Kenalog symptoms and conditions

Wow, reading this is very scary. I also had a steroid injection about 4 months ago. It is in my lower back/upper buttocks. Now I have an indentation the size of a quarter and pain when I sit down for any period of time. I was searching for what it could be and found this site. My heart just sank. I called my doctor to see what he injected and sure enough, Kenalog. I am so upset about this and feel too uncomfortable to even wear a swimsuit or go to the beach anymore. I am very thin so this huge hole in my butt is very noticeable and people notice it all the time. It looks terrible, and from what I am reading it can get worse! I would love to be part of a class action suit against them, if anyone has any information please contact me with it.

I have been given three procedures with kenalog injections. First was in May when I has an epidural for my work related back injury. Though I received little pain relief from the epidural, I began to have menstrual spotting only a week after my regular period ended. This spotting continued every day for about three weeks. I had a normal end of June, beginning of July period. I started my next period the Friday before my first SI joint injection with Kenalog which was Wed. Aug 5th. Well from there my period never ended. Since then I've spotted everyday and all day long. I am sore from having to wear pads all the time. I went next to my f/u appt where they gave me another SI joint injection. I did tell them about this bleeding, but they weren't concerned. So here I am still spotting until today. This morning I woke up feeling fine besides my usual spotting I've had. Got to work, was working for about an hour to so and began to cramp. Went to bathroom and passed a clot about the size of the palm of my hand. And then consisted to have heavy bleeding soaking a pad in about 1.5-2.0 hour time. During the whole spotting I've had, I took preg. tests, with most recent one a week ago and was neg. My other concern is I have an IUD-the copper Paragard. Called my OB-GYN and she wanted to see me right away. Left work and on my way there (45 min. drive) I began feeling lightheaded and weak. My mom ended up driving me the rest of the way. Anyway, everything checked out fine-IUD ok, neg preg test, no chance for tubal preg. Was told must be side effect of the Kenalog. I've been bleeding for like 6 weeks and am soooo sore from pads all the time. I am on light duty due to my work injury and I feel I should be covered for today and tomorrow because OB-GYN wants me on bed rest to stop this heavy bleeding. I feel I should be paid under Workers' Comp since these missed days are related to a complication from the treatment of my work related injury. Any suggestions or comments from anyone?

My daughter had a kenalog shot for itching on May 2009. The doctor never mentioned any side effects to her. Now she has a huge indentation in her left buttock. She is only 18 yrs old and she is scare and afflicted because the dent is getting larger and disfiguring that part of her body. I read enough complains. There must be an action lawsuit against the company distributing, selling and benefiting from this drug. Some doctors also should be liable for neglecting to release the accurate potential damage (as it is known) cause by this drug. It is causing mental pain and anguish due to the disfigurement that it leaves and also constant concern about the growing destruction of the muscle cells.Enough damage have been done. Who will pay to correct the damage? ******

****KENALOG CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT****
Need a list of people that want to join Kenalog class action lawsuit A.S.A.P Please email me with name,state and all side effects. Include if you were treated for the side effects from a Doctor and/or hospitalized.
******

I just had scar revision done with my own body fat to correct an injection site necrosis from kenalog. The cosmetic surgeon advised that it sometimes takes more than one graft. This procedure is expensive and a lot to go through, but the only other choice seems to be to wait two years to see if it goes away. I had the injection in October and it only seemed to be worsening. Does anyone know of an attorney wanting to take these cases? My next step is to picket the doctors office, since he has not agreed to pay for my surgical reconstruction. I'm in the panhandle of Florida if anyone would like to join in the fun.

I had a severe cough for about 2-3 weeks when the doctor gave me an injection on Kenalog. I was not told any potential side effects. I now have a very large indentation at least the size of a gold ball on my right butt. My real concern is how to rectify this situation. Has anyone had any luck with saline injections or any other remedy? I am extremely frustrated and hate what my butt looks like now.

I got my first Kenalog shot a few days ago for allergy symptoms, and I gotta tell you, I definitely regret it! I had asked about side effects before the dr. gave it to me, and she said there weren't any. I feel like I should start a lawsuit!! Anyway, the side effects I'm having are no picnic and have already been changing my life: sleeplessness, anxiety, not breathing correctly, heart pounding like crazy! I'm wondering how long I have to ride this out, as the dr. said this shot is given for allergies 2x a year. I will NEVER get the shot again!!

