Decadron

mrsgeb
mrsgeb Member Posts: 32
edited March 2014 in Caregivers #1
Hello, I have been searching for months for a discussion board like this! My husband was diagnosed December 19, 2008 with Stage IV Adenocarcinoma of Unknown Primary with Metastis to his bones and liver. At that time he was given 3 to 6 months...well he fooled them! His cancer was first detected in his left hip and the worst of his pain has been in his left leg and hip. Three weeks ago, out of the blue, his right leg starting hurting worse than his left. After an emergency visit from his entire Hospice Team it was determined that it was the cancer spreading ("probably" they said) and his morphine was increased, (he is on a CADD PCA Pump) to 80mg on the continous rate and 25mg for his demand dose. That same night he was transferring from his wheelchair to his reclining chair and his right femur broke. He had surgery to put a steel rod in the bone and screws in his hip and knee. After the surgery his Hospice Doctor increased his continous morphine rate to 125mg and 40mg on the demand dose. Now his Hospice Doctor wants him to start taking Decadron. I always research any medications they want to give him and have read some pretty awful things about this medication, such as altering personalities, making the person very hostile, increasing appetite (which would be good) and insomnia (which is not good, I get almost no sleep as it is!)

When I asked what is was for I was told it would help with his pain and make him more "alert". I have read nothing about Decadron helping with pain, only swelling in brain tumors. If anyone has any experience with this I would really appreciate hearing from you, I am not generally such a skeptic, but the personality altering thing and the insomnia really alarm me.

Thank you,
Sherry

Comments

  • SonSon
    SonSon Member Posts: 174
    #2
    Decadron is a steroid that
    Decadron is a steroid that reduces the swelling of the tumors - no matter where they are. if there are tumors in or adjacent to bones reducing the swelling will reduce some of the pain and probably also reduce the chance of spontaneous breakage.
    Fatima
  • sue Siwek
    sue Siwek Member Posts: 279
    #3
    what you have read is true
    what you have read is true in my experience with my husbands brain tumor. i suppose it depends on the dosage and maybe your husbands is a small amount and you will not see those side effects. talk to your dr. about your concerns.
  • beckyracn
    beckyracn Member Posts: 322
    #4
    sue Siwek said:

    what you have read is true
    what you have read is true in my experience with my husbands brain tumor. i suppose it depends on the dosage and maybe your husbands is a small amount and you will not see those side effects. talk to your dr. about your concerns.

    Sherry,
    Decadron was part of
    Sherry,
    Decadron was part of my chemo infusion tx. I was told it was to help with the nausea. I was given major amounts of oral and IV antiemetics prior to each tx. It did increase my appetite for about 48 hours. I also experienced insomnia and feeling like I had a bad case of ADD during this 48 hours. I would fall asleep in an instant for an hour or two and then be up and going again...the pattern repeated itself. No personality changes though that I can report.
  • mrsgeb
    mrsgeb Member Posts: 32
    #5
    sue Siwek said:

    what you have read is true
    what you have read is true in my experience with my husbands brain tumor. i suppose it depends on the dosage and maybe your husbands is a small amount and you will not see those side effects. talk to your dr. about your concerns.

    Thank you everyone for
    Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences with decadron. If it helps with my husband's appetite and prevents spontaneous bone breaks that would be awesome! I will never forget the sound of his leg breaking! He only moved his leg maybe an 1/8th of an inch when it broke.

    I spoke with his doctor and the pharmacisit and they both told me that if he has any adverse side effects I could stop giving it to him but it could help with the pain. He is on a ton of morphine infused through a PICC line with a CADD PCA pump and his pain level pretty much remains at 7/8..so it is worth a try!

    Thanks again everyone!

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