Cortisone Flare

pilgrimchris

Hi, Asking for other peoples experiences of cortisone flares?. I had a steroid injection about two weeks ago and almost exactly one week later had unbelievable pain in my rights arm (the centre of the pain started in my shoulder but moved down my arm to my hand over the next 7 days). It started to ease in the last 24 hours and i'm hoping that in the next day it will end completely.
Everything i've read online suggests that cortisone flares start 24-48hrs after injection and only last a couple of days - this is not my experience at all!
The nurse on the Rheumatology Helpline also felt it was unlikely to be a cortisone flare and probably just my PsA. I'd prefer to think it was a cortisone flare as i've never felt such excruciating pain with my PsA yet.

dreamdaisy

I am sorry to read this, I have had many cortisone injections over the years (and they have never caused this kind of reaction) but I guess that proves we are all different in how we react. Is the first you have had? I know I should remember but I don't. :oops: DD

pilgrimchris

yes this is the first time I've experienced this (although i've only had one or two similar injections previously). The nurse doesn't think it is a reaction, just a bad flare of the psoriatic arthritis, which is a real worry as it was the first time i have had such a constant, unbearable pain like this.

Thanks for both your replies

stickywicket

It does sound like a flare to me though I giess a reaction to the steroid jab can't be ruled out. What meds are you on? My early arthritic years were often like this before DMARDS were on offer. I hope something can be sorted out quickly for you.

pilgrimchris

NSAID plus 15mg methotrexate and tramadol. I couldn't tolerate suflasalazine and my liver wasn't happy with methotrexate at 20mg (which was working fairly well). I'm now stuck as the consultant would put me on a biologic but I don't have enough swollen joints (the PsA is really in my tendons and muscles, the joints feel under better control).

stickywicket

If you're still flaring I'd contact the rheumatology helpline. Perhaps your readings will be worse now than previously and maybe another DMARD could be chucked into the mix if biologics aren't deemed warranted.