Been taking this for the past ten years and it is the only thing that allows my skin to quickly recover from eczema. Eczema started at age 22. After my first injection I felt more powerful than Darth Vader and noticed an increase in energy and stamina. A few weeks later, a crash begins and I feel the side effect of lethargy. Consistently, after each Kenalog shot, my skin will develop several pimples around my buttocks area and sometimes on my back after a month or two. I would prefer never to use Kenalog, but it has been the only thing that relieves the patches of skin that become red and flaky due to stress, lack of sleep, and a poor diet. Ultimately, I did develop 'hypercutia' which is a skin condition which allows my dermis to bleed more easily. After stopping the Kenalog injections for a few years, my entire dermis still remains thin and more vulnerable to bleeding. I make my living as an actor and it is part of the reason i still rely on Kenalog whenever an audition comes up and I need to show my body. The pimples eventually become little scars, which eventually become little darker spots on my body. I still believe that in spite of all the side effects, it is worth it if you make your living as an actor or model.

I am a 41 year old woman who had an epidural injection using Kenalog in my lower back (for stenosis, disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, etc.). My first injection was on 4/1/09. About two weeks after the injection, my period started a week early. I had light to moderate spotting, not quite like my normal period. I also noticed that I broke out with major acne, had bad mood swings, constant urination and increased hunger. I had a second injection in my back on 429/09. I told my pain management Dr. what I had been experiencing, and he said that it was the side affect of the drug, Kenalog.

I just saw my GYN for my yearly pap smear and told him what I had been experiencing. He said he had never hear of anything like what I was going through as it related to an epidural injection, though he also admitted it wasn't his area of expertise. Due to my age, my GYN commented that the spotting I was having could be due to my body changing and getting ready for menopause. He said that spotting was very common in women my age. He gave me a prescription for Progesterone 100mg to start taking for 15 days to see if that stopped my spotting (and hopefully return my cycle back to normal). He also did a uterine biopsy to rule out any other causes. My uterine biopsy came back normal. I'm currently taking the progesterone and my period seems to be tapering off, but it still hasn't stopped. It went from spotting to more heavy bleeding to spotting again. I'm due to stop the progesterone on Tuesday 5/26/09 so we'll see what happens there. It's officially been six weeks of having a period.

I'm very frustrated that I've had a menstrual cycle this long. I canceled my other future epidural injections as right now, by back in doing much better (the injections did help, though the side affects are the pitts!). If my back flares up, I will seek other solutions as I will NEVER have any Kenalog again.

For those women who've had the same issue with their menstrual cycle, did your cycle ever return to normal? If so, when???

January of this year I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata (spots of hair loss). My Dermatologist has been injecting Kenalog-10 every 4 weeks on my scalp. The hair is slowly growing back but the injected area feels bruised "always", and "yes" I have an indent on my head :(
I have noticed that I've lost about 20 lbs since my 1st visit, irritable & have head & neck pain on a daily. However, since mid April I've been having an abnormal period. (VERY ABNORMAL-Like every other week)
Does this have anything to do with the shot? Has it happened to anyone else? I've been reading everyone's side effects and it seams like it's targets at the bladder.

It freaks me out to read all of your stories. I'm sorry for each one of you and are going through it as well with my angel. I can't find one that fits my little one. Believe it or not they gave my daughter a Kenalog injection when she had an allergic reaction, SHE WAS 8 MONTHS AT THE TIME. 3 months later an atrophy occurred. We have begun the lawsuit. PLEASE anybody give me info that could help us to make these doctors recognize their mistakes!!!

I had my kenalog injection over a week ago. The winds here in the desert have been horrible this year and i was experiencing a daily sinus headache and my allergies were beyond what a claritin, allegra and a sudafed combined could combat. Within a day of getting an injection in right butt cheek area all of my sinus problems have ceased. Day three i stopped taking all of my medications for my allergies. I was also able to stop taking an anti inflammatory for my knee and the arches of my feet. They have never felt so good. My excema and asthma symptoms although mild have also cleared up. On the down side. I seem to be eating like a horse, insomnia and wild dreams seem to be plaguing me. But this is also the case when i take prednisone. I had this shot a few years back for the knee and foot arch pain and back then before my hysterectomy i did experience break through bleeding on my birth control pills a week early and very heavy. i decided that was the worse of my side effects back then. now that i wasn't able to have that problem i figured lets go for it again since i recall my sinuses clearing last time too, which was a bonus side effect for me then. overall i have found the positive effects definitely outweigh the negative effects for me.

