DECADRON Reviews (DEXAMETHASONE)Average Rating: 2.2 (197 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare DECADRON with similar:
Type: Brand name discontinued; available as generic
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on DECADRON: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR DECADRON | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | metastatic brain lesions | Face, stomach swelling. Ache on face. Muscle loss in legs. Loss of taste, ulcer like feeling in mouth, indigestion. Worst of all -- pscyhosis, hallucination confusion-zombie like periods. | My wife is taking this drug for brain swelling due to lesions. It worked in that it took away her headaches and dizziness. She completed whole brain radiation a few days ago but now she had an aggressive-psychotic break last night, recovered and is in a kind of dump stupor at the moment. Rad/onc said to taper faster. She was given haldol to take to counter hallucinations. I'm wondering how long this will last. This is not my wife and it is terrifying. This drug is a beast and it seems like some of the three doctors she has seen would have said something like this was possible. | F | 34 | 4 weeks 4 4X day | 9/19/2011 | 1 | glioblastoma multiforme stage 4 | swollen face, neck, ankles and feet. Weight gain, increased appetite. Total loss of muscles in arms and legs. My dad can no longer walk and is bedridden in a nursing home! Thinning skin on arms...purple marks all over arms...easily bruised. | This drug is pure evil....I can't believe that my dad has been on this drug since March and every time they try to wean him off of it they end up having to put him back on. He is so far gone and even the doctors admit it is the decadron. They say his MRI for his tumor remains unchanged and that he is okay in that respect. It's not the brain cancer killing him...its this god awful drug! Hopefully we can get him back with the help of an endocrinologist. My dad was a strong man with no health issues before this. | M | 63 | 6 months 4mg 1X day | 8/25/2011 | 1 | Stubborn Rheumatoid Arthritis flare | RAGE! Irrational behavior, edema of feet/legs/hands, moon face, uncontrollable shakes, blurry vision, racing heart, dizziness, numbness in extremities. | This stuff is horrible. I've never experienced so many side effects from any medication I've ever taken. After several weeks of progressively worsening symptoms, I stopped taking the drug and went back on plain old prednisone, after I realized that I could kill someone and it wouldn't have bothered me. It's starting to work its way out of my system and I hope it hurries! | F | 57 | 6 weeks 4 mg 1X day | 8/15/2011 | 3 | Migraines | shakes, anxiety, panic attacks, confusion, cold sweats, hot flashes, thrush, swollen gums, face and tongue, GERD, acid reflux, sore throat, tingling sensation in hands and feet, high blood pressure and pulse, heart racing, dizzy, fatigue, asthma, racing thoughts, loss of taste, painful to touch skin mostly in chest, neck, shoulder & head areas, on and off blurry vision. | Had incredibly high blood pressure & pulse on 5th day of taking the medication. Stopped the medication on 7/20/11 & that night ended up with terrible acid reflux. The next morning started to experience the pain normally associated w/withdrawal of steroids but had terrible sore/lump in throat & starting signs of thrush. Sore throat, lump & overall steroid pain diminishing by the 23rd but by then lost taste & looked like the center on my tongue was scraped off. It's now the 26th & I am still experiencing high anxiety but am taking xanax to counteract that, & medication for thrush. I still feel completely out of it at times. | F | 32 | 5 days 4mg 2X day | 7/26/2011 | 4 | Brain Tumor ICP brain swelling | Hot flashes, severe "moon face" appetite increase, insomnia, joint pain, shaky all the time, heart palpitations, can't even hold a fork right without tremors, eye dryness or pressure | I never experienecd the euphoria some people reference, but it does help with the swelling