Treatment FAQ

what does dexamethasone do for pre chemo treatment

by Jonathon Olson Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Dexamethasone is usually given by mouth or intravenously (I.V.) in an outpatient infusion center before chemotherapy to prevent nausea and vomiting. Dexamethasone may also need to be taken at home after chemotherapy for two or three days to help prevent delayed nausea and vomiting. Usual dexamethasone starting dose just before chemotherapy :

Background: Dexamethasone is a steroid, which is often given into the vein before chemotherapy to help control acute nausea and vomiting. It can also be given as an oral tablet for patients to take for the two days following chemotherapy to help minimise delayed nausea and vomiting.

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How often to give dexamethazone?

how often to give dexamethazone

  • judymayes
  • Jessica84
  • ksalvagno. Banamine is only once a day. ...
  • toth boer goats. Dex is 1 x a day as well. ...
  • Jessica84
  • happybleats. Did the vet say why both Banamine and Dex together..Is this a buck with UC or a doe with urinary track infection?
  • mariarose. Dexamethazone is not a drug with which I have experience. ...
  • happybleats. ...
  • toth boer goats. ...
  • jss520. ...

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What is the medicine dexamethasone used for?

What Dexamethasone Is Used For:

  • As an anti-inflammatory medication. ...
  • To treat or prevent allergic reactions.
  • As treatment of certain kinds of autoimmune diseases, skin conditions, asthma and other lung conditions.
  • As treatment for a variety of cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
  • To treat nausea and vomiting associated with some chemotherapy drugs.

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How long can you be on dexamethasone?

The dexamethasone dosing regimen for pediatric patients is dexamethasone 0.15 mg/kg/dose (maximum dose 6 mg) once daily for up to 10 days. There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the use of inhaled corticosteroids for pediatric patients with COVID-19.

Why give decadron before chemo?

• stimulate appetite - Patients who experience loss of appetite due to chemotherapy treatments can benefit from receiving dexamethasone. • treat inflammation in the body - This medication treats inflammation of the kidneys, lungs, eyes, digestive tract, and skin.

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Why do they give Dexamethasone to cancer patients?

Use in Cancer Dexamethasone is approved to be used to reduce inflammation and suppress (lower) the body's immune response. Dexamethasone is used with other drugs to treat the following types of cancer: Leukemia. Lymphoma.

Why do they give you steroids before chemo?

They can be used in cancer treatment: to help destroy cancer cells and make chemotherapy more effective. to reduce an allergic reaction to certain drugs. as anti-sickness drugs.

Does Dexamethasone enhance chemotherapy?

Dexamethasone enhances cell resistance to chemotherapy by increasing adhesion to extracellular matrix in human ovarian cancer cells. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used as co-medication in the therapy of solid malignant tumors to relieve some of the side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Why is Dexamethasone given with Taxol?

Abstract. Objective: Dexamethasone premedication is required with paclitaxel to prevent infusion-related hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). Both oral dexamethasone (PO-D; 20 mg 12 and 6 hours before paclitaxel) and intravenous dexamethasone (IV-D; 20 mg 30 minutes before paclitaxel) regimens are used.

When should I take Dexamethasone before chemo?

With the widespread use of steroid premedication, the incidence of fluid retention and skin toxicity side effects has been minimal. Premedication with dexamethasone (8mg twice daily) is recommended starting the day before chemotherapy and continuing for three days.

How quickly does Dexamethasone work?

6. Response and effectiveness. Peak effects of dexamethasone are reached within 10 to 30 minutes of administration; however, it may take a couple of days before any inflammation is well controlled.

What are the worst side effects of dexamethasone?

Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:Unusual tiredness.Unusual dizziness.Unusual digestive upset. ... Blood in your stool, or black stools.Blood in your urine.Unusual bleeding or bruising.Unusual swelling throughout your body, or bloating in your abdomen (stomach area)Infection.More items...

What should I avoid while taking dexamethasone?

Dexamethasone can cause some stomach irritation so it is best to avoid foods and beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine while taking this medication.

What are the typical side effects of dexamethasone?