I am a physician. Kenalog is one of several injectable steroids that can cause subcutaneous atrophy or lipoatrophy as a side effect. For those who have this reaction, they will notice a dent or divot. This is not dangerous problem and most of the time the dent or divot will fill back in with time. How much time? The range is 3 to 24 months without treatment. However, for many patients this healing process can be speeded up with weekly saline injections that can be safely performed by almost any Doctor and need not be expensive.

The technique was well described in the Journal of Dermatological Surgery in 2006. If you do a google search for the name of the article as listed below you can find the Abstract and take a copy to your Doctor.

Best to all,

T.

Treatment of Local, Persistent Cutaneous Atrophy Following Corticosteroid Injection with Normal Saline Infiltration

Shumaker Peter R., MD*, Rao Jaggi, MD † , Goldman Mitchel P., MD †

Published in Dermatological Surgery, 21 Mar 2006

ABSTRACT
Background. Injections of corticosteroids are commonly used for a variety a dermatologic conditions but may cause local, persistent cutaneous atrophy, with few therapeutic options.

Objective. To determine the effectiveness of bacteriostatic normal saline infiltration on the improvement of corticosteroid-induced cutaneous atrophy.

Materials and Methods. Four patients with corticosteroid-induced atrophy of the skin, two caused by acneiform cysts and one from intramuscular steroid injection, were treated with weekly injections of normal saline directly into the atrophic site. The patients were seen on weekly follow-up visits, and improvement was documented.

Results. All four patients demonstrated complete resolution of skin atrophy and restoration of surface contour within 4 to 8 weeks of initial presentation. Injected volumes of normal saline ranged from 5 to 20 cm3 per treatment session and three to six weekly treatments. The patients were completely satisfied with these results.

Conclusion. Normal saline infiltration offers a safe, tolerable, relatively rapid, and effective treatment for local, persistent corticosteroid-induced atrophy.

Dermatologic Surgery, Volume 31 Issue 10, Pages 1340 - 1343,

This post is directed to anyone who has contacted me regarding a possible class action lawsuit, which I was trying to initiate, as stated in my Oct 17th, 2008 post.
After contacting as many as 10 law firms, from NY to San Francisco, I have virtually "thrown in the towel". In essence, what they are saying is, this will be too expensive to litigate. The pharmaceutical companies have "teams" of lawyers, and I believe they are reluctant to go up against them.
I find it diabolical that this drug Kenalog is causing so much suffering, some emotional, some esthetic and some, like myself, sheer physical pain...but nothing can be done about it.
For all of you who have emailed me and I was unable to return your ems, I apologize....but I have been waiting to hear something positive feedback to relay. Unfortunately, that was not the case. If anything does develop I have stored your information and will get back to you. I would hope you would do the same.

I just got back from the doctor's office to examine the mysterious "dent" in my left buttocks. He didn't know what it was but I just googled the problem and confirmed it is from a Kenalog injection on 10/29/08. At Christmas time I just noticed rough looking skin but in the last couple of weeks I noticed the the "dent" was getting larger. I cannot believe the number of side effects for this drug. I was given the injection by my allergist for inflamed sinuses. What a price to pay huh? I only read one article that said her "dent" was filling in after a year and one half. Is there anything that will stop the growing of this "dent"?

I started Chantix end of last year, stopped smoking on day 8 with no problem, I thought this was going to be great. About 2 weeks after being smoke free, I'd have a couple puffs every few days....didn't taste good, made me feel a bit nauseous. All in all....I took it for about 7 weeks.

Started developing a weird rash on my face, NOT a pretty thing! I went to the Dr., she advised I stop taking it...I did. Also received a prednisone type dose pak to clear my skin up. Within 3-4 days my face was back to normal !!
A week or so later, rash developed AGAIN! Went back to doc. she gave me a Kenalog shot, face was better in about 1 day, my but from getting the shot hurt for at least a week though. So far no more rash, but I got VERY IRRITABLE (crazy irritable !!) That has yet to go away.
I was so easily agitated that one day hubby and I were out to dinner, and I was ready to get up & slap the sh*t out of the family at the next table...they were just ANNOYING the hell out of me. ( I'm usually a pretty easy going lady) My husband just can't believe how mean & nasty I've gotten. I hope this goes away!!! I've been off the Chantix since Feb. 19th, and SADLY started smoking again on the 26th. I've also had a nonstop headache, had the CRAZY, VIVID nightmares (always brutal-dealing with death) I wish I could've stayed "QUIT", maybe next time I'll just try cold turkey....my parents quit that way after 40+ yrs. of smoking.

