Dexamethasone Warning

Chelsea -I am sorry your husband has had this experience. I hope he will gain strength and feel stronger very soon with his infusion. The weekend will give you time to heal and relax. This is a potent steroid. I was on it after my brain tumors removal surgery and it made my personality aggresive, and I slept a total of maybe 36 hours from 12/23 to 1/20, when it was dc, d after being tapered down. My muscles were atrophic and skin very dry. I was quite shocked at how it made me feel. Once he gains his strength he will gradually feel better being off that steroid. I could only compare it to prednisone which I had taken for poison ivy rashes. Prednisone was milder and made me hyper. My face was very puffy but I did not get ankle swelling from dexamethsone. I told my oncologist about this drug and I felt like he brushed my input off. It was necessary for possible brain swelling after my surgery. However, 10 mg. 's of Dex. was in my folfiri infusion last week and that was ok. I don't know if my info helps you but that steroid has to be weaned and truly is a take it by hour approach to feeling better. I am thinking of you and your husband and hope you can find some peace and healing now that he has been to the doctor. I do yoga which helps my mind and muscles /neuropathy. However this drug seemed to push me back. Just keep faith and keep moving ahead. Barb

Please pm me if I can be of more help. I hate how this disease bounces us and loved ones up and down physically and emotionally....

I'm sorry that your husband is having so many problems and I agree with your gut that it's probably the dex.  As much as it can help in some instances, it is one nasty drug.  I quickly got my dex usage down to prior to influsion back when I started chemo.  I found it it really messed with my head and made me feel worse than the chemo.  In my case, it caused acute esophagitis even with the smaller dose.  I really hope that your husband will heal quickly and you can both be out of the hospital.  Wishing you all the best 

luvinlife2 said:

Nasty stuff

I'm sorry that your husband is having so many problems and I agree with your gut that it's probably the dex.  As much as it can help in some instances, it is one nasty drug.  I quickly got my dex usage down to prior to influsion back when I started chemo.  I found it it really messed with my head and made me feel worse than the chemo.  In my case, it caused acute esophagitis even with the smaller dose.  I really hope that your husband will heal quickly and you can both be out of the hospital.  Wishing you all the best 

I thought Lovenox doesn't stay in your system long,   I know before my surgery I was on lovenox  and they only cut it out the night prior to surgery.    Are they not wanting to stop the blood thinners because they are worried about a clot during surgery.   In my case they stopped it  and then restarted it after surgery,  and they inserted a filter in my vena cava in the event there were blood clots this filter was supposed to  "trap" any  (I went into surgery with blood clots in both lungs already).   Dex is one of the pre-drugs I take the morning of chemo., in total the day of chemo I take 3 dex. pills ..... I was so fatigued my last infusion it caused me to crash in bed on disconnect day, that's never happened to me before.     Last week took a vacation down south with my hubby and kids......all that walking I was really feeling it in my lower back and legs,  it was weird.....it wasn't joint pain,  nor muscle pain ..... felt like it was coming from my ligaments ......I'm wonding if it's the avastin .... got to a point where I felt I had to sit and not do any more walking,  we rented one of those peddle bikes on the water and I did that with no discomfort and it actually made the pain go away,  so I know it wasn't muscle related.     Hope your hubbies feeling better and they find some answer as to what's going on.   I'm curious what kind of surgery are they proposing on doing with his leg???