Upper arm symptoms and conditions

I received an injection from my doctor of what I thought was depo-medrol.
He gave me this injection in my upper arm. I now have an indentation in my arm.(I can put my finger in it.). The next time I got a shot, his nurse gave it to me and, again, I thought it was depo-medrol. I showed her the area from my last shot. She said "oh, a shot can't do that". Then, she gave me the injection in the same arm. (different spot). It was so quick, I did not have time to say not in the arm. This time it felt like someone pouring acid on my arm. I have never felt anything like it! I told her that it hurt. It was getting more painful, by th time I reached check-out. I was feeling overwhelmingly sick, and lots of pain. I asked for the doctor. He showed me the bottle that was given (dexamethasone) He said it was the same medicine that he had given me last shot. I showed him the indentation. He thought I was just having a reaction of anxiety from getting a shot.
This indentation in my arm seems to be growing. Now it is in an "L" shape and skin is red. I thought I heard him tell the girl at the desk that he gave me a shot of Kenalog, but he showed me the other bottle? I don't believe that these are the same medicine, but it sounds like the same symptoms.
My previous doctor's nurse used to give me the steroid shots in my buttocks. I never had any problems with them. If someone knows how to deal with this issue. let me know. I just want the spot to stop growing, and it is painful.

Foot pain, to the extent that I cannot touch the bones in my feet. I had moderate heel spur pain which became extreme when I tried to resume the synthroid, even a minor 25mcg dose of synthroid. Bone and joint pain in the past made me stop taking the synthroid, especially shoulder and upper arm weakness on one occasion, and leg weakness and foot pain on the second occasion. This third time was related to heel, ankle and the bones in my feet. These problems went away within 5 days of not taking this medication.

Both my hands began to ache constantly to varying degrees- it felt muscular or nerve related - also the muscle in my upper right arm began to ache - this continued for months not knowing it was from Centrum Silver vitamins I was taking - Dr sent me for physical therapy - helped some but it came back. In preparing for a medical procedure I had to stop taking all meds & supplements for a few days before the procedure, and my hands STOPPED HURTING, & continue to improve, along with the soreness in my upper arm. I know it was the Centrum because I had tried over the past 6 or 8 months to stop taking other supplements/meds I was taking to see if that was causing the pain. The only thing I never stopped was the Centrum, because I had taken it for years with no problems, so I didn't think it was that, I thought it was something I had started taking more recently. Now I am sure it was the Centrum that caused it, because all those symptoms are totally improved. What a relief to have my hands and arm feeling BACK TO NORMAL again!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I received all three of the gardesal shots. The first three were painful, but about two weeks after my last shot I developed a golf ball size lump at the injection site. My entire upper arm has been tender to the touch, tingling and numb. I called the doctor who states that is must be something else. I am positive it is from the shot. I will be monitoring the swelling, and if the pain woresens, seek different medical attention. Has any one else experienced this problem??

I was taking warfarin for about 2 months 8 mg daily due to a blood clot in my left arm, i also have witnessed headaches, dizziness, always tired and fatigue. I also told the doctor about all this and he said it's not the medicine, I don't know what else it could of been because i wasn't taking any other medication. my life remained the same as previous with the exception of the warfarin. Anyway, i discontinued taking the medication because it was killing me to take it. I will now have to take my chances.

muscle spasm in upper arm several times a day

I was diagnosis with bronchitis (sometime in December 2008) I was prescribed avelox, and took it for the 7 days . About a week or so later I started noticing little pimples (hives) on my stomach. I didn't make a big issue but then as time went on I started noticing red rash patches on my chest area and the the little pipples turned into little dry patches (hives) all over my stomach area and on my both sides of my waist to upper arm area.

Wow..well I finally went to the dermatologist (February 2009) and was told it was my body reacting to fluid from being sick and it does take a long time to take away. Today I still have the same hives and as I google more and more I am really believe that it was the Avelox. It is one thing to have an allergic reaction to medication but this issue seem to have occurred to too many people around the same time period.

