Side-Effects of Cortisone Shots

I had a cortisone shot to treat my plantar fasciitis. Before the shot, I was mostly just having trouble wearing shoes, I could see a swelling on my heel which made some shoes uncomfortable. Now, three weeks later, my heel is still sore when I put weight on it, so essentially I’m worse off than I was before. My foot doctor hasn’t been very helpful in this regard, I wore a boot cast for the last week or so to try and keep pressure off my heel while it would hopefully get better. Today, it is no better, and I’m getting worried. What might be causing this soreness, and what should I do about it?

I had the same thing…plantar fasciitis, BUT after having 3 cortozone shots and nothing working I stop getting the shots. You may not have plantar fasciitis, but a fibroid in the same area. My foot doctor said it was plantar fasciitis so it was treated as that and had physical therapy which helped somewhat. As time went on it got worse…went to a different foot doctor and what I had was a fibroid. He gave me a cortozone shot in that area and now the pain is gone. My other foot doctor gave the shot in the wrong area. So….you might want your foot doctor to give you an MRI to rule out a fibroid is growing. I wish mine did that when this first started. Now I might have to get it cut out in the future since it wasn’t discovered early on. Cortozone shots do work for pain management. Best of luck!!!!

I have had cortisone injections in the past but nevr had any bad reactions to them before. However I received another yesterday after 2 years and this morning I felt my face was very warm and when I looked in the mirror I saw my cheeks and nose were very red. I just wonder why I had a reaction this time and not before. It is easily covered by a light makeup coverage but kind of a nuisance and hope it does not last too much longer. But the reduction in my hand pain is worth the inconvenience.

I was wondering does fat atrophy(indentations)from cortisone shots go away at all?

I had a cortisone shot on Monday and have trouble sleeping ever since.
actually it is my third shot for the year in my elbow, no one has ever mentioned to me that there may be possible side effects. My sleep for the past three days has been very disturbed and I feel very low. Upon looking back I realise that every time that I have had this injection I have had this reaction. I felt fabulous before this shot. Now that I have been reading other peoples responses to cortisone I am extremely angry that never has it been mentioned to me that there may be any side effects!

I too have bad heel pain. Podiatrist & shoe inserts hadn’t helped much. My GP says I have a heel bruise. I’ve just had 2 cortisone injections in the heel (along with a shot of Pethideine to kill the pain).
The shots were quite painful- even with the Pethideine- BUT after 1 wk of NO PAIN I am convinced that it was worth it.

I had the same problem with the cortisone shots in the heals. I found an orthopedic guy that told me just to step on a lower step with my toes and bend down, that helped more than the shot did.

I had a cortisone shot in my elbow yesterday. Almost immediately it got much worse. Now it’s been 24 hrs and it’s still much worse. Every movement is very painful and I can’t bend it beyond 90 degrees. Anyone have a similar experience?

This will fall in the anecdotal category so for what its worth:
I received a cortisone injection into my shoulder joint for impingement syndrome yesterday about 0900. went to bed that evening about 2300. I Had a long day & should have been tired. Usually during winter I have cold extremities. Tonight I’m cranking out the heat and my thoughts are flying. I’m wondering if this might be a mild systemic effect of leaking steroid.

I had a cortisone injection for tennis elbow, the next day the pain was entirely gone, however, I became very anxious and felt filled with nervous energy, I don’t see any posts with this side effect so I was wondering if this was connected because its is a steriod

I had a cortisone Injection in my buttis for lower back pain and it got worse. After a couple of days got some better. Just got two injection today in my heels for heel spurils. My pain in my heel went away some but haveing real lower back pain and the pain runs all up my legs to my lower back can this be side effect from the injection?:(

I have granula annulare on my index finger. It is basically inflammation under the skin that causes big bumps, it had been getting pretty bad. I had cortisone injected in the bumps and it started working immediately. The next day the bumps were a lot smaller and I would say they were entirely gone within two weeks. It worked great and I didn’t feel bad at all.

I had a cortisone shot and broke out in a severe case of acne, all over my face, neck, upper back and scalp. My leg muscles felt like the were contracting. I had probelms going up and down steps and I had a lot of joint cracking. I ended up with a bacteria infection which spread to my tooth. I dealt with that for a full month and a week.

Bob, In response to your message – I have 2 series of cortizone shots in my back. The first had no adverse effect but after the second one, I began experiencing the feeling of a pounding chest and speeded up breathing & feeling like my metabolism had speeded up. I have been dealing with this for over 3 weeks now. Does anyone had experiences like that?

Had a second cordisone shot after 4 months in my hip (I have bursitis) and the next morning I felt great. The next day…throbbing pain back all over again. What happened? I am scheduled for a MRI in my lower back later this morning.

i got a cortisone shot i my left shoulder for inpingement, since then i have had terrible headaches pretty much every day though they come and go.I got my shot about 2 moths ago and am becoming frustrated because i almost never got headached before the shot. what can i do?

I had injections in my neck yesterday for posterior facet syndrome. When I had the initial appointment my doctor was very helpful. But he told me that I probably would not have pain the next day – only soreness from the needle injection sites. He was VERY WRONG. I’m so glad I took the appointment before the weekend because I could not be at work right now. It feels like my neck felt on my worse pain day times 10. Also, I COULD NOT SLEEP last night and thought I have had no caffeine or stimulants of any kind today, I feel agitated and awake, as if I had two redbulls or a quadruple shot of espresso. No one warned me about this or the pain and my docs office is closed so I cannot get him to call in for something for the pain. I hope I will feel better tomorrow and in the future. Also, my cheeks, face and chest are red as if I was just out in the sun too long but I was not. My advice to anyone is if you are going to get these shots, take the next couple of days off and stock up on pain pills and perhaps a sleep aid that you can take with the pain pills. no fun.

I have frozen shoulder (adhesive encapsilitus) and have tried everything including physical therapy to no avail and only adding to the pain and loss of movement. I had a cortisone injection on Wednesday. The injection probably hurt or actually felt more uncomfortable for 5 seconds. After the lidocaine wore of later in the evening I still had the pain I was experiencing. But the pain has gradually subsided and I am able to be free of the throbbing pain I have been experiencing. I will not hesitate to have another injection when and if the time comes. The only side effect has been some hot flushes, but that’s it.

