Newbie asking for steroid injection advice

Vickio

Hi everyone; I am new here (although sadly not new to arthritis) and have a question, probably the first of many.

I had my first steroid jab on Thursday, in my bum, and the consultant said I wouldn't need to use anti-inflammatories as well once it kicked in. It has definitely made a difference; so much so that last night I went to bed as normal and didn't take any Dicolfenac for the first time in weeks. However, I woke this morning aching all over and various joints burning/hurting.

Is this a normal thing? I got the impression I wouldn't need it at all.

I'm currently on Leflunomide (having previously been on Sulfasalazine and Methotraxate) and am going to be having some additional meds to work as combined treatment as soon as I get an appt with the rheumy nurse, within the next week or two.

My inflammatory marker went from 11 to 90 within a month, so things have been quite bad

Any advice appreciated. It's getting me down to think the jab didn't do the job.

Oh, btw I have PsA, and am 42, and was diagnosed 10 years ago if that's of any use.

Thanks

Vicki

dreamdaisy

Ah, doctors and their theories - we're the poor saps that have to cope with the reality. Some people find very good results from a depomedrone in the buttocks but I was never included in that number. Others also find good results after injections into the joints - I achieved maybe around three days as opposed to the months that some gain.

I think the truth is that we all react very differently, sometimes they help and sometimes they don't, but I won't bother with them now if they're offered. Over the years I have learned not to believe doctors when they promise semi-miracles because that way I am not disappointed when the promised benefits fail to materialise and the arthritis trundles on regardless. of their interference. DD (who PsA, OA and fibro)

mike26

Hi vickio
seems standard practice us arthers do get offerd depo in buttocks
ive had several didnt do nothing for me, except give me a aching
bum. but some people do get relief from them.
good luck with your depo.
mike. :?

dibdab

Hi Vicki,

I usually get good results from the steroid jabs, but it takes about a week to kick in fully......maybe you need to give a few more days before you give up! In the meantime the anti inflams may be there as a bolster? Hope you get some relief soon.

Deb x

stickywicket

I'm with deb. They work for me but I know this is not the case for everyone. I hope yours is just biding its time and you'll get there in the end. Good luck

beckie89

Hi Vicko,

I had a steroid injection in my arm a couple of months after I was diagnosed. Have to say it didn't really do anything for me.

But people are all different!

Bex x

Vickio

Thanks for the replies. It has definitely made some difference but not as much as I was hoping. But maybe it's early days and I should give it a bit more time.

barbara12

Hello Vickio and welcome to the forum...
I have had a few steroid injections not sure if they are the same though these are in the joints...some work ie the hands but the back and hips sadly didn't..I do wish you well with them like you say early days, please let us know how you get on with it..

toady

Hi, I have had a few depomedrone at times of high inflammation and they were a lifesaver, less effective after the first but still helpful. (also had my knees injected once and it was the single most effective thing I have had done which I put down to being the first steroid-based treatment I'd had & therefore the one that had 'first-hit' results.) Maybe yours needs to kick in as others have said, hope it does.

Cariad71

Hi vickio,

As others have said we all get varying results from steroids in their different forms. I've had several IM depomedrones over the years and sometimes they seem to have terminated a flare up while other times have barely lasted a week or two. Even the high dose IV steroids I had at Xmas, which I was told could be a 'miracle' by many, only worked for about a week for me! So I'm familiar with that disappointed feeling, especially as you can get a bit of relief first followed by a return of symptoms.

Were all different. Im surprised a consultant had the confidence to suggest you can definitely give up your NSAID after having one, sometimes Drs do give strange advice! It does often occur to me that even our specialist doctors like rheumatologists have very likely never actually experienced anything like what were going through, they actually have no idea what it feels like yet they dole out all the advice! NSAIDS work differently to steroids anyway so both are often needed.

I hope you're starting to feel better xx