Kenalog and sleep

I had a Kenalog shot about a month ago, due to having more phlegm than even the doctor could believe. My allergies are heinous. However, I felt no relief from the congestion or mucus from the shot. (He also put me on Nasacort, which I've noticed, in my week of use, has improved things slightly.)

Anyway, for about a month, I've been feeling exhausted. This remarkable fatigue has been plaguing me. I can't get out of bed, I fall asleep any time I sit still for too long. And I get plenty of sleep.

So here I am, on the internet, looking up causes, thinking I could have thyroid problems or cancer. Until my chiropractor mentioned that it might be the shot. So I researched it, and have seen that other people are having fatigue and sleeping problems, as well. Now I think I know the cause.

In conclusion, the shot rarely helps anyone and mostly only causes problems. I suggest moving to California for allergies.

I have the dent at the injection site too. I have been so worried it was skin cancer. I recently saw the same doctor and asked about it and she told me it was probably a scar from when I was little! I told her it showed up in August. She said not to worry and she would do a biopsy if it got bigger. She even had in her records I was there for the kenalog shot in summer. I had the shot in early July. Please inform me of any class action law suit. I am now wondering if this also was the cause to my lack of sleep and loss of 20 pounds over the summer. I was not informed of any negative side effects.
Thanks
******

Hi a little over a year ago i received a kenalog injection for allergies and have been having a lot of the same side effects you all have been having. I have a very large indentation on my butt. I have an appointment with a plastic surgeon to see about have the indentation fixed just out of worry that it will keep getting bigger because it has over the last 12 months. I have also had problems with my period. I have went from having extreme bleeding to 2 periods a month to now bleeding for 3 weeks at a time. I have also lost a ton of weight and am down to 115 pounds even though I eat all day long. A drug of this kind should not be on the market!!!! ON THE PACKAGE INSERT FOR THIS DRUG NONE OF THESE SIDE EFFECTS ARE LISTED. Somebody should be held liable. If any of you have any information on a class action lawsuit please let me know. Surgery to fix this is very expense not to mention just looking at it in the mirror and knowing that it could have been prevented if someone would have informed me that it could have possible happened.

I am a 33 year old mother of 2 and i just been diagnosed with disk protrusion from L5-S1. as i worked for an ortho froup my doctor advised me to get an Epidural injecting which has relieved a lot of my pain especially in my legs and feet. unfortunately 2 days after receiving the injection i have started a menstrual that has now lasted 14 days ( i just finished my cycle a week prior from getting the injection). im also experiencing anxiety attacks whereas i cannot sleep at night. My husband and i are considering having another child and this whole situation is very frustrating. Im going to physical therapy 2-3 time a week for 3 weeks and i hope it will be of some help. My surgeon doesn't feel i should have back surgery he states im to young...help!!!!!

Yes, kenalog has many side effects with SOME people. I'm both a patient that takes kenalog and a third year medical student. I've been receiving kenalog injections twice a year during allergy season for the past 5 years. All I can say is THANK GOD. I can deal with a itchy/running nose, the sneezing, and the itchy eyes. What I cannot deal with are the asthma symptoms that act up whenever my allergies do. I get little enough sleep as is, what I do get doesn't need to be interrupted by waking up not being able to breath.
What must be realized here is that however many posts are on this and like sites, the people who suffer from the side effects are in the minority. For most patients this drug provides great relief with little to no side effects.
For those who said that their doctors did not tell them what they were being given, or warned about the side effects, yes, those physicians should have warned their patients about the possible side effects. HOWEVER, it is also YOUR responsibility as a patient to ASK what you are being given, and what the possible side effects are. Never let anyone just stick a needle in your butt without asking what the heck they're doing first. I'm not defending those physicians that don't tell the patient what they're doing; they are in the wrong. But they see tons of patients very day, most of it route. And many patients lack the knowledge to ask what they are being given, and what might happen from it. Even if the physician took the time to explain, a lot of people wouldn't understand or simply don't care. Don't be one of those patients. Ask your PCP: what is this drug? what does it do? what are the possible side effects? what percentage of patients experience these side effects?. Take some responsibility for yourselves.