Found this when looking for what the side effects are to cortisone?

Probably the most common side-effect is a ‘cortisone flare,’ a condition where the injected cortisone crystallizes and can cause a brief period of pain worse than before the shot. This usually lasts a day or two and is best treated by icing the injected area. Another common side-effect is whitening of the skin where the injection is given. This is only a concern in people with darker skin, and is not harmful, but patients should be aware of this.

Other side-effects of cortisone injections, although rare, can be quite serious. The most concerning is infection, especially if the injection is given into a joint. The best prevention is careful injection technique, with sterilization of the skin using iodine and/or alcohol. Also, patients with diabetes may have a transient increase in their blood sugar which they should watch for closely.

I had an injection in my left heel for what my foot doctor says in plantar faciitis, and now the problem has gotten far worst. I had gotten a shot several years ago in my elbow, which caused the whole arm to freeze. I know that I will never get another shot again. The pain now is far worse.

I had a cortisone shot approx 3 mos ago. No adverse reaction. Stopped limping for first time in approx 4 mos. Went back for another today. Pain worsened, feel hot, nauseous, and impatient. How long will this last?

I’ve had 2 injections now in my sacroiliac joint in my lower back. The first one hurt so much the week after it was done. I was dizzy and lightheaded for a couple days. The 2nd shot, I’ve had some hot flashes and I’ve noticed my eyesight is horrible. Has anyone else noticed a difference in their eyesight since these injections?

i had cortisone injections in my eye but now i take cortisone tablets because i have an inflimation in my eye which caused me 2 lose my vision. i ma 15 and i am worried about its side effects coz i have bean taking them for 6 months and the inflamation wont go away. my bones are paining, will the side effects heal after i stop taking cortisone??????? PLZ HELP

I had a cortisone shot for lower back pain. Six hours later I began having very severe hot flashes followed by extreme weakness. The feeling of anxiety was great, plus I felt nausous, with lack of appiete. I had elevated blood pressure,had tightness in my chest, and my face would flush. These systems are still going on after four days. I am very restless and can not sleep. When will these symptons go away? I will not take a chance on having another shot.

I got a cortisone shot yesterday… it has been about 36 hrs and I too have experienced a reduction in shoulder pain. Along with slight flushing, nervous energy, and mild irritability! Anyone else?

I received my first injections a week ago in both shoulders. I have had insomnia and continual sweats since. I had the usual “face flushing” the day after, but this is getting rediculous. My hands and feet are constantly cold, yet I continue to sweat, not perspire! Does anyone know how long this might last???

I had three cortisone injections in a two month period to treat Alopecia Areata. It was effective treatment, but I have experienced the worst mood swings and anxiety in my life. I have never experience any of this, and since I was going through somewhat stressful time, I didnot think much of it at first. Few days after taking the last shot, I felt my mood shifting constantly and my anxiety levels were out of control. It was one of the worst experiences in my life. I am doing well now, but make sure you take this into consideration before getting a cortisone shot.

I recieved injections in my knee on May 29th,2009. and since then I have had terrible headaches, vomiting, hot flashes,massive mood swings,elevated blood sugar,and I feel very shakey!…This is insane! Does anyone know how long this will last? I feel terrible!!! I had rather deal with the knee pain verses all this!

I had a shot a week ago,I’m now having trouble
sleeping and a tighting of muscles in legs and
my neck,it’s almost like I using a stimulant.

I have frozen shoulder since 6 months or so.. I did therapy for 6 weeks and the shoulder and the arm hurts like hell.. Im considering a cortisone shot tomorrow is my last hope.. Im in pain and i have low reach.. If i sleep on that arm painfull the next day.. I hope my shot works.. thanks..

I appreciate this blog since I see others have had some of the side effects I experienced. I have a tear in the rotator cuff right shoulder, and had my first cortozone injection. Within 24 hours my face looked sun burned, and my sleep that night was very light and sporadic. Hopefully, these will resolve soon. Thanks.

I got a cortisone injection 5 weeks ago and have been getting terrible headaches, nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, anxiety and a general tired feeling. I am going to go see my primary today.

I’ve had several injections on my spine between c-4 and c-5 the injections have helped tremendously. I’ve had heat flashes, night sweats and have gained weight like crazy I spoke to my doctor and she said its normal that feeling a little comfort is better than agony I was going through. As for the injections my bruise on my spine is more visible like a big 6 inch bruise but I uess the benefits outweigh the harm at the moment.

I was in extreme pain in my large toe and my podiatrist diagnosed it as gout. A cortisone shot gave me immediate relief and the swelling and inflamation subsided in a couple of days.
I am a type 2 diabetic and for the last few days my blood-sugar has been abnormally high. Has anyone experienced this?

Dear poster that posted the following: “I had a cortisone shot to treat my plantar fasciitis. Before the shot, I was mostly just having trouble wearing shoes, I could see a swelling on my heel which made some shoes uncomfortable. Now, three weeks later, my heel is still sore when I put weight on it, so essentially I’m worse off than I was before. My foot doctor hasn’t been very helpful in this regard, I wore a boot cast for the last week or so to try and keep pressure off my heel while it would hopefully get better. Today, it is no better, and I’m getting worried. What might be causing this soreness, and what should I do about it?”

I’ve been doing physical therapy for a month, wearing a night boot, wearing special orthotics, and doing special stretching exericses for the same problem. The stretching seems to have helped the most. However, what ever I did in therapy seemed to just regress the next day. So, I wasn’t even maintaining the therapy. I saw the biggest improvement after the therapist taped my heal up to have it slightly reposition the heal. It was like wearing a large bandaid on my heal. That made a huge difference. I’m now starting to see some improvement.

Even though I have seen some improvement, I did go get a cortisone shot yesterday. My doctor said it wouldn’t cure it but would help my p.t. be more effective. So far so good. I seem to be at a 65 – 70 % improvement and am expected to be back to normal in a month. I’m going to switch from the night boot to the strassburg sock as it is supposed to be more comfortable for night time use. So, maybe you need to ask about some of things that I have done because it doesn’t seem like your doctor has given you much guidance on things to do to help improve yourself. Hope it works out for you.