Dexamethasone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:upset stomach.stomach irritation.vomiting.headache.dizziness.insomnia.restlessness.depression.More items...•

What are Premeds for chemo?

Premedication before chemotherapy for cancer often consists of drug regimens (usually 2 or more drugs, e.g. dexamethasone, diphenhydramine and omeprazole) given to a patient minutes to hours before the chemotherapy to avert side effects or hypersensitivity reactions (i.e. allergic reactions).

Why is dexamethasone used with docetaxel?

Abstract. Background: The administration of docetaxel requires the use of dexamethasone for the prevention of hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) and fluid retention reactions (FRRs). The manufacturer recommends dexamethasone for 3 days starting the day before docetaxel.

What steroid is given with Taxol?

The recommended steroid is dexamethasone in a dose of 20 mg orally 12 and 6 h prior to paclitaxel infusion.

How long do you have to take dexamethasone after chemo?

The eye drops are given every six hours, in both eyes, and for at least 48 hours after the chemotherapy has completed. Do not stop taking these eye drops unless directed by your healthcare provider. You may be given dexamethasone as a lotion (topical) to treat skin disorders.

Why do you need dexamethasone eye drops?

Dexamethasone eye drops are given to treat or prevent many eye conditions. The eye drops are most commonly given to patients with leukemia or lymphoma, to prevent inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis), if you are receiving high dose chemotherapy (usually Cytarabine [Ara-C]).

What is the trade name for dexamethasone?

Decadron is the trade name for dexamethasone. Dexasone and diodex or hexadrol are other names for dexamethasone. In some cases, health care professionals may use the trade name decadron or other names dexasone or diodex or hexadrol when referring to the generic drug name dexamethasone. Drug type: Dexamethasone has many uses in the treatment ...

Is dexamethasone good for nausea?

Dexamethasone is also used in the short-term treatment of nausea caused by chemotherapy. How it does this is not fully understood. It also has been used to stimulate appetite for patients with severe appetite problems.

Does dexamethasone help with swelling?

Dexamethasone relieves inflammation in various parts of the body. It is used specifically to decrease swelling (edema), associated with tumors of the spine and brain, and to treat eye inflammation. To treat or prevent allergic reactions.

Is dexamethasone a corticosteroid?

They help to maintain balance of fluids and electrolytes. Dexamethasone is classified as a corticosteroid (more precisely a glucocorticosteroid), and has many uses in the treatment of cancer.

Can you use dexamethasone on open skin?

If you are dexamethasone as a lotion (topical) to treat skin disorders: Do not apply to open areas of skin, or if you have open or weeping sores. Topical dexamethasone should not be used for a long time. Discuss this with your healthcare provider.

How does dexamethasone work?

Though the ways in which dexamethasone works to increase appetite and prevent nausea are undetermined, the anti-inflammatory properties of the drug alleviate swelling in ...

Does dexamethasone cause a sudden shift in mood?

Side effects of dexamethasone that develop less frequently include sudden shifts in mood, dizziness, skin rashes and headaches. Rare but more serious side effects include bone fractures, fluctuations in heart rhythm, and bleeding or ulcers in the stomach.

Does dexamethasone cause breathing problems?

Less commonly, swelling in the chest can cause breathing problems. • indigestion and heartburn - Since dexamethasone can irritate the stomach, patients are advised to take the medication with milk or food. • insomnia - Some people may have trouble falling asleep or may experience disruptions in sleep patterns.

Does dexamethasone help with nausea?

In individual patients, dexamethasone may work to: • alleviate nausea caused by chemo therapy medications - Dexamethasone helps to ease nausea and vomiting, both of which are common side effects of chemotherapy drugs such as Cytoxan.

Does dexamethasone cause weight gain?

The most common side effects of dexamethasone include: • increased appetite and weight gain - Some patients may experience weight gain due to dexamethasone stimulating the appetite.

Can dexamethasone be used with chemotherapy?

Medical doctors can recommend the use of dexamethasone with chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients who are experiencing bothersome side effects such as nausea and bodily inflammations. Prescribed under the brand names Dexasone, Decadron, Hexadrol, Diodex, and Maxidex, dexamethasone is also effective in treating some blood, bone, and lymphatic cancers.

