Dexamethasone and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Mev...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2021

For Inflammatory Conditions "I was prescribed this because of multiple injuries in a car crash (multiple disc herniations and other injuries), and the doc thought it'd help relieve the inflammation. The doc wanted me to take it for roughly a week, but I couldn't tolerate the side effects after 2.5 days, which I started feeling within hours of the first dose. I experienced sweating profusely around the clock, really bad suicidal thoughts, severe rage issues (I'm normally calm), severe dry mouth, increased inflammation, shortness of breath, heaviness in my chest, exhaustion, dizziness, weight gain, increased appetite, increased pains in the injured areas, no sleep for three days straight, extremely high anxiety with panic attacks, blurred and double vision, and an absolutely horrific headache that wouldn't go away even with ibuprofen. I also experienced crying fits, and I'm not a crier. This medicine didn't help me at all. The brutal side effects I endured aren't worth taking it for me. If you have any sensitivity to them, I don't recommend taking this steroid."

• Jas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2016

Dexamethasone for Inflammatory Conditions "Never take this drug. I am a healthy individual that had a bad experience with this drug. I received one shot because I had the flu. One week later, I had burning pains running all through my body. They gave me a shot in my butt, and it's still sore two weeks later. I had trouble sleeping, couldn't breathe at night, and thought I was going crazy. My resting heart rate went from 49 to 58 beats a minute. I don't know what this drug does to the body, but it's not good. You have mood swings from anger, confusion, weakness, coordination, etc. Please ask the doctor what they are giving you before they inject you. It could do more harm than good later."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2022

For Inflammatory Conditions "I got an injection of this in my arm yesterday for a sinus infection that was aggravating my asthma. I got zero sleep last night, but normally suffer from insomnia anyway, so not unexpected. The shot also burned for about 15 minutes. Those were my only side effects. But not only is my breathing much better, I was shocked to wake up this morning with a significant decrease to my normal fibromyalgia pain! I have tried all the usual fibromyalgia drugs and none helped at all. For the first time in 25 years, my hands don’t hurt. My recent back pain is also gone. If I see no other side effects over the next week, I will look into this long term."

• Liz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2019

For Inflammatory Conditions "The worst drug. I went to the doctor for a sinus infection and was given an injection of 10 mg Decadron. I experienced extreme anxiety, insomnia, memory loss. Still experiencing it today, 4 months later."

• Hei...
• January 10, 2019

Dexamethasone for Allergic Rhinitis "This drug was given to me for an anaphylaxis reaction I had from an antibiotic. I was admitted, so it was given IV then by mouth to wean. I am a nurse and was blown away! I was put in drug-induced psychosis on this med. I was on it about 3 weeks, from 6 mg down to 1 mg. I was 302 initiated at the nearest ER. I passed out from sleep deprivation and thus this drug changed my life for good. It's not worth it! It mimicked bipolar symptoms. I NEVER had this before! BEWARE!"

• Sam...
• August 30, 2018

For Cerebral Edema "I was put on Dexamethasone to treat Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis, aka blood clots in my brain. It was prescribed to reduce inflammation in my brain. I was put on such a high dose that I shook like a leaf in the wind. I felt like I was jittering inside of my body. I took my doses 4 times a day for 8+ weeks before we began to taper down from the stuff. I was on it for 12 weeks in total. I ended up putting on 80 pounds of water weight. My face was so swollen that I couldn't see more than a foot in front of me through my blurry slits for eyes. I slept maybe 3-4 hours a night if I was lucky. I dripped with the cold sweats, literally. I ended up on water pills, along with 9 other medications. It took at least 6 months and outpatient therapy to recover from depression side effects. My body has never fully recovered from this medication. I have had issues including a buffalo hump and some bone loss. Spare yourself the pain and trauma."

• Lta...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 1, 2020

"Received a 10 mg dose of dexamethasone for a minor burn. It's been four days, and the side effects are still going strong. Muscle twitches and weakness, shortness of breath, burning feet and hands (not from my burn-that was on my face), anxiety, insomnia, feeling cold, and difficulty talking. The muscle weakness is pretty severe, and it's hard to walk. Stay away from this med!"