I had a 20 mg shot of Kenalog in 2008 for chronic sinusitis. This year, I had another 20 mg, and a week after another 20mg. My doctor seemed to "throw" the shots at me because he didn't know what else to do. I wish he would have explained the terrible side effects. I have a large discolored indent on my left upper arm and have gained almost 10 lbs.In addition, the skin on my chest is completely broken out, and I almost never get pimples. I am a young active college student who is extremely frustrated by this. Does anyone know when the weight gain will subside or if they have had any similar issues? It is so frustrating that a doctor would give something so harmful to their patients, because it is clear from everyone's posts I am not alone.

Hi, I'm so glad I found this side, at least it explained the things happening to my body. I had surgery to remove loose skin in my upper arm, great! but then I had keloids hence my surgeon recommended Kenalog to flatten the scar. I have my first shot in July, then monthly until October. I suffered extensive skin thing beyond the scar and the dents which was outside the scar boundary. I had gained weight and my regular cycle got disrupted. I've had cycle within the space of two weeks, then It lasted for 24 days, sometimes twice a month. Reading the post here it finally made sense. The thing to note about Kenalog is the effect is only noticeable after after months of shots. I've stopped the shots since October and just wondering just how long will the effect continue? does the Kenalog not get expended by the body?

Started taking Levothyroxine 100 3 weeks ago, for last week I'm in agony, my joints and muscles are sore, specially legs and arms, got constant headaches, mood swings, I'm also short of breath which developed before muscle pains, went to the doctor, was told it's probably asthma (!!) got tablets and inhalator and he mentioned anxiety, when muscle pains started, went back, was told that it's not related with hypothyroidism or Levothyroxine, it's a virus (??) have to drink plenty of water and got Diazepam and link to anxiety website. Help, it's not stress related! I don't know what to do!! Does anyone know how to get rid of those pains?

Commenting on the post earlier today. I decided to look into the Norplant (see below for more details) Now i found that development of my Mirena was done in part by the maker of the Norplant? Which has been pulled in the US and the UK after 50,000 people filed a class action suit (which was settle out of court)

Development and studies of the Mirena Coil began in the 1970s. Schering Health distributes Mirena outside the United States, while Berlex distributes it inside the United States. Both companies have worked with the Population Council, a that has worked with other contraceptive manufacturers (including Wyeth, maker of Norplant).
Mirena was first marketed commercially in Finland in 1990, but not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration until 2000. It is intended to initially release 20 micrograms of levonorgestral per day and may be used for five years. Sound familiar?
Norplant is a form of birth control was first approved in 1983 in Finland. The original Norplant consisted of a set of six small (2.4 mm x 34 mm) silicone capsules, each filled with 36 mg of levonorgestrel (a progestin used in many birth control pills) implanted subdermally in the upper arm and effective for five years. The original (6 capsule) Norplant's production has been phased out; USAID's contract ran until December 2006.
The original (6 capsule) Norplant was approved by the FDA in 1990 and marketed in the United States in 1991 by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Norplant distribution in the United States ended in 2002; limited supplies still remained in the U.S. until 2004. Norplant was withdrawn from the UK market in 1999.
Side effects
After three months of using Norplant, women will need to schedule a follow-up appointment to monitor blood pressure and discuss any concerns. Side effects may include irregular menstrual periods for the first approximately three months, including periods lasting longer than normal, bleeding or spotting between periods, heavy bleeding, or going with no period for the mentioned period of time. Common side effects include weight gain, nervousness, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, mastalgia, dizziness, dermatitis/rash, hirsutism, scalp-hair loss, headache, depression, and acne. Sometimes, pain, itching or infection at the site of the implant will occur. Ovarian cysts may also occur, but usually do not require treatment, although they can cause pain even if benign.
Norplant discontinued in the United States
By 1996, more than 50,000 women had filed lawsuits, including 70 class actions, against Wyeth and/or its subsidiaries, or doctors who prescribed Norplant. Wyeth never lost a Norplant lawsuit.
On August 26, 1999, after winning 3 jury verdicts, 20 pretrial summary judgments and the dismissal of 14,000 claims, Wyeth offered out-of-court cash settlements of $1,500 each to about 36,000 women who contended that they had not been adequately warned about possible side effects of Norplant such as irregular menstrual bleeding, headaches, nausea and depression. Wyeth said that most of the plaintiffs experienced routine side effects described in Norplant's labeling information. About 32,000 women accepted the out-of-court $1,500 settlements.
At least they warned the user of these side effects and the no longer offer Norplant in the US

