Decadron
Decadron is a 0.5mg dexamethasone tablet — a corticosteroid used for inflammation and arthritis — sold in packs of 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 or 360 tablets.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5mg | 30 tablets | $18.90 | $0.63 |
| 0.5mg | 60 tablets | $32.40 | $0.54 |
| 0.5mg | 90 tablets | $42.30 | $0.47 |
| 0.5mg | 120 tablets | $52.80 | $0.44 |
| 0.5mg | 180 tablets | $72.00 | $0.40 |
| 0.5mg | 360 tablets | $136.80 | $0.38 |
- Category
- Pain Management
- Active ingredient
- Dexamethasone
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet, Injection
- Strengths
- 0.5mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Inflammation · Arthritis
- Therapeutic Class
- Corticosteroid
- Pharmacological Class
- Glucocorticoid
- Minor Side Effects
- Increased appetite, Difficulty sleeping, Indigestion
- Moderate Side Effects
- Mood changes, Fluid retention, High blood sugar
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet, Injection
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Merck
- Onset Time
- 1–2 hours
- Duration
- 36–54 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- Aspirin, Vaccines, Diuretics
- Age Restrictions
- Use with caution in children
What you will receive
Decadron is the originator brand name, made by Merck. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Decadron.
- The same active ingredient (Dexamethasone) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
What Decadron pack sizes are available?
There is one strength, 0.5mg, and six pack sizes: 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360 tablets. What you receive is generic dexamethasone rather than the original Decadron, and each tablet costs less in the bigger packs.
How do I pay for Decadron delivery to Hong Kong?
Pay for Decadron with Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or with Bitcoin or Ethereum. Your card details never reach the shop's servers. This applies to Hong Kong deliveries.
What are the alternative names for Decadron and dexamethasone?
Decadron is a brand name of dexamethasone, which is also sold as Decdan, Maxidex, Dexsol and Oradexon. Here, dexamethasone can be bought online as generic Decadron, and also as Dexone. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long does a course of Decadron usually last?
It depends on what is being treated. A severe allergic reaction or an asthma flare may clear with a short course; inflamed joints, some skin conditions and cancer treatment can run for weeks or months. Doses are usually highest at the start and reduced as things settle.
Can I drink alcohol while taking Decadron?
Alcohol will not stop the tablets working, but it irritates the stomach lining and so does dexamethasone, so drinking during a course makes heartburn and stomach irritation more likely — especially alongside an NSAID painkiller. Heavy drinking can also worsen the mood and sleep changes.
Decadron or prednisone — what's the difference?
Both are corticosteroids with the same kind of effect. Dexamethasone is the stronger of the two per milligram and lasts longer in the body, so it is usually taken once a day at a much smaller dose. Which one is chosen comes down to the condition being treated and how long the course will run.
What happens if I stop Decadron suddenly?
After a long course the adrenal glands cut back their own cortisol, so a sudden stop can leave you tired, weak, sick and light-headed. Courses that long are tailed off over days or weeks so the glands can pick up again.
About Decadron
What Decadron tablets treat
Decadron is the brand name for dexamethasone, a corticosteroid — a medicine that copies the cortisol your body makes itself. It works by calming inflammation and settling an overactive immune response. That makes it useful in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflamed joints, severe allergic reactions, asthma flare-ups, some skin and eye problems and, in hospital care, certain blood cancers and swelling around tumours. The 0.5mg tablet is the smallest common dose, which is why packs run up to 360 tablets: a course often starts at several tablets a day and is then reduced.
How it works
Dexamethasone slips into cells and turns down the genes that drive swelling, redness and pain, and the immune signals behind allergic reactions. It is stronger than prednisone milligram for milligram and stays active longer, so a smaller dose does the same job and once-a-day dosing is often enough.
Your first few days on Decadron
Most people take dexamethasone once a day, in the morning; some courses split the dose across the day. The tablets can be swallowed whether or not you have eaten, though taking them with breakfast helps if they leave your stomach feeling raw. Expect your appetite to pick up, and possibly lighter sleep, especially when a dose lands in the afternoon. Blood sugar usually rises during a course, and mood can swing — wired, flat or quick to anger. Keep the pack somewhere cool and dry, and use the tablets before the date on the carton.
Side effects worth knowing about
A short course rarely causes trouble. Weeks or months of treatment can bring weight around the middle, a fuller face, skin that bruises and heals slowly, and higher blood pressure. A swelling reaction that makes breathing hard needs urgent treatment; a fever that will not settle, sudden changes of mood or behaviour, and new muscle weakness are also worth acting on quickly. Watch the combinations as well. NSAID painkillers such as ibuprofen or naproxen raise the chance of stomach ulcers and bleeding, and enzyme-inducing medicines — carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampicin, St John's wort — lower dexamethasone levels. Warfarin and diabetes medicines can also behave differently on a course.
Decadron, Dexone and other dexamethasone tablets
The tablets sold here hold generic dexamethasone 0.5mg, in packs of 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 or 360. Dexone is the other 0.5mg dexamethasone tablet available — same ingredient and strength under a different brand name. For how dexamethasone is used across its forms and doses, see dexamethasone.
Sources
- Ciprofloxacin and Dexamethasone Otic: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / National Library of Medicine
- Anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) - Healthdirect — Healthdirect Australia