sdreyer
New User
Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 8:56 am Post subject: reactions to Decadron |
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my mom has been diagnosed with DCIS with Mets in her ribs,clavicle,lungs,liver,femur,skull and cervicle spine along with the 3x neg breast cancer all within 1 month.. she has had bilateral masectomies and had her first chemo on May 12.. she started decadron on May 11 and by monday may 12 she was totally lethargic and may 13 didn't know where she was ( in her own house) couldn't find the door or the phone was so confused... she ended up in the ER then the hospital for 2 weeks.. her amonia levels were through the roof and her O2 was only at 60 in the ER. Her oncologist was insistant that it was not from the decadron but the timeline of events of her "losing her mind" fit in pattern with the decadron.. she started getting goofy on May 11 she doesn't remember that she had a mother's day bar b que at her house and that she really did have a great time. She didn't start to come back to herself until Friday May 16 after they stopped giving her the decadron then she ended up with pneumonia and a cedif infection which kept her in the hospital for the additional week... Her doctor mentioned finally he agreed it was the decadron but then a few days later said when she is able to have chemo again she will resume the decadron.. we are afraid to let her have this stuff has anyone experienced any side effects of this drug like this??? She is on Decadron with Taxotere and Carboplatnin.. we are not sure why??
We are meeting with a new oncologist because we don't fully trust this doctor and he doesn't really explain things very well. |
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dizzybuff38
Experienced user
Joined: 10 Oct 2004
Posts: 57
Location: Plymouth,England
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| Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:49 pm Post subject: decadron |
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Hi - I had decadron as an IV infusion before my FEC chemo for invasive breast cancer in 2003. I was also given decadron tablets to take home after the chemo. I was advised it was to reduce the nausea effects of the chemo. I had no reaction like your Mum's, except extreme nausea, loss of appetite and tiredness, but put this down to the FEC chemo. Decadron is a steroid (dexamethasone) and normally induces insomnia! Because I also had Crohn's disease and had to stop my normal chemo, methotrexate, I was prescribed a 2 mg dose of decadron daily, for the four months of FEC chemo. Unfortunately, not all patients react to drugs in the same manner, but I would not think your Mum should be exposed to this drug again, considering her reaction. Sounds best idea is to get a new Oncologist.
I don't understand why your mother has significant metastases if she was dx with DCIS. I had an invasive ductal tumour plus associated DCIS, intermediate grade. DCIS is confined within the breast ducts, so I am not sure how the cancer could have spread to other organs. Do you have a copy of the pathology report that was done after your Mum's mastectomies? It reads like a foreign language at first, but with the help of some internet bc sisters, I finally figured out what mine meant. This is really one of the most important pieces of information you can get.
Let me know if you need help with the path report, if you have it. If you don't, I would strongly suggest your mother asks for it.
Take care,
Liz, in Cornwall, England. |
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