I received shot in my hip on 8/29 and have slept only 2 hrs, a nite since then. I cannot even work now, job is very physical. Am nervous, shaky,whole body twitches. Finally decided to take Dr. advice and take Xanax last nite ( only 1/2 pill) It did calm me down and help me rest, but now feel out of it, and still shaky. How long does this anxiety, nervousness last? This was my 1st shot. Also am afraid to drive much. Never really took any med but aleve. Just want to know how long these effects typically last.Also, don't have much appetite, just nervous eating. All my doctors tell me they have never seen this happen before. ( I really don't believe them) Also, should I go to cardiologist or neurologist ? ( having some chest pain and numbness in left arm) I don't want to take much of the Xanax, says it may be addictive, and don't need more side effects. Help
Corisone shot injection side effects, how long do they last? 9 days now?
Question posted by eice on 7 Sep 2011
Last updated on 31 August 2024
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
137 Answers Page 6
This drug is the devil. I received an injection in August and it felt like I was going to die for the first month. Non-stop pacing, pounding heart rate and pain in chest, difficulty breathing, soreness in entire body etc. It also caused acid reflux for the first three months so now I have significant damage to my once-pristine teeth. I'm nearing six months now and I'm still sick, although nowhere near as bad as the first few months. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if it takes years for it to fully leave my body. I pray to God everyday to get me through this and I can't believe that doctors who are supposed to HELP people inject this poison into patients.
One side effect I forgot to mention, bloated red face and swollen fingers. Still experiencing this after six months. This drug makes me hideous.
Is there anyone who was still sick after 6 months, and if so how long did it take for this poison to FULLY leave your body?
I had the injection on 10/5/2018. Today, 2/1/2019, I had a terrible reaction episode. BP was 182/90. I felt shaky and shook with every heartbeat. Waves of hot/cold from my belly to my chest, shoulders, face, arms, legs, with chest pain and pressure. No shortness of breath. Took early dose of my BP meds and some xanax. I called the doctor but my BP had gone down by the time called back. This was a terrible episode that I almost called 911. This my 5th month and I can't believe it's still in my system. So, all of you suffering from this curse, don't be surprised if you go through the same thing. Keep praying. Good luck, everyone.
Into my 5th month and go through those exact symptoms 3-4 times a week. And nowdays can remain semi calm about it when it happens. Odd thing now is sometimes my b.p will be normal and other times a huge spike occurs. I'm sure I do get yet still all excited but these same symptoms are why I've had now 17 e.r. visits and cardiology tests with have all showed nothing. Sometimes I just go off by myself when these symptoms occur turn the TV on mute and wait it out like a bad storm.
Hickory1304, I have short episodes that pass without the chest pain and fullness in my throat and lower jaw. I ignore those. This last one though was overwhelming. I'm just afraid I won't wake up because I ignored the atypical symptoms of a heart attack on a female. Meanwhile I'll keep taking my BP meds, xanax at bedtime and pray the rosary till I fall asleep. I won't lose faith and hope.
Daxa90, what happened to your teeth?
Daxa90, the swollen red face is cushing's syndrome. Met a woman who also experienced this. She said it went away by the 2 yr mark. Most of us here are suffering the mental effects (steroid psychosis), but there's actually another group of people suffering from the physical effects such as hair loss and indentation on injection site, etc. Please know after speaking with many people. EVERYONE HAS RECOVERED. But believe me, i understand the feeling of doom when you're going through it especially in the first few months. I, myself, is still not 100% at 4 1/2 months. The 24/7 suffering was over by the 3 1/2mark, but i developed severe anxiety/panic disorder from it. I've spent a lot of money on seeking therapists, nutritionists, drs appt etc. One of the things significantly helping me is tapping. If any of you would like to chat. Feel free to call me 925-315-5179.
I'm almost at 7 months now and still sick. The symptoms are much weaker than in the first few months but I can't believe I'm still dealing with this after 7 months. I went from a healthy and athletic guy in his late twenties to feeling like I'm in the body of a 90 year old man overnight, all because of one cortisone injection. In response to what happened to my teeth, the drug caused severe acid reflux in the first few months because it weakened my stomach muscles, so anytime I ate I'd get acid in my mouth which caused some tooth sensitivity and yellowing.
The cortisone seems to be on a time release, because the side effects start every day at around the same time. My face and fingers are still very swollen which is a sign of Cushing's Syndrome. It might sound vain but it makes me not even want to socialize because of how red and bloated my face is. I'm also short of breath when the cortisone's effects are strongest. I can't play sports anymore because of soreness in my entire body and muscle weakness. The most I can do in terms of physical exercise now is light walking. And this is from a guy who was lifting heavy weights and doing cardio 3-4 times per week.
