Drug Interaction Report

Hydrocortisone and Gestodene: Interaction Details

Name: Hydrocortisone and Gestodene Interaction
Creator: Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS

A pharmacist-reviewed analysis of the Hydrocortisone and Gestodene interaction: the documented clinical effects, severity rating, onset, mechanism, and management considerations, with cited references throughout.

AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature

Hydrocortisone

Ala-Cort Alkindi Alkindi Sprinkle® Alocane Anti-Itch Anucort-HC Anusol HC Aquanil HC Aquaphor Itch Relief

Gestodene

No brand names on record

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS

Updated Aug 8, 2026

Editorial policy · Data sources

Interaction severity

Major

Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.

Minor

Moderate

Major

Contraindicated

How we grade severity & evidence

Severity levels

Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.

Evidence grades

Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.

Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.

Of 439 documented Hydrocortisone interactions, 167 are rated major — including this one.

Worried about symptoms right now? Contact your pharmacist or prescriber, or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (US). Call 911 for an emergency.

Onset

delayed

Evidence

theoretical

Severity

Major

What happens

Altered (reduced/increased) hydrocortisone exposure, reduced efficacy of hydrocortisone and an increased risk of hydrocortisone-related adverse reactions

Interaction Deep Dive

Coadministration of corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone and combinational oral contraceptives (COCs) may increase hydrocortisone exposure. Exert caution when coadministered²³. Additionally, concomitant use of hydrocortisone with oral estrogen and estrogen-containing oral contraceptives may increase cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) exposure. Concomitant use may reduce the efficacy of hydrocortisone by binding and delaying or preventing absorption. Concomitant use of estrogen/estrogen containing products may require an increase in the hydrocortisone dose ¹. Combination oral contraceptives have been demonstrated to increase the antiinflammatory effect of hydrocortisone and predniSONE. The half-lives of these steroids may increase by 2 to 3 times ⁴⁵⁶.

Why it happens (mechanism)

Increased serum cortisol-binding globulin (CBG), delaying or preventing hydrocortisone absorption; inhibition of CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of hydrocortisone

Literature reports

1 report — tap to read

a) Combination oral contraceptives have been demonstrated to increase the antiinflammatory effect of hydrocortisone and predniSONE. The half-lives of these steroids may increase by 2 to 3 times ⁴⁵⁶.

Common questions

Can I take Hydrocortisone and Gestodene together?

Altered (reduced/increased) hydrocortisone exposure, reduced efficacy of hydrocortisone and an increased risk of hydrocortisone-related adverse reactions Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.

How serious is the Hydrocortisone and Gestodene interaction?

It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.

How quickly could this interaction happen?

The documented onset is "delayed". Effects tend to build up gradually over days to weeks.

How strong is the evidence for this interaction?

The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.

From our Q&A

Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:

Using Hydrocortisone For Balanitis (Inflammation Of the Glans Penis)

Questions for your pharmacist

Does my dose of Hydrocortisone or Gestodene need adjusting while I take them together?
What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?

References (6)

Product Information: KHINDIVI(R) oral solution, hydrocortisone oral solution. Eton Pharmaceuticals (per Manufacturer), Cranbury, NJ, 2025. DailyMed
Product Information: ALESSE(R) 28 oral tablets, levonorgestrel ethinyl estradiol oral tablets. Cadence Health (per FDA), New York, NY, 2024.
Product Information: FEMLYV orally disintegrating tablets, norethindrone acetate, ethinyl estradiol orally disintegrating tablets. Millicent U.S. Inc (per FDA), East Hanover, NJ, 2024. DailyMed
Baciewicz AM: Oral contraceptive drug interactions. Ther Drug Monit 1985; 7:26-35. PubMed
Legler UF & Benet LZ: Marked alterations in dose-dependent prednisolone kinetics in women taking oral contraceptives. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1986; 39:425-429. DOI
Szoka PR & Edgren RA: Drug interactions with oral contraceptives: compilation and analysis of an adverse experience report database. Fertil Steril 1988; 49(5 suppl 2):31S-38S.

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Hydrocortisone

Keep reading about Hydrocortisone

All Hydrocortisone interactions (439) Hydrocortisone drug information

Also serious with: Mifepristone Desmopressin Ensitrelvir Desmopressin Nasal

Gestodene

Keep reading about Gestodene

All Gestodene interactions (47)

Also serious with: Isotretinoin Meropenem Injection Penicillin V Potassium Nafcillin Injection

Beyond drug–drug

These medications also interact with supplements

Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:

Hydrocortisone + Activated Charcoal Grapefruit Lily-of-the-valley St. John's Wort Acacia Rigidula Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) Adrafinil African Wild Potato + 197 more

Gestodene + Activated Charcoal St. John's Wort Adrafinil Alfalfa Anise Black Tea Cannabidiol (cbd) Cannabinol (cbn) + 51 more

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A message from HelloPharmacist

About our interaction database: depth, not breadth

HelloPharmacist doesn't license one of the big commercial interaction databases, so what you'll find here is not a complete list of every known drug interaction. Instead, each entry is researched, analyzed, and written up individually — documented from the published literature, reviewed by a pharmacist, and cited so you can check every source yourself.

If a combination isn't listed here, it means we haven't documented it yet — never that it's safe. For screening a full medication list, we recommend pairing this site with a comprehensive tool like the Drugs.com Interaction Checker and, most importantly, a review by your own pharmacist. For a deep, plain-English, fully sourced explanation of a specific documented interaction — that's exactly what we built this for.

This information is for education, not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change any medication without talking to your pharmacist or prescriber.