I went to the Doctor January 23, 2009 for sinus drainage and congestion. I received the Kenalog 40 shot not knowing what it was they were giving me I just thought it was just like any other shot that I had received. They didn't explain any side effects or anything to me. I knew when I got it that it burned more than usual. I always get a shot in my hip and it never hurt like this shot. I went to bed that night and I woke up out of a dead sleep around 2:00 a.m. and my heart was beating out of my chest. I didn't know what was going on. I then had to calm myself and then I looked up the shot on google and found all these horrible things about it. The past 2 weeks my symptoms have gotten worse. I have felt dizzy, tired, loss of appetite. I just haven't felt myself at all. I haven't been able to drive because of the dizziness. I haven't been able to work, Thank God my boss is very understanding. It just sucks and to read all of your stories it has me really thinking. I really think this shot shouldn't be given to people and it SHOULD be taken off the market.

I used to receive a Kenalog injection once a year to treat my skin. It worked great. Best drug, nothing compares to it. After a few years it worked so great that I didn't have to receive the shot anymore.

This drug is far too helpful in the medical field for it to be removed because of its side effects. Never had a problem with getting a hole "in my butt" either... Not that I let A LOT of people look at my butt anyway. There's a reason why you're told what the side effects could be, if you don't like them then tell the doctor you don't want to take the medicine.

If you're a model, then have it photoshopped out... We know now that's what they do anyway. You give young girls bad impressions thinking they have to be perfect, when you're not.

Just to let most of you know, that Kenalog will only last several days to a month, if you continue to have symptoms, you need to see your doctor. If you receive kenalog inject frequently then the symptoms and side effects may continue, not letting your body rid of it before your next dose. You should always ask your healthcare provider what it is that you are about to receive, and what the side effects are, it is also up to you to make your healthcare choices, become informed. And never let anyone give you a steroid inject in your arm, unless its for your joints, thats why they are given in the gluteus muscle, because it can cause indentations, and the arms are more seen than the buttocks.

Wow…I was doing so much research today and was so excited to find this website and seeing all the responses from everyone below. My daughter had a really bad allergy attack last 6/2008 when there was a lot of smoke in the Sacramento, CA Valley from surrounding fires. The smoke was so bad for a couple of months. I took my daughter into an urgent care Med 7 of Folsom per the advise nurse line provided by my health insurance co. Nothing had changed in my daughters diet or environment for the hives to occur, other than the smoke that was really bad outside. So the doctor came in and looked at my daughter and then he said they would be administering a Kenalog shot and that would help the hives disappear for what ever reaction she was having. I was a bit concerned because my daughter was only being 2 years old and there is steroids in this medication. Normally when we have ever got any type of injection from a doctors office they have always given you a side effects form for you to review and a form for you to sign an authorization to CYA. Unfortunately, due to me being so concerned with my daughter I didn’t realize it until I had to take my daughter an hour later after we got home the hives did not disappear they got even worst, so we rushed her Mercy of Folsom, CA and I gave my daughter benadryl only to settle the hives because she was so uncomfortable and itchy. Finally after waiting for about 2 ½ -3 hours in the emergency room the hives settled down for a short period of time. Finally we got in to see the doctor I explained everything and realized that the paperwork I had for my daughter didn’t have the side effects paperwork from Med 7 or the amount of the kenalog shot they administered to my daughter. The only thing the doctor could recommend was Zyrtec and to follow up with my daughters primary physician. So, we went to the store and purchased this over the counter medication for her allergies and it worked great for her. About a month after the kenalog injection in her upper left thigh I noticed she had these small white/purplish color marks on her leg and then it turned into a dime size indentation. Over the last 7 months that indentation has grown into the size of a quarter, maybe a bit bigger than that. We didn’t think anything of it until recently we called the advise nurse and she said to make an appointment with our primary physician to have him look at it. When we came into our appointment I explained the long story to him about the shot she received and why she received it, so he referred me to a dermatologist who really couldn’t give me any advise other than it was a lipoatrophy? He said he couldn’t recommend anything other than to watch it over time and if it gets bigger to go back to her primary physician. He stated that she could probably get surgery to have the muscle in her leg pulled together or add filler injections. He said I can’t really suggest anything if it is not effecting her general health. From what I see when I touch this area of my daughter softly she doesn’t even want it to be touched as if it is very sensitive? This is truly unacceptable and I plan on coming after the Med 7 clinic for not providing me any side effects paperwork before administering the shot and they have a rate us 1 - 10 website. I rated them a couple of days later and from what I heard from their Folsom, CA office is that they have the board of directors for these clinics and managers review what is sent on this rating website and someone would follow up with the client. Unfortunately, that was not the case because nobody ever called me back or was concerned. I will never go into a med 7 clinic for assistance again and I will continue my mission to make sure my daughter and others are aware of what could happen to them as well.