I think doctors are definitely lying when they say the drug only stays in the body for six months, because I read another study in which tissue atrophy from a cortisone injection can last up to thirty months. I'm hoping that the drug leaves my body by 2020. That will end up being a year and a half of my life stolen from me, thanks to one injection.
I had really bad acid reflux too. Got two shots in early October and got acid reflux in December which lasted through January. In mid December, it got so bad to where it would be like a fountain of acid spurting into my throat if I ate anything. Tums weren't enough so I started taking zantac 75 which got ahold of it, but my throat was so ravaged by the acid already that eating anything would irritate it and make it swell up. I barely ate anything for two months and lost 25 lbs. I think it's a symptom of the extreme anxiety. I looked into acid reflux and (of course) "doctors" have no idea why it happens, but people say it's comorbid with anxiety disorders. Mine faded away as my anxiety lessened. I had to go on a strict dairy-free and gluten-free diet for a while. Just started introducing them back in.
What really helped me though, was starting the Wim Hof breathing method. I've been doing it for about three weeks now and my stomach issues subsided pretty quickly. Got off the Zantac a couple days in.
I also have a bit of Cushing's. I had the most intense panic attack I've had since the start of this sh*t at the beginning of December and my brow has been swollen and red ever since. It looks like I have a really bad hangover at all times. At 5+ months, though, my only lingering symptoms are that and residual anxiety which I can manage. I'm thankful for that.
HopefulforHealing - I sent you a text, if you still want to chat with somebody.
I don't like the phrase "panic attack" because doctors use that to imply this is all your imagination, but tell me if anyone experienced anything similar. I received the injection 7 months ago and it took two days for the drug to go systemic. I suddenly had some trouble breathing and my heart was speeding up, couldn't think straight and also suddenly felt extremely dehydrated. I just felt this adrenaline throughout my entire body and it felt like I was going to die. Even the skin on my entire body changed texture within a matter of minutes, becoming lower quality and really dried out. I rushed to the hospital but they of course told me that cortisone couldn't have these side effects and diagnosed me as having a panic attack. I had numerous "reactions" like this for the first two months each time all the side effects would intensify in the weeks afterward.
I’m at 2 years and 3 months since my injections and I am still not completely back to normal
Daxa90 it's me Lost in Az,I got the shot on July 24,2015 and I say about the 2 year mark I was finally starting to feel somewhat normal. Time is the only healer
Lost in AZ... I'm still fighting anxiety and my back still hurts. Sigh I sincerely hope it's almost over. 2 years of this? Not sure I can get my head wrapped around the idea this will last that long.
Lost in AZ I'm at the one year mark now and feel much better now than the first six months. I'm still a bit sick though and I also think I'm going to be one of the cases that takes a long time for it to fully leave my body.
Kikikats43 Only the most severe cases take that long to get back to normal. Most people seem to take less than 6 months. If you're having issues with your back as a result of the injection you should immediately start taking calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, glucosamine/chondroitin and vitamin K2 MK-4 if you're not already.
I was feeling better the past week or so but I had another bad day to day. All the side effects came rushing back out of nowhere. No doctor ever warned me I'd be experiencing this still a year later. I really do think it's going to take another year or to until I feel normal again.
One more side effects I didn't mention before, I noticed my hair has thinned out considerably. Not just on my head, but my body hair as well.
I had a cortisone shot on 10/5/2018 for bursitis in my hip due to bone spurs. A week after the shot, I was in the ER with a BP of 230/100. I also had chest pressure and headaches. Question of heart attack, also a stroke? These were ruled out after a 24 hr hospital admission. So went home with BP meds 3x/day. I checked my BP often. I counted my pulse by just hearing it in my ears. When anxiety attacked, my heart felt like it would beat out of my chest, felt hot and cold, no appetite. My scalp hurt like my hair follicles were inflamed. My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Xanax helped me sleep so I'd forget my high BP. I prayed that I'd wake with no signs of stroke. It was horrible. I missed the holidays. I'm into my 4th month now and feeling better. Anxiety attacks are less frequent and last a minute or so. BP is finally under control. Tinnitus is still quite loud. My scalp still hurts. Cold packs help relieve the pain.
But I'm losing my hair. I haven't seen this mentioned here at all. But apparently it happens. There's a site about dogs losing their hair after cortisone shots for arthritis.
