Pain injection worn off already

[hazelcats]

I finally had a follow up appt with rheumatologist, which went well. He agreed the mtx and hydroxy were not doing a good enough job as the symptoms had not improved much at all.So mtx has just gone up to 20, and doubled the hydroxy from 200 to 400.

They also gave me 120mg im-depo-medrone injection. I had one last year that improved things slightly, then oral steroids later in year didnt seem to do anything. This time I had two amazing weeks where my energy levels were up and the pain greatly improved. It was the best I have felt in years.

Now after just two weeks later I feel worse than ever. Energy has crashed and my hands and wrists feel like someone is crushing them and drilling into the bones.

Is it normal or usual for the injection to have such a short life? It feels a bit cruel to have such an improvement taken away so quickly. Should I tell rheumy nurses of this?

[Madmusiclover]

Sadly they don’t work for me at all anymore.

[zen4]

Hi There These injections have a varying effect on people from no gain to many weeks My recent injection did nothing Once the injection wears off you're body has to adjust and produce its own natural steroids so things could get a bit better soon and hopefully will when your higher meds have had a few weeks to kick in

[hazelcats in reply to zen4]

Thanks zen. I didnt realise our bodies will produce their own steroids. Fingers crossed that does indeed happen soon. I am used to any new med or change of dosage takes several weeks to reach its best effects. I think I am just gutted after 2 great weeks, that I now feel a lot worse than before I had the injection. Thanks for your reply

[Neonkittie17 in reply to hazelcats]

I’m sorry you’re in this situation and fully understand having been there myself before. The general steroid shots (both Kenalog and Depomedrone) only lasted 7-10 days for me but if I needed a joint injecting then that gave me relief in that area, and also all over my general soft tissues and lasted for 6-9 months. I hope that the increased doses of your meds start to have a good effect on you soon and relieve the problems you’re having. Sadly the nurses will hear this all too often that the general steroid shots have worn off quite fast, but worth saying gow long it lasted for, or didn’t last too long, so they know. 🩷

[Jacojudy303]

Yes definitely let the rheumy nurse know. I've had a few couple of steroid injections and sometimes they take a few weeks to kick in. All the best👍

[hazelcats in reply to Jacojudy303]

Thank you for this. I will let them know by email just so its on my notes. Maybe I will be lucky and the steroids will kick back again. I may just be hitting a flare, these can last days or weeks so I will just try to take each day as it comes. Thanks

[Hopeful1]

What a shame. Just wondering if perhaps you overdid things while feeling so well? Does anyone know if that might make a difference? No idea myself. Just a passing thought to put to our hive mind.

[hazelcats in reply to Hopeful1]

Thanks Hopeful, I did love feeling like 'the old me' from years back, and did do one longish walk ( well, about an hour, and these days 20 mins is my max). It could be a combination of things i guess, just a but upset the bubble burst so soon.

[medway-lady]

Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t! I’ve had ones last 6 months and once a double dose in a week to reduce ankle issues. I’d urge you to go back and ask for a top up or a short increase in dose. But be careful they are not an innocent, little risk free pill. They are addictive, can cause really bad health problems as some on here can advise you. Are you sure it’s the injection and not the RA not responding yet to medications either way you do need to get advice from your RA team.

[hazelcats]

Thanks. I am aware their effects can be addictive and should be used cautiously. Have never 'asked' for steroids but have been prescribed them directly from the rheumatologist due to high symptoms. I try to keep any form of pain killers to a minimum.Will definitely advise the team. I upped the hydroxy a month ago, but only managed to receive the higher dose mtx last Monday. I agree its hard to say if its the injection or the RA arguing with the new doses. Thanks for putting a different slant on this.

[medway-lady in reply to hazelcats]

I never implied you asked for steroids just if your on them as prescribed the dose can be increased perhaps if you think its not enough. Hence "a short increase in dose" please don't read into something that wasn't written.

[hazelcats in reply to medway-lady]

Oh no medway -lady, thats fine, I was just agreeing that steroids are best used sparingly, when most needed , as opposed to a person becoming too reliant on them on an almost permanent basis.I also meant was it was the consultant who decided to issue the injection based on my symptoms, not me asking them to prescribe them to me.