Started taking prednisone about 3 months ago for a serious flare-up of my Sciatica. My Sciatica was so bad that I couldn’t even stand up. After a couple days of prednisone, I was able to walk, but still had pain on my left side, from my back down to the tip of my big toe. Symptoms started getting better, but then the side effects started. Gain 40 lbs, can’t sleep, muscles are so weak it’s hard to walk, blurred vision… one day (laying on my bed) I noticed I couldn’t even see the clock on the cable box anymore. Lumps started appearing. One on my wrist and one big one on my upper arm. I cut my finger 5 days ago and it still hasn’t closed up completely yet. It even still bleeds. I know on the side of my pill bottle it says “This medicine may lower your ability to fight off infections”, but man! It sucks when you have a little cut that just won’t heal. Anyway, I’m sick of the side effects and they only seem to be getting worse. I’m stopping today! I would rather fight through the pain of my Sciatica than to deal with all these side effects. I just hope (and pray) that the side effects go away without doing (if not already) major damage.

I am not a Mirena user, but was seriously considering it until I came across this site, and read all these comments. I also came across a site warning that Mirena is a levonorgestrel uterine implant, the same progestin that was in Norplant (which is several small implants that are placed under the skin in the upper arm). Once I read that, I definitely would not try this form of birth control. I had Norplant implanted in my arm, many years ago, after the birth of my two children. It was horrible, there were maybe a few days out of the month that I had no bleeding or spotting. They said my period should regulate within 6mths, well I gave it almost 14mths, and couldn't take it anymore. Romoval was not quite as easy as implantation. I used to joke...that it was great birth control, who'd want to have sex when you have your period all the time, well it was no joke.
Read all these warnings, do research, glad I did. I would have made the same mistake I made 15yrs ago, with Norplant.

After having the third shot I noticed my hair began falling out (July 2007). It is now over a year later and after having numerous blood tests, visiting a dermatologist and doing tons of research, I have concluded that gardasil must be causing this. My hair continues to fall out, I have bald areas around the crown of my head and my mood is very depressed by this. I also experienced soreness in my legs and joints but these are not constant. My periods also are out of whack. They can be between 28-50 days apart. I would not recommend anyone getting this vaccine. I wish my OBGYN had not sold me on it. I was 31 when I got it but she said age didn't matter, she said one day insurance companies would cover this vaccine for all women no matter what age they are. I paid $190.00 a shot and now I have a thin head of hair that may one day soon be bald if it doesn’t stop falling out. I think they should take this vaccine off the market. If anyone else has had severe hair loss, has it stopped falling out after a certain point?

Hi, Had a KENALOG injection about 2 months ago for chronic hayfever, since about a week after I had the shot, I have had various joint pains in the leg in which I had the injection. It started in my hip, then my ankle, even at times my big toe joint! Has anyone else had a similar experience, if so how long should this last? I can't exercise, even walking a short distance is painful. I have 2 young kids and this is not helping!!
Sarah, Hampshire, UK

I have been on Lipitor for over a year know after having a heart attack at 43 and having two stents put in. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia by in 2002. Recently, I have been having more arm, leg, back, pelvic, hip and hand pain then ever before. I am going to talk to my doctors now about the side effects. I have just know decided to start halving my Lipitor and may ween off of it completely. I'm on Niacin and Zieta in addition to the Lipitor. Have also been having a lot more digestive problems lately...am to be scheduled for a upper GI. I came here looking for info on the fact that although since being on Plavix (didn't realize Lipitor could be culprit) I have had bruising...today I found knots under two bruises on my upper arm. Not only are there knots but they (the bruises) are a different shade of blue (if that makes sense). Thanks to all who have shared their stories.