I was so glad and relieved to see I'm not the only one in this situation. I hope and keep praying this will be over soon. I still have hip pain. I will limp along with my cane BUT never have cortisone shots again.
I'm still here. 16 er visits in 4 months. Like u unsay Glen I wake every morning checking signs for a stroke or wandering what my blood pressure was today. My b.p. spikes came along about the 3rd month and these stress blisters on my fingers tips sides and palms. I was already on xanax before the Sept 19 shot 125 mg solu medral and get some relief but I noticed it seems to not help most of the time. Now I'm getting 3-4 hours of sleep with the insomnia with also came later also. My blood sugar dipped at the beginning and has gotten better. What a ride 14 ekgs, 2 CT scans of my head, a stressful tests, 13 blood lab panels.all showing nothing. Their so sick of seeing me they prescribed me clonidine 0.1 mg to take for the b.p. spikes but the symptoms u go through is crap 199/122 and within 3 hours I'm 110/80 then it rebounds when the clonidine wears off. Some days at a time it's 120/82 on its own then bam.
I think like not knowing what the next day is gonna bring is what keeps me in turmoil. Tremors in hands come and go and facial twitches. It's like all the stress is in my chest area now. Still bein positive and trying to hold it together Thanx to these posts like yours. Thanks everyone.
Just curious. How many of Ya including me became obsessed with their blood pressure. Checking it daily or several times a day. I've found that sometimes not knowing or checking it were my better days. It's like someone. Commented. The power of fear and paranoia it has on Ya. It's like a chemical cocktail on the nervous system.
Oh no! I got a steroid shot last week and have felt absolutely horrid for the last few days. Symptoms include shakiness, heart palpitations, feeling weak, and feeling like I’m going to pass out when I stand up. And can’t forget the increase in sugar level and blood pressure. I had an RA flare in my hand and instead of going to my rheumatologist (takes too long to get in), I went to my PCP. My pain level was at a 10 and pretty unbearable. My rheumatologist said she would never give me steroids because of my diabetes but my PCP gave me a shot and oral steroids (didn’t take the oral meds because I was afraid). The good news is my pain level is very manageable. The bad news is I can’t stand how awful I feel. Next time I will just go to my rheumatologist and bypass these steroids. Good luck to us all. Hope we all feel a little less horrible as each day passes.
Going to doctors is pointless because every single one will tell you it's "in your head". None of them are willing to admit that something they themselves inject into patients could cause this much torture.
I had a steroid shot for my allergies 5 days ago. I’ve been feeling shakiness , nervous. Haven’t been able to eat much. It’s a horrible feeling. How is everyone doing?
I just past 100 days post-shots and I finally feel some relief. Anxiety is about 90% gone. These shots really take you for a ride.
wow, like others there seem to be lots more negative side effects from these injections. I had an injection into my high hamstring into the bursa due to complicated hamstring issues and sitting pains. This happened at 2pm on Jan 9th 2019, I got 3hrs sleep (2am-5am) and woke up with a full blown hallucination where I was sitting upright patting me blanket thinking it was my little conure bird all snuggled up and this went on for a few minutes. And now I'm dealing with crazy hiccups and have read more into this as a side effect as well, great. Still too soon to tell if it has actually taken my sitting pains away but flip, if it doesn't do anything I'm gonna be super pissed. I still have the other side to do as I now have bilateral :( Thanks for everyones input though.
I ended up in ER with heart attack symptoms multiple times in 6 weeks after cortisone shot. Coudn't sleep, got sleep deprivation paranoia. Had blood sugar problems. Initially lost a lot of weight and then fatigue set in and gained a huge amount in a short space of time. Doctors didn't seem to believe me and treated me like I was a mental case. Saw a cardiologist who said nothing wrong with my heart. Only one nurse realised I was having some kind of reaction to the cortisone. There should be warnings and they should point them out to patients before getting injections.
I had a sinus infection as was giving a hip injection of solu medral 125 mg. Within 24 hours bam it has been hell from then on . Only symptom I didn't see on here was stress blisters on my palms and sides and tops of all my fingers. That came 3 months after the injection. I've had 15 e.r. visits and 7 of them were ambulance rides. I already had bad anxiety and was already on xanax for it. So can you all imagine? Now it's the severe b.p. spikes highest was 199/122 I would get immediate relief from Ativan through iv while at e.r. the xanax wasn't much help. Then my doctor switched from xanax to Ativan 1mg 3times daily for 4 days I felt myself and no symptoms. Then started going through some kinda Benz like withdrawal from stopping the xanax and going on Ativan. I went through hell and had doc switch back to xanax cuz I had worse fatigue and b.p.spikes while on Ativan. Tomorrow will be my 5 th month since the shot.