• Mai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2020

For Multiple Myeloma "I started to take this med in April as part of my chemo treatment. I was told that it would give me a lot of energy. I have been very active before taking this med. Now I am always tired, my voice goes and comes, and I have insomnia. I need to rest constantly while I do my house chores. My husband says I am not the same. I will speak to my oncologist on my next visit. Just be careful and consult with your doctor. This med has many uses. I am taking it to kill cancer cells together with Revlimid, a cancer med."

• amu...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 5, 2013

For Addison's Disease "Taking this medication 0.25 mg daily with 0.05 mg fludrocortisone after experimenting with other corticosteroids. It has several advantages over hydrocortisone and prednisolone: does not increase blood pressure significantly if I'm eating salty food, does not cause insomnia, requires only one single dose daily, and does not make me hungry as prednisolone does."

• Old...
• February 15, 2017

For Cerebral Edema "I had a seizure, which led to them finding a brain tumor. They put me on Dexa in the ER and I was on it for 2 months after the craniotomy to prevent brain swelling. Don't quite remember the dosing, it was a 1 mg or 2 mg pill I took 2 or 3 times a day. I had insomnia (slept maybe 3 hours a night even on two Percocet every 4 hours), painful acne all over my face and back, mood swings, crazy hunger and weight gain, erectile dysfunction, headaches, and joint pain. I suppose it did what it was supposed to, but the side effects were horrible. Even if I had another tumor, I don't think I'd ever use it again."

• Ano...
• April 20, 2017

For Inflammatory Conditions "Took one shot for a lung infection I received while doing some swimming. Fixed the lung infection, but the side effects of this drug are very harsh, so be prepared. I'm 25, do triathlons, and swim regularly. Deal with a normal amount of stress and anxiety but have never had serious problems with it. Resting heart rate is about 50 normally. After the shot, resting heart rate was easily high 60s and low 70s. Extremely agitated and irritable. Very bad insomnia. Anxiety was out the roof, and again I've never had problems with anxiety before. Chest pain mixed in with the increased anxiety that most likely made the chest pain feel worse, but still, it was a problem. This lasted for about a week as well. It's a serious drug."

• Han...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2023

"I was given this medication when I was diagnosed with COVID. This medication should've never been prescribed to me because of my underlying hyperthyroid disease. I took this medication for 5 days in the hospital and 5 days at home. This medication gave me intense side effects such as: hoarse throat, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, insomnia, nausea, suicidal ideation, hallucinations, manic episodes, mood swings, aggression, lack of appetite, heart palpitations, and muscle spasms. After calling my doctor, he apologized and said these are rare side effects and only affect 5% of users. Clearly, these side effects affect more than 5% of users, and the FDA really should reevaluate this medication. My symptoms lasted well over 72 hours, which was what my doctor said they would last. I have no memory of everything that happened, I just know the mental trauma from thinking you’re going crazy is not worth it at all."

• bbe...
• January 21, 2011

For Inflammatory Conditions "I can say it did some pretty good things for my back (bulging disc). It wasn't a cure at all by any means, but it helped a lot. Downside. Same as others: depression, huge appetite increase, but at the same time, everything tasted horrible, bad mood swings, suicidal thoughts (not normal for me), horrible insomnia, blurred vision, cold sweats, hands and feet tingling, numb. Swollen mouth, gums, lips, almost unbearable chest pain. At one point, my wife was ready to call 911. Oh, can't forget the late night extreme skeletal pain. Every bone in my body felt like it was about to snap. If you're like I was and are in so much pain you can hardly walk, try it. Be careful."