How Does Dexamethasone Work in Cancer Treatment?

In all honesty, your guess is probably as good as anyone else's guess. Like many drugs that are used every day, the exact mechanism of action of dexamethasone is not understood. Doctors and health care professionals just know that it works in certain situations for certain things. That doesn't however mean there aren't some moderately supported hypotheses about how it works.

Does dexamethasone help with bone cancer?

As a means of lowering the levels of blood calcium in people diagnosed with bone cancers. Dexamethasone is prescribed by doctors for a host of other reasons that have little or nothing to do with cancer, and therefore won't be listed here.

Is dexamethasone a glucocorticosteroid?

Dexamethasone in Cancer Treatment. Dexamethasone is a glucocorticosteroid, a man-made drug meant to mimic a natural hormone produced in our adrenal glands. It is prescribed under various names, including Decadron, Dexamethasone Intensol and dexamethasone sodium phosphate.

Is dexamethasone a work horse?

As a drug, dexamethasone is an old-timer. A true work-horse. It has been on the market and FDA approved since at least 1984, and even if its mechanism of action is not well-understood, its side effect profile is.

Is dexamethasone used for cancer?

When used in the course of treatment for cancer, dexamethasone can have one or more purposes: As part of combination chemotherapy treatment against blood cancers like lymphoma. As a preventiv e treatment against potential allergic reactions to drugs . As a preventive against the vomiting caused by chemotherapy.

Why is this medicine prescribed?

It often is used to replace this chemical when your body does not make enough of it. It relieves inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, and pain) and is used to treat certain forms of arthritis; skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid, and intestinal disorders (e.g., colitis); severe allergies; and asthma. Dexamethasone is also used to treat certain types of cancer.

What should I do if I forget to take a dose?

When you start to take dexamethasone, ask your doctor what to do if you forget a dose. Write down these instructions so that you can refer to them later.

What side effects can this medicine cause?

Dexamethasone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

What should I do in case of overdose?

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at [WEB]. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Does dexamethasone increase blood sugar?

If you have diabetes, dexamethasone may increase your blood sugar level. If you monitor your blood sugar (glucose) at home, test your blood or urine more frequently than usual. Call your doctor if your blood sugar is high or if sugar is present in your urine; your dose of diabetes medication and your diet may need to be changed.

Can you take dexamethasone if you have a fungal infection?

if you have a fungal infection (other than on your skin), do not take dexamethasone without talking to your doctor.

How much Dex is needed for cancer?

Dex is routinely prescribed to patients with advanced cancer in a wide range of doses (0.5 mg up to 16 mg daily) for a variety of additional reasons: fatigue, stimulation of appetite, night sweats, and to combat the side effects of some chemotherapies (including platinum agents and taxanes) both as an antiemetic and to prevent hypersensitivity or allergic reactions.4It is also used specifically to decrease oedema associated with primary and secondary tumors of the central nervous system, for brain metastases in advanced melanoma, or as a single agent therapy for leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

What is a dex?

The glucocorticoid (GC) steroid dexamethasone (Dex) is used as a supportive care co-medication for cancer patients undergoing standard care pemetrexed/platinum doublet chemotherapy. As trials for new cancer immunotherapy treatments increase in prevalence, it is important to track the immunological changes induced by co-medications commonly used in ...

What is % change in Dex?

For timing of blood sample withdrawal and Dex administration, see Figure 1A. “% change” refers to difference in mean values between “pre-Dex” and “post-Dex” time points. Pvalues were calculated using the paired t-test.

Is Dex given prior to chemotherapy?

This effect coincided with patients taking the GC steroid Dex. In standard care treatment of MPM (a highly aggressive, incurable, asbestos-induced cancer) Dex is given prior to and for three to five d after pemetrexed/platinum chemotherapy in order to control skin rash, emesis, and inflammatory side effects.3

How does immunotherapy help cancer?