significantly. The pain experienced with it is definitely unpleasant but trying to manage. The tremors are constant and the moon face is surprising although I monitor my diet and haven't gained as much weight, but cravings are unbelievable....difficult to manage and make sure I don't go overboard on things. Often hungry during sleep even, have woken up from pain in joints/muscles and struggle to fall/stay asleep. | F | 30 | 30 days 12mg 2X day | 6/24/2011 | 4 | Brain Tumor Radiation/Chemo | Swelling in knees, ankles, face. Unrelenting appetite which led to weight gain. Acne on chest, back, upper arms, and face. Racing heart, jittery hands. Impossible to get a full night of sleep (3 uninterrupted hours was a GOOD night). | Decadron was a necessary evil. If I hadn't been taking this nastiness, my brain would have continued to be inflamed, causing me more massive headaches and making my life hell. I would say the worst side effects were the appetite/weight gain, swelling, and the acne. No 29 year old wants to look like they're 16 again! | M | 29 | 2 months 3MG 2X day | 6/20/2011 | 5 | allergies/head cold | insomnia of course- its a steroid. energy.enthusiasm. | great for head colds. I also give one 4 mg tab once a week for my dog with skin allergies.it clears my head up all day and I dont have the cold flu like symptoms until dark. thumbs up. it can be addictive because of its energy qualities. I have to back out at times. it also shuts down immunity so I just take it when I really really need it. | F | 36 | 1 years 4mg 1X day | 6/3/2011 | 1 | Rads Breast Cancer Mets to Skull | OMG, I HATE this drug. My quality of life is zip on it. Felt great before. Feel generally weird on it. Loopy I guess. Blurry vision, feet and leg cramps, severe abdominal bloating and pain, feel like I can't breath, mood swings and bitchiness (roid rage), legs feel like spaghetti, joint pains gone but seem to be loose and weird now, muscle weakness, thought I was having chest pains but then think it's the bloating instead causing it, wake up in middle of night and can't go back to sleep, get dizzy, sweats, headaches, can't taste anything so I feel like I need to keep looking for something to eat because I don't feel satisfied-no taste food causing me to gag, mouth tastes sweet all the time, blood pressure up when never had high blood pressure, wondering about blood sugar levels, probably not drinking enough because of not being able to taste anything. Doctor says I have no choice because radiation can cause brain to swell, which would not be good. Has me on low, low dose now. | Decadron is the pill from HELL. If I wasn't worried about my brain swelling from radiation and causing major problems, I would not take the stuff! I am miserable and have 2 1/2 more weeks to take the stuff. No telling what state I'll be in by that time! | F | 47 | 3 weeks 2 mg 2X day | 5/25/2011 | 5 | Allergies/inflamation | Love it. when I get a head cold, I can pop a pill and have energy all day with NO sinues to get in my way.2day for two days then 1 a day for 4 days then 1/2 for two then your off.Love it would recommed for a cold and or allergies or anykind of inflamation especially if you need energy. I give 1 pill a week for my dog for her skin allerigies as well. wonderful drug!! | F | 36 | 1 months 4mg 2X day | 5/23/2011 | 1 | Glands Swollen and Strep Throat | Heart racing, Hard to Breath, Shaky all over...felt like I was gonna die...about 2 Hours after IV push into my IV | I HAD NO CLUE THIS STUFF WORKED LIKE THIS ON SOME. When I called they hospital the next am..they said I was sensitive to it and to take 50 mg of Benadryl. Well I called Pharmacy that has all meds listed...as did the ER also...and was told by Pharmacist it is an ALLERGIC REACTION AND TO ADD IT TO THE LIST OF ALLERGIES..they also added to computer. ER nurse said I would be ok soon...NOT TRUE...My eyes are wide open STILL. THIS STUFF NEEDS A RELEASE SHEET TO SIGN BEFORE ADMINISTERING IT In My Opinion.... | F | 50 | 1 days 10 1X day | 3/29/2011 | 5 | Seasonal Allergie | None, other than a sore bottom from the injeciton | I've been to see several doctors about my allergies. I have slept all night in months without waking up sneezing - dosing up on nose spray and trying to get back to sleep. 