And getting all more relief after being on hydroxyzine 25 mg but I take em at night cuz of the auditory hallucinations it gives u. Back still living with my parents . Family doesn't understand this and try to get me to go on rides or family trips. Could u imagine Doin that while going through all this? Just so glad to know I'm not alone on this journey through hell. Thank u all for the comments that have kept me going.
Thanks for sharing, hickory. How long has it been since your shot? Have you noticed yourself improving?
Like the others my physical symptoms have subsided after 3 months however I still have hand stress blisters, trembling hands, b.p. spikes, and the mental of fear, fight or flight when I'm around others easily stressed. The simple things trigger me whether it's in real life or even violence. On TV. I have to watch craft shows or cartoons. The evening news triggers me. And most of the time I have the volume on mute. Now their treated for post traumatic stress syndrome or p.t.s.d. with clonidine 0.1mg. For the blood pressure spikes and xanax 0.5 mg. And hydroxyzine 25 mg. 3 times a da for the mental/ stress I can't seem to shake
Can any of you call me to chat? I'm going on my 5th month since the shot. Same as you all, 3 months of hell then ptsd after. Maybe we can talk for support. 925-315-5179.
Had my 6th cortisone shot today since 2014 in my neck for disc herniation... the first 4 I don't remember many side effects. The 5th one was 2 1/2 years ago ... I started getting major anxiety manifesting in my throat as a constant swallowing sensation, that lasted a year... several drs. And tests and all concluded it was anxiety gone haywire. When I concluded it was anxiety I began to get it under control from techniques I learned from bouts of panick and anxiety from a rough life. I did start finally feeling better after a year but it came back... my neck pain did subside during that year... now for several months my herniated disc flared up ,,, to avoid surgery I got a shot today and I am going through it. Anxiety... echos in my head... can't sleep... When you have stress your body releases cortisol,,, I think this just doubles the load and wreaks havoc on you endocrine and nervous system. I wont't do this again...
praying this is the worst of it and I can stay off Xanax... I can attest... that it will subside but as with anxiety, the more you fight it,, the worse it can flare up... drink water, exercise... clean diet... prayer,, breathing and meditation... keep close friends and family don't isolate!
I have been given these injections numerous times over the last 20 years.
They work for rhumatiod as far as getting inflammation down..
Problem is that they also cause serious insomnia, paranoia, and anxiety.
In my case that is part in parcel of the roll of the dice.
Can I suggest that to combat these terrible side effects you try cannabis infused eatables.
It does not guarantee a sleep but will reduce the "speedy" feeling considerably and let you function more like a normal person. I
I usually find the worst symptoms ( sleep deprivation, restlessness, irritated, nervous, on edge) subside after around 3 to 4 weeks.
To be honest I could not have the quality of life I have without these injections but the side effects are severe so its purley a matter of what suits you.
Hi all Just checking in and wishing all a Merry Christmas .Aurthor 1970 ,never again will I ever get these shots , its not worth the side effects I would rather live with Pain then the Hell this caused,The number 1 problem is the Doctors not informing the patients of the severe side effects that can happen if i would of been informed I would of declined ,Anyways Hoping all is well as can be and Hang in there all,it does get better Lost in Az
Hey lost in AZ, its been six months and I have PTSD. the physical went away but the anxiety and the disassociation stayed. does the disassociation/not feeling real ever go away? im afraid, and sad. i cant gain weight. please help. I have severe anxiety and depression from this and I feel ill never truly be myself again. it feels like there is cotton i. and around my head and like i cant feel my thoughts. I dont know. im numb.
118742,Hang in there,if you feel that you need help,seek it, I did and it did help ,this poison takes time to get rid of and yes things will get back to as normal as can be ,will you have residuals ,maybe maybe not ,but you go on and dont let it take anything else from you than it already has. Thinking of you Lost in AZ
Hi 118742 and LostinAZ, I'm in the same boat. Most of the physical symptoms and chemical-induced anxiety/depression have stopped at 3 1/2 month mark. I thought I was free... until i realized that the trauma of it all really messed up my fight-or flight response. I can barely drive because I'm so nervous when doing so. Also, when I go places by myself I feel very nervous or experience DP. I started to become agoraphobic. I have to temporarily separate from my husband and live with my parents while I recover. By recovering, I mean teach my brain how not to panic while driving, etc. The good news is we WILL recover... it just takes work on our end and time. I've been pushing myself and driving further and further (2 months before all this i drove a 15-person van all around CA for a 2 week roadtrip. I was the only driver, so no, I never had this fear before). My period also has been non-stop. So that one hasn't gone away. Has anyone else had this issue? Is there another support forum we can go to?