Had a shot in my foot Thursday and I will not do it again. Terrible face flushing and not sleeping. Have been up all nightsince then. I am in misery. Hope this soon goes away.

I got knees injected for the second time yesterday.when the pain started getting worse-deep continuous aching i remembered them warning me last time.I wish i had read this last night and knew ice would help.I know I didn’t have all the sweating- just pouring out of me last time.also didn’t close my eyes one time last night didn’t want to-still hyped up today.wouldn’t think i was up all night.knee pain has subsided and sweating is way better.i have had the flushing today that some of you mentioned.made me feel better that other people have had that.my injections have not been that painful either time. novacain injection was a little.I learned alot reading this.i didn’t know cortizone was produced by the adrenal glands.that must be why if i really want to do something or have dr. appointment i can many times rev it up and feel better til i wipe out at home later.I hate the aftermath of that.sore throat- can’t calm down. As my husband just said i have lived most of my life in an hyper adrenal anxiety.an anti anxiety madicine has really helped-dont think i could have calmed down the some that i have all on my own.I guess I didn’t say i also have fibromyalgia so need to push constantly to do anything most of the time.

diagnosed with plantar fascitis and sciatia, what a double wammy. I worked with this intense pain for over 2 months, I streched, massage, even used a ball to massage under my foot,and towel steches of the foot. It just kept getting worse.I never thought that 2 different things were going on at once. By the time i finished work, my leg and foot felt like it was ripping and burning so bad. My foot doctor gave a splint for night, a aircast for during work(latter felt like it wasnt there at all), and therapy for 3 weeks. I decided to go to chiropractor on my own. I found out that my hip was one problem and my foot was the other. Looks like a month or more of treatment with him, but its the most beneficial so far for me. I hope nobody has this happen to them, the pain is out of this world. At this point after reading other peoples experiences the shots are out.

in 3 weeks had 2 series of cortisone shots – 1 in back and 2 in both feet-treating sciatica and plantar fascitis-have slight acne and itching now-zyrtec helping

have had plantar faciitis for 6 months took diclofenic, at first did help,but gradually pain got worse,so had cortisone injection this afternoon,was painful,am in agony at the moment and can not sleep

I had a cortisone shot in both of my knees a week ago and I have been having terrible leg cramping since. I also have not been able to sleep and I am very nervous and have been experiencing some anxiety. I am very tired and have no energy. Does anyone else have symptoms like this and if so how long does this last? Please help

I had 2 shots of cortisone, yesterday, in my shoulder/arm joint for pain. Today I am in more pain and cannot move my arm up without being in pain. Is this normal?

I had a cortisone shot in my right heel after MAJOR heel pain for a long time from having flat feet. It was so bad somedays if i worked out or stood on my feet for too long, the very next morning i litterally could not stand without bracing the wall. The shot itself didnt hurt me…. but i had 6 month of NO PAIN!!!!!!!!!!! it was the best thing that i had ever done! Not one bad comment to say about it!

Two weeks ago I (52yr Kiwi male) had a guided cortisone injection into my right sterno-clavicular joint. Much of the pain from this joint has now gone. However, ever since (from about 3 days after the procedure) I have felt constantly really ill – nausea; abdominal discomfort; difficulty breathing (chest feels tight/heavy); shortness of breath; dizziness; head-achiness; sleeplessness; hot flushes. Has the cortisone caused all this???

I had a cortisone injection about 8 days ago for ITB syndrome, had tremendous pain in my knee for a few days after and bizarrely felt extremely depressed and anxious. It was only after a few days that I started to wonder whether the 2 were connected, and looking at this thread, I think that that must be the case.

I am dealing w/ the after effects of a cortizone shot for hip bursitis. The shot is about 70% aiding the pain. My hip hasn’t felt ‘this good’ in 7 months. But a day after (now three days from shot) I am flushed, shakey, can’t sleep, and wired. My husband tells me I came to bed, when exhausted at 4:15AM, that I sounded ‘coked up’…so, it’s the norm from what we’re all writing…but is there anyone who knows: how long does this last? It’s making me feel a little wacky!

I just copied Chris’s symptoms because they are mine as well:
“I have felt constantly really ill – nausea; abdominal discomfort; difficulty breathing (chest feels tight/heavy); shortness of breath; dizziness; head-achiness; sleeplessness; hot flushes.”
I had the shot nearly three weeks ago, and I am slowly getting better. I called the nurse at the orthopedic’s office and hse said my symptoms were not from the shot!!!!!! I saw my primary care dr. yesterday—I thought I was having a heart attack, kidney stone atack, or an ulcer! She assured me that it was from the shot, and I am somewhat relieved. The shot helped the pain in my knee, however.

I had a 1ml shot in my right knee on Aug 15th, the day after the pain was gone, but it came back two days after.
Then the kneestarted to swell more than before and my shoulders started to ake.
Now all my joints hurt, knees, hops and shoulders, my right knee is swallen and the fluid in migrating down the leg to the foot.
I cannot sleep without pain killers.

I’m so thankful to find these comments.I’m 39 and have Osteoarthritis in many joints but worst in both knees.I had both knees drained and injected yesturday,after going to a routine appointment!I was not expecting the immense pain!I did not sleep at all last night and my heart rate is up and I have very red cheeks,now I know that I’m not the only one which is of some comfort,but awful to know theres so many of us suffering at a young age.x

I wanted to check if others have had an impact on their sleep after a cortisone shot.
I also had a cortisone shot for plantar fasciitis and was awake until 4a.m. Wide awake with all sorts of ideas in my mind, wish I could be that cognitve more often (only not at 2 in the morning). As far as relieve in my foot, the shot did not seem to provide much, if any, benefit.