1st day after Deadron / Kenalogg - I slept all night, woke up and so far haven't sneezed at all (fingers crossed) | F | 40 | 1X M | 2/23/2011 | 1 | brain swelling due to meningiomas | Took this drug in 1996 for radiation therapy and gained 60 pounds, ate like a horse, had severe headaches and thought the room only spun in one direction.....fast forward to January 2011 and ended up in the ER and ICU due to stomach flu I couldn't shake due to the tumors. Back on Decadron I go and now after 10 days they have pulled me off of it entirely. Can't focus in the mornings, room is moving, vertigo again, feels like my right side of my face is sliding to the floor and the headaches.....I felt better in the hospital......muscle weakness on the left side. Radiation Treatment due to start in 2 weeks, 6 weeks again.....guess what they want to put me back on. | This drug is like a poison. Took me 15 years to get off all the weight, and lose all the side effects of the decadron. | F | 49 | 10 days .75 2X day | 2/2/2011 | 1 | Strep Throat | EXTREME mental changes, sweats, shakes, dizziness, fogginess. | NEVER, EVER take this drug. I don't understand why it is not illegal. It is pure hell. The first day I received it through my IV I had no side effects whatsoever. But yesterday i went back to get my 2nd and 3rd dose and it made me absolutely bat shit crazy. It's been 12 hours and the side effects still haven't worn off. I was screaming and cussing like there was no tomorrow, and I never behave that way. It's repulsing. My sore throat is gone but I would gladly welcome it back if my side effects would disappear. I suggest asking if there is ANYTHING else you could possibly have in place of decadron because you WILL be miserable. I feel like i'm in hell and when my mom reported it they said it can stay in my system for up to 10 days. I honestly feel like there's no possible way I'll still be even the tiniest bit sane after all this for 10 days. | F | 17 | 2 days 1X day | 1/29/2011 | 1 | GMB / Stage 4 Brain Cancer | racing thoughts, my type A personality got uncontrollable, demanding 10 things at once, major anxiety attacks mostly in the morning when the drug was wearing off and I could'nt function well, face and neck swelling, gained 25lbs first month, not controlling the swelling in my brain still numb on the right, with blurred vision- probably from cancer. Trouble sleeping through the night, always hungry, my legs are starting to get weak- my nurse brought a walker to my home today, I feel out of it- disconnected when it is fully in my system but have trouble functioning without it at times. I hate it! If my life didn't depend on this dumb pill I would stop taking it today. | M | 54 | 4 months 4mg 3X day | 1/19/2011 | 2 | back pain-bulging disk | eye pressure-blurred vision-irritability-appetite increase ,cold sweats ,swelling face,gums,mouth,nose ,tingling hands feet insomnia sore throat inability to recover from flu like symptoms extreme chest pain also loss of appetite confusion depression extreme fatigue | i cant say enough bad about this drug . i started 4mg 4x daily ,reduced to 2mg 4x daily after 4 days . then 1mg 4x daily for 4 days .i never finished the 1mg . the last night i layed in bed thought heart was about tot explode ,cold sweeats ,very bad acid reflux ,all foods tased like garbage . ive been off for almost 2 days now and all i want t o do is sit , sleep . cant work . back pain is better but would have dealt with to avoid how i feel right now . im a very healthy active person ,and this scares the hell out of me . i feel like im in a fog that i cant shake avoid this drug unless death is the alternative . i fee ldead inside this is pure hell . i will gladly update when this is out of my system . i pray this helps one person avoid what