Cortisone injection

[Leroa]

So I'm wondering what sort of response anyone has to extra-articular steroid injection. I had an acute bout of bursitis a few weeks back. I had an injection ( not in the joint) of depomedrol and lidocaine. I had so little change in my pain level that I went to ER. Toradol injection, naproxen and a sling. 5 days, pretty much back to normal. I just left my first rhumy appointment since that episode. He asked if the injection helped. So I said no. He insisted that it did because it can take a week for the injection to work. I'm not convinced that the ER treatments weren't the key to my recovery. But rhumy is . What's your take on the onset of relief from steroid injections. Am I to expect that if it is deemed necessary for me to get a steroid shot, that I shouldn't expect any relief for days?

[Downtime]

Hi Leroa, I have had 3 of these and they've taken a month or so to work fully, sometimes longer. There certainly was never immediate relief which I thought there would be. I hope it does work soon for you as bursitis is very painful!

[Leroa in reply to Downtime]

I am feeling better thanks. I also thought it would be immediate. One of the reasons I'm looking for a new rhumy. He doesn't explain anything. I'm new to all this. He knows this. Yet he just brushes off my concerns without explaining why I shouldn't be concerned. Thanks for your insight.

[Em13]

New here and this is something I queried recently. Two shots in the behind have had absolutely no effect on me at all - other than tenderness at the site, and terrible insomnia for a couple of nights.

[Moomin8 in reply to Em13]

Snap for me too- no injections have worked for me.

[Em13 in reply to Moomin8]

I concluded that maybe I had the "wrong sort" of pain for it to be effective. If there is such a thing. The ones in the joint areas work for my tendons though.

[LesJames]

I had an injection for a flare, that is over a week ago and whilst, I feel a bit better the pain in both my shoulder and Hip have not waned at all. I am taking 1000mg of paracetamol 4 x times a day and oromorph for break through pain without much relief.

[artyone]

Hi I had injections in bum and I've had in both knees took a few days to kick in. Worked really well.

[oldtimer]

I often have a steroid injection in my bum too. The effect usually starts for me in a couple of days and then peaks at about one week before gradually wearing off. I find them very helpful as it often enables me to start exercising again after a flare.

[Lincolnimp2457]

I had a steroid injection in my backside to help my RA but had no relief so when I told my rheumy she gave me tablets instead, they seem to work for me but I cant have them long term that is the only drawback so I will have to wait until I see rheumy again and see which way we go.

[AgedCrone]

I have Depo injections quite regularly ...I have Palindromic RA & don't seem to suit DMARDS, so when I get a really bad flare I get an 80mg injection.. I had one on 12 July , it took 3/4 days to really kick in, & I am still pain free.i have the injections quite painlessly in my thigh - which my Consultant prefers - & it does ache for a couple of days at the site...but well worth it for the relief I get. Maybe you could ask for any future jabs to be in your thigh?Of course I would think it also depends on the strength of the jab you get.

I was told these injections can take up to a couple of weeks to work, but the longest I have had to wait was a week. I would quite happily exist on them....they give me my life back......but unfortunately that's not possible!

[Linzerbenz]

Yes, it can actually take up to 2 weeks for the steroid shot to take full affect! And typically relief will last up to 6 months for me. After the initial shot it can actually cause the flare to become worse before it gets better unfortunately. I get immense relief from the shots one to two weeks after they are administered.

[Elizann in reply to Linzerbenz]

I have similar results pain for a few days then settles down and last for about 3 months. I get injection into the hip area.

[MrsBones123]

I had a depo steroid injection in the bum and it helped a lot, it felt like a miracle actually as I was pain-free from the next day. It gradually wore off over the course of about three weeks though, so didn't last as long as I'd hoped.

[8sandylou]

I have had countless cortisone/Demarol injections into Sacroiliac joint and area (post bone graft damage) always takes about a week for the needle site injury to settle then I usually get about 4-6 months relief from firing Neuroma etc. Tricky one. Pain clinic would help you to understand the ins & outs of treatments. Hugs.