DEXMETHASON--A QUICK QUESTION

lizziejane
lizziejane Member Posts: 69
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I'M HAVING THIRD CHEMO TOMORROW----AND WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE 2 DEXMETHASON TABLETS THIS MORNING AND TWO THIS EVENING BEFORE BEDTIME, BUT I FORGOT THIS MORNING AND DIDN'T TAKE THEM UNTIL 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON------HAS ANYONE DONE THIS BEFORE, SHOULD I STILL TAKE THE TWO THIS EVENING AND THEN 2 MORE IN THE MORNING???

Comments

  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    Yep
    I forgot all the time and took them as soon as reality hit me..........I was fine
    Hope this helps...........Jxxxxxxxxx
  • lizziejane
    lizziejane Member Posts: 69
    tasha_111 said:

    Yep
    I forgot all the time and took them as soon as reality hit me..........I was fine
    Hope this helps...........Jxxxxxxxxx

    DEXMETHASON
    THANKS FOR RELIEVING MY MIND........
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    That's what I would do
    My doctor was really casual about exactly what time to take the steroids.

    My chemo appointments were always at different times of day, so, before each one, I was always trying to pin him down about the best times to take them for that particular appointment time. He was definitely more concerned about the *number* of doses I took than precisely *when* I took them. So I would definitely take the number of doses that your doctor prescribed, but not worry too much if you're off on one dose by a few hours.

    Traci
  • lizziejane
    lizziejane Member Posts: 69
    TraciInLA said:

    That's what I would do
    My doctor was really casual about exactly what time to take the steroids.

    My chemo appointments were always at different times of day, so, before each one, I was always trying to pin him down about the best times to take them for that particular appointment time. He was definitely more concerned about the *number* of doses I took than precisely *when* I took them. So I would definitely take the number of doses that your doctor prescribed, but not worry too much if you're off on one dose by a few hours.

    Traci

    DEXMETHASON
    THANKS---THATS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS SITE----NO MATTER WHAT YOU ASK----THERES ALWAYS SOME ONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT....
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member

    DEXMETHASON
    THANKS---THATS WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS SITE----NO MATTER WHAT YOU ASK----THERES ALWAYS SOME ONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT....

    I actually did not take my
    I actually did not take my dexamethasone tabs until the nurse gave them to me right before my treatment with my other pre meds and it was a higher dose that I took afterwards.
  • lizziejane
    lizziejane Member Posts: 69
    carkris said:

    I actually did not take my
    I actually did not take my dexamethasone tabs until the nurse gave them to me right before my treatment with my other pre meds and it was a higher dose that I took afterwards.

    DEXMATHESON
    THANKS FOR THE INPUT.....I LOVE THIS SITE FOR ALL THE INFORMATION FROM ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING A PERSON WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT...
    TAKE CARE,
    LIZZIEJANE
  • sherria49
    sherria49 Member Posts: 126

    DEXMATHESON
    THANKS FOR THE INPUT.....I LOVE THIS SITE FOR ALL THE INFORMATION FROM ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING A PERSON WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT...
    TAKE CARE,
    LIZZIEJANE

    Lizziejane
    My onc suggested that I take my 2nd dose by 2 or 3 in the afternoon. He said otherwise, I would be wide-awake at night.

    My 1st chemo is on Tuesday and I'm a little anxious.

    Hugz-Sherri
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    Why Steroids?
    I don't take these other than by IV when I go for treatment. It seems you got answers from many who did. I plan to ask my ONC next time I go, but why are we given steroids? I am gaining weight like CRAZY and feel it is due to this. Thank GOD I don't get nauseated from chemo and I can only imagine that the steroids helps with appetite. Can anyone explain why this is necessary?
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    Marlene_K said:

    Why Steroids?
    I don't take these other than by IV when I go for treatment. It seems you got answers from many who did. I plan to ask my ONC next time I go, but why are we given steroids? I am gaining weight like CRAZY and feel it is due to this. Thank GOD I don't get nauseated from chemo and I can only imagine that the steroids helps with appetite. Can anyone explain why this is necessary?

    To help prevent an allergic reaction to the chemo drugs
    Steroids are given to help prevent an allergic reaction to the chemo drugs.

    I don't know whether or not some chemo drugs are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than others -- I was on Cytoxan/Taxotere, and my doctor gave me steroid pills to take the day before chemo, AND pumped me full of more by IV when I arrived for treatment. I had a reaction to the Taxotere during my first treatment, so my doctor increased the number of doses, and had me taking the pills for a day and a half before each treatment.

    I once saw the other doctor at my oncology practice when my own doctor was unavailable, and he wanted me to take the steroids AFTER chemo, as carkris mentioned. My own doctor came in and said no, I need her to have them in her system BEFORE chemo.

    I never figured out why one would take the steroids after chemo -- that certainly wouldn't help with an allergic reaction during the infusion. Maybe some chemo drugs are more likely to cause an allergic reaction after chemo, rather than during.

    Traci
  • Whoknowz
    Whoknowz Member Posts: 82
    TraciInLA said:

    To help prevent an allergic reaction to the chemo drugs
    Steroids are given to help prevent an allergic reaction to the chemo drugs.

    I don't know whether or not some chemo drugs are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than others -- I was on Cytoxan/Taxotere, and my doctor gave me steroid pills to take the day before chemo, AND pumped me full of more by IV when I arrived for treatment. I had a reaction to the Taxotere during my first treatment, so my doctor increased the number of doses, and had me taking the pills for a day and a half before each treatment.

    I once saw the other doctor at my oncology practice when my own doctor was unavailable, and he wanted me to take the steroids AFTER chemo, as carkris mentioned. My own doctor came in and said no, I need her to have them in her system BEFORE chemo.

