Ann,

My husband was given this drug after his Cisplatin treatment. He was taking Dexamethasone, Emend for three days, and Zofran.

Yes, the Dexamethasone, being a steriod, made him quite manic and actually not very pleasant to be around. It did however curb his nausea and so we stuck it out. Manic symptoms and irritability lasted a few days. I think this is normal. He definitely had more energy for the first 2 days after treatment and then crashed. He was being fed on a feeding tube so it really wasn't eating anyway. It took two cisplatin treatments to get the anti-nausea meds right but he needed to take the Dexamethasone b/c without he was quite sick.

He had a combo of 3 different meds. Emend for three days ( 1st treatment we didn't have this drug and he got really sick)
Dexamethasone , and odansetron ( Zofran) and if needed another drug we never used ( can't remember the name).
I think it is a matter of experimenting. If he gets sick without the Dexamethasone that is probably worse than him losing his appetite for a few days. He will get dehydrated.

Talk to your doctor and see if they can change the dose. Emend ( quite costly) worked miracles.

Let us know how it goes.

Vanessa









Jeff age 49 DX 5/8/09 Tonsil cancer T2N2BMO. Tonsillectomy 5/14/09. TX: Cisplatin 3x's every 21 days w/ 33 Rad concurrent. 2-3 nodes on right neck affected. PEG 7/10/09. Chemo/rad start 6/12/9, TX finished 7/28/09. Extended TX
3 more chemo/Cisplatin/5FU/Docetaxil start 9/11, Clean PET 10/29/09.