Decadron

TulsaMomof3
TulsaMomof3 Member Posts: 105
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I took my 3rd Chemo today doc added a new drug. Gave me perscription for Decadron. I am to take it the day before chemo, the day of, and the day after.

Any idea if this has side effects and what its actually for?

Comments

  • John_32
    John_32 Member Posts: 71
    #2
    My wife was prescribed this
    My wife was prescribed this to reduce brain swelling after they discovered her breast cancer had metastasized and she now had brain tumors. It is a steroid and can have very powerful psychotic side effects and triggered explosive rage in my wife after a few days and has pretty much destroyed our marriage. Since you are only taking it for three days, you might not experience many side effects, but the website below describes different experiences patients have had with this drug.

    http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=11664&name=DECADRON
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #3
    I had decadron as part of my
    I had decadron as part of my pre-chemo drip. It is a steroid. The SEs I noticed were being a little wired after chemo and difficulty sleeping that night . A little Ativan cured the insomnia and helped with nausea. Once I had the Ativan, the SEs were not a biggie. I assumed I was given decadron to prevent nausea, but I really never asked, so I don't know why I was given it for sure. I was also given Emend for nausea pre- chemo. My best to you. xoxoxoxo Lynn
  • BlownAway60
    BlownAway60 Member Posts: 851
    #4
    I took it with my first 3
    I took it with my first 3 chemo sessions and had no side effects other than it being a steriod and making me hyper. It did turn my face red and does affect you sugar levels if you are diabetic you need to watch for that.

    Hugs

    Donna
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #5
    John_32 said:

    My wife was prescribed this
    My wife was prescribed this to reduce brain swelling after they discovered her breast cancer had metastasized and she now had brain tumors. It is a steroid and can have very powerful psychotic side effects and triggered explosive rage in my wife after a few days and has pretty much destroyed our marriage. Since you are only taking it for three days, you might not experience many side effects, but the website below describes different experiences patients have had with this drug.

    http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=11664&name=DECADRON

    I took it from the start for
    I took it from the start for pre med for chemo. it is a steroid that helps with nausea. actually it gave me lots of energy for two days. I received it by mouth. when I had taxol I received it IV. I think you get the psychotic things in large doses not for the doses for pre medication. I found it to be helpful and did not suffer ill effects. I got chemo on thurs by saturday the steroids had worn off and your energy level falls, (taxol) with the oral meds it helped get through the weekend without nausea. (I also took emend) hope this helps. John I am so sorry, I hope you can forgive her and understand that its the meds not you r wife. hugs
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #6
    BlownAway60 said:

    I took it with my first 3
    I took it with my first 3 chemo sessions and had no side effects other than it being a steriod and making me hyper. It did turn my face red and does affect you sugar levels if you are diabetic you need to watch for that.

    Hugs

    Donna

    yes now I remember the red
    yes now I remember the red face. people admired my color, said I looked great, made me laugh as I felt like A.
  • Marsha Mulvey
    Marsha Mulvey Member Posts: 597 Member
    #7
    carkris said:

    yes now I remember the red
    yes now I remember the red face. people admired my color, said I looked great, made me laugh as I felt like A.

    Decadron
    My oncologist gave me Decadron also as a pre-chemo drip while on Taxol. He said it was "to help your body cope with chemo". After the first week, I would be tired-but-wired at night, only slept about 1 to 2 hours each night. After week 2 I did the same then reported to him what was happening (lack of sleep), so he cut it in half. Things improved right away to about 4 or 5 hours of sleep each night. The only other thing it caused was a "funny feeling" in my head - can't really explain it, but that also got better with the smaller dose. Best wishes. MM
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #8
    Marsha Mulvey said:

    Decadron
    My oncologist gave me Decadron also as a pre-chemo drip while on Taxol. He said it was "to help your body cope with chemo". After the first week, I would be tired-but-wired at night, only slept about 1 to 2 hours each night. After week 2 I did the same then reported to him what was happening (lack of sleep), so he cut it in half. Things improved right away to about 4 or 5 hours of sleep each night. The only other thing it caused was a "funny feeling" in my head - can't really explain it, but that also got better with the smaller dose. Best wishes. MM

    It also improved my appetite
    It also improved my appetite which was nil, so for two days i felt like eating.
  • jackiejhm
    jackiejhm Member Posts: 169
    #9
    Oh yeah,
    that necessary little evil... I was told that that particular steroid "beefs up" your circulatory and lymph. systems so that the chemo transports better without harming the "highways" as much. It made me so hyper- and hungry!! After 3-4 days, I would crash. Hang in there! xoxo, Jackie
  • Hubby
    Hubby Member Posts: 325
    #10
    I don't think John's wife's
    I don't think John's wife's reaction was a common one. Donna was given this as an anti-nausea; day of and two days after AC. Part of why she felt so good after chemo.