Just started Welchol after trying Lipitor & others. Have now developed severe vertigo & my right upper arm is killing me. I can't drink ANY alcohol because it makes me violently ill, almost to the point of throwing up, My doc says this drug is non-systemic & says I should have a brain scan...I stopped taking it 3 days ago-arm pain is gone but not the vertigo yet...I'll have to weigh my options of going back on it again.
Has anyone else had dizziness & lightheadedness from this?

I was diagnosed at age 46 with osteopenia and being post-menopausal (altho I never had any symptoms). I was put on Fosamax 1X/week. After a couple of months I developed a painful locked left shoulder. X-rays revealed nothing, and the doctors could not give me any cause except "getting older." I was unable to hook my bra, raise my arm above my head, take an item down from a cabinet shelf, pull a shirt over my head, or put my hair up. I was referred to a physical therapist, and after four months of daily exercises with tension bands and light hand weights, most of the pain subsided and mobility resumed.

Now, a year later, I have developed terrible pain in my right shoulder along with pain in the upper arm, difficulty sleeping due to the pain, and recurring pain in the left shoulder. The right shoulder is not locked as was the left, but it is more painful.

I started doing the shoulder exercises on my own and found that the pain would be better for a few days, then resume with a vengeance--usually on the weekends. After reading this website and many others--voila! I have been taking Fosamax on Fridays. I've been off it now for two weeks and the pain is definitely better.

A few other things that have helped are a good massage to loosen the muscles around the shoulder joints, nighttime application of a heating rub (BenGay), and sleeping with a small pillow tucked under the armpit on the painful side (like holding a baby) to take the weight of the arm off the shoulder joint.

I have also been losing clumps of hair every day; I don't see any thinning or bald patches, but I am amazed at the two handfuls that come out every time I wash my hair. I feel so much weaker, especially in my arms, than I ever have in my life. I have always been quite strong for my small size, able to life heavy things, run long distances (three marathons), and have great physical endurance. Now I feel like a weakling; I have trouble getting up or down if I am seated on the floor or laying down, trouble lifting anything over my head, and trouble relying on the strength in my arms for ordinary tasks such as lifting or throwing.

I will check back on this site often and post an update if I see any significant changes after being off the Fosamax for a while longer. I want my shoulders, my hair, and my strength back!

I was on Ortho Evra for a couple years and LOVED IT!!! I did have issues with the patch staying on. I have very dry skin and it would flake and cause the patch to loosen. The only place I could get it to stay was my upper arm, which was embarrassingly exposed during the summer months. But I had NO negative side effects. Except once I got a rash where the patch was, but I believe that was from some new lotion I had just used. I would still be on Ortho Evra if the lawsuits didnt scare my doctor! She refuses to prescribe it anymore because of the lawsuits. Its a shame because it was the perfect option for me. One thing to note though, you MUST be diligent about replacing the patch on the right day. twice I lost track and was a day or two late changing the patch, and I kid you not, BOTH times I got pregnant!! It was a good thing, because i love my girls and they came at perfect times. Just a little unexpected!

I am a very active 54 years old. I work out with weights and also do a little yoga to keep flexible. On May of 2007 my Dr. started me on Simvastatin to lower my cholesterol and the liver enzyme test one month later showed everything to be fine. I had noticed that my left shoulder and upper arm was sore and sometimes would hurt so bad that I would wake at night. I figured I had worked out to much or slept wrong. After a few week of pain that didn’t seem to go away I started taking Advil 3 times a day. I couldn’t lift my left arm up over my head or scratch my back, I also found that I was forgetting things and work was hard to keep up with. I took the month of July off from work and only did the necessary stuff I had to do (self-employed) In the end of August my family and I took a week’s vacation and by the end of the week I was aching all over my body. My feet was in so much pain, I needed to massage them before getting out of bed in the morning, my arm and even my thigh muscles hurt. I couldn’t understand WHY, the only thing could be the medication… I stopped and saw the DR. when I got back. He sent me for x-rays of my feet, but everything was fine. So he put me on 40 mg of Lipitor instead. I did tell him, that when my body felt less sore I would start the Lipitor medication. Well it wasn’t until late November that I thought I better start, but only after 7 days of taking the Lipitor I felt excruciating pain all over. I was hurting in my arms (triceps) had feet cramps and could hardly walk. I called the DR. and told him I will not take this medication any more. It’s been 3 months since I stopped (almost 6 if not counting the one week in November) I’m slowly getting better with my normal work out, but I still do not have flexibility of my left arm and I occasionally have cramps in my feet. I have no doubt that the STATINS medication is very bad for you.