im experiencing . normally i am a sharp ,quick witted person always joking and i cant carry a conversation and feel disconected from my entire body and mind | M | 32 | 10 days 4mg 4X day | 1/14/2011 | 3 | STREP THROAT | THE SHOT HELPED RIGHT AWAY WITH MY STREP THROAT.... MY STREP THROAT WAS SOOO VICIOUS I WASNT ABLE TO BREATH OR SWALLOW NOT EVEN MY OWN SALIVA! WITH HIGH FEVERS AND VOMITING IT WAS CRAZY... DIDNT THINK A THROAT INFECTION WOULD GET THIS SERIOUS.. | IT ABSOLUTELY MADE ME MY THROAT FEEL BETTER BUT.... THIS IS ONLY DAY 1- I HOPE I FEEL BETTER DAY 2.... I WILL KEEP POSTED I AM HAVING WEIRD SENSATION ON MY BODY..... MUSCLES CRAMPS ON MY LEGS/ MY HEART IS BEATING FAST... I FEEL LIKE A SHAKY AND TREMBLING SENSATION THRU OUT MY ENTIRE BODY,CONFUSION,FEEL LIKE I AM IN WEIGHTLESS.. MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS HIGHER THAN USUAL. | F | 21 | 1 SHOT 1X day | 12/8/2010 | 4 | strep throat | None really. Took a while for swelling in throat to come down, as what they gave me the shot for. Bad diarrhea, not 100 percent sure caused by shot because I am also on an antibiotic. Day two swelling is a bit up but not as bad as originally. | F | 25 | 1 times shot ??mg 1X O | 12/7/2010 | 3 | Edema due to benign meningioma | Insomnia (averaged 2 or 3 hours a night in spurts), insatiable appetite, moonface, skin eruptions, irritability, "crashing" (cease to function and have to lie down immediately), increased thirst, "froth mouth" (all beverages tasted "frothy", major OCD, mood swings, racing thoughts (sometimes irrational), extreme fatigue at times and extreme energy other times, craving for sweets, dry mouth at night, the list goes on . . . | I am sure that the Decadron assisted with swelling post-op and for that I am grateful but I could not wait to get off of this drug. As I tapered off, I would have an hour in the early morning when I felt like myself. I would wake my husband and say "Say hello to your wife before she's gone again". Once I took the Decadron, it was only a matter of time before I crashed and became agitated. My last pill was 6 days ago, skin eruptions are much better, I am sleeping again (for the most part), moods are much better, energy level increasing, OCD calming down A LOT, "froth mouth" gone, decreased appetite and thirst, still have moonface and have now developed stiff neck and severe headaches over the past 48 hours. Trying to get into see doctor because the headaches aren't being relieved by Tyelnol. I also think I have found a "nodule" at the base of my skull and it's very sore. :( | F | 44 | 5.5 weeks 4 mg 3X day | 12/1/2010 | 3 | Multiple-Myeloma | Taken in combination with other drug (200 Mg Tholidomide) net effect was to bring the myeloma under control but at the expense of loss of muscle; especially losses of the gluts, dorsi muscles, thracolumbar fascia,hamstrings and network of back muscles. Trying to rebuild muscles with stricter excercise regime. Moving onto next stage - steam-cell replacement therapy. | M | 44 | 4 months 10 MG 1X W | 11/28/2010 | 1 | renal disease-mesoangiocap type 3 | I wasnt on Decadron but similar- Over the 18 days on Prednisolone (Panafcortelone) treatment my symptoms varied- started on 100mg every 2nd day for 4 days then because of side effects went to 50mg every day- the worse was the intense cranial pressure (felt like my head was in a vice), Blood pressure out of control, face/lips numb, shakes, unconrollable crying, nerves shot, jittery, unsteady on feet. Then once bp was controlled with cocktail of other drugs came the neck pain (felt like head was too heavy for shoulders). Lying down was only relief. Massive abdominal oedema where I was hungry but could eat as it hurt my stomach. Depression, mood swings. Insomnia was actually a relief as after 3-4 hrs sleep I'd wake feeling not bad. After morning medicine things would go down hill... | If you feel like your body is having a bad reaction it probably is... see your Dr (again and again if necessary) | F | 52 | 18 days 50mg 1X day | 11/23/2010 |