    I never figured out why one would take the steroids after chemo -- that certainly wouldn't help with an allergic reaction during the infusion. Maybe some chemo drugs are more likely to cause an allergic reaction after chemo, rather than during.

    Traci

    Suppresses immune system
    The explanation I got was the steroids suppress the immune system so it doesn't try to fight off the chemo drugs and that also helps with allergic reaction. I take 2 pills twice a day the day before, the day of and the day after chemo (taxotere and cytoxan).

    Interesting how differently our docs do this.

    Angela
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    TraciInLA said:

    To help prevent an allergic reaction to the chemo drugs
    Steroids are given to help prevent an allergic reaction to the chemo drugs.

    I don't know whether or not some chemo drugs are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than others -- I was on Cytoxan/Taxotere, and my doctor gave me steroid pills to take the day before chemo, AND pumped me full of more by IV when I arrived for treatment. I had a reaction to the Taxotere during my first treatment, so my doctor increased the number of doses, and had me taking the pills for a day and a half before each treatment.

    I once saw the other doctor at my oncology practice when my own doctor was unavailable, and he wanted me to take the steroids AFTER chemo, as carkris mentioned. My own doctor came in and said no, I need her to have them in her system BEFORE chemo.

    I never figured out why one would take the steroids after chemo -- that certainly wouldn't help with an allergic reaction during the infusion. Maybe some chemo drugs are more likely to cause an allergic reaction after chemo, rather than during.

    Traci

    with my chemo brain and poor
    with my chemo brain and poor typing skills I am not sure I was clear. The nurse gave a dose with my zofran and amend and I took steroids for 3 days afterwards .and two days of amend . I think they also help with nausea. Now I get an IV dose prior to the taxol along with pepcid,and benadryl.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    carkris said:

    with my chemo brain and poor
    with my chemo brain and poor typing skills I am not sure I was clear. The nurse gave a dose with my zofran and amend and I took steroids for 3 days afterwards .and two days of amend . I think they also help with nausea. Now I get an IV dose prior to the taxol along with pepcid,and benadryl.

    do not take them tomorrow
    if you missed it is ok. They are given to prevent allergic reaction.
    Do not take them tomorrow morning just before your Chemo session, usually they are given through IV and are part of your pre-med before Chemo drugs.
    I took steroids before (pills) during (IV) and two days after (pills) I had Taxotere/Cytoxan
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    I was told they were to help
    I was told they were to help keep nausea down - says so on the bottle. With A/C I was given 2 pills (along with ondansetron and Emend) before starting the chemo and then for the next 3 days. Now on Taxol, I'm getting it IV first and no pills after.

    Susan
  • lizziejane
    lizziejane Member Posts: 69
    Rague said:

    I was told they were to help
    I was told they were to help keep nausea down - says so on the bottle. With A/C I was given 2 pills (along with ondansetron and Emend) before starting the chemo and then for the next 3 days. Now on Taxol, I'm getting it IV first and no pills after.

    Susan

    DEXMETHASON
    THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT, I TAKE THESE THE DAY BEFORE, THE DAY OF AND THE DAY AFTER TREATMENT....AT YESTERDAYS CHEMO, MY DOCTOR HEARD A HEART MURMER, SO SENT ME TO THE HOSPITAL FOR EKG, DID NOT GET THE RESULTS BY 4:30PM, SO, JUST TOOK MY PRE MED DRUGS, THE CARBOPLATIN AND TAXOTERE-----THEY DIN'T GIVE ME THE HERCEPTIN SINCE IT IS SO HARD ON THE HEART, UNTIL THEY HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE TEST, I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET HERCEPTIN FOR 6 MONTHS AFTER MY REGULAR CHEMO ENDED, SO FAR, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE ONCOLOGIST-----BEFORE MY FIRST CHEMO, THE EKG SHOWED UP AN ABNORMALITY IN MY HEART, BUT THEY DID ANOTHER EKF AND IT WAS NORMAL----I WONDER IF I CAN'T TAKE THE HERCEPTIN, I GUESS THEY WILL JUST TRY ANOTHER DRUG...SEEMS LIKE THERES ALWAYS SOMETHING TO MESS THINGS UP...
    TAKE CARE,
    LIZZIEJANE
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member

    DEXMETHASON
    THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT, I TAKE THESE THE DAY BEFORE, THE DAY OF AND THE DAY AFTER TREATMENT....AT YESTERDAYS CHEMO, MY DOCTOR HEARD A HEART MURMER, SO SENT ME TO THE HOSPITAL FOR EKG, DID NOT GET THE RESULTS BY 4:30PM, SO, JUST TOOK MY PRE MED DRUGS, THE CARBOPLATIN AND TAXOTERE-----THEY DIN'T GIVE ME THE HERCEPTIN SINCE IT IS SO HARD ON THE HEART, UNTIL THEY HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE TEST, I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET HERCEPTIN FOR 6 MONTHS AFTER MY REGULAR CHEMO ENDED, SO FAR, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE ONCOLOGIST-----BEFORE MY FIRST CHEMO, THE EKG SHOWED UP AN ABNORMALITY IN MY HEART, BUT THEY DID ANOTHER EKF AND IT WAS NORMAL----I WONDER IF I CAN'T TAKE THE HERCEPTIN, I GUESS THEY WILL JUST TRY ANOTHER DRUG...SEEMS LIKE THERES ALWAYS SOMETHING TO MESS THINGS UP...
    TAKE CARE,
    LIZZIEJANE

    lizzie EKG or echo? they
    lizzie EKG or echo? they need to do an Echo if they heard a murmur.