The Colon Club

I have been on Dex for a couple of months.
I now feel it is doing me more harm than good.
Too many side effects.
I want to stop it immediately and wonder if
there will be withdrawl symptoms.

Hi Frenchie,

I'm no expert on this, neither do I have any personal experience with this type of treatment. A quick google search learned that our national society of pharmacists advises against suddenly stopping the intake. They say that:

If you have been using Dexametasone for three consecutive weeks or longer, it is important that the dosage is gradually reduced in consultation with your doctor. A sudden stop may lead to severe symptoms, such as diarrhea, nausea, weakness and fatigue. These symptoms occur because your own adrenal glands have adjusted and have been producing lower levels of hormones during the treatment as there already was a sufficient level of adrenal hormones present in the body. When the intake is suddenly halted, the adrenal cortex cannot suddenly make up for the loss. It may take weeks, sometimes more than a year before the adrenal cortex is back in full swing.

Considering your condition, it may not be a good idea to taper down quickly.

I joined this club only recently. I'll miss your posts.
Best wishes and greetings from a sunny Holland.

LeonW wrote:Hi Frenchie,

I'm no expert on this, neither do I have any personal experience with this type of treatment. A quick google search learned that our national society of pharmacists advises against suddenly stopping the intake. They say that:

If you have been using Dexametasone for three consecutive weeks or longer, it is important that the dosage is gradually reduced in consultation with your doctor. A sudden stop may lead to severe symptoms, such as diarrhea, nausea, weakness and fatigue. These symptoms occur because your own adrenal glands have adjusted and have been producing lower levels of hormones during the treatment as there already was a sufficient level of adrenal hormones present in the body. When the intake is suddenly halted, the adrenal cortex cannot suddenly make up for the loss. It may take weeks, sometimes more than a year before the adrenal cortex is back in full swing.

Considering your condition, it may not be a good idea to taper down quickly.

I joined this club only recently. I'll miss your posts.
Best wishes and greetings from a sunny Holland.

Based on this post Frenchie, you could have diarrhea, nausea, weakness and fatigue . All the reasons you were taking it in the first place. I'd check with your doc, but cannabis may help you off the dreaded medicine.
Or I hear they have a mild sedative in Nepal

Frenchie, please do not stop cold turkey. I have been warned that you must be weaned off. Maybe you need to call doc or nurses before you go this course.
Thinking about you.
Pollo65

Yes, dear Frenchie. Cold turkey causes what is called "adrenal crisis", which can easily be deadly. You've been on the drug for a while now and it needs to be tapered methodically and very carefully. Hang in there, dear one.

xox

Bev

Thanks for the info you guys. I will be calling the doc in the morning. I was hoping it would be out of my system in a week since it to a week to kick in. I guess patience is required,
something I lack.