Chemo steroids

[2mini2]

How long do you have the chemo steroids for ?

Front line mine were IV pre infusion and then tablets for 2 days

In now on 2nd line and they will be IV and 5 days - will I notice a difference?

[Hidden]

Lesley1944

I am on gem and am not being given any iv steroids or to take home I am really struggling ,has any one else been told they don't need them .

Thank you Lesley

[LesleyGreengran in reply to Hidden]

Hi Lesley, good to meet another one! I think it's a nice name but not many children named after us now. (I was named after my father). I can't remember if I had steroids with gem but have you asked them? Are they controlling your side effects with something else.

[rijkje in reply to Hidden]

I was on gem for second line treatment. No steroids. Never had an issue

[LesleyGreengran]

Varies. I've had 2 3 or 5 days with different chemo's.

[2mini2 in reply to LesleyGreengran]

Thanks LesleyGreengran - how did you find it having them for 5 days?

[LesleyGreengran in reply to 2mini2]

Horrible needed lots of support from family and friends when I came off but it didn't last long and the first few days after chemo were made so much easier. Mind you that was cisplatin and I'd had allergic reactions to carbo, so the doc said he would have to lower the chemo as well so I battled it out.

[2mini2 in reply to LesleyGreengran]

Thanks

I'm beginning to think I would just rather put up with the nausea for a few days than have extra steroids and antisickess.

[Hidden in reply to 2mini2]

That's definitely my view of it... I get psychotic,or close ,with steroids....some antisickness are tolerable. Just check the reason the steroids are prescribed....it can be for other reasons, as in a desensitisation regime

[LesleyGreengran]

It affects everyone differently though. I preferred being on them. It stopped me worrying about the few days after chemo before I went in because I was fine for the first few days, gardening, café with friend and so on.

[LesleyGreengran]

Especially with steroids cos of the feedback from the bodies own mechanisms. So we vary a lot.

[lorraine71-Australia]

Hi, I have Iv pre infusion then 3 tablets I'm on carbopltin and caelyx I do feel the differences when the steroids wears off, I don't mind the 3 days on steroids.I'm on 4th line treatment. I have read post on this site were ladies have had more the 5, see how you go you can always ask for less...hope it all goes well..Lorraine 💙💙

[Hidden]

Hi I have just finished 3rd line weekly taxol , 3 weeks on , one off,you don't get steroids with that'll . However I am on 2mg , very low dose , a day, have been for aboUt a year. I was so poorly initially , lost just under 5 stone ,not eating , sickness and no energy. Put aboutb3,stone back on . that is the down side but sugars are monitored every 4 ,weeks and they are good. Gives me some energy, but everyone is different.speak to your nurse if you are worried

Good luck , sending love too

Linda xx

[cah48]

My take on steroids is very different. I hate them! Early 2013, debulking etc, taxol/carbo, my mouth opening became so small with the steroids they had to gain entry through my throat when operating. I put on masses of weight. When I had gemzar, avastin, carbo, doxil etc I asked for no steroids, which was agreed to. Currently I'm on 5th line weekly taxol and they won't infuse that without steroids in the drip, but I won't take any steroids pre or post chemo. Some days I struggle with no energy, just getting to the kitchen from a sitting position is exhausting. I suppose you have to work out what is good for you. Good luck to everyone on the roulette wheel 😊 Warm regards Carole H x

[caf132 in reply to cah48]

My take on steroids is similar to yours. I hated them. they made me hurt everywhere for two days straight after taking them.

every inch of my skin was affected. I asked my ONC if i could stop taking the predisone and he was agreeable for the taxol days. the days I got Carboplatin I had to have the steroids as a greater chance of allergic reaction.

Funny how we all react so differently.

Xx carol

[Di16]

For 1st line, Carboplatin, I had steroid tablet before each infusion. For weekly Taxol, I also had steroids before each infusion, & halfway through the course they decided to halve the dose because I'm diabetic, and the steroids were sending my blood sugar up. But they said they would put me back on full dose if I was having problems & feeling sick. For 3rd line, Caelyx, I had steroids on the day & for 2 days after. I posted a question about people's experiences of steroids with chemo, & from the replies, it seemed to vary between chemo regimes &i between hospitals. Di

[thesilent1]

I had that for second line too. It is a decreasing dose, or mine was anyway. The additional steroids helped to relieve the bone pains I had during first line, however I did notice I had the munchies with them. Ann xx

[Flamingobeef18]

I had steroids for three days post chemo with my first line and I have been having the same on my second line of treatment on Carboplatin.

I felt fine on them but three weeks ago I was diagnosed with steroid induced diabetes. I am now on insulin which is a bit of a pain but manageable. The medics hope my body will eventually recover and my diabetes will disappear.

My only symptoms were a raging thirst and increase in the number of times I weed during the night. I did mention these symptoms to my oncologist but he did not think they were a problem. The diabetes was only diagnosed when I had a heart attack. If you have similar symptoms ask for your blood sugar to be tested.