Has anyone been given this drug for treatment after cisplatin?
Gordon was sent home with 5 of these pills, along with 3 other medications.
He went absolutely nutso, like a manic high for a days,
then crashed and developed a complete aversion to food for a couple of
days. The counsellor he saw thought it might have been caused by this
drug, which apparently is a steroid.
Has anyone else had a similar reaction? Have you been given a different
drug that didn't cause this reaction?
Thanks, Anne

Hi Anne, my husband isn't getting his first cisplatin for another week. So, I can't answer yet what will go on although I'll be quite interested to see how people react to this type of treatment. I think we will be following behind you and your husband.

I was a bit surprised to hear he was given dexamethasone.
That's a med that works to produce the hormone that is normally produced by the adrenal glands. I know it's often used to relieve inflammations(but I have heard of it being used with certain cancers).

It can upset or irritate one's stomach. That's why I was surprised to read about it being given.
The other side effects do include anxiety, depression and agitation.

I work with folks that get addicted to steroids and see all sorts of reactions. It's not a fun drug.
Hopefully., someone will be able to suggest other meds that will help.

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