I had the same steroid injection for tonsillitis this past January in both cheeks. I now too have noticed a large indentation in my right butt cheek. I was never informed of this possible side effect either. I would definitely be interested in pursuing a class action regarding the disfigurement of my previously favorite body-part. Had I been informed of such, I would have just had my tonsils removed!!

I went to see my PCP in March 25th 2008 because my allergy. My pcp told me she'll give one injection since it's allergy season and it would make me fell better. She didn't tell me what kind of injection it was and I trust her.

The next day I was having panic attacks while I was outside on the street.
I couldn't breath because my heart was beating so fast, and I felt "pacey" all day. I just went home hoping the symptoms go away but it only got worse. I couldn't even walk because I was out of balance, my vision got blur and I had massive headache. I assume it was happening because the injection so I called my PCP, but she told me she didn't do anything different. My PCP had a day off so I went to the ER that afternoon. I had cat scan done in case I had stroke but my cat scan was clear. The ER dr think it's side effect from the shot.
I called my pcp 2 days later after my visitation to the ER but she never returned my call. Somehow, I couldn't trust my pcp I didn't go back to her.
I was hoping the injection fades away and try to manage my body. I start notice I had anxiety and couldn't sleep at night. I had pretty regular period but I had very irregular period following month and that drove me crazy because I had 2 full periods within a month and I had blood spots. I barely had period following month. I notice that I gain so much weight. I always watch what I eat so I never get out of control with my weight but I couldn't fit into my jeans I used wear. I also notice that I get back pain the side I had shot if I seat for long hours which I never had before. Now my legs are swelling ,numb and have tingling sensation. I was really concern so I call my pcp today to find out what kind of steroid she injected me. The medical assistant told me that doctor can't not give the name and he was giving me ridiculous excuses to not to give me the name of the injection . I was so upset and didn't make sense to me. I asked for the dr. and asked my pcp the name of the shot. It was "Kenalog". I googled the name and I found this site. I am really scare and I am upset at my pcp that she never mention what the injection was and never discuss the side effects with me. If I knew about the side effects back then I would never let her give me the shot.
I never signed anything with my pcp. My pcp promise to call me back today. I even left her a message again to call me but haven't heard from her yet.
I believe FDA is responsible for this steroid but doctors are holding great responsible also!

How long dose it takes to get back to normal? I would greatly appreciate for any information!
Dose anyone knows powerful lawyer?

I am 56 years old and have gone thru Menopause and have not had a period for 5 years. I just had 2 epidural injections of kenalog for my L4, L5, S1., I just had a period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The doctors say it's not from the steroid shot. I take a sleep aid pill to help me sleep. Good news is my pain is gone.

Wow - I had a great experience with kenalog in suppressing my allergies. They have been unbearable until getting the shot. I sat down with the doctor who went through the list of pros and cons with the drug. He said, and I agree wholeheartedly (I'm sure we all do) that no is more interested in or more responsible for my health than I am, so he said after going through the risks of meds that I should verify it for myself and if I felt comfortable with the shot he would give it. Can you imagine how much better off the world would be if we all took responsibility for ourselves - actually did our own homework? I've seen doctors before who don't really take the time to discuss side effects so I'm glad he did (but then, how many people ever read the drug information that the pharmacist gives out - can't really blame the doctor for that...). Anyways, given that I had severe symptoms that was affecting sleep and very low risk for osteoporosis I got the shot and man do I feel great!

