DEXMETHASON--A QUICK QUESTION

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

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 said:

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 said:

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 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

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.

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 said:

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.