I was only on Ortho Evra for two short weeks but I had terrible side effects. I switched to Ortho Evra from the NuvaRing because I completely loss my sex drive on that.

With Ortho Evra I was constantly worried about my patch not sticking or falling off (I tried it on my butt and upper arm). It began to loosen around the fifth day. The worst side effect was my swollen and tender breast. I already have very large breast, so anything bigger is a nightmare. I could not even touch my breast because they would begin to throb. I had to wear a regular bra and two sports bras to try and stabilize them so I would not have terrible pain.

I do not recommend.

Been taking Lipitor for several years. I am 51
Tired all the time. Don't feel like exercising at all. since I got a flu shot have been experiencing sharp pain in upper arm near and including shoulder.
Taking Lipitor, 40 mg qd.
The arm pain feels like it's near the bone.
The only other explanation for the pain I can think of was the nurse hit a nerve when giving me the flu vaccine.
Otherwise I fear it may be from the Lipitor. I told my doctor about it. He made no response whatsoever. not even to suggest any further tests, x-rays etc. to see what might be causing the pain. Gave me free samples of...you guessed it...more Lipitor.
At next appointment I will tell him the pain is still there (3 months).
If he does nothing then I will stop taking the Lipitor and take my chances.

Hi all! I just began taking YAZ two weeks ago and things were fine up until two days ago. I started experiencing itching on several parts of my boy an last night, realized I had hives on my waist at my back, near my underarms and have serious itching all over the rest of my body including the palms of my hands. Please, please, please if anyone reads this an has had similar side effects, please let me know. Furthermore, I did not take the pill last night as I knew this could be the only thing causing these issues. Does anyone know the reprecution of stopping the pill mid month? Please let me know and thanks for your help!

I was on 1000mg per day 500 in the morning and 500 at night. I had one or two episodes of flushing and if it was not for this site I would have gone to the Emergency Room because the burning of my skin was so severe that I was in a panic. I found this site and it calmed me a bit. After the flushing comes the itching. For me it is on the inside of the legs starting on the ankles and then the toes and then it moves slowly up the legs and sometimes hits the thighs. Sometimes it hits the underside of my upper arm. This was mild and tolerable and went away in a couple of days.

Now I have been moved to 2000mg per day and the flushing is under control, but the itching has gone out of control. I cannot deal with the itching. I sit in business meetings and want to scream. I find myself at my desk with my shoes and socks off rubbing my feet and ankles because it is intolerable. I have broken the skin many times and bleed from the scratching. I am intelligent enough to know not to scratch, but sometimes it just gets the better of me.

I have no idea what triggers this because I can count on it lasting three to four days and then it goes away again.

I am 55 years old, and was put on Lipitor 1 month ago for over the top, sky HIGH cholesterol. Having a high risk background of heart disease in my genes, the Dr. recommended it to bring down Cholesterol #'s to a manageable, SAFE level.Diet alone over the past 2 years has not done it.

After ONLY 2 weeks of daily taking 10 mg daily, I was awakened from a sound sleep in the middle of the night with legs cramps so severe that I could NOT work them out, lie still, or get comfortable.When I did finally fall asleep again, I woke up with muscles so tender and sore in my calves, that I had difficulty walking around !

Week # 4 ~ tightening in left shoulder, back of neck, and left upper arm. It feels like I am bruised, and hurts to turn my neck.

I am beginning to wonder if this medication is safe ? I read that its side effects were much less than others to lower the cholesterol.

I am at a loss and do not what to do, neither does the Dr !