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Does Dexamethasone Have Serious Withdrawal Effects?

Posted on Thu, 30 Apr 2015

Question: hello my is XXXXXXX my wife has brain lesions (5) our doctor is an oncologist. we have kept her because my wife was diagnosed with sclc and it has cleared up, thank god. about 3 months later went for an mri and found the few. dr. is doing chemo again. Went through first session for the brain lesions. dr gave her dexamethasone 4mg to keep swelling in her head down, was taking 4 a day for a week then to three for about few days and now we are doing two a day. My question is these steroids make her agitated mean and down right hating life is there another steroid that will do better or what kind of question should i ask our dr. thank you
XXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Since Dexamethasone is tapered,it will improve soon.Anti-psychotics.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.

I have gone through your wife's detailed medical history provided by you and if you would have presented to me with your wife as an outpatient,I would have suggested that -as the dose of dexamathasone is being tapered,her psychotic symptoms(agitation comes under the spectrum of psychosis) will soon improve.However,Anti-psychotic drugs like Haloperidol,olanzapine or quetiapine may be started for the time being,till the time steroid's effect gets aborted.

However,there are no steroids as such which don't cause psychosis.So,substituting one steroid with another is not a good option.

Hope I have answered your query.If you have not further questions,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review as your rating will be of help to me.

Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Ajay Panwar (14 hours later)

Thank you for your answer. this has enlightened me. I was looking the other day about natural steroids that have lighter affects its call a2x do you know anything about this natural drug? Their is one other thing is chemo the right thing for lesions and if their is, in your opinion what? again Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (43 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Chemotherapy is treatment of choice for SCLC.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX,
Thanks for being in follow-up and appreciating.

Its good that you have researched a lot about the disease and the therapy,including natural therapies.But,I am afraid to say that I have no experience in natural drugs like a2x.These are not approved for SCLC therapy,as such.Their role is not proven.

Regarding treatment of SCLC,Chemotherapy is the therapy of choice.

Hope I have answered your query.If you have any further questions,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review as your rating will be of help to me.

Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E