I GOT A CORTISONE SHOT IN MY ELBOW,MIND YOU THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD THEM AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED,SO AFTER THIS SHOT IN MT ELBOW THE PAIN WAS UNBARABLE AND SWOLLEN TO THE MAX. TWO DAYS LATER THE AREA TURNED PURPLE AND RED AND SUNK IN. AND THATS PERMINANT IT LOOKS GROSS AND ITS VERY HYPERSENSITIVE I ALWAYS HAVE TO WEAR LONG SLEEVES OR AN ELBOW PERTECTOR BECAUSE IF I LIGHTLY BUMP IT ON WOOD WORK OR A DOOR I CAN EITHER BREAK OPEN THE AREA OR IT STARTS BLEEDING ON THE INSIDE OF MY SKIN AND I CRY EVERYTIME BECAUSE IT HURTS LIKE NO OTHER AND THERES NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. I FEEL INSURCURE ABOUT MY ARM AN HOW IT LOOKS AND I ALWAYS HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD WITH CLOTHING AND PERTECTION FOR MY ELBOW.EVEN WATER BOTHERS IT, SO THINK NEXT TIME OR IF YOU’RE FACED WITH GETTING CORTISONE, ITS NOT EVERYTHING ITS CRACKED UP TO BE!

I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis today and the Dr. gave me a cortizone shot. I noticed that about 2 hrs. after the shot, I started feeling very poorly. I started having the chills and my throat even began to feel like it was getting sore. It is now 8 hours later and I still have that same feeling in my body and I still don’t know if this is even going to work because my foot is so numb and tingly, that time will only tell. I can only hope and pray that in the morning I will feel a whole lot better all the way around. The Dr. highly recommended the shot so….we will see! If it works, then the “flu” like feelings that I am having right now will be surely worth it!!!

Hi,I had a cortisone shot in my neck Aug 26/09. Haven’t felt well ever since. I have nausea, dizziness, tightness in the chest, anxiety, tired, skin irritations and, oh yes, still the pain!!! I’m so relieved to hear there are others with these horrible side effects. I feel like no-one really believes they exist especially the doctors

I have been having cortisone shots in my thumbs for basal thumb arthritis for about 2 years… every 3 months or so. I’m having a terrible time with bruising. Just brushing up against something will leave me with a large red bruise and sometimes it just peels the skin back if I happen to hit it a bit too roughly. My skin on my hands is tissue paper thin. My hands and arms look like I’ve been beaten. Is this an unusual side affect of the cortisone? I’m getting sketchy about cortisone so will have my worst hand operated on shortly… just to stop taking cortisone. Both joints are basically worn down to nothing and are very painful without the shots. Anyone with similar side-effects. Oh, yes, night sweats…. unbelievable!

Same symptons as 36. Took Benydryl and that helped get some relief. Hope it passes soon.

I had a cortisone shot yesterday for the inside of my right knee. I had a reaction which was redness of my face and chest. Took Benedryl and that is helping out. The shot does take care of the pain pretty good. Its worth it for the relief. next step is surgery if the pain returns again for the second time. A non definitive report from an MRI suggest a possible miniscu tear but would only know for sure with surgery. maybe i will get lucky and the pain won’t return.

I had a cortisone injection four days ago. In addition to the full on face flushing, for the second time in a row, I have also had a weird thing happen on my left arm. Right above my elbow on the front part of my arm, I have a large raised area that is really hot to the touch. Like others…sleep has been horrible. But, this arm thing is weird. Has anyone else had that? It is now on it’s 4th day and counting,

I have had cortisone shots over the years, most were in my facet joints near L4-L5, these were done under anesthesia. One month ago I had been experiencing a lot of pain in my right rotators cuff.(from a fall) My dr. gave me a cortisone shot and it worked immediately! I was so happy! because they others had not worked. I have had back pain and surgeries on my L4 L-5 since 2000, so when my back was hurting more than I could bear, I ask to get cortisone shots there two weeks ago. My doctor did and they worked perfectly again, I have no more pain in my back. But what I do have is facial break out, shackey hands, am nervous, hot flashes can’t sleep and all around feeling of being sick. The little blisters on my face really have me worried, they don’t seem to be going away, I have never had this problem before. I am wondering If maybe I had too much too close together. I am really happy to not have the shoulder pain or back pain, but now my nerves are a wreck. How long does this uneasy feeling last, and when will these blisters on my face go away…any thoughts?

I’m 35 and had a cortisone shot in my hip for bursitis almost 4 weeks ago. The pain is gone, but I have had a million side effects since then. I’m assuming they’re from the cortisone shot. I felt extremely shaky and nervous for about a week. I’ve had crazy, out-of-control heartburn. I also have woken up twice with numb, swollen lips and eyes. I’ve had hives and itching for a couple of weeks. Now, I feel very short of breath and lightheaded. I don’t know if I should go see a doctor, or try to wait it out. I don’t like the shortness of breath feeling though. It’s a little scary.

I two have been receiving ESI and have extreme side effects. Its been a week since my last shots and I am still having trouble sleeping, I get 2-3hrs a night, face flushing, hot all the time. I get so anxious I can’t sit still, or lay down. I feel like I am going to loose my mind, I just want to scream so I just pace in my house at night when everyone is sleeping. I told the doctor no more. He said it is a small percentage of people that experience this, reading your blogs, it seems like there are lots of people experience this, and the bottom line is the pain comes back

I had two cortisone injections in both hip bursa last week. They were extremely painful, as I also have rheumatoid arthritis. Whilst I am much more mobile and do not have the pain in the bursa anymore, I had the dreadful flushing for days, diarrhoea, could not sleep at all the first night, could not go to work and when I did three days later, ended up going home as I felt I was not in control and felt in a continuous fog. This feeling has continued, as if I’m trying to come out of a general anaesthetic. Today is my first day that I feel normal and can actually get some housework done and not in any pain at all. I do hate cortisone, but it did stem the bursitis.

