Cushing symptoms and conditions

I'm a physician. Usually Kenalog injections can be avoided and oral steroids used like prednisone. The local dimpling effect may occur if the injection is too shallow, actually there is a temporary "disolving" of the subcutaneous tissue, the muscle and joints are not damaged. It is usually viewed as a "cosmetic" adverse effect. The Kenalog injections was primarily designed for joint injection and the kenalog or similar depo form stays active in the joint for a few weeks. All steroid medications can cause irritability and this is usually temporary for a few days. Steroids can cause muscle weakness- this is usually associated with high doses for prolonged use like being on prednisone for 3 or 4 months. Steroids can have an adverse effect on menstruation, but this is usually associated with chronic use. The most serious problems with the steroids result in bone weakness(osteoporosis) and serious damage to joints like the back and hip. Steroids can also result in weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and cataract formation. I don't think Kenalog is any different than other steroids such as Medrol or Prednisone in terms of the side effect profile. These are dangerous medications that can also be very helpful in saving lives and diminishing pain.

My 15 y.o. daughter has has first hand experience with weight gain on Advair. About 6 years ago at about 9 y.o., she gained 20 lbs in 6 months - and it started happening exactly when she started the drug. She was very active (swim team, gymnastics, etc) and did not overeat. It is very frustrating that both her pediatrician and her asthma/allergy specialist deny that her small dose of Advair is to blame.

For some reason, and I have talked to others that this has happened to, switching to Singulair did not help her with the weight problem. Seems the people who are hypersensitive to inhaled steroids are also sensitive to Singulair. Concerned about her rapid weight gain, and because she was always so thin, I took her to an endocrinologist to rule out any other problems. After a lot of bloodwork, he concluded that he could not rule out that it was a side effect of the Advair and/or Singulair, and that they may have elevated her blood sugar. I have read tons and tons of postings on the internet about children & adults rapidly gaining weight from inhaled corticosteroids (i.e. Flovent, Advair), along with the round face, bloated stomach, stretch marks, thin skin, easy bruising, etc. but nobody ever says what happens after stopping any of these drugs. Do people ever go back to normal? Do kids look like themselves again? Do any of the side effects disappear?

She is now 15 y.o. and cannot reverse her weight gain no matter what (30 lbs overweight). The last 2 years, she has only been on a small dose of Pulmicort (a different class of corticosteroid even safe to take when pregnant) since she has mild persistent asthma, and allergy shots have helped trememdously. My husband and I have been looking for 6 years now on how to avoid our daughter's weight gain with asthma drugs. If you run into any info., please let us know. Any experiences or info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi there... I have just found this site and I'm very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to sit down and tell us their story mine is very similar. BELIEAVE me I feel like I am pushing my family away and I'm losing my relationship with the one person who used to make me feel like I was the most beautiful woman in the world.
I'm a 40 yr female have or maybe had a great job that I loved... On April 12 I noticed a small red rash on my lower right leg no big deal went to the Dr. gave me some cream and sent me home well I went to work and by the afternoon things just seem to get bad my legs began to swell and little blisters started to pop up so I went to the E.R. they had no Idea what was wrong with me got me an appointment to see a skin DR. so I went home but the pain from the swelling was so bad I could not walk any longer went back to the E.R. they gave me some pain meds and called in some other DR. things had gone from bad to worse my feet had gotten to big I could not put on shoes and I had bruised completely across the bottoms of my feet they put me on 30mg of PRED. and it seem to be under control sent me home after 3 day in the hospital things were good for about a day or so I thought I would go back to work well that was not a very good idea.... My sister had to come and take me back to the ER where they did 2 biopsies and still have no idea what is wrong with me. so now they put me on 60mg of PRED the rash has gone, lots of scaring on my feet because of the blisters once they broke and dried out but I can live with that....
It's the side effects that they don’t tell you about,
MOON FACE I can't look at myself cause really that’s not me anymore,
WEIGHT GAIN I have always been thick but I can't handle the extra 30lbs I've gained,
MOOD SWINGS are unbearable,
PAINFUL JOINTS, CAMEL HUMP, BLOODY NOSE, BRUSING, SORE TEETH/GUMS, DRY EYES, FAITIGE, and worsted of all
I don’t have a support systems in my life so I'm fighting this by myself everyday, I have 3 kids that I have tried to explain all this to but they don't get it and well my boyfriend he tells me he understands that its the meds pushing him away but if I can't figure away to control this I will lose every thing including my job. I cant even get the energy together half the time to make it up and down the stairs which also comes with the pain of just trying to lift each leg up to climb the stairs, I also have the camel hump which I find very painful, The acne and the hair growth that I have to get wax off once a month cause I feel like a man I feel like a loser and as of the last couple of days I just want to give up I am now down to 20mg per day but I find that I am feeling so sick I cant think straight I hope and pray for each and every person out there that has to take this MED that you get better and I do hope that my symptoms wont come back. Thanks for being here and I’m glad I found this site. I know now that I’m not losing my mind completely. Elizabeth.

