Decadron-has anyone had this removed from chemo treatments?

spiritualabundance · 12-30-2015, 06:28 PM

Other than daily slight, constant nausea, my absolute worst side effect is a complete inability to do ANYTHING because of the effects of the Decadron. If it's mostly for helping with nausea, I'd rather take more nausea med at home and avoid the horrible withdrawal, incomprehensible effects of this terrible drug. I am thinking of asking my oncologist next week to see if we can skip it. My WBC from the Neulasta has been well above to double the normal highest # so I think I'm doing ok. Please share your thoughts. As always, you are all deeply appreciated! Your knowledge is my food! Thank you!!!!!!!!!

Catherine · 12-30-2015, 08:13 PM

Chemo is tough but you can do it. If I remember correctly, I had some sort of a steroid with my chemo. It seems like it was SOP. Then I had neulasta. 8 rounds of chemo are not all that fun. But I am greatful for the science that luckily worked for me. Wishing you luck with your treatments.

Margaret Eleanor · 12-30-2015, 09:56 PM

I dropped Decadron (dex) when I had chemo. I used it my first cycle of three weeks on, one week off (taxol, carboplatin, Herceptin). I was having more disturbing side effects from the dex than I was the chemo. I explained it to my nurse practitioner as "-roid rage". I was irritable, aggitated, and aggressive. I felt like a male Beta Fish, always looking for a fight. I hated the way I was treating my husband and daughter (who was 11 at the time) taking the dex. I told my nurse practitioner that I would rather deal with the nausea than the dex. First week of the next cycle, we lowered the dosage and dropped it entirely the second week. I did not take dex with Adrimycin and Cytoxin either. I also eventually dropped the Benadryl. I always hated the way it made me feel sluggish and drowsy, and the dry mouth was horrible.

suzan w · 12-31-2015, 09:09 AM

I, too, had terrible side effects with decadron. What a crazy drug!!! I did suffer through it...well I should say all those I came into contact with suffered through it as it turned me into a monster!!! Couldn't sleep...insane emotional highs and lows, terrible terrible!!! I recall it was prescribed to me for nausea. I will say, during all my treatments I was never nauseous...

Debbie L. · 01-02-2016, 09:15 AM

I think the Decadron is given for 2 separate reasons.

With taxanes, it's part of the premeds, to prevent an allergic reaction (so that part is less negotiable). It's actually one of the main selling points of the alternate taxane, abraxane -- that because it's in a different base (not cremophor), it doesn't require the steroid premeds (which many people hate, it's not just you).

Some oncs prescribe Decadron to prevent nausea, and if the decadron is continued after the day of chemo, then that's probably what's happening -- but there are many other options to handle nausea so it should just be a matter of telling your onc (or nurse) that what you have for nausea isn't working and you need to try something else. You mention that you're constantly nauseated already -- so that's 2 counts against continuing with the extra Decadron, and getting something that suits you better.

Good luck, keep us posted.
Debbie Laxague

LeahM · 01-03-2016, 07:24 AM

I took my first dose of Decadron as ordered, the second dose I was to take the AM of my first chemo. I didn't take it. I walked in to the onc office with it in my hand and said oh hell no am I taking any more of this...

Long story short, they infused the Decadron that day and then I took 1/2 the dose the next day. And it continued like that.
I took 1/2 dose the day before and the day after while having 1/2 dose infused the day of. I also took a lot of Ativan to counteract it.
It sucked, but I did it.

agness · 01-04-2016, 08:15 AM

I kind of forget to take it at home and so it was gradually dropped except for as a pre-NED with their drugs. It was great to get off it and Zi noticed no difference.

Now that I'm dealing with brain mets I have a new respect for Dexamethasone/Decadron as it save my life last July when it rapidly reduced my brain swelling.

Dexa, as us brain mets gsls call it, is a mixed bag. It can help reduce swelling rapidly and effectively. It does have the negative side effects of causing acne, facial hair, muscle wasting or weight gain. It also increases blood glucose and lowers immune function which are both huge negatives when fighting cancer. It can cause glaucoma I think, when taken longterm.

It's a mixed bag but if it is hurting your body know that your body is probably right that YOU don't need it. Definitely talk to your MO about it -- if they are a stick in the mud about this then tgey are an ass and you should get a better MO -- because post-treatment monitoring doesn't get better with a crap doc.

Mtngrl · 01-04-2016, 08:57 AM

I have nothing to add, other than to say I, too, despised the Decadron I was given as a pre-med when I was on Taxol. As Debbie noted, it's not required with Abraxane, which I'm on now.

Good luck!

SoCalGal · 01-08-2016, 11:35 PM

The first time I did chemo, in the olden days, I was so stupid I didn't know I even had decadron. Once I figured out that it was making me so disturbed, crazed, etc. I dropped it.

As far as pre-meds, I take singulair, and (2) zantac plus a 20 mg prednisone at 4PM and then 20 mg pred at midnight, the day before my treatment. Also take (2) zantac and 50 mg of benedryl in the morning of my treatment. This is all due a reaction to HERCEPTIN of all things. So, that is my pre-med preference over decadron.

And just for the record, last cycle I dropped the prednisone down to (20) mg at 4:00PM and (10) mg at/near midnight and that was enough.

When I was on true chemo combo, I had chronic nausea - which is hard to resolve until the chemo stops. I used a low dose of ativan (.25) every 4 hours, a LOT of the time and I found it very helpful w/the nausea. I wish I would have tried medical marijuana, people get so much relief with that.