Kenalog cortisone Injection

[Yellow-Petal]

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2018 by my Rheumatologist after two visits. In November I asked for an appointment with the NHS physio team to help with the pain and excercise as I had restriction in arms movement. I got an appointment with them pretty quickly he suggested the restriction I had in arms and neck movement and pain I could have polymyalgia and if it was a certain steroid injection would take all the pain away and make me feel good again. he wrote to my doctor with his findings after 5 visits as he couldn't help me. Doctor referred me to early diagnosis arthritis clinic at RVI. My appoinment was early March I went through tests and had Doppler test which found some synovitis in my right wrist. When I saw the Rheumatologist for results bloods came back normal and he said the synovitis was only a small amount so still diangnosed with fybromyalgia and was at a loss to what else could be wrong. He asked if I wanted a steroid injection which I jumped at the chance. I had a 80mg of kenalog in my buttock and told me to keep a diary for the next visit with him within an hour I was feeling more alIve energetic and more like the old me before all this happened honestly it was a miracle each hour I was feeling better within a week I was pain free and very upbeat I just wanted to shout out to the world how I felt and realised how easy it was to tell people how good I was feeling. It's hard to tell family, friends, doctors how ill and the pain you feel as you feel your a hypochondriac but when you feel so good it's so easy to explain and you want to tell as many people as you can. I was still having dizzy spells especially getting up out of bed mornings. A few weeks later I started getting really dry eyes and mouth no pains no stiffness no Tiredness still full of energy. I started losing weight very quickly and had lost just under 1 stone in a month still feeling great apart from mouth and eyes were gettung worse. Fillings in mouth started crumbling corneas are showing signs of staining in both eyes each time I vist the opticians which has been weekly for the last month. He has referred me to eye hospital for tests. Has anyone else had these symtoms any idea could it be side effect of steroid injection would this cause the weight loss too. I would say the weight loss would be because I felt so good and my metabolism kicked in again because of the energy I had. It's been three and a half month since I had the injection I have Pain back in fingers, thumbs and wrists feel tired and exhausted on a morning again but no pains in upper arms neck and shoulders I can still lift my arms . Injection is definately wearing off but I'm no wear as bad as I was before. My worry is the severe sudden onset of dry eyes.

[Crazy_Cat_Woman]

Hi Lynn Elea. I haven’t experienced the symptoms you describe when on steroid injections. I do however believe that you ought to discuss these with your GP. It’s important to take notice of bad side effects from drugs and make your doctors aware of them. If it’s not the drugs causing your symptoms then at least you will have peace of mind from consulting your GP.

Hugs x

[Yellow-Petal in reply to Crazy_Cat_Woman]

Thank you I have my next appointment with my rheumatologist in July hopefully I will get sk e answers. Thanks

[PMRpro]

If you got pain relief from a cortisone injection - then whatever it is you have, it isn't fibro. PMR (polymyalgia rheumatica) is a possibility - but so are a lot of other things that can present very similarly because PMR isn't the disorder, it is the name given to the symptoms of an underlying autoimmune disorder.

If you want to ask about steroid side effects, the place to come is the PMRGCAuk forum on this site because we are ALL on pred at one dose or other and a few will have had injections, although normally we are put on oral pred. But a single injection won't help for long in PMR, it is a chronic a/i disorder and needs management with pred for years although it does burn out and go into remission for most patients eventually.

Most people would gain weight with using steroids but a small number lose weight, some quite considerable amounts, usually the ones who don't have a weight problem needless to say! Dry eyes can be a problem in PMR - but pred can also cause eye problems including blurring. I had dry eyes along with my PMR - it is better but not gone. Some people have it quite badly but there is no real way to know if it is due to the PMR or to the pred. There is no reason why fillings should crumble so quickly due to pred although people with PMR often do eventually complain of dental problems - but often it could just as well be age of both patient and dental work!

PMR, and more often its more serious version called giant cell arteritis, can be accompanied by weight loss, also sometimes quite considerable. I think you need to go back to the GP and - even better - see the rheumy soon.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk

[Yellow-Petal in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your reply and very interesting reading especially the steroid injection wouldn't take away the pain and swelling if it was Fybromyalgia. I have seen my doctor since the dry eye and mouth started because of the staining in both cornea and an eye infection also I asked about the weight loss she was concerned how quick I'd lost and sent me for an upper and lower abdominal ultra scan which was all clear. I see my rheumy in July hopefully he will take the dry eye and mouth serious and the fact that the injection made a huge difference to me I had the old me back and it was amazing you cant put a price on that. I am getting tired really easy now my fingers thumbs and wrists are painful ans swell and tight. But my upper arm, neck strength and movement is still so good which is a massive plus and I'm very grateful for. Xrays have shown I have Oestoarthritis in both thumb joint's wrists and shoulders.

We all just want to be believed and treated nothing more nothing less.

Thank you so much for your response it has been very helpful to me.

[Stacidavis1]

webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-9/tr...

[Yellow-Petal in reply to Stacidavis1]

Thank you

[Melbourne-Girl]

Hi Lynn-Elea it sounds like the cortisone injections worked really well for you so that is a big plus. I have occasionally needed a cortisone injection in one of my shoulders and the head of my tibia as well as trochanter. The effect only lasts 3-6 months usually. The trochanter is the one that I have had the most on either side of my body. If you get a Specialist who is really good with them they last longer. I have found an amazing Radiologist/Sonographer team who are amazing & was told to have almost total rest to keep the cortisone fluid where it is meant to go (for 24-48 hours). I had an emergency with my son a few hours after one of them and had to take him to several different eye clinics all over Melbourne. That time I did not get a good result from the injection.

With my head of tibia it was only one episode, I had a huge amount of bursitis & it was very painful I could hardly put my foot to the ground. I rested & the injection helped incredibly (I have not had it in that area since).

Go figure! Before I found the dynamic duo who do my cortisone injections now the cortisone injections from other Radiologists just did not work, so they are not all skilled in that particular procedure, there can be a huge variation of skill level.

I use Kenalog ointment when I get painful mouth ulcers and it gets rid of them pretty quickly.

Unfortunately can’t take oral cortisone as I get Cushing’s Syndrome as a side effect from that. Many other people do not get that s/e from the oral cortisone.

You have had some helpful advice from other people as well. It was unusual that despite having a lot of bursitis at the head of my tibia after rest & the cortisone injection it never came back to that area again.

The main thing is to have good communication with your Radiologist or Specialist who is doing the injections although when I got a Radiologist whose skill level was low on this procedure I kept going to others until I found someone highly competent in this procedure before I had good communication with them. There is no point in going to a Specialist whose technique is lacking in cortisone injections as you will just both be frustrated.

Good luck going forward xx

Melbourne-Girl

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