How long does a steroid injection work for?

km89

Hi,

I had fluid taken out of both of my knees about a month ago and steriod injected into both due to them being ridiculously filled up with the stuff, probably left over from a mega flare I had a while ago which made it difficult to bend them.

Anyways, for about two weeks I was so happy with the result. I could actually see my kneecaps and had actual knees! I could bend them more than I could ever remember,even from before I knew I had RA.

But, after two weeks they started to puff out again and they've gone back to being crap and fluid filled. Ughh. I'm feeling a bit deflated as I thought the effects would be for a bit longer as in my case, it's the amount of fluid which is my major problem and causes me the most pain and uncomfortableness. Damn immune system.

So, what I'd like to ask is how long are the effects of the injections supposed to last? Or is it likely that me and my knees will have to go through regular big scary needle sessions more often than I'd like?

Katie x
P.s. I'm on a triple therapy of DMARDs. They seem to have worked well on my ankles but my knees have refused to follow suit.

skezier

Hi Katie,

The real problem with an answer to this is there really isn't one. Sometimes they work well and sometimes they don't work at all and often it can depend on who does them, or at least how good the person doing them is.

It may also be influenced by how well controlled the ra is as well. I don't know that bit cus I have oa and pa but it would make sense that it would be influenced by that.

I hope it will all settle for you soon and with the dmards maybe a bit more time will see your knees sorted for you as well. I really hope so. Cris x

madwestie

Katie, i have depomedrone steriod injections which are done in the thigh and work there way round the body, sometimes they work really well for 4-6 weeks and other times you really wonder if you actually had the injection as they don't work at all so i think it is very variable even within the same person.
Sorry that you didn't get relief for longer and hope the dmards start working on your knees soon.

Tracey

tillytop

Hello Katie

I have only had "depo" steroid injections which are intended to help on everything so can't comment on the joint injections other to say that, from what I have read on the forum, the effects seem to vary widely from person to person.

Sorry you are still having probs with your knees. :sad:

Love Tilly xxx

dreamdaisy

I have had steroids injected into my knees and the best result ever was three days. I have had the depos in my backside too, never noticed a change in anything. Oral steroids tho - mmmmmmm, lovely. Which is why I am coming off them, slowly but surely. I have had five lovely years of them making a difference and that is becoming tiresome! Taking a drug that helps? Ye gods, what next? A cure?

Everyone is different in how they react to injections. I know a dentist who has RA in her hands - she is injected twice yearly, each session gives her between five to six months of relief. If she tells me once more what I should be asking for she will be trying to rebuild her own jaw with her lovely temporarily-RA-free hands. DD

frogmorton

Hi katie

they havent ever worked for me either the jabs :sad: so in a sense it is reassuring that they worked at all :???: may be worth having them done when they let you next - l know they like a gap between them (about 3 months l think)

My ex MIL has had jabs for lots of different things - facet joints trigger finger etc and had graet results.....as much as 6 months.

Sorry yors didnt work so long though :sad:

Love

toni xx

stickywicket

I had them years ago when I had my own knees. Sometimes they worked brilliantly and others not at all.

dreamdaisy

Whose knees are you currently using, sticky? Are they better than the ones you used to have? DD

stickywicket

dreamdaisy wrote:

Whose knees are you currently using, sticky? DD

Newest one is definitely one of the Bees' Knees. Older one? I forget. Think it belonged to Amkneesia.

barbara12

Hi Katie
Sorry I am another that has never had any relief from them, I had them in my knee and in my back but nothing, saying that there were people there that had come back every so many months to have them, and thought they were a miracle drug.
I do hope you find something that will work for you very soon
Barbara x

caprica

Only had one in my hands, had it done in December. It took 3 days to start working and now 5 months later the finger's still fine. Magic. (And no, I'm not DD's dental nurse!) But I think the long effect is because my arthritis comes in a pattern of flares and remissions and the steroid jab just quickly 'settled down' that particular flare. If you have a constantly swollen joint I can imagine that it would be a lot harder to sustain the steroid's effect. You might need something added to your dmards to help those knees. It's so rotten there's no simple answer to anything with this damn disease, I hope you find relief soon.