Kenalog and acne

I received a Kenalog shot 2 weeks ago for the inflammation of a slight tear in my right rotator cuff. About 5 days ago, my face broke out in an oily, inflamed, painful acne. This happened once before when Kenalog was given to me for severe allergy symptoms. I am not interested in any lawsuit action, but will think twice before allowing another injection for any reason. The reduced pain seemed worth it, but I have to wonder what the acne response is indicating.

I've gotten Kenalog injections for years (probably 100 injections over the years... all in my face) for cystic acne and never, not once, had any side effects from it. It made my worst cysts literally disappear overnight. It was a God send for me. I'm 46 and still get the damned things under my skin. I've moved, so I need to find a local dermatologist who does these injections.

I, too, have atrophy from the Kenalog, which is unsightly and causes me great emotional pain. Can anyone recommend a good attorney for this?

Thank you.

irregular period; flushed red face (first few days after injection); acne; bladder infection; indigestion (gas, burping)

I received an injection of 80 mcg of Kenalog in my hip joint to treat pain due to hip impingement. As is the case for most of the other women on this site, I received NO warning from my orthopedist of any these side effects. She said there were virtually no side effects for a single dose, only for repeated use. The only specific reaction she mentioned was the potential for infection at the injection site, which didn't occur. She gave me no information about which medication or dosage I'd received, let alone a handout with side effects.

A week after my injection, I got my period -- 2.5 weeks early. I was unable to speak with my orthopedist's office for the next 1.5 weeks because they were closed for the Christmas - New Year's holiday. I did manage to reach my gynecologist, whose office was also closed for the holidays, but she said she didn't think my early period was due to the steroid. Since I still didn't know which steroid I'd received, I couldn't do any internet research. I was worried because I have a uterine fibroid, which could potentially be causing the irregular bleeding. Also, I know there are other scary causes for irregular bleeding.

The period lasted 8 days, which is longer than usual for me. Almost immediately after it stopped, I started feeling PMS symptoms, like I could get my period again any day.

I ended up cutting my vacation short so I could see my gynecologist. When I finally got in touch with my orthopedist's office, they told me that I'd received Kenalog, which can cause menstrual irregularities. WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL ME THAT TO BEGIN WITH??? It would have saved me 2 weeks of needless worry.

Now that I've informed my gynecologist, she says it may take a few months for my menstrual cycle to get regular.

my story sounds eerily similar to all of yours -- i received a kenalog injection (40mg) in my right arm (below the deltoid) last may 2007, and two months later the bruised dent was the size of a quarter. now (october 2007) the dent is approximately the size of a golf ball with bruising still visible. i am a new graduate student and my new classmates/friends have asked whether my "dent" is a gunshot wound, a skin graft, you name it. my GP simply denies any knowledge of kenalog's side effects and completely dismisses any suggestion that my erratic periods (i'm having one every other week) could be due to "just one injection." one last side effect -- i have back, chest, and neck acne for the first time in my life. not sure if that is connected. again, my story isn't much different from all of yours, but i felt compelled to share it to make the number of similar cases known...

i received a kenalog shot about 5 months ago on just one single pimple on my left cheek. about 3 or 4 weeks after the shot i got this huge indentation and discoloration. mind you the rest of my skin is completely clear with no acne nor scars nothing so this indentation stands out even more. the discoloration went away completely and the indentation filled some but not all the way. i went to 5 different dermatologists and all say the same thing that it will eventually fill in on its own as the skin regenerates itself in close to 2 years. the dr who gave me the shot gave me no warnings and now im stuck with this unsightly dent in the middle of my face which apparently will correct itself. i have gotten all the fillers like restalyne and collagen but it doesnt work all it does is push the dent to the surface of the skin and its obsorbed in about 2-3 months anyway. if any one has had this experience before particularly on the face please tell me there is hope that my skin will go back to the way it was before or if you kno of any sort of treatment please let me know.

