Sinus side effect:is Decadron protective?
 

Many Herceptin users are complaining of sinus problems of various duration some treated with antibiotics.
Has anyone got from her onc an explanation how Herceptin causes sinus trouble?

In otherwise healthy people sinusitis is 90% of the time caused by a fungus . So treatment with antibiotics is not appropriate. However, since there is no non invasive way to analyze the mucus in sinuses for the presence of fungus (or bacteria), doctors tend to treat it with antibiotics (also anti fungus drugs are often less gentle than antibiotics).
Fungus infections could also come about as secondary infections to the treatment of real bacterial infections by some antibiotics in other parts of the body.
Sinus problems can also result from inflamation blocking the passages needed to let the normal mucus go down in the nostrils. Stagnant mucus in the sinuses increases the risk of infection.
This inflamation can have many causes such as allergies.
Decadron should provide at least short term protection against inflamation.
(A Kenalog injection usually provides long term prevention).

To check if Decadron really helps prevent sinus troubles in Herceptin takers
can anyone report on personal experience?

I just finished my year of Herceptin and was suffering with sinus problems since having AC. My onc would give me antibiotics, which would work for awhile, but as soon as I went off, the pain came back. I would have been taking decadron when I had the ac, so it did not help me with sinus pain.


I finally went to an ear, nose, throat dr. I did not have an infection. He prescribed Flonase, which is a steroid nasal spray, Astelin, which is an Antihistamine nasal spray. He also reccomended an otc saline nasal spray and mucinex. Within two weeks, the sinus pain was gone and I have not had problems since.

Laurie