These posts have been extremely helpful. Thank you to everyone who has posted. I had cortisone shots for bunions 10 years ago with no side effects whatsoever. Also had 2 more shots in my foot this year, one for a ball of the foot pain called capsulities and one for the bunion again. They helped and no side effects. However, I was having a thumb problem called trigger finger and had cortisone by a different doc on 10/21/09. The pain from the shot was so bad I though I was going to pass out. I think I must’ve gotten too big a dose for my small frame bec afterwards I started shaking and had to take a xanax to calm down. Two days later and I am still feeling nervous and this morning I was really shakey again. It has helped tremendously to read all of your posts and hearing that others have had anxiety due to the shots. Also, I can’t bend my thumb, but the doc said the meds have caused swelling and it will get better, which is slowly is. Thank you again for your posts!

It is really scary that all of us are feeling the same side effects and dr. did not tell me one of these when i had the injections, he may have thought since i had had them under analgesia (knocked out) and under xray type machine in the past that i knew, but not one dr. has ever mentioned these type of side effects and I have never experienced them until now. I am so worried about when this is going to end. My face is so broken out, i have never had blemishes and now it scares me. I still have the shakes, and non sleep, hot flashes, and like someone else said, now the pain is coming back. I really feel ill all over. has anyone ever gotten past this, just want to know when it will end. My shots were over a month ago. Has anyone else had the facial break outs, they are not pimples, they are like small blisters, and don’t seem to be going away.I also feel bloated all the time, does anyone else have that. the shakes and anxiety can really take over your life. Hope I see more posts, anything helps.

oh yes, another question I have. Does doctors ever comment on these blogs, i thought that they did, but have not seen any. does anyone know the answer to that/

This is my 2nd post in a week. Want to give you an update on my side effects. The anxiety has slowly subsided, but then I developed depression upon waking and did not have this before. Depression was severe. I had some hot flashes also. Those are the extent of my side effects. My suggestion is to drink lots of water each day to help flush out the toxins from the meds. When I started drinking more water, the anxiety became less and less. If anyone is familiar with EFT (google search will give you info), I worked with a trained professional last night, and this morning the depression was not there. EFT is a tapping procedure similar to accupuncture/accupressure but there are no needles. You tap on certain points with your fingers. It helps relieve symptoms in many different areas. This is the first morning in almost a week that I didn’t wake up with the depression from the shot. Best to all..glad we have this support forum for cortizone. I think it’s possible that we received too large a dose of the cortizone. I had it in the past and NEVER had any side effects and it worked beautifully and saved me from surgery. I’ve heard that too large a dose can be the problem.

new problem to report, had to go to dr. today because had blood in my urine. do not know if this has anything to do with cortisone shots, but have not felt well since i had them. going for renal ultrasound of kidney tomorrow. will NEVER have cortisone again, do not care that it helped the pain, opened up so many more things i can’t control. everyone has mentioned the depression, i didn’t mention it before but i do have it and it is extreme…i have never been a depressed person, but wow, tears, shakes and no sleep does not do the body good. i had my shots on sept. 24 and still suffering side effects, my endocrinologist said today it should be out of my system by now……i am drinking lots of water but like i said –woke up today with blood in urine….scary, so off to dr. i went. that is why ultrasound tomorrow and results soon on urine-analyst.-3 days. my previous dr. never made me wait, always started immediately on antibiotics because fact i only have one kidney, but new dr. said had to find out what was causing infection…..like i said scary. does anyone know for sure how long it takes to get the steroid to get out of your system. thanks for all your thoughts!

CL, so sorry to hear about what is happening to you. Maybe ask your doc if only having 1 kidney is detrimental for cortizone? I am going to call my podiatrist and ask her opinion as to why I never had a bad reaction when she gave me the shots in my foot, but now had reactions with a different doc (orthopedic). Last shot was in my thumb. I would never suggest anyone have a cortizone shot in your thumb…pain is so bad I thought I was going to pass out. CL, please keep us informed on how you are doing.

dr. said kidney test came back ok as well as the ultrasound, still waiting for blood work. starting to feel better, still have shakes and bumps under skin on face, never had this before and again they are like small blister. took benadryl tonight in hopes that would help that clear up. feel like the steroids should be out of my system by now….but evidently they are not. appreciate your comments, suggestions, and shared experience with steroids. Rita I can’t imagine the pain into tumb. what is weird my shots did not hurt and they actually really helped plan… wonder if your body can cause a sensitivity to the injections, like allergic. I know I will definitely have allergic written on my chart in the future! My dr. that did the injections has not returned call, first call he said none of this was due to injection…..humm, after reading the blogs, i do not agree with him. thanks!

CL, glad tests so far have come out well. Did you consult a urologist for the blood in urine…don’t know if the doc you went to was a urologist. I found out sometimes both men and women have blood in their urine and it is normal and nothing wrong. Of course, there can be something wrong, but many times there isn’t. A urologist can rule out if anything is wrong for blood in urine. Apparently, blood in the urine can be common with nothing wrong. I’m not surprised that the doc who did cortisone said your symptoms had nothing to do with the shot; they don’t want to be liable for anything. I asked my ortho doc who did the thumb if she had seen negative side effects before, and she said about one person a year; now I am the 2nd. And keep in mind that’s just THIS doc; other docs are giving cortisone all over the country, so there are more folks with reactions, and this blog is proof. Someone I know asked a brain surgeon if cortisone can have negative side effects, and he said definitely yes and especially in high doses. Thankfully, my side effects have disappeared. I only had anxiety and depression, but that was enough for me. I will be afraid to ever get another one, even though I had numerous ones previously in the foot and no problems. If your side effects from the cortisone don’t go away, I would try EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). You can google it to find out more about it. I worked with a trained EFT professional about 5 days after the cortisone shot and my depression left and never returned. I can give you the name of the person I worked with if you want it, just let me know. I have used EFT for other issues in the past, and it also helped.

