Worries about forthcoming steroid injection

[Zenawarrior73]

hi all

I’m due a steroid injection tomoz into my hip …. You may recall I had double hip labrum repair surgery earlier this year well the upshot is the right hip is now worse than before surgery 😢😩 so the consultant wants to try steroid and hyaluronic acid

Also have to have a general anaesthetic for a short period as they are doing a joint manipulation whilst I’m under

Any tips on what to tell the anaesthetist re my general and also managing any ramp up in symptoms and has anyone had a steroid injection and it not affect them?

Thanks in advance

[Joolsg]

I 'm sorry to hear this Zena.Ask anaesthetist for zofran ( ondansetron) as the anti nausea med. I had an op on 1st Sep and they used Zofran. No RLS.I can't comment on the steroid injection as I've never had one, sorry.

I did have VERY high dose oral steroids about 10 years ago and they did cause an RLS flare up.

Hopefully steroids injected topically will not trigger RLS worsening.

[Zenawarrior73 in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks Jools as always you are amazing thanks for the speedy response

[Pippins2 in reply to Zenawarrior73]

Hi I have steroid injections into my knees,shoulders and soon fingers for arthritis. I had one in my knee a week ago and I haven't had any increase in my RLS symptoms infact not had a twinge of RLS this week .Good luck Pipps

[Zenawarrior73 in reply to Pippins2]

Oh that’s reassuring thank you so much for replying Pippins hope your injections work 🤞

[Zenawarrior73 in reply to Joolsg]

Thought I’d update … I stayed on oxygen for an extra 90 minutes once back in my room as I hoped this would help and had compression socks on… my right leg calf and thigh was going crackers …. This is the side they manipulated hard and the injection side.

4 hours later after food and sleep and removal of compression socks it calmed down and oddly I slept brilliantly last night

The surgeon isn’t holding out any hope of the injection though as yesterday whilst I was out he’s discovered my whole right hip isn’t externally rotating properly so I’m in for MRI’s later in November and this is what’s causing the pain and the SI joint and lower back pain so I’m in a constant state of inflammation which may give done clues as to why my symptoms seem to be on this rollercoaster

Looking more like more surgery next year…. Onwards and upwards and I will keep following all the fabulous advice in here to keep me on an even keel. At least I’m better informed now than I was because of all the fabulous people in here who freely help out on every post. Honestly I’m so so thankful and I will keep updating and commenting too.

[Joolsg in reply to Zenawarrior73]

Oh Zena. That's so upsetting. Hopefully they will get the surgery right this time & remove the pain & inflammation triggering the RLS.

[SueJohnson in reply to Zenawarrior73]

Oh dear - that is terrible but at least if fixed should resolve things. It's a shame they didn't discover that earlier so you didn't need the injection.

[Zenawarrior73 in reply to SueJohnson]

I k ow I tried telling the surgeon at my 3 month check up but don’t think he believed me but having knocked me out he could see my hip wasn’t rotating properly …. Like you say Sue at least we know now … Will keep you all posted. Thanks as always Sue for your support and advice you are so kind with your time and support,

[Merny5]

Gosh I’m sorry to hear that! That’s very disappointing. I had a series of steroid and hyaluronic acid injections in my knee and it did not cause an increase in my RLS. Good luck!

[Zenawarrior73 in reply to Merny5]

That’s so good to know Merny thanks so much for responding it’s reduced my anxiety people taking the time to share their experiences ☺️

[SueJohnson]

This may not all apply with your just getting an injection but this is what I usually advise for someone about to have surgery.

Tell your doctors and anesthesiologists about your RLS and its symptoms and that you need your medicine and ask if there will be any drug interactions from what they will give you. Also talk with the patient representative ahead of time. Tell them not to give you any sedating antihistamines or sedating anti-nausea medications. Instead insist they use Zofran (ondansetron) for anti-nausea as Joolsg advised. You can download the Medical Alert Card that you can show your doctors, that tells them about the condition and what will happen after surgery and what medicines to avoid at rlshelp.org/ although you will need to join the RLS foundation. An international membership is $40, but they have some good information on it and you get their monthly magazine. However the safe antidepressants listed on medical alert card are not antidepressants: Lamotrigine, Carbamazepine, Oxcarbazepine. Also there is a 2 page handout "Surgery and RLS: Patient Guide" on the RLS Foundation website which is very helpful. Also "Hospitalization Checklist for the Patient with RLS" RLS-UK also has advice under Useful Resources on their site.

Also after your surgery you will have inflammation from the surgery which will make your RLS worse but it will go away.

[Zenawarrior73 in reply to SueJohnson]

Thanks Sue as always you are so helpful and I’m definitely going to join because I’m due more surgery in the new year … thank you so much

[SueJohnson in reply to Zenawarrior73]

One thing I left out if you are going to have surgery that is not an injection is that make sure your ferritin is high as surgery can cause blood loss making your ferritin go down.

[Zenawarrior73 in reply to SueJohnson]

This makes sense Sue and what I think k happened this year having 2 x surgeries 2 weeks apart I think my ferritin plummeted - thank you

[Hectorsmum2]

i have had two injections in my knee and was fine. it was really helpful. I would find out if they are going to give you nitrous oxide as this can wipe out your B12 and this can lead to alsorts of problems inclucing restless legs. You might want to get some B12 lozenges to take after.

[Zenawarrior73]

thanks for that Hectorsmum I shall take some methyl b12 as soon as I’m back

[nocturne]

Local steroid injections, which I've hand in my shoulder, hands, fingers, have not affected my RLS at all, although oral prednisone have made it a lot worse. I think injections keep the steroid localized, so it doesn't have a systemic effect. Best wishes to you for a good outcome!

[Zenawarrior73]

thanks I’m all done and out

The restless legs has been bad the last few days as I took a tumble and bashed my whole right shin and ankle but it doesn’t seem any worse … thank you for responding

I got them to keep me on oxygen for 90 mins after to ensure my saturation levels were good as they always drop dramatically with me post any sedation or general.