The rapidly developing field of cancer immunotherapy aims to boost or direct a patient's immune system in a manner that can aid recognition of, and/or reactivity against, tumors. We and others have demonstrated that some chemotherapies can be immunogenic——inducing tumor cell death in such a way that tumor neoantigens are “unmasked” and become visible to the host immune system.1“Chemoimmunotherapy” combines the properties of immunogenic chemotherapies with any one of a number of immunotherapeutic treatments currently under development. Immunotherapies are generally directed at specific rate-limiting steps in the development of an antitumor immune response——whether that be an enhancement of immune activation, or conversely the removal of immunological suppression.2These finely tuned interventions undergo initial development in animal model systems; however it is commonplace for co-medications that accompany chemotherapy as part of standard clinical care to be omitted from pre-clinical models.

Does Dex increase tregs?

Dex treatment increases the proliferation and activation state of Tregs. (A) Representative flow cytometry data, demonstrating the gating strategy used for Treg identification and analysis. Forward scatter (FSC) area vs. FSC-height was used for doublet discrimination, and lymphocytes subsequently selected by FSC vs. side scatter. A “dump” channel was used to gate out dead cells (LIVE/DEAD fixable aqua viability stain), CD14+, CD56+, and CD19+cells. CD4+T cells were subsequently selected on the basis of CD4 vs. CD3 staining, followed by the identification of Tregs as CD25hi, CD127lo, and Foxp3+. Tregs, or non-Treg CD4+T cells, were further gated for expression of Ki67 and ICOS. (B–F) Analysis of Tregs in patient PBMC samples collected before (pre-Dex) and after (post-Dex) administration of Dex. (B) Percentage of Tregs (CD25+CD127loFoxp3+) as a proportion of total CD4+T cells in PBMC samples. (C–D) Proportion of Tregs (C) and non-Treg CD4+lymphocytes (D) expressing the proliferation marker Ki67. (E–F) Changes in proportional expression of the activation marker ICOS, in Treg (E) and non-Treg CD4+lymphocytes (F). Each dot represents an individual patient; significant difference between pre-Dex and post-Dex values: ***p< 0.0001, paired students t-test.

How is dexamethasone given?

How is dexamethasone (Decadron®) given to prevent nausea and vomiting? Dexamethasone is usually given by mouth or intravenously (I.V.) in an outpatient infusion center before chemotherapy to prevent nausea and vomiting.

How long before chemotherapy should I take dexamethasone?

8 to 20 mg I.V. infusion over 20-30 minutes approximately 30 minutes before chemotherapy. Smaller doses (such as 10 mg or less) are reserved for I.V. push. Usual dexamethasone starting dose at home : 8 mg (two 4 mg tablets) by mouth once daily with food on Days 2, 3 and 4. OR. 8 mg (two 4 mg tablets) by mouth once daily with food on Days 2 and 3.

How long does it take for dexamethasone to work after chemo?

Dexamethasone may also need to be taken at home after chemotherapy for two or three days to help prevent delayed nausea and vomiting. Dexamethasone is typically given with each planned chemotherapy treatment. Dose and duration of therapy depends upon response, tolerability, type of, and number of cycles of chemotherapy prescribed.

What is the goal of decadron?

Goals of dexamethasone (Decadron®) therapy: Dexamethasone is commonly given on a scheduled basis to prevent nausea and vomiting. When a medicine is given to prevent nausea and vomiting, it is known as prophylaxis, or prophylactic therapy.

Why is it important to understand your treatment?

A better understanding of your treatments will allow you to ask more questions of your healthcare team. We then hope that with the answers, you will get better results and have greater satisfaction with your care. Because we know it's not always easy to know what questions to ask, we've tried to make it easy for you!

Is dexamethasone given with chemotherapy?

Dexamethasone is typically given with each planned chemotherapy treatment. Dose and duration of therapy depends upon response, tolerability, type of, and number of cycles of chemotherapy prescribed.

Does dexamethasone cause tingling?

When dexamethasone is given by I.V. push, it may cause a burning, itching, or tingling sensation in the genital area. If this happens, your dose of dexamethasone will need to be given by I.V. infusion instead. High blood pressure and high blood sugar are common side effects of dexamethasone.

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