Dexamethasone

sha2004 · 08-15-2004, 04:45 PM

I was diagnosed with pcos 1 year ago and I am just learning about it. The Dr. just said you have PCOS take Glucophage 1000mg twice a day and dexamethasone 0.25mg once a day. I was told the dexamethasone I had to take because my cortisol levels were too high. I was aslo started on Yasmin (BC) pills and Aldactone but I have stopped those two medications because of the effects i was having. I am just coming to terms with having pcos and understanding what this means. After stopping the yasmin, a couple of months later I found out I was pregnant and l was loosing the baby all in the same month. Needless to say its been a rough time. I am wondering if the dexamethasone added to the miscarriage even though it is a very small dose.

My question now is is there anyone else on steriods for pcos? Will i eventually be able to stop it?

misty23 · 08-15-2004, 04:51 PM

OK, I have one question, what kind of Dr. are you seeing? a RE or OB? PCOS does not cause cortisol levels to be high, but there is a disease called Cushings that looks VERY similar to PCOS that does. Have you had a CAT scan done on your pituitary or adrenal gland?? I would HIGHLY recommend going to see a RE and have all of your labs redrawn and also having these two scans done. Cushings is more serious than PCOS, but treatable also.

I have been on steriods on and off for my high adrenal gland levels. I was able to get pg with my daughter on them and stopped taking them. I did also have a MC before my daughter that we thought were because of high adrenal gland levels. I am not sure about how long you have to be on them for high cortisol levels...I high recommend finding a good RE in your area. Good luck!

misty23 · 08-15-2004, 04:53 PM

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/endo...s.htm#symptoms

Here is a good site about cushings and what tests you should have run. Again, good luck and I hope this helps.

hereishoping · 08-15-2004, 06:19 PM

sha2004,
you are actually the first person on this site that I have seen who is also on dexamethasone! I thought I was the only one! I was dx with PCOS last month. I am ttc, so my Dr put me on dex and clomid. He never told me to stop the dex after I O'd, but when I called to find out my progesterone levels a week later, I happened to ask if I should stop taking it and the nurse said yes. I was a little mad that the Dr never told me that as I had been taking it for 5 days after I O'd. He said that the dex would supress my testosterone level which was rather high and interfering with my cycle. I do not know much about the drug, but we can support each other as we take it! If I find out more info about it (if it causes miscarriages etc) I will definitely let you know!! I am currently waiting to take a pg test. I have a week to go. I am not sure if you are ttc, but if so, lot's of luck and baby dust!

momto3angels · 08-15-2004, 06:37 PM

I also take dexamethasone and clomid to TTC. I wasn't told that I should stop taking the dex after O either. I'll have to call the nurse on Monday. I take dex because of my high Testerone levels too. I was diagnosed with PCOS just over a month ago, and am still feeling a bit shell shocked, and confused.
Anyway, good luck to you all!

sha2004 · 08-15-2004, 06:53 PM

Wow. I did have a sono and it did confirm that I had pcos. I always thought that I was on the dexamethasone for the cortisol suppression and the glucophage for the testoserone. My free testosterone levels on a recent test was 8.6 which are too high. I was to thank you guys for your advice!!! I guess I am also taking the dexamethasone for the testosterone levels. It is great to know that I am not the only one!
Although, I was ttc, because of my last mis, my relationship has suffered and we are no longer together.

So for now its good to know that there are others. Thanks for your responses!

misty23 · 08-15-2004, 07:20 PM

I don't believe it causes MC because some woman are on it for long term. I know of a few that stayed on it longer than just to get pg. With my daughter, the day I got a + is when I stopped taking it. Mine was to lower my dheas. My testosterone is actually normal, but my dheas is high. GL

hereishoping · 08-15-2004, 08:19 PM

Beth,
It sounds like you and I are very much in the same boat! I just "officially" started to ttc in May. That was before he put me on the dex. At that time, he put me just on 50mg of clomid (before I was diagnosed) and I did not respond to it at all, based on a 14 day u/s that I had which showed lots of little cysts. That is when he had me come in for blood work and it was after that that he prescribed the dex and clomid (100mg) I had a good month as last Friday I went in for my u/s and I had 3 mature follicles. They gave me an HCG trigger shot and I am just waiting now. So, I guess it works. I'm not sure if it was the clomid-dex combo that helped me O, or just the clomid, but I'll be anxious to see what happens from here. Definitely keep me posted on your end too! For some reason I don't really feel pg, so I have a feeling I'll be ttc again next month. Maybe I'm just trying not to get my hopes up, who knows. Good luck to you all!

sha2004 · 08-15-2004, 08:40 PM

Hereisshoping,

Hang in there! Best of luck!

squidge63 · 08-15-2004, 08:59 PM

I was put on dexamethasone 23 years ago when i was Dx with pcos... dont think it did anything to be honest, was on it for about a year maybe 2....

misty23 · 08-15-2004, 10:09 PM

I believe the combo does work! Was the only thing that helped me get pg with my daughter! Good luck to you all!

hereishoping · 08-16-2004, 07:36 PM

well, the Dr called me today and told me that my prog level is 59.9 which he said was really good. I didn't even know it could be that high of a number. I thought it was like 10-15??? Anyway, that made me feel good, and I am having more confidence in the meds that I am on, that it will eventually get me pg. Thanks for the advice ladies!!!!

misty23 · 08-16-2004, 08:17 PM

thats an AWESOME #. They like to see it on a medicated cycle of at least 15, so higher is even greater!

good luck and I hope you have a sticky.

NYCDanielle1980 · 03-31-2008, 09:44 PM

Hi There- I decided to do some research about Dex and PCOS. I seriously thought I was the only person on Dex because of comments by other doctors. I was diagnosed with elevated adrenal profiles in 1999, Dr. New put me on Dex and I lost 30 lbs! Seriously. Since then more info has come out regarding PCOS and they diagnosed me with PCOS. However, few doctors who are OBGYNs think I have PCOS. Weight is my main problem. I have a lot of difficulty and most doctors say I need to be off the Dex to loose weight. When I am off the Dex, I gain weight, acne appears, my body distribution changes and my hair falls out. Does anyone have the same issues with weight and think Dex helps? Thanks! Danielle

geneva10 · 03-31-2008, 10:54 PM

Dexamethasone is such a powerful drug that can really affect your body long term. BE CAREFUL. It can actually CAUSE Cushings if you take dex in excess. Also dex is often used for cancer patients (usually to reduce inflammation for brain cancer). My previous Endo put me on it for 6 months and I gained 20 lbs, had a ravenous appetite, and my face got all rosy and puffy. On the other hand, my hairloss subsided and my oily skin/acne really improved. She put me on it because my excess androgens are coming from my adrenal glands, but I think there are other safer treatments out there (Spiro, BC etc.). My new Endo is an Adrenal Specialist and he said he would NEVER put his patients on Dex. unless they have Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, which completely makes sense because those people actually NEED the steroid because they have an enzyme deficiency. Just wanted to express my views and share my story!