I received a shot on the 21st of march and was told by my dr that the side effects were minimal and I have now been on my period for 18 days straight called my dr and they said thats not normal call your ob dr. Now that I have found this web site I see that I am not the only one who has had this problem. I have always thought it was a dr responsibility to worn you about side effects like this but I guess NOT. And to top it all off the shot didn't even work for me I am stili in alot of pain in my back. THIS SUCKS

i had this shot last June. i would never do it again. i had insomnia and night sweats for a month. i was up every hour on the hour wiping my self dry i was dripping wet from head to toe.. i had to wear my husbands running clothes for the sweat. the sweat was making me cold with my pj's. had to sleep w/ towels.every morning i would be so depressed from not sleeping i couldn't function at work. had severe anxiety( had to go on Xanax) had hair thinning, I lost 6 lbs went down to 100lbs and I'm 5 ft. become severely anemic the doctor wanted to do a blood transfusion. i could not stop bleeding for months clots galore. this is just a short version of the problems. the drug finally stopped working after 9 months.doctor wants to give me depo medrol. i don't think so!

I recieved this shot on July 2, 2007 for a frozen right shoulder and on July 9th a period began that lasted a total of 4 weeks, if was the most unusual period I have ever experienced. It would be heavy for 4 days taper off and then begin heavy again, it was like I was having several periods within a 4 week period. I ended up in the Dr's office because it was such a scary experience, I have never had a period for more than 5 days. I had several tests and ended up in the emergency room 2 days before the period ended because I was passing huge clots. I now have to make a decision on whether to have a D&C. I worry each day that I will begin bleeding again and not stop. I also experienced an extreme depressed feeling the next day after the shot and was unable to sleep soundly for about 2 weeks, I have also had headaches charley horse pains in my right calf, and pain in my left jaw. I am also having at least two to three heart palpitations each day. Of course today I cannot prove that the shot has caused all of these symptome and my OBGYN seems to know nothing about the effects of steroid shots, I have not spoken to my ortho dr. about this but they never mentioned any side effects with this drug, I was only asked whether I had diabetes or not before the shot was given. I would strongly recommend that if anyone is contemplating on having this shot to please do your research. After reading all of the comments here and hearing that alot of the symptoms that everyone has had mimic mine, I am convinced that the shot has probably created these adverse efffects which has lead to alot of worry and expensive tests to rule out cancer and other diseases that could have been prevented had I not taken this drug. Whether or not this drug created these effects will lead me without hesitation to never take this drug again and pray that the side effects that I am having are only temporary.

Just a quick update about my husbands law suit with doctor who gave him 6 shots of kenalog for gout in his feet, legs, and knees. Russell ended up rushed into hospital with steriod induced diabetes and was told he would be inusulin dependant for the rest of his life, although his records went missing from hospital shortly after he was admitted. the doctor acting for the solictor came to examine him and has told us he has found letters from the hospital to our doctors and the interesting fact that I think everyone should know, he told us that the manufactors of kenalog suggest a maxium dose of 80 ml he told us Russell was injected with 320ml. We were also told that even though what he went through was very frighting because he did not die, we haven't got a positive case for sueing the doctor. ( but we still are continuing with the law suit)
Russell is not using insulin anymore as the steriods have came out of his body and his pancreas started again, although he is now classed as diabetic type 2 ( diet controlled)
Regards
Tina and Russell ***

I share the story of many others on this site...

Severe fall allergies, despite years of ineffective perscription allery pills and steroid nasal sprays. Nothing seemed to work. A doctor at my University health clinic suggested the shot (actually Triamcinelone). I've been getting the shot (now Kenalog) every September for 10 years, and absolutely love it. In fact, my wife and kids can't wait for me to get it, because allergies turn me into a grumpy, tired monster! Over the counter pills make me extremely sluggish and irratable.

10 years, no dents or headaches! Just pure relief... if you can't find a doctor who will give it to you, keep searching. I've also been able to convince a doctor or two by suggesting that I will only need 1 low dose shot. Many are hesitant (in my opinion) because they're afraid you'll keep coming back to ask for more. Just 1 a year does it for me. Hope this helps.