Update on Steroid Jabs

breane
breane Member Posts: 392
edited 26. Feb 2010, 09:41 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi,As you may remember I had a steroid injection in the shoulder three weeks ago for shoulder and top of arm pain,needless to say it didn't work at all in fact the pain is now affecting the neck. :( The rheumy nurse arranged for me to have a systemic steroid injection at my Gp's surgery yesterday,this time done in the buttocks.The nurse who did the injection explained that the systemic jab will travel to all parts of the body so should give relief not only to the shoulders and arms but also to the hands,wrists and knees.However,this morning the pain is still there,no better at all.Does anyone know how long that type of injection takes to work?Last year when I was on the steroid tablets,the worked overnight and kept me almost pain free for five months.The rheumy nurse said if this jab hasn't provided relief in about a week,then to give her a ring back.I don't know why they won't put me back on the tablets seing as they worked so well before and I was only on them for one month with no problems.Has anyone else found the injections did'nt work for them and if so,what was the next step? Breane.

Comments

  • janie68
    janie68 Member Posts: 1,186
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Breane


    Sorry to hear you are not well at the moment.

    The steriod injection you had yesterday will take a couple of days to work for you. They can last weeks. I have been on the tablets and you do not want to be on if at all possible. The side effects are horrendous, extra hair where you don't want it, weight gain, bone loss, high blood pressure. One month treatment probably wouldn't give you these problems,the medics are doing you a favour not being on them. The tablets are good but only short term.

    Hope this helps

    Janie
  • raybee
    raybee Member Posts: 12
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi! Sorry its not working yet. I have had 3 jabs like this. The first was miraculous and I was me again! The second took a bit longer to kick in. I thought it wasn't working then i realised I was doing things that I had stopped, then i had a 3r d 4 weeks ago. Again it took several days and my symptoms got worse, then better. Already worn off but it does do something!! Good luck. I bet it kicks in in the next few days. Remember it is slow release so itneeds time to build up.
    Let us know how you go. I'm off to down some Naproxen and paracetomal. Hope you can mix the two! LOL

    Rachelxx
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had one last week. Taken a few days for full effect. He gave me a jab so that I can wean off the oral steroids. I think the jab is better myself, it has a bigger impact.
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Breane,

    the systemic inj does take a wee bit longer to take effect so hopefully you will find you feel some benefit after a few more days.

    My rheumy gives the systemic inj when he wants to treat lots of joints at the one time....but uses individual joint injections when it's just one joint that's particularly bad.

    I find that steroid injections don't always work for very long but don't know why!
    still think it's better than being on tablets long term though for all the reasons other peeps have highlighted.

    hope you feel better soon. Irisx
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi breane

    I had hoped you would be saying you feel a bit better :(

    Last time i had one of those jabs it made a huge difference about 2/3 days later. I could have danced :D:D

    I will cross my fingers for you

    Love

    Toni xx
  • lizzie7ne
    lizzie7ne Member Posts: 154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Breane

    When I have had the systemic steroid jabs they take a few days to work. Hope you are feeling better soon


    lizzie
  • maria09
    maria09 Member Posts: 1,905
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,
    ive had about 2 of these injections in my thigh God the 1st 1 hurt!
    Ive also had my feet injected into the joint space sounds painful but my consultant was kind he numbed the area with a spray helped
    Ive had my wrists injected too that really helped
    I find the ones directly into my joints help & last longer than the others
    They say they can last for 3 months & can be repeated every three months in your joints i found they lasted abt 2 but my pain afterwards was easier
    Good luck & i hope they find something that works for you
    As you know with our conditions differnt things work for differnt people & its just about finding whats right for you
    Look after yourself
    Mx
  • theresa4
    theresa4 Member Posts: 696
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I had steroid depo and at first they were great I had one every 3 months early days and they would kick in prob 2 days after having them then last for 6 weeks 2 years in they worked for 4-6 weeks then the docs reduced me to 4-6 monthly which toook 3-4 days to kick in now I have 1 or 2 a year and they take 5 days for a full effect and only last 4 weeks.
    Everyone is different but from what the rheumy says steroids stop being effective eventually. As for the tablets I asked if I could go on them as the steroid injection sort of gives me a few weeks of mobility and would like to feel better longer term but he said it was very bad to stay on long term steroids and the nside effects far outweigh the benefits. (again everyone is different so that may not be the case for everyone).

    Hope you feel better soon x

    Theresa x
    There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart...pursue those. --Michael Nolan



    Theresa xxx
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Breane??
    Is it working yet??
    I really hope so - I dont like you poorly :(
    Love
    Toni xx
  • breane
    breane Member Posts: 392
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Toni, No the steroid injection doesn't seem to be working. :( It was done on Tues and I thought I may have noticed some improvement by now.Last night was horrendous,the shoulder/upper arm pain has spread into the neck and also into the bend of the arms.I could hardly get out of bed this morning.Don't know what's happening but this is the worse pain I've ever had. :(:( Got an appointment to see my GP on Monday and the rheumy nurse said if the jab hasn't worked within about a week to give her a ring so I'll probably ring her after I've seen him.I wanted to get some sort of pain relief before we go to the caravan.Two weeks time and we'll be going to get it set up for the season.Has your season started yet or have you decided to give it up? Hope all is ok with you. Love Breane. :P
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Breane

    You might have to have the jab in the joint this time maybe?? You poor thing - you need to be fit to open up dont you? :(

    Yesterday I gave our site 30 days notice....so it either goes somewhere else or it goes :( kids make too much fuss if I try to take them...they want to be here with their friends at weekends.

    Do let us know how you get on wont you?

    love

    Toni xx
  • mmarshall
    mmarshall Member Posts: 69
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Breane
    I have a problem with my shoulder it started off with just pain at the top of my arm then the pain continued down to my elbow then eventually to my wrist and hands.
    It took nearly 4 months to get the pain manageable.
    At first I was given the joint injection but that did not help, then I was given another one but it actually made the pain worse as I then could feel the pain in my neck.
    I was given strong co-codamol but they did not really help, just made me woozey.
    I was sent for a ultrasound scan to see where the inflamation was and I was then given a 3rd injection but again this did not work.
    I was sent to Physio and the first session she had me in tears moving my arm as it was so sore. The physio suggested that I be put on amytripiline and they really worked as soon as I started them. The physio said that the pain was coming from the nerve ends and that is why the injectection etc did not work.
    I am still on them 2 tabs at night and they also help me sleep.
    My shoulder still gets a bit sore but not all the time.
    I think what gets to you is the lengh of time all this takes while you are in a great deal of pain.
    I hope you don't go through the same as I did as I know we are all different but if the pain is not going away it might be worth asking to get a scan done soon before the pain get unbearable.
    Mary