into a syringe and inject Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin). Your prescriber will tell you what needle sizes to use to draw up the dose and inject the medication. Ask your care team if you have any questions on how to prepare and inject the medication.

Before you draw up your dose, roll the Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) vial between your hands for a few minutes to warm the medication up. The medication turns into a solid gel in the refrigerator. But it should become liquid after it's warmed up. Don't microwave or use the stove to warm up the medication.

For injections under the skin: Inject Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) into the fatty part under the skin either on top of your thigh or your stomach (at least 1 inch from the belly button). You can also ask someone to inject the medication into the fatty part under the skin on the side or at the back of your upper arm. Pinch the skin, insert the needle at a 45º angle, and push down on the plunger to inject the medication.

For injections into a muscle: Inject Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) into the muscle of your upper-outer thigh. Someone can also help inject the medication into the muscle of your upper arm. Hold the skin where you're going to inject. Then, insert the needle at a 90º angle and push down on the plunger to inject the medication. Never inject into a vein.

Choose a different spot each time you inject Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) to prevent skin irritation. Make sure there's at least an inch between the areas where you inject the medication. Use the injection calendar to write down where you injected the medication each time.

Once you're done with your injection, put the Cortrophin Gel (corticotropin) vial back into the refrigerator. Throw away the used needle and syringe in a sharps container or heavy-duty plastic container, like an empty laundry detergent bottle. This helps lower the risk of needle-stick injuries. Don't throw them away in your trash can. Visit the FDA's website for information about throwing away your sharps container safely.