HopefulforHealing - Regarding the messed up fight or flight response, I've experienced the same thing. I'm at 3 1/2 months now and can feel very calm at times and free of anxiety, but I get easily stressed and when I do it's like getting hit by a train - blood pressure and heart rate spike and stay that way until I can retreat to a "safe space" (hate to use that term). I still feel way off from normal. My unnatural depression also ended sometime in the past month thankfully, like you.
I have been researching anxiety and my other symptoms and it has lead me to thinking that the cause of this all lies with the Parasympathetic Nervous System, and possibly the Vagus Nerve to be more specific. Not positive, but worth looking into.
Unfortunately, I haven't found another forum where this has been discussed.
Wow so glad to have found this site! It feels good to know that I'm not totally bonkers! I received a pain/steroid injection in my cervical spine with trigger point injections Oct 4th then again Oct 11th due to severe pain. After the injections I started having the worst anxiety I have ever experienced! It was constant PURE PANIC mode for almost 2 months solid! I have never felt like this before! I have seen a my family doctor, counselor, 2 psychiatrists, and a cardiologist (with 4 more appts to have tests with them). About 2 days ago I started feeling a bit better. I don't know if it's the Buspar I was given, finding this post, or hopefully it's leaving my body. My symptoms were Constant Panic Attacks, Anxiety, Depression, Crying, Heart palpitations, sweaty hands and feet, and being constantly chilled and cold all at the same time. I felt like I was crawling out of my skin! I pray so hard that this will stay away.
I'm still a little jittery inside and have great fear that it will return. I have asked 2 pharmacist, my pain doc, and heart doctor and they both deny these are side effects from the steroids. 2 psychiatrist, radiologist I work for, and my surgeon that ended up doing a cervical fusion Oct. 16th said the steroids can be like a chemical cocktail for the brain on some people and the length of time it lasts is unknown... I have almost lost my job, my health insurance, and have totally freaked out my husband and children due to these debilitating effects. I truly believe it stems from the steroid injections. It started right after I got them. I pray for peace and comfort for anyone going through this torture. It will get better I know this but it's quiet a ride!
I went to many doctors myself ,no one can find anything wrong and deny its the shot ,but we all know it is Hang tight, Time is the only healer for this poison
I received a hydrocortisone injection on August 9 and the first three months were complete hell. I could write a book detailing all the side effects I experienced. I even had to temporarily quit my job. Now I'm almost four months further and although it's much weaker in my body than a few months ago I'm just anxiously looking forward to the day this poison is completely out of my system. To anyone who experienced strong reactions to the drug and made it through to the other side, how long did it take for it to completely subside? Now I'm worried that it could take years.
18 months to complete recovery - you are over the worst ! Be patient and don’t give up
So does that mean after one year you were still experiencing side effects?
After one year anexity maybe twice a week and elevated BP . Strange allergies etc . Two years after and I’m back to normal ! Back to gym , traveling and my normal body weight. Life is good again ! Things will get better although you feel like this is unbearable and you can’t go on ( I had terrible panic attacks and depression as one of my symptoms , feelings of wanting to “ jump out of my skin “ ) please be patient : sleep a lot , eat well ( avoid stimulants like sugar ) gentle exercise and plenty of water . It’s your recovery time and be good to yourself. Stay positive
I'm even hesitant to describe just how severe my reaction was to a single hydrocortisone injection because I'm exhausted of doctors telling me it's "just in my head". I have some kind of rare and extreme hypersensitivity to corticosteroids. The injection in August sent me straight to hell. Even within a few minutes after the shot I started feeling a pressure inside my brain and strange pains throughout my body. Later that day I collapsed in a hotel lobby because I literally couldn't breathe and was taken to the ER. The next day I visited three ER rooms because once again I was having trouble breathing and felt constantly like I was on the verge of a heart attack among other side effects.