    Bob
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #11
    Hey TulsaMomof3
    I have to take a steroid too the same as you. I start on Tuesday, my treatment is on Wednesday, and I take it the third day Thursday. I am on a steroid high for those days. However, Saturday is what I call my crash day and that's exactly what I do....crash...do nothing....plan nothing. Again, everyone is different.
  • mariam_11_09
    mariam_11_09 Member Posts: 691
    #12
    decadron = dexamethsaone
    I
    decadron = dexamethsaone

    I posted this list of possible side affects about a week go. Here it is again. I personally got a great deal of energy out of the decadron and took quite a large dose for while until my doctor told me to cut back. I did have weight gain, upset stomach, trouble sleeping, water retention, low potassium levels, sweating .... and I am sure more. It is not that bad and the doctor should closely monitor you. Good luck.

    http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/GuidetoCancerDrugs/dexamethasone

    Common
    increased appetite
    trouble sleeping
    upset stomach
    excess fluid or swelling in the face, hands, or feet*
    weight gain
    slowed wound healing*
    increased blood glucose levels*

    Less common
    headache
    feeling dizzy
    mood swings (shifts between euphoria, anxiety, depression, and others)
    low blood potassium level*
    muscle weakness
    high blood pressure
    feeling restless
    skin rash
    nausea/vomiting
    hot flashes
    menstrual changes
    sweating
    bone or muscle pain
    increased risk of infection due to suppressed immune system*
    fewer and milder symptoms of infection*
    skin thinning or bruising easily (with long-term use)
    cataracts (with long-term use)
    glaucoma (with long-term use)
    thinning of bones (osteoporosis) (with long-term use)

    Rare
    bleeding or ulcers in the digestive tract*
    vision changes
    confusion or losing touch with reality
    change in heart rhythm
    congestive heart failure (can cause shortness of breath or swelling in hands or feet)
    acne (with long-term use)
    thinning hair (with long-term use)
    bone fractures (with long-term use)
    allergic reaction, with symptoms like trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat after injections of the drug
  • tjohnson2310
    tjohnson2310 Member Posts: 168 Member
    #13
    mariam_11_09 said:

    decadron = dexamethsaone
    I
    decadron = dexamethsaone

    I posted this list of possible side affects about a week go. Here it is again. I personally got a great deal of energy out of the decadron and took quite a large dose for while until my doctor told me to cut back. I did have weight gain, upset stomach, trouble sleeping, water retention, low potassium levels, sweating .... and I am sure more. It is not that bad and the doctor should closely monitor you. Good luck.

    http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/GuidetoCancerDrugs/dexamethasone

    Common
    increased appetite
    trouble sleeping
    upset stomach
    excess fluid or swelling in the face, hands, or feet*
    weight gain
    slowed wound healing*
    increased blood glucose levels*

    Less common
    headache
    feeling dizzy
    mood swings (shifts between euphoria, anxiety, depression, and others)
    low blood potassium level*
    muscle weakness
    high blood pressure
    feeling restless
    skin rash
    nausea/vomiting
    hot flashes
    menstrual changes
    sweating
    bone or muscle pain
    increased risk of infection due to suppressed immune system*
    fewer and milder symptoms of infection*
    skin thinning or bruising easily (with long-term use)
    cataracts (with long-term use)
    glaucoma (with long-term use)
    thinning of bones (osteoporosis) (with long-term use)

    Rare
    bleeding or ulcers in the digestive tract*
    vision changes
    confusion or losing touch with reality
    change in heart rhythm
    congestive heart failure (can cause shortness of breath or swelling in hands or feet)
    acne (with long-term use)
    thinning hair (with long-term use)
    bone fractures (with long-term use)
    allergic reaction, with symptoms like trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat after injections of the drug

    so far
    So far no side effects. I take decadron 8mg the night before chemo.I also get IV decadron/benadryl and pepcid the day of chemo before my Taxol. If you notice any symptoms let your doctor know ASAP so they can adjust the dose or change your meds.
  • waffle8
    waffle8 Member Posts: 234
    #14
    tjohnson2310 said:

    so far
    So far no side effects. I take decadron 8mg the night before chemo.I also get IV decadron/benadryl and pepcid the day of chemo before my Taxol. If you notice any symptoms let your doctor know ASAP so they can adjust the dose or change your meds.

    decadron
    Hey I had this with all 4 of my treatments but with the IV....I didn't have any side effects from it.. Most of the symptoms decribed here I blamed on the benadryl.....Did you ask your doctor why they were giving it to you? You are half way done Tulsa...YEa...
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #15
    Decadron..
    Can't add much, other than in massive doses, which is probably what John's wife is taking, can cause what he discribed....My best friend is fighting brain cancer, Gliosblastoma Stage IV.........it's terminal......She had to take Decadron for months on end, to reduce swelling in the brain..She has experienced the mood swings, personality changes, etc while on the Decadron...once her doses were reduced, the massive weight gain, and other side effects disappeared..one other side effect of Decadron is facial hair.......I had that to some degree..even had eyelashes growing ON TOP of my eyelids.....but that has all disappeared, too.

    It's a powerful steroid when taken in massive doses, but when used as prescribed during chemo treatment,for antinausea,etc. side effects of a LARGE degree, usually aren't noted......

    John I wish you peace....
    Peace be with us all
  • NJMom10
    NJMom10 Member Posts: 176
    #16
    Its supposed to help boost
    Its supposed to help boost your white blood cell count to make you less susceptible to infection. Should talk to the doctor. He may be able to cut it down a little to reduce side effects. I took it for the 4 days following each chemo treatment and it only made me a little wired but I was still able to sleep pretty well.
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #17
    I take
    Dex 2x the day before chemo and the 2 days following along with Emend. Dex helps prepare your body for the chemo and is a steroid. Drink lots of water to hydrate yourself. The Emend is for antinausea. I get some swelling from the Dex but not as bad as I hear it can be. Wishing you well with your treatments. I had #5 on Tuesday and have 1 more to go. I also get the Neulasta shot the following day (24 hrs) which helps boost your white blood cell count.
    {{hugs}} Char

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