Effect of steroids on partner

Yes I am on exactly the same as your husband and also am given an IV dose prior to the chemo. I hate the steroids.  They play havoc with with my sleep, make my mood unpredictable. I'm have manic energy with them and then crash out on day 4. My moods drops around day 5 and I become totally unreasonable no one can do anything right and I critisize everything. They have increased my weight and I am diabetic and my sugar levels go through the roof with them. First cycle I ended up in the hospital to get my sugar down.
My dose was 4 tablets per day for 3 days after chemo, after the sugar incident as I was coping with the chemo side effects well the oncologist recommended reducing to 2 tablets per day, which did not really improve much.
This cycle I have reduced to one per day and feeling much more balanced.

Thank you so much for your reply. It is a huge relief to both of us that J is not going mad and I'm not imagining it all. But I really feel for you having that reaction on top of everything else you're going through. J was started on iv then 3 a day. That was reduced to 2 a day when even his consultant could see he wasn't himself. We will certainly now push to reduce again especially as he is otherwise tolerating the chemo well.

His situation is complicated by taking meds for bipolar disorder. The reaction to the steroids is very similar to when he comes off the meds so we weren't sure if there was a conflict- though the pharmacist says not.

Thank you again for replying. I'm really glad1 a day is working for you. With at least another 4 cycles to go it was a daunting prospect but hopefully that may also work for J too.

Have a great weekend

Hi Lizig

That is interesting what you said about your husband having Bi Polar disorder, and his reaction to the steroids. It may be possible that the steroids are having more of an effect on his mood than other people may get. 

Several people in my family have bi-polar and other mental health conditions....but as far as I know, I don't. However, when I was given steroids 2 years ago, I had a really obvious reaction to them, very much like a manic episode of bi-polar. It took a couple of weeks to settle, and I haven't had anything like it since.

Unfortunately, I have to take steroids daily now, but I am on a low dose, so I don't get any of the difficult side effects.

Hopefully, your husband will respond well to the chemo, and not need to continue with the steroids.

Try if you can to give yourself some 'me space' when your husband is moody, and look after yourself. You need to keep up contact with your friends and family, so that you are in the best head space to cope, and supported.

I do hope everything goes well for you both!

best wishes

Kate

Thank you - that's really interesting and helpful. It certainly feels very familiar and the reason he finally sought help for the bi-polar in the first place. He has been stable for a long time so it's very difficult to be trying to be supportive in the face of the anger etc. Hopefully we can reduce the steroids again next cycle as he is otherwise well.

in terms of me time - thank you for the advise and kind words. I find speaking to people on these forums very helpful too

That's what we're here for! We all need help or support, or just somewhere to offload or have a good rant sometimes!

I've been using the forum for over 2 years now, and have made some good friends.

Hope you will keep us posted on progress!

xxx Kate

Thank you - I will  

Just as an update - today has been so much better - but now his hair is falling out! Heyho

Hi Lizig - I was on steroids for 3 months last year during my treatment and I could feel my mood changed quite a bit. I snapped very easily either to my parents or my partner, I had this angry bursts that would last a minute and then I'd be like what the hell why did I get so triggered. For the smallest things i.e. someone asking me more than twice in an hour 'how are you'. 

I think it was the combination of the treatment, hospital visits and steroids, not just the steroids alone, but definitely it had a massive impact on my mood. It's a very awkward thinking process as well, I could reason that I shouldn't get mad but I couln't control my 1st response / impulse very well. 

I think doctors play down the side effects a lot. It's not just about being more hungry or having more energy, it's deeper than that.

Hi Again

I'm sorry you had that experience too. That's exactly how my husband's been. As you say, no mention of those side effects and yet so much effort to ensure you understand the potential side effects of the chemo itself. It was only the pharmacist who acknowledged they were recognized. It was complicated by my husband taking regular meds for bipolar disorder which treat pretty much exactly the same symptoms.

The suggestion is that for the next, third cycle they'll just use the iv but we'll see.

ps dealing with hair loss now as well- heyho

I had to take them 2 weeks ON then 1 week OFF, as I had 1 week with no chemo... and the difference was massive that week. 

Hair loss was a big thing too... For me the hair just went from one day to another, it wasn't gradual, so I think it was just like okay that's it! I wasn't thinking 'oh, let's see if I can keep some'. I got to say the hardest part was to lose the beard, cause I wasn't expecting it at all!