Three days after the injection my whole body started swelling up and I just felt stiffness and pain throughout my body. It was the scariest experience of my life and it was the catalyst for the bone loss side effect. This hasn't been normal bone loss in the sense of just lowered bone density, but my bones throughout my body actually started shrinking from this point onward for the next few months including in my face. We're talking about millimeters of difference, so it's not as if I look deformed now but it has been a very painful experience. In the first month I lost the ability to walk and was crawling around my apartment. When I lay down to try and sleep at night I could feel my heart rate slowing and even if I managed to fall asleep, I wasn't sure if I'd wake up alive. I can already imagine that people are rolling their eyes as they read this, but it's the truth. Another terrible side effect was that I felt an extreme restlessness during the day, it was like a train inside my body. In the first month all I could do was literally pace back and forth twelve hours a day. I also had vision problems, spiked blood sugar, acid reflux, muscle weakness, along with lowered cognition and feeling "high" much of the time.
I'm still somewhat surprised that I survived the first few months. It took three months before the days went from excruciating to tolerable. Now I'm nearing four months and all the side effects are toning down, including the bone loss which is the most worrisome to me. Making it through each day feels like a small victory and I can't wait until the day this poison is fully out of my system.
Trust me - your symptoms are very believable ! I couldn’t walk for 3 months , lost over 20 lb ( I was very petite to start with and looked like skeleton ) BP of 180/220 and constant visits to ER . I had a seizure ( never ever had one before ! ) My husband was in tears daily thinking that I’m going to die . But I did survive and you will too ... our bodies are amazing :) your bones will rebuild to be strong or maybe stronger than before ! Your heart will start beating as it should again . Trust your body !
I'm glad to hear that you fully recovered. It's good that you had your husband supporting you at least throughout the process. I think it's pretty much impossible for others to imagine what this drug can do to a person, even the doctors themselves. This forum is the only place I've found others whom I can relate to. In my case the doctors said there's no way one single injection could cause this many adverse reactions therefore it must be "psychological", and of course my family members believed the doctors because they're the experts on the subject.
Direct your family to this website and discussion ! What you are going through is real and definitely not in your head ! Stay strong and listen to your body
Hey can I just ask how long it took before you started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? It's definitely getting weaker in my body gradually over time but it's a slow process.
About 6-7 months I could feel things improving slowly . But at 18 months no more anxiety, started enjoying social life and traveling again .Hang in there !
EwaM54, did your cold allergy go away? Also what was the dosage of your steroid shot? Glad you are doing better.
@skiath i felt high all the time too. its disassociation from high anxiety. ive had it for six months straight, 24/7 since july. I got severe anxiety and depression from the injection. i am now in therapy and was in outpatient and I am even beig threatened to be put in inpatient because my weight. I lost so much and cant gain, 11 pounds in a week. Then it kept dropping. I hope the disassociation/high feeling goes away, does it ever for any of you? Everyone says stop blaming cortisone blame your traumatic experiences and i said no, none of this happened until two days after that shot. Thats when side effects kick in typically. 2-5 days.
118742 Six months is nothing, it can take up to two years for all side effects to go away according to some anecdotal reports.
118742 Yes I had the same experience with the cortisone going fully active two days after the injection. It just hit me out of nowhere. It's crazy how long this stuff stays in your system but all I've learned is that very gradually the side effects will subside.
How did you all deal with the weight loss? I lost 15lbs in a month (already a skinny dude) and my muscles are incredibly weak. I'm eating ~2500-3000 calories a day but still no energy and not gaining and feel like i'm slowly dying... any advice? Thanks
Hello, I'm at 18 months now and although I feel much better than those first few months I'm still sick with physical side effects from the injection. I think I'm one of the most extreme cases here, and at this rate I predict another 1-2 years for the side effects to fully subside.
Really big news for everyone here. After doing a lot of research I found out that Activated Charcoal removes corticosteroids from the body. My first dose was 24 hours ago and the cortisone side effects literally feel half as strong now. I don't want to get to optimistic because this seems too good to be true.
Hey everyone. Just wanted to comment my experience. This thread was a godsend to me in early November. I had shots in both knees in early October and started getting massive amounts of anxiety around two weeks after. That developed into severe depression and endless negative rumination (I'm a VERY positive person naturally) by Nov 10th and I started having panic attacks because of it. Every little problem gave me a sense of impending doom I couldn't shake. I muscled my way through each day, basically. I did a bunch of searching, found this thread and saw OP say they took L-Theanine for anxiety. I tried it on a whim and it's given me incredible relief. Been taking it for the past 10 days or so and I feel like it's given me my life back. Started taking Ashwagandha Root Powder recently as well as it's been studied to reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels which the cortisone floods your body with.
I do feel a bit sedated by them, but give them (esp L-Theanine) a shot if you were like me and couldn't bear the symptoms.