I just had my 2nd cortisone shot in my shoulder for a torn rotator cuff. About 3 hours afterwards I had a huge surge of zippy energy and had not drank coffee or taken any supplements. My stomach was off that night and I was not tired after a long day, had twitchy sleep when I usually conk out like a light. Today, 24 hrs later, my face is flushed, I feel like I either have a temperature or just plain hot sitting here in my office with fan blowing and window open. I was extremely fatigued, not tired going to work today, could’t quite pin it down, so all of this must be related to the steroids…good news is my shoulder with exception to the injection site is 110% better, but these side effects need to go away…Even my eyes feel like they have been in the sun all day, burning…

Thank you to everyone who has posted here. I just had a steroid injection yesterday to my heel for plantar fasciitis and as the doctor warned, my foot was numb for much of the afternoon. I tried to go to bed relatively early as I was supposed to work a 12 hr shift today, but after being wide awake all night I ended up calling in to work at 3:45 AM because I didn’t feel like I’d be safe taking care of patients on no sleep (I’m an RN). I ended up moving to the living room and only managed to fall asleep on the couch from about 8-9 AM. I was also experiencing nausea, mild headache, and pounding of my heart (but normal rate of 64). It seemed much like an anxiety attack and that’s what I attributed it to at first, then I stumbled upon other people’s experiences after the steroid injections and I realized that this had to be the reason for my symptoms. I called my podiatrist and discussed the lack of “scientific” info on the subject but that there were so many personal stories of people with similar symptoms. I just hope I can figure something out to fix the insomnia because I am scheduled to work for the next couple days. I’m exhausted now and haven’t really tried sleeping all day (since my hr long nap this morning) with the hope that being this tired tonight will help me sleep…

Wish there was another way to reach people…this blog is wonderful but everyone writes after they have had their steroid injections. I got worse news from my endocrinologist today. Oh yes, Rita, thank you for your suggestions, I appreciate it, I do have an apt. with a Urologist and also a Kidney specialist in the next couple of weeks. Back to my worse news. Today I found out from my blood test that my liver function is abnormal as well as my blood results, my adrenal test show they are up, all of this was caused by my steriod shots.My insurance form shows the name “Triamcinolone acet injections. These shots have really taken a toll on my body. I am 60 yrs old and was in good health. Of course the dr. that gave me the injections (is a well respected dr. in this town) anyway, he has not returned my calls. The nurse called back once saying the doctor said it was not the injections causing all these problems, however, my specialist said it is, and after researching as much as I have, it is very clearly the cortisone injections that has caused all of this. Now I have a damaged Liver, great. None of this was worth it. Granted my shoulder and back do feel better, but at what price. I am still very swollen and puffy, my skin on my face is still broken out, i still have the shakes, hot flashes, depression, and can’t sleep. NOT WORTH IT!! I hope a few considering these shots read about my experience before they do it. This blog has show me my case is not all that unusual, seems we all are suffering from the same side effects. Never again for me!….has already caused liver damage, hard way to find out this can be so dangerous to some people. Hope you are reading this BEFORE you make your decision to get the shots.

CL, don’t panic. I know there is a lot going on for you medically right now. Ask the doc if there is any way to reverse the effects of the cortizone. Maybe there is something that can be done, and if so, let us know and we will all try it! I will never get another cortizone either. I am now experiencing fatigue, and I never had this before the shot. I didn’t have it initially after the shot, but here it is 2 weeks later and the last couple of days I have felt very fatigued in the afternoon after lunch. I am going to try to print out this blog and take it to my doctor. All the docs I spoke with have said the cortizone doesn’t cause it…many people don’t have any negative reactions to cortizone, and I didn’t for a long time either. The docs aren’t aware of it either apparently.

These comments are SO helpful! I had my first cortisone shot on Monday (today is Wednesday). My face is bright pink with flushing, and somewhat itchy; my pain is as bad as before the shot, and I can’t sleep. I’m miserable! I’m going to drink lots of water to try to flush this out but am so glad not to be the only person to have had this flushing. The dr. did not tell me about any of these side effects.

This blog is really helpful. My mom has pain in her knee and dr. recomended to give her cortisone shot right away. we asked for some time to think about it. He was not happy about it. I wonder why he was rushing. Anyways thanks to all the people in the blog I will not let my mom get this shot.

there should not be any rush to do them, i think you are very smart to look into it before making your decision. I did not look for this log until after I had the injections and problems started. I would pray this would not be the dr.s reasoning, but they charge the insurance a good amount for those injections. I don’t want to tell you not to do it, I am sure there are people that the shots have helped, but I was not one of them, as you can tell by my cl entries above. My liver function is improving, but still have quite a while before it is back to normal, and I know that was totally due to the cortisone shots, and the shakes, and anxiousness and non sleeping has improved (it has been almost two months since my shots) my face skin still has under the surface bumps that will not go away. So again, my experience was devastating to me, taking a tremendous toll on my body.
the doctor will tell you the shots last some people forever, but the usual relief is 1 to 1 & 1/2 months, i did say they relieved my pain,(TEMPORARILY) but the pain is back in full force now and it has been only 2 months. Almost all the blog entries above had the same reactions of sleeplessness, shakes, anxiety, –for me it went on to include kidney damage, liver damage, and what I hope is not permanent under the skin facial blister like bumps. My recommendation is to try absolutely everything before getting shots. Has your mom been told about a Tens unit, and acupuncture, both of those helped me so much, i would recommend those first, ask your doctor about them. not sure (where in her body) your mom was getting the shots, but both tens unit and acupuncture should be able to help. Good luck, I will pray for your mom’s healing. cl

the d

eg

I am a61 y.o. male.I have rosacea and adult cystic acne which is well controlled. After having solu-medrol shouder injections for severe bursitis the worst rosacea / acne exacerbations ensued ! Anyone else??
Geo.

I have had cortisone shots in my shoulder in the past with great results, so was not in the least hesitant to have one in my knee. My God, what a mistake. Having what 2 doctors (one orthopod) are calling cortisone flare. My knee, as well as the rest of my leg, is swollen about twice normal size, and the pain is excruciating. The last day or two, the pain seems to be spreading to other joints. I am only able to function by taking Vicodin every 4 hours. The orthopodf says the cortisone will be our of my body in about 4 months total, just hope I can take it that long! Can’t believe there isn’t something that can be done for this. Any answers out there?

I once had fasciitis that I cleared up with a change of shoes. At first, I wore Wolverine dura-shock lace up work boots to the office. I then found MBT shoes at the Walking Company with a curved bottom that cause a rolling kind of walk that come in many styles. The MBTs alleviate heal concussion while walking plus provide excellent arch support that also helps with healing the fasciitis. They also improve posture. No problems since the switch to substantially better foot-ware!

