What happens if you miss a dose of Dexamethasone Injection?
Last updated September 7, 2026.
Contact the clinic or prescriber as soon as you notice a missed dexamethasone injection, and do not take a double dose to catch up. Most dexamethasone injections are given by a nurse or doctor, so a missed dose is usually a missed appointment that can be rescheduled quickly. How much it matters depends on why you are getting it: a single dose before chemotherapy or for a flare is easier to shift than a standing dose you have been on for weeks. If you have taken steroids daily for more than about three weeks, stopping abruptly can leave your body short on cortisol and cause tiredness, weakness, nausea, dizziness, or aching. Keep the injection schedule written down with the date and time of each dose so gaps are easy to spot. Carry a steroid card or a note on your phone listing the drug and dose in case you are seen somewhere else.
What to do
- Call the same day: Tell the clinic which dose you missed and let them set the new appointment time.
- Never double up: Two doses close together raise blood sugar and blood pressure without improving the effect.
- Do not stop on your own: If you have had steroids for more than three weeks, the dose usually needs to be lowered in steps.
- Watch for withdrawal signs: Unusual fatigue, weakness, nausea, dizziness on standing, or joint aches need a call to your prescriber.
- Keep a written schedule: Log every injection date and dose so you and the clinic can see the exact gap.
- Ask when it is urgent: A missed dose during cancer treatment, adrenal insufficiency, or a serious infection needs same-day advice from your care team.
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