I think the shots are wearing off, finally. My anxiety seemed like it peaked around week 6-7 and has been slowly receding since. I'm not terrified of my sober mind anymore. I'm at 8.5 weeks now. I'll post an update in the future.
I've heard before that the passage of time seems to rush by us in most circumstances; a sort of solipsistic sleep. The exceptions are when we are children, and when we fall in love. Well, I've found a new one: waking each day feeling marginally better, and anxiously awaiting when I feel 100% normal again.
11.5 weeks. I'm much better, but not out of it yet. Once I took Ashwagandha Root Powder, I started getting almost an allergic reaction to L-Theanine, though. Don't know if there's correlation there. It just happened. L-Theanine was incredible for the 11 or so days I took it, but it started making my heart-rate skyrocket. My body's been a bit haywire, developing weird allergies & tolerances. Gonna try lemon balm tomorrow.
For anyone in the future who's going through this and scouring these threads, tracking everyone's progress like I did, the above posts are mine.
I had cortisone shots in my knees about two weeks ago, and several days ago began having anxiety in the morning, usually dissipating by late afternoon. It is very uncomfortable, and makes me cry as well. At first I thought it was because of some very complicated instructions to get a visa for Brazil, but after that was accomplished, I still had the anxiety. This has happened before, and I think it is related to cortisone shots or prednisone tapers. I don’t always get it with the shots, but when I do get the anxiety, it comes some time after the fact. I really hate this, but the cortisone helps my knees. I think now it isn’t worth having these anxiety feelings.
Afternoon. My Dad had a cortisone injection 6 weeks ago for trigger finger. It was depo medrone and lidocaine. 2 days after the injection he started not feeling right and since he has had extreme anxiety. Could this be from the injection and how long will it take for these affects to subside? He said it’s ruining his life. Please help. Thanks
Hi! Two days after my injection i got the same thing. I was hospitalized 6-9 times in one month and lost 11 pounds in two days. I have had severe anxiety for almost four months and ive felt
disconnected/like im going to die (from anxiety?) Its derealization/depersonalization. I feel like my head is full of fluff/cotton and like i cant "feel my thoughts" and like nothing is real. I get tunnel vision and now have severe health anxiety. I feel high all the time and the not feeling my
thoughts is awful. My breathing also is bad and i had hugh bp and heart rate, but im starting to get better with therapy. they say i have "trauma" which i do, but i also have the effects! Has anyone suffered the mental? does it ever go away? ill tell you the physical does but does the mental?
With the disassociation/disconnected you feel like your head is above you. seriously, does it go away? i hate feeling like im not real. my thoughts dont feel mine and my head feels empty/static like an old tv. ugh
Hi Emma, sorry your dad is going through this horror. It does get better, how long depends on his dosage. I am three months out and the insane anxiety has let up to about 6 hours a day instead of 24/7. Still have other symptoms though.
(Try to avoid any med such as a Benzo or antidepressant to cope as these will have to be tapered if taken for a long time, and that in itself is horrific.)
Best wishes.
Thanks for the reply.
They gave his some diazepan originally, just 4-6mg a day which wasn’t doing anything. He’s now been put on to Risperidone which he doesn’t really understand why as this is to treat bi polar and schizophrenia! He’s had this for 3 days and hasn’t noticed an improvement yet. I think they should just increase the diazepan a bit.
The doctors just say they can’t rule it out but they don’t believe it’s the cortisone injection.
I think he feels more anxiety as they are due to fly to Thailand in less than 3 weeks and he’s worried he won’t be able to get on the plane. Hope you’re feeling better soon too.
Also what causes the cortisone to give these sort of reactions? Is it where it gets into the bloodstream by mistake? My dad has had blood tests and they’ve not mentioned about cortisone being in his blood
Hi all ,Im 3 and a half years out post shot,the side effects of this poison do let up ,everyone is different some heal sooner than others ,as far as PTSD yes i will forever have it and it did cause some residual side effects ,but i have come along ways in my healing ,The anxiety and other side effects will let up just have to give it time ,It angers me that these doctors dont tell the patients that this can happen ,Yes the mental part will heal My thoughts and prayers with all in healing
Lost in AZ, thanks for keeping updating. What dosage of steroid were you on? It is very disheartening to see someone take years to feel better. But I am glad you are doing well. Take care.
Hey lost in AZ, its been five months and I have PTSD. the physical went away but the anxiety and the disassociation stayed. does the disassociation/not feeling real ever go away? im afraid, and sad. i cant gain weight. please help.