I have cortizone shot several places on my body, My doctor never told me about the side affects and just kept injecting me, Of course it helped but the weight gain was terrible. Now I have to have them in my knees in order to be able to walk normal. After walking with a limp and suffering with much pain for about 9yrs in my left knee, when I got the shot for the left knee it felt so good to be able to walk without pain and to do it normally, I didn’t hesitate when he did it to my right knee. I must say I had one the same time in my right knee as I did the left but it didn’t help, come to find out I had to have surgery to scrape all the junk from an injury out which has been a month ago, so had a check up and I still couldn’t bend my leg much or straighten it so he said he would like to put a shot in there either now or next month so I choose now, and whew I feel so much better. I had the hot cheeks, Here it is 5:37am and I have not been asleep, and not to mention the weight gain, but I can walk, and Lords willing I will lose the weight again as I have before. I know they are not good for you but what does a person do , stay on pain pills till they are hooked? sorry not for me, I would rather take the shot. Until hopefully I won’t need them anymore.
I hope everyone does well and there pain goes away. God Bless all of you .

I saw part of a comment that was posted on 10/11/08, but the continuation was not in this comment area. I was about the sore throat after the cortisone shots.
For the last couple of years I have been given two cortison shots in my one arm for tennis elbow, never had any problems with sleeping, depression, weight gain, facial flushing or extreme pain.

This time I received the usual two shots in one arm, but also needed to acquire a lateral shot on my right tennis elbow arm. When I received the shot, my doctor wiped in clean before and after, the after I could feel a definite stinging, like the acholol got into my blood stream.

Last night I got entirely no sleep at all (thank God I am on vacation this week), my right arm all the way to my chest hurt. I was concerned because I have asthma and was a little short on breath, so I took a shot of air. I have a nebulizer but am afraid to use it, for it has more steriods.

The doctor did prescribe pain pills, but again I was afraid to use them. I kept calm, for I have learned to keep my anxiety down so I do not cause myself to have an asthma attack.

Today was a new day, still no sleep, not very hungry, throat sore and by about noon I started to have my face feel very warm, I looked and it was getting red, I took my temperature and it was normal (never crossed my mind to take my blood pressure until I read someone elses comment), took some daytime cold medicine. I did feel a bit stressed in traffic and depressed later in the day. Also my face became more flushed. But, my arm was at least moveable all day (it will probably ache tonight ).

It is good to see that others have had this face flushing. It gives me comfort in knowing that this is normal in about 15% of women patients. I just hope it and my sore throat goes away for Turkey day tomorrow and I hope I can sleep tonight. It is making me feel like I have a cold. Not sure if I should take a pain pill tonight or not.

I think that these changes have to also be contributed by getting older, since I have never had these type of side effects before. A lot of you are correct that some of these things that happened were not even remotely discussed with me. Probably because I didn’t have any problems in the past. Believe you me, I will be contacting them next week. Since, it is the holiday now they are not in the office. I am hoping that I will get some sleep with eating turkey like they will be. LOL

Had an injection of Depo-Medrol 40 in my hip in August 2009. Exactly three days later my heart started pounding out of my chest. After a couple of days of feeling pretty bad I called my doctor and checked my blood pressure. I, until this point, was never on blood pressure medication. Blood pressure was high. After a few days of this constant heart pounding, terrible chest pain and climbing blood pressure I was put on blood pressure medicine. It did not help, was increased a couple of days later. Still no help. Insomnia was horrible, nervousness and anxiety off the charts. I ended up in the ER one night with a blood pressure of 190/100. ER doc stated he thought this was all from the steroid injection. Blood pressure meds increased again. Went from not having a blood pressure problem to taking three pills a day in two weeks time.

Things went from bad to worse. Hot flashes, no sleep for days on end, so nervous and shaky. Was feeling winded all the time. Had numerous tests done which were all normal. My family doc is great but he said he never saw this kind of reaction from a steroid injection. I called the ortho doc who gave me the shot and he also stated he never heard of such a reaction.

Was sent to a cardiologist due to the continuing chest pain and heart pounding. He ordered tests just to be sure but as soon as I told him how this all started he immediately said it was from the steroid injection. He’d seen this numerous times and he was hopeful that as a couple of months passed things would improve. He even stated that I may be able to get off the blood pressure meds given enough time. I was so grateful for his expertise and his understanding.

It has now been three months and one week since this injection and I sm still struggling. My blood pressure and pulse are in control now with the medcine. I have been given Ativan which I have taken sparingly to help me sleep at least a little bit. I still have the heart pounding, the chest pain, the insomnia, my skin feels at times like it is burning, I sweat at times, the anxiety ,nervousness and restlessness is still there, facial flushing and even some acne. It truly feels like something has taken over my body and I believe it has. I have spoken with the cardiologist a couple of times and he said it may take 6 to 8 months for this stuff to leave my system although he hopes it won’t take that long but his opinion is that this is 100% from the steroid injection and that it will improve but it will take time.

I’m at the end of what I’m able to handle with this and wondered if anybody else may be able to tell me what they have done to try to alleviate or maybe counteract the symptoms I have described? Also if anybody can say how long it took for this to leave their system. I keep praying every day for a change but there has been none.

I sympathize with each and every one of you who have suffered due to these same symptoms or even worse for some of you. If we only knew then what we know now. Wish you all the best. Thanks for listening and for any advice you may be able to offer.

I have had two shots in my SI joint. The first one helped a little but, the second shot helped alot. Until the third day after my second shot!

Them crazy side effects deleted any help the shot may have provided! First my veins in my inner thigh swelled up and they thought it was a blood clot { scan proved otherwise} Then my scotum turned a deep red and hurt with even the slightest touch.

My first visit to the ER for my scrotum-They said it was an infection and gave me some pills. After a week the redness went away and my testicles felt like someone had dipped them in acid!! I went to my primary DR and he said ” you have swelling and you may have twisted them”SCARY STUFF!! He sent me for a scan of my testicles that showed “nothing” However it hurts to even take a shower!!! I’ve also had sever muscle cramping and hot flashes..