To the person that said weight gain is an excuse...have you ever heard of Cushing's syndrome or disease..well I've had both. The disease is an over production of steriods that your adrenal glands produce and is usually caused by a tumoron the adrenals or pituitary gland. In my case it was on the pituitary gland. I've always weighed around 125. The tumor caused me to have a moon face and gain so much weight that people didn't recognize me. I also had to have a hip replacement because the high amounts of steriods in my system caused avascular necrosis of the hip. I was 33 at the time. Now, two years later and cured from the Cushing's disease because of surgery to remove the tumor, I am on prednisone for colitis. I had lost all of my weight from the Cushing's until I started taking pred. again. I've only been on them for 3 months and am down to 5mg. I am depressed and very anxious, and Xanax is NOT helping.

I have cusining's disease. I was on Kenalog for arthritis in nec and shoulders for almost two years. The doctor stopped the shots abruptly and put me on VIIOX till it was taken foo the market. I have been on predisone for a year now and continue to decrease my dose. I have every symptom of Cushing's from Moon face, buffalo back and neck. And weak muscles, joints and so much pain. My wuestion is my teeth. I have lost 3 molars and have 4 more indanger. Can you give me some documented information on steroids and my teeth after prolong use. I need my dentist to receive this info so the insurance company will help with the expense. Any web sites, written documents would be appreciated

Regards,
P.J.

I have had severe chronic asthma for over 20 years. Started Advair 500/50 4 years ago and my asthma is completely under control--almost never need to use my abuterol. But I have gained 50lbs, and I exercise 5x a week and eat a 1200 calorie diet, and I still gain 1-2 pounds a month. I have several cushing's like symptoms. Excessive weight gain in abdomen and breasts while my arms/legs are thin. Hair loss. Severe stretch marks on abdomen and thighs. Blurry vision, headaches, severe cramping in my calves and strange rash-like bumps on the backs of my arms. Not to mention chronic tachycardia and constant thrush in my mouth. Also my thyroid quit working a year ago and I am on synthroid now. Now it appears I may have an adrenal gland problem. I never had these problems before the Advair. When I mentioned my concerns to my pulmonologist he actually laughed at me. I wonder if Glaxo gives kickbacks to Dr.'s who prescribe their drug.

I have had asthma for over 20 years. I am now 25 and have been on Advair for over 2and 1/2 yrs. Advair definitely has helped, I can breath enough to run again, no wheezing or struggling for breath no hospital visits since I started the med....BUT I have also gained over 40 pounds (and still gaining), get chronic migraines, and have definite Cushing's like symptoms. Plus I get thrush in my mouth every couple of months. And don't forget the insomnia, jittery feelings, tremor and rapid heartbeat. All of these symptoms started since I began taking Advair and continue to worsen. And to top it off, my Pulomonlogist insists the Advair cannot be causing all of these problems. I thought I was losing my mind until I found this forum. Advair is no miracle drug and should be taken with extreme caution.

Hi, I read that you were diagnosed with Dermatomyositis-inflamation of the muscles. I have Juvenile Dermatomyositis, I am 14. This is strange that I've come across you, as the disease is so rare. I got so weak I had to spend 2 months in the hospital for my muscles to recover. I take 50 mg of prednisone and am scheduled to taper down to 10 mg in two months, a reduction of 10 mgs every two weeks. Since then, side effects that bother me most are the moon face, acne, and depression. But all the cushing's syndrome side effects go away at 10 mgs. I was wondering how long it takes for these side effects to go away once I go from 20 mgs to 10 mgs?