118742 - Is what you're experiencing Depersonalization/Derealization? I've had that happen in the past from a reaction to something, and I've experienced it a couple times over the last few weeks (my cortisone shots were 2 months ago). It's pretty horrific and terrifying the first time. I got over it in time.
For the anxiety, try L-Theanine supplements, as others here have recommended. It's been great for me.
Oh sorry, didn't read your comment above where you said that's what it was. It took me about 6 months for DP/DR to go away. The best things were being around people and staying busy. Going to work and seeing people talk to me and react to me when I would talk to them sort of reminded me that I was a human. It was a long existential crisis for me, but I knew that my bizarre and troubling perspective wouldn't stop me from living. It just slowly faded away as time went on. After that 6 months, and since then, I returned mentally to exactly who I was before.
The times DP/DR has happened recently wore off as fast as it came. I knew it was a sensation that goes away so it didn't bother me. I was more concerned at the time with spiraling down into depression again and the other mental effects cortisone has had on me.
Hi! ive had it for ALMOST six months and its still really strong. its awful. will it eventually ever let up?
Yeah, it will. Try not to think about it, keep going forward in life, and be around people you care for as much as possible. My dog's company has been the biggest help since I started getting my side effects. I've had it a couple times since I posted above (I'm the "Inactive" one - re-registered to pick a more discrete username), but the sensation hasn't lasted more than a day. I'm guessing it's tied to the shots, and as all your side effects fade, this sensation will too. My mind has been in some weird, weird places, but I'm 10 weeks out now and things have improved.
I'm so sorry you've had it worse than others here. But remember that everyone has recovered in time.
About to be RN here dealing with the same symptoms that everyone else seems to be having. the first 2 weeks were the absolute worst with me being brought to the ER 5 times with high bp, palpitations and even an episode of closed eye hallucinations. another few symptoms that i havent seen anyone mention is that now as im falling asleep my heart rate is lower than normal, around 45 bpm and i feel as if my hearts stopping. iv also been very vasoconstricted as my penis gets extremely rigid and has even turned a blueish purple color on an occasion. this is the scariest thing iv dealt with yet as it sets the anxiety thru the roof. anxiety is what i suspect is causing most of the problems as iv never dealt with it before in my life and i just cant believe the effect it has on the mind. have had every workup i can possibly have from endocrine, cardio, nephro, blood work numerous times and nothing significant has shown up.
doctors are losing patients with me saying it cant be from the shot but a few have said it can be a few weeks. its now been a month and symptoms are slowly dissipating. to anyone seeing this, hang tough and we will all come out on the sunny side soon enough.
How do you feel now?
hey daxa, im feeling much much better at about the 4 month mark here. still have a bit of a racing heart that is hard to settle down and have some health anxiety still as i still dont feel 100%. the vasoconstriction has settled down also which was a major concern of mine. the worst is over but its still going to be a tough road back to where i once was. im about to start a 12 week workout/diet program and am hoping that this can help me get back on track in less time. iv also ordered a CBD tincture that hasnt come in the mail yet to see if that can help balance some of the anxiety. worth a shot. ill keep updated on that. stay strong and well all get through this in due time.
Thanks to all for keeping this discussion alive. I found this at the 3 week mark from a corticosteroid injection into the bursa of my right shoulder. Insomnia, emotional liability, severe fatigue and weakness that improves only for a few hours and then returns for days, loss of appetite, aching muscles everywhere, horrible chills along with hot flashes. And my shoulder pain still interferes with sleep and daily living. Never, ever again. When these systemic side effects have been so common among the responders here, and when the effects on our lives have been so frequently devastating for extended periods of time, it looks to me like absolute criminal negligence that we were not informed of their likelihood prior to treatment. I don't have the energy to do anything about it but acknowledge it, and from the sounds of it I won't for a while. Appreciate hearing that it did get better for people. Please keep posting updates!!
Hello eice. So sorry you are having trouble with the cortisone injection. Everyone has different reactions and I want to tell you to just be patient. My husband's reactions included shakiness, depression, not able to eat or sleep, and feelings that he couldn't breathe at times. Most of his symptoms finally subsided some but not totally. He also takes Xanax to help and only has to take it once in a while when he feels panicky. The symptoms will gradually go away so don't give up. Our doctors didn't realize these symptoms could go along with the shot; but after I came to this site and read about others who have had the same problem, we copied some reactions and took to our physicians and they were amazed but finally checked into it. Hope you get to feeling better and realize that you are not the only one and you are definitely not crazy as some people say.
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