It has been two weeks since the shot

Hey, i’ve got a form of Arthritis called AS. Have Plantar Fascitis also since july. I got a cortisone shot in Aug and it was back to being sore pretty much straight away. My consultant was so unhelpful. Eventually i got an MRI and we discovered the inflamation was dispersed as opposed to being in one area of my heel. Nightmare. So i got yet another shot in October. It’s just as bad since. To be honest, i play a lot of sport so i’m sure if i took it down a notch i would give it time to heel, but i dont want to put my life on hold.
I have resigned myself to just putting up with the pain, which believe me is excruciating, and am on anti inflammatory pain management.

Anyway, reason i’m writing is to tell you about a BIG side effect that really freaked me out. Sorry to mention (esp to guys!) but i now find myself menstruating every 2 weeks!!!! Scary. Don’t worry i’ve check it out that it is nothing else. It is a side effect of the injections.

So thats huge! I also have experienced a sore throat that continued for days on end.

Hi everyone, I posted comments in October. It has been 6 weeks since my cortizone shot. Thankfully, I am doing much better, but I have found that my body is much more sensitive to foods than before I got the shot. I find that if I have foods with a higher sugar content such as desserts or candy, chocolate, etc. that I get more hyped up from the sugar than before the shot, and if I have sugar in the early or late afternoon, it makes me very sleepy. I have also noticed that I feel depressed eating certain foods that never caused me a problem like that before the shot. My mood never changed like this before the last shot. Since this has happened to me, it could also happen to others reading this blog…as we have read from others, things are happening that are very unusual. My suggestion is to cut out anything with a sugar content for awhile + caffeine and see if this helps with anxiety, depression or other symptoms. I don’t know how long it will take for this to get back to normal, but for now, I am very careful about what I am eating, and it is helping. I had to cut out bananas because I was feeling depressed the next day after eating them. I cut them out and no longer feel depressed…very strange, I know. But, I never had a problem with bananas prior to the shot. They have a lot of potassium, so maybe the cortizone made my body sensitive to potassium. Also, drink more water to help flush out the cortizone toxins faster. One thing that really helped a few weeks ago, was that I started drinking milk again. I had cut it out about 6 months ago. When I started drinking it again a few weeks ago, my moods stabilized tremendously. Before the cortizone shot, my mood was fine with no problems, but afterwards, had mood swings of anxiety and depression. Since starting to drink the milk again, my mood has stabilized and no more anxiety and depression unless I eat too much sugar or the bananas. I don’t know if milk will have the same effect for others as far as stabilizing mood, but just wanted to pass the info along. Perhaps the cortizone screws up hormones, and milk has hormones since it comes from cows and cows have hormones, so maybe the hormones in the milk helped stabilize my own hormones. Good luck to everyone in finding help. I sympathize with everyone, we have all had a rough time since the shot.

Wow, wish all this information was out there for us to read before we had to shots. I had my injections on Sept 24th. KP, i wish i could tell you i am rid of the symptoms, but I am not. The anxiousness, had improved and the blisters on my face are nearly gone, but still struggling with the depression, sleeplessness, and fatigue. The fatigue seems to have gotten worse. Not sure if ya’ll read my entries above, but one thing I would recommend if your doctors have not done yet, it get a complete blood work up. I have had liver and kidney damage. The liver test are a little better, but still have a ways to go, and am going in for a ( well i just tried to read the specialist order, and can’t make out what he called it, something like a Lithrotripsy) have to go to day surgery and have to have a I.V. Sedation. All of this was caused by my 3 cortisone injections. So please, if you have not gotten a blood workup, ask for one, the shots screwed up everything in my body. I only have one kidney so has been extra hard on my body. My specialist also told me it could be months before my body gets back to normal, of course this was not the doctor that gave me the shots, he said the shots didn’t do any of this. I wish he would read this blog, he might change his mine. I am better KP, so hang in there and James too, I had the blisters on my face. the are gone now, so hopefully you are feeling better by now too. Like (Rita) I too have a huge sensitivity to sugar, have just removed it from my diet. Good luck everyone, Keep posting so we can keep up with each other and how they are feeling.

I’m really glad I found this site today…my primary thinks I have plantar fasciatis and I have an appt with a podiatrist tomorrow…I was walking on a treadmill, going uphill after 3 miles and when I got off, I could barely walk..has been like this since mid September…worse in the am of course..somewhat better during the day but not great..just sick of it hurting so much..I’m 48 and feel like I’m 90 !..this is on my right foot and since then I think I have sciatica now on my left side..has anyone experienced this on opposite sides? perhaps I’m favoring one side over the other unconsciously ? Anyways I have a friend who had the shot and said it worked but very painful…I can handle the pain of the shot, but all these side effects everyone is talking about is scary…Has anyone not had the shot and are there any other cures for the plant. fasc. ???

I had the worst experience!! flushed face, no sleep at all! felt sick all the time! i thought i was going to die, i was so dizzy i was getting lost just going to the market..exhausted…finally after 34 days and having to take sleeping pills, i am finally fine! my doctor didnt seem to care and wanted me to do the shots again..DEAR GOD NO WAY!!!

I had 2 shots for a bulging disc in my neck and the first one had no problems but the second one I was real dizzy for about a week and ate constantly for 3 weeks straight. I could not seem to get enough to eat. Now that is over with but the side effect that is the worst is that I cannot get an erection. This worries me more than any of the others and has been going on now for about a month. Anyone else have that problem

I got my first epidural in my back for a bulging dic in Sept. and another in October. Both went well and I didn’t notice any immediate side effects. However, for the past 3 months I have felt fatigued, increased depression and anxiety, insomnia, and I always feel like I’m getting sick – my chest hurts, headache, feel rundown. I felt like I was going crazy. Then suddenly I had the thought that my symptoms have been around as long as I have been getting the shots! After reading this blog I feel sure they are related and after reading about some of the other horrible things you all have experienced, I do not want to get another shot! I have one scheduled for next Tuesday and I’m going to cancel! However, I’m in a lot of pain so it’s depressing that there is no relief.