[LillyBeagle]

I've had several steroid injections over the years and noticed that in the beginning they have worked for at least 3 months. But I've notice that the relief time now seems to wear off very quickly now. I have always followed my consultants advice and have rested or taken things easy for at least 48hrs after the injections. I have every painful ankles and my consultant gave me a depo-medrone in each ankle end of January and I rest as I usually do. I had 2 very good weeks and then the pain has gradually returned and having to rely on pain killers to help me each day. Everyone acts differently to all drugs and responses are different for everyone. I changed biologics last October as my Tocilizamub just stopped working after 9yrs and the Abatacept I am on now doesn't seem to working but I have to persevere for 6mths, which thank goodness is up next month and praying that Rheumy will try something else. But I know there are other people where it has been very successful. Wishing you well hazelcats and hope you can get some relief soon.

[medway-lady in reply to LillyBeagle]

Abatercept never worked for me either and the only medication that did nothing from start to finish except give me eczema. And its one of the newer more expensive ones so it was even more disappointing, but I then got permission and its rare to go back to Etanercept that had been stopped for other issues which was imposed on me. Luckily its still worked. I've just finished a course of Trimethoprine also caused eczema and even worse reduced my already low kidney function. I wonder now if it's not the drugs but the medium they are carried into the body.

[LillyBeagle in reply to medway-lady]

I do remember you saying before that Abatacept didn't work for you and I'm sure 5 mths it is showing no signs of working for me. But my Consultant has said to carry on for 6mths but I don't see her now until May. Not sure how I'm going to cope with the pain until then. How do you help the pain in your ankles? I tried ankle supports, and I'm taking Naproxen. Just wondering if I should have another course of oral prednisolone to try and help me out!

[medway-lady in reply to LillyBeagle]

Ice helped a lot. Well frozen peas really. I only had it for 4 months as the eczeama got really bad and then the shower cream prescribed led to the broken leg and ankle. I think though they felt sorry for me. Told to perserve and then my skin broke open plus a ski boot and crutches and sat in front of consultant I looked a real picture of good health. So she said she’d go back to panel and appeal to them to let me go back to Etanercept. They agreed and I was so happy. I had such a lot of swelling that all I could do was stay off it. But the second steroid injection did work well. Actually thinking about it I had 3, so one on the ship, then 1 a few days later on the ship then another by RA consultant the following month. I’m not allowed any NSAIDs so not sure if Naproxen is one but the broken leg and ankle was helped by paracetamol every four hours plus the ice really helps. I hope you get relied soon but it might be worth asking the RA helpline for more advice. X

[LillyBeagle in reply to medway-lady]

Thank you Medway-lady. Yes Naproxen is a nsaid so not good for the liver function again. I will get in touch on the helpline and see what they have to say. The Consultant did ring me (on a Sat morning ) to see how I was 2 wks after I'd had the steroid injection and at that time I was ok. If only it had been a week later when the pain was returning. Hoping I can get sorted soon. Sounds like a nasty accident you had and hope your leg and ankle are ok now.

[hazelcats in reply to LillyBeagle]

Thank you Lilly Beagle I have only had 2 steroid jabs, and not in a specific joint, I think its called inter muscular? I was not advised to rest, but did so anyway as I was tired from stress at the time. As you say we all react differently. Thank you for your good wishes. I hope your meds can be altered to something that has better results and gives you some relief. Take care

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LillyBeagle]

The steroid shots into the joints alwars last much longer than the general ones in the upper buttock. If you get a joint injected you tend to feel quite well all over which was a bonus as I’d found too that the general ones didn’t last long but the ones to my knees lasted 6-9 months. Hope you find a new med that works well for you. 🩷

[LillyBeagle in reply to Neonkittie17]

This was the first time I'd had a steroid injection into the joint. Yes, a good 2-3wks then it wore off unfortunately. But I'll try the Helpline again to see what they advise.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LillyBeagle]

They should know if your pain levels are not being controlled. x

[Neonkittie17 in reply to LillyBeagle]

Hi again, sorry I thought you’d had a general steroid one! In that case it has worn off very fast. They do need to know that. x

[19721978]

feel the same I’m on methotrexate, after my steroids finished a month after, my pain started coming back, been for a follow up appointment and all they offered me was a steroid injection and steroids for 4 weeks they also said I hadn’t given the methotrexate long enough to work even though I’ve been on them since October 24, the injection seamed to do nothing, I’m fed up also

[hazelcats in reply to 19721978]

I was on methotrexate from May '24. After about 4 months I was ready to give in, but I then noticed slight improvements. In October they addedon also hydroxycholquinine. But my symptoms were still too bad, had the consultant follow up last month and he increased the doses in both meds along with the steroid injection. Its hard to say how long each person reacts to any medication and how long we need to give it to work to its full benefit.I understand how frustrating this is. Take care