• Ren...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 2, 2019

For Inflammatory Conditions "I was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica about 2 years ago. Started on 40 mg of prednisone. Slowly reduced to 5.5 over the years. Couldn't get below 5.5 without having a flare. I gained over 20 pounds and went up 3 dress sizes. I perspire terribly just sitting in my chair, my hair looks like I just stepped out of the shower. My pain management doctor prescribed dexamethasone, 1.8 mg, 7-day dosing pack. What a wild ride! Can't sleep, got thrush in my mouth, had so much energy, but it was hard to concentrate. I am so dizzy, I can't move fast for fear of falling. While I was getting lots of things done, I was still exhausted. The doctor told me I could get off the daily dose of prednisone, which is my hope. I just finished my last pill 2 days ago, and I am praying the polymyalgia doesn't return. Is there anyone else out there that has had any experience with the dosing pack?"

• Jam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2021

Dexamethasone for Asthma "Went to the ER for chest pressure and shortness of breath. Got an injection of Decadron and never again will I! Right after the injection, I instantly had a severe panic attack, it's been 2 days since I got the injection, and I've only slept 7 hours within 48 hours. It has caused me severe insomnia, and my heart rate goes sky high. Chest pressure still hasn't subsided, which may be due to high anxiety from this medicine."

• Jin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 26, 2022

For Inflammatory Conditions "I believe this drug is very helpful for individuals who have adrenal issues, like Addison’s disease, etc. For me, the results have been quite mixed. I have had ongoing piriformis syndrome for the past 9 months. I’ve had four trigger point injections with dexamethasone (10 mg). After the first injection, I felt good - my pain went down to almost zero, and I had good energy. I did have some insomnia and increased urination, increased appetite - which resolved. Fast forward to this past month - I had a trigger point injection on 2/25/2022 at 9:15 a.m., and by 2:00 p.m. was feeling very fatigued. I thought it was because I had a busy day. That evening, I was both a bit anxious and tired - and I had trouble getting to sleep. However, the next morning (today), I felt like I took a large dose of Valium. So fatigued this morning, I could not get out of bed - forced myself to. I feel a combination of anxiety and fatigue and a flat mood. It’s effective for nerve pain, but side effects for sure!"

• Wen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2016

For Inflammatory Conditions "I have CIDP - currently taking dexamethasone 40 mg (yes, forty mg) daily over 4 consecutive days of the month. Side effects are horrendous, though thankfully my condition is improving. Insomnia, weight gain, swollen legs and feet, blurred vision, agitation, increased appetite, and flushed face are the most debilitating, but only last for 6 days after finishing the last dose. Treatment plan is 6 months, I am on my fourth dose, and as the months go on, the side effects are getting worse. Would I accept this treatment again... probably not, but it does help my condition."

• Luc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2022

For Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced "Taking this as pre-med on chemo day and then for 4 days after. Side effects include: insomnia-I'm still up, it's 5 am, weight gain-I'm always hungry, swollen hands, legs, and feet, blurred vision, lingering dry cough, voice also goes in and out, constant headaches, swollen face and neck, painful bloating, and I'm not overweight. Talked to the doctor, and it was decided that I would only take it on chemo day. Phew!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 24, 2016

"I was given a harsh regimen of this drug. I took 50 (5 mg) pills over four days leading up to my surgery. The hope was it would minimize the pressure on my spinal cord caused by a tumor and, in doing so, prevent any additional injury to the spinal cord until they came up with a game plan to remove the tumor. It worked but kept me wired the whole time... I literally did not sleep for 5 days."

• Kin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2023

For Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced "I have stage 2 gastric cancer and receive FLOT chemotherapy. I receive dexamethasone IV on the day of chemo and take 4 mg orally the following morning. I also take ondansetron 8 mg three times a day as needed. I have not had any issues with vomiting, and my nausea is well controlled. The only side effect I have is insomnia on those days I receive dexamethasone. I am not diabetic, so I have no issues with blood glucose."

• Anonymous
• March 14, 2012

"Dexamethasone caused moon face, rash, sweats, aggression, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, extreme dizziness, moodiness, swollen and numb lips and eyes, and on and on."

• Mel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 6, 2016

For Inflammatory Conditions "It keeps awake and hungry."

• Anonymous
• October 10, 2009

For Atopic Dermatitis "Before taking this, I was scratching like crazy for over 2 weeks. I thought nothing would help. After the first dose, I started feeling relief. Cons: I can't fall asleep now..."