On 4/24/2008
Fightingback wrote:
I have been taking care of my mom diagnosed with GBM IV on 7/07. She has had surgery, radiation, and chemo. On her first MRI in 10/07 the was a recurrence. Each MRI has shown progression from the initial 100% resection. The Gamma Knife has seemed to help the most with the progression, it actually stopped or slowed regrowth. The Gamma Knife was done in 01/08 and since then she has been on Decadron. I have read as much as I can asd spoke to all the Doctors and seem to get the same answer about Decadron. Right now she has lost her short term memory and does not know the day, date, or year. Yesterday I took her to the hospital because she said she was having chest pains. I first was thinking that this could be from the Avastian. She has has 3 cycles. We go to the hospital and they cant find anything wrong with her except for the tumor. In the last week she has declined more than in the last 9 months. When I got her home from the hospital she was sitting up and furiously rocking back and forth, jitterning, paranoid, and just plain uncomfortable. The Doc's are telling me that it is Steroidal Psychosis.
I apologize for the crudeness in my post but I have not slept in 2 days. Is there anyone who has has a negative side affect to Decadron?
It amazes me that through the Radiation, Chemo, Avastian, Pain Meds, and the Thirty other Meds that Decadron would seemingly have the worst reaction too.
Ranting, Raving, Upset, Hurt, Crying, Confused, Sick, Sleepness, and Unknowing,
Dan
Hi Dan:
I myself a caregiver for my mom who was diagnosed with GBM IV on 3/28/08. I was just about to post with this concern and came across this.
She was diagnosed 6yrs ago with manic depression (after the death of her mother). She would sometimes go into rages out of anger, but since she left the hospital (3 weeks ago) she has been in a rage for 3 days. She gets uptight when she is told what to do because of her memory etc... Yesterday 4/23/08 she went to her radiation appt and flipped out because my aunt had to show her where the restrooms were (because she is losing her sight). She swears she can take care of herself, then will walk right into a wall!!! The Dr. asked how much steroids she's taking. She's was taking 2mg every 8hrs, they reduced it to every 12hr instead. So we will see how this works. She gets very belligerant and seems to be extremely angry. I notice if she's in pain it's even worse.
Dan, you are not alone. I haven't slept in 3 days and my husband is my look out for her when I do sleep because she will try to cook in the middle of the night. She doesn't sleep at all at night which is another side effect of this drug.
This is my experience with the steroids and I'm lost for options at this point.
Take Care
Kim