Weaning of Dexametasone

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Frenchie's Wife
Posts: 959
Joined: Sat May 04, 2013 1:01 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Weaning of Dexametasone

Postby Frenchie's Wife » Sun May 24, 2015 4:53 pm

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.
Caregiver to DH 59 yr, male, Stage IV at Dx
Dx Sept 2009
Liver,bladder mets, 5 surgeries
Lots of chemo
Inoperable lung mets nov 2013
Stopped all treatments in February 2014 due to QOL issues
I am in God's hands now !!
Feb 2015 - too many new mets to count !
At peace July 9, 2017

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LeonW
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun May 03, 2015 4:59 pm
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Re: Weaning of Dexametasone

Postby LeonW » Sun May 24, 2015 5:59 pm

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.
Dec 2012 - CC 2 unresect liver mets, CEA 41.8 (MM 65yrs)
Jan 2013 - colectomy @ spleen 2/26 nodes IVa T3N1bM1a
Feb-Jul - 1x Xelox-7x Xelox/Avastin, shrinkage from #3
Aug - 2x PV embolization (both failed)
Sep 2013 - R liver resect, 25d hosp (liver failure/delirium, lung emboli, encephalopathy), no living cancer (pCR)
2014/15 - recovery, scopy: 2 polyps
2016 - new town/life
2018, scopy: 2 polyps
2018/20 low (1.0-1.4) CEAs/clean CTs: 4x2014, 6x2015-17, 3x2018-20
next June 2021!

justin case
Posts: 4269
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Weaning of Dexametasone

Postby justin case » Sun May 24, 2015 6:24 pm

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 8) 8) 8) 8)
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012

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pollo65
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Location: central valley, calif

Re: Weaning of Dexametasone

Postby pollo65 » Sun May 24, 2015 8:15 pm

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
CC 1/6/09
r. hemi-colectomy 1/7/09
32Ln biopsied, 28 positive
met to aorta
chemo 12 rounds
done 9/09 3 scans clear
1/11 1 met to aorta
micro cluster to peritoneum
4/11 / 9/11 scan clear
4/12 scan clear
10/12 scan clear
Iri+avastin
chemo break

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Bev G
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Re: Weaning of Dexametasone

Postby Bev G » Sun May 24, 2015 9:05 pm

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
58 yo Type1 DM 48 years
12/09 Stage IV 2/22 nodes + liver met, colon resec
3 tx FOLFIRI, liver resec 4/10
9/10 6 mos off chemo, Neg PET&CTC CEA nl
2/11 finished total 10 rounds chemo

9/13 ^17th clean PET/CT NED for now

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Frenchie's Wife
Posts: 959
Joined: Sat May 04, 2013 1:01 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Weaning of Dexametasone

Postby Frenchie's Wife » Sun May 24, 2015 9:36 pm

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.
Caregiver to DH 59 yr, male, Stage IV at Dx
Dx Sept 2009
Liver,bladder mets, 5 surgeries
Lots of chemo
Inoperable lung mets nov 2013
Stopped all treatments in February 2014 due to QOL issues
I am in God's hands now !!
Feb 2015 - too many new mets to count !
At peace July 9, 2017


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