Steroid injections

Mike001

Hi,

I'm new to the site and I have been reading some posts and it s real supportive to hear some of your stories as I can identify with some of the feelings being expressed. I had a steroid injection 3 weeks ago in my hip and it feels worse than what it was before and that was bad enough. I 'm feeling my mental health is slipping as I can't even walk without pain now. or do any form of exercise. I'm taking the same number of paracetamols I was taking before the steroid injection. The pain in my hip is just radiating! I can also hear it clicking and sticking more. Not being able to do any simple exercise is really getting to me as i use this to manage my mental health. I'm only 53 years old. Has anyone else had the same experience with steriod injections?

chrisb

Hi @Mike001  

Welcome to the versus arthritis forum. 

You’ve recently has a steroid injection in your hip which has not, to date, delivered any benefit, in fact you are in more pain. You are struggling to do even basic exercises. You’d like to hear from anyone else who has experienced a similar scenario. 

Well, you’ve come to the right place to ask for some input. 

Whilst you await some feedback, this link may be useful to you:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

 

Here’s an existing discussion in the forum you may wish to join:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/701574#Comment_701574

 

I hope you receive some useful advice, your pain starts to ease and you can start taking some exercise again. 

In addition, on Living with arthritis we have posts from many members who live with arthritis, I'm sure you will be able to find some other discussions you may wish to join in on or alternatively start a new one. 

Best Wishes

ChrisB (Moderator)

Lilymary

Hi @Mike001 , welcome to this lovely forum. I also have hip arthritis, and had replacement of my left hip in April 2021 at age 62. Mine kicked off really suddenly out of the blue, by when the damage was already well advanced. Like you, I found the pain was horrendous and pain killers just knocked the edge off it sufficiently to keep some sort of life going. Paracetamol is a start point for pain management, but it may be time that you reviewed this with your GP to see if there are stronger options available. This will obviously depend on any other meds you are on etc.

I also had a steroid injection, but like you, it made no difference whatsoever. Not even fleetingly or barely imperceptibly. I was rather cross with my surgeon for even suggesting it to be honest, as the joint was completely bone on bone by then, and they found it was very soft when they went to replace the hip joint. However, they do have to go through these steps to see if it will help. Replacement surgery is basically extreme pain management when all else has failed and the pain and loss of mobility is severely impacting your life, but they need to defer this as long as possible as the joints don't last indefinitely and can only be replaced again one more time. The steroid injections do work for some, and can be a useful way to defer surgery.

It can be depressing when it stops you doing the things you enjoy. I used to be a fit fell walker and trekker before this sprung out at me, and I found it very tough having to give that up. This is starting to come back to me since surgery, although I may never get back to my former level of activity, I'll take whatever my body lets me do now.

I found the tips in the link Chris has provided on pain management to be really helpful, specially distraction - ie lose yourself in something you enjoy (even things like gardening or gentle walks - the pain may still be there, but at least you're focussed on something else and the exercise, however little, will do your mental health some good too.) Although to be honest, I got to the point that even getting round the supermarket using the trolley as a walking aid was purgatory, so if you feel like throwing something at me for suggesting you exercise, I wouldn't blame you. But getting the muscles that support your hip toned up will help manage the pain as well, (there's 17 around the hip alone!), and will also aid your recovery after eventual surgery. Even very gentle physio-type exercises, if done daily over a period of a few months, will do the job. It doesn't have to be painful. Try the exercises on this link, and maybe book a few sessions with a private physio (they're not as expensive as you'd think, there's usually no waiting list, and you can go as often as you need) to work up an exercise regime that works for you and periodically review it with them to see if you need to change it up. It really helps to feel you are taking some control over what's happening to your body, even if it won't get you back to "spring lamb mode" again.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/hip-pain/?gclid=CjwKCAiAyfybBhBKEiwAgtB7frQ3q_cJSwVkUIQe1ODpP0kqtMfOPm-k2ew81JU5q3gqBvBkUKXyvBoCChoQAvD_BwE

Another useful tip was for everything you feel you have to give up, replace it with something new. This can lead in some pleasantly surprising directions and may give you new reasons to get out of the house. Focussing on your pain is never good - it just amplifies it, so try to work around it.

Arthritis really is rubbish, and it can take a while to get your head round it, but adapt, keep looking forward, keep as active as you can, get the pain management drugs sorted, and find new pleasures - it will all help to make it bearable. And when you need a moan, or to ask advice, come on here. We all know how it feels, and there's lots of experience, good advice and encouragement from the forum members and Mods. They certainly kept me afloat when things were at their worst for me.

jamieA

Hi @Mike001

I had 13 steroid injections in about a year in 2020/21. Two of them didn't have any effect but the rest did. The rheumatology nurse I see said it happens sometimes - I don't think it's an exact science. I think if the injection is into a joint you need rest that joint for a period of time after the injection.