PS. To the writer slmgator Thank you!!! I will report my message to the FDA as well….

I to have a huge dimple/hole in my right buttock. I also suffer from brain fog and severe depression. I would love to get this drug off the market. If this does this to a muscle imagine what else it is doing to the body.

T. V

I had a kenalog injection to my right cheek to treat a cyst. It ended up dilating the blood vessels and it atrophied the fat cells under the skin's surface. Now I have a permanent indent in my cheek that looks terrible. There is no way to cover it up and people ask about it all the time. It is very upsetting and stressful. I went to a different dermatologist and was told the only thing to do is a filler injection that only lasts up to 6 months at a cost of $525

I have severe allergies and cronic sinusitis... like a lot of people on here I have taken all the allergy drugs they make for the past 9 years... Ive had tons of procedures done and sinus surgery last Feb '08. Nothing helps. Ive taken oral steriods many times but recently my new ENT decided to give me a Kenalog shot in Sept. Nothing was explained to me other than it was a steroid. The nurse put it in my left shoulder. I have had all the symptoms people are describing on here except the indent. I have been progressively getting sicker and feeling worse and worse over the past few months. I feel like I could go to bed and just stay there. Now this past Monday he gave me another Kenalog shot in my left shoulder. I heard something on a tv show that it causes depression so I jumped on this site and feel sick about all the messages I have read about people's terrible side effects. I feel like my doctor who I trusted let me down. I am so worried that my shoulder is going to have a big grey dent like everyone is describing on here. I am just so tired of being ill.

I was given a shot in I think January of 2008, not knowing exactly what it was, because I had a fever and the doctor said it would jump start my recovery. At first there seemed to be no problem with the injection site and I felt great just days after.

A couple of months later, when I was working out and losing weight and keeping a very close eye on my body because of it. Suddenly, I noticed that I had a deep indentation and discoloration on the left side of my lower back - right where they gave me the shot. It seemed like it appeared over night. It got deeper, and darker as time passed.. I was scared to press my finger in it because when I did, it just kept going in..as if there was no fat OR muscle in that spot.. I was FREAKED out. I'm a model so this fact that there was a bottomless whole in my lower back was devastating. I also feared that there may be something life threatening going on. I mean, a chunk of you just doesn't disappear overnight..Unless someone stole your kidney, but, I didn't wake up in a bath tub full of ice.

I typed in "Injection that causes Indentation in the lower back" and I found this board. Everyone here suffered the same exact symptoms from this shot and worse. I was certain that it had to be Kenalog. It seemed to cause death of all tissue at the injection site, depression, lethargy, moodiness, insomnia, pain and all sorts of other symptoms after this shot. I started to suffer from all of them soon after the shot and I didn't really know why or where it came from. I was in so much pain and was so tired.. I stopped doing everything I loved and I could barely sleep because of the pain.

I don't know what to do about this. I'm extremely broke and I don't have health insurance(and they wouldn't fix anything considered to them as "cosmetic" anyways).. My parents are in no position to help me anymore and I could never afford an attorney to try to claim against this.

How can I go about fixing this with no money? Is there any way to fix this to begin with?

Any advice, insight or experiences would be GREATLY appreciated!

I got a Kenalog injection a few months ago for severe allergies. My period showed up a week earlier than it should have, and I have now been bleeding heavily for over a month. Nobody at my doctor's office warned me of this side effect. I need to make an appt. to see someone about my bleeding because it just continues to get worse. Had I known this would happen, I never would have agreed to getting that injection!!