I too experienced an indentation from a kenalog shot. My experience is a little different though, because I received the shots on my face for acne. I received four shots and two out of the four depressed / indented. I was EXTREMELY depressed and felt hopeless after reading it would take 6 months to a year (or more) to have my skin gash-free. I stayed up for two days straight searching for some sort of help on the internet and found a medical article about something called saline infiltration. It is a relatively new procedure and was created by "one of the best dermatologists in the country". I was so desperate, that the next morning I drove to see him in La Jolla, Ca (I live in LA). I received shots in the problem areas. It is now two days later and my indents are about 80% better!! He told me to give it another couple of days to see complete restoration, and if not, said that one more treatment should make everything 100% normal again. Needless to say, I am thrilled!! I do not know if this will work for any of your situations (being that the dr. is a dermatologist and the shot was initially given for acne), but I thought I would share my great news and hopefully help at least one person out there dealing with this mess.

I too experienced an indentation from a kenalog shot. My experience is a little different though, because I received the shots on my face for acne. I received four shots and two out of the four depressed / indented. I was EXTREMELY depressed and felt hopeless after reading it would take 6 months to a year (or more) to have my skin gash-free. I stayed up for two days straight searching for some sort of help on the internet and found a medical article about something called saline infiltration. It is a relatively new procedure and was created by "one of the best dermatologists in the country". I was so desperate, that the next morning I drove to see him in La Jolla, Ca (I live in LA). I received shots in the problem areas. It is now two days later and my indents are about 80% better!! He told me to give it another couple of days to see complete restoration, and if not, said that one more treatment should make everything 100% normal again. Needless to say, I am thrilled!! I do not know if this will work for any of your situations (being that the dr. is a dermatologist and the shot was initially given for acne), but I thought I would share my great news and hopefully help at least one person out there dealing with this mess. Good luck to you all - I feel for your situations.

I just read the entire list of side effects on the Bristol Myers Squibb site, and now i realize that Kenalog is to blame for some of my other problems.
I've been suffering from insomnia since the shot i recieved 2 weeks ago, also acne, increased appetite, along with the menstual irregularities. I havn't noticed the indentation on the injection site yet, but that's not to say i wont have that problem as well.

I received a Kenalog injection in December '06 to provide relief from an allergic reaction. My doctor did NOT inform me of any possible side effects other than drowsiness. Two months later a small dipple formed where the shot was given. I had no idea what it was and just assumed it was a part of getting older (I'm 30). When it began to get deeper, I became extremely worried. It has now been 6 months and the dimple has turned into a very large indentation. I still did not put two and two together and did not think it could have been caused by the steroid injuection. I visited my doctor, the same one who administered the shot in December, to find out what this could possibly be. He said he had no idea!! And even suggested it could be cancer!!!! I came home upset, obviously, thinking I was very sick, possibly even dying!! My sister did some research and found this site, and I am so relieved. But now I am angry at my doctor for not warning me of this possible side effect at the time of the shot AND then diagnosing it as a possible cancer!!! So now I am left with this deformity on my butt and a profound feeling of helplessness. Someone please tell me actions you have taken that have worked, both legally and physically. Will this go away?!?

I received a kenalog injection to the right side of my chin for acne around the first week of August 2006. They wanted to
inject two of my pimples, fortunately I refused. Two weeks later I noticed discoloration, then the indention. Thank God it was small, about the size of the tip of my pinky. My GP sent me to a dermatologist who stated that it would go away but would take several months, maybe a year. I was skeptical and scared. It was Nov 2006 before I noticed any changes. Now, today, I can barely see an indention and the discoloration is completely gone. From looking at this site, I've concluded that I was definitely lucky.

I had a Kenalog injection between my eyes for a zit/cyst. I've had mild cyctic acne for years and easily treat it with cortisone injections every few months. I asked for a cortisone injection which I've gotten regularly with no problems, but was given the Kenalog and told it was the same thing - is it?!?! I now have an 'dent' between my eyes. I've called my normal derm to see if she can add filler or something, will it ever go away? It's been approx 4weeks and the dent keeps getting bigger.

I got a kenalog injection 5 months ago.I am still having terrible periods but atleast not 2 or 3 a month anymore,they just last 7 to 10 days now ,very heavy with spotting after.How long will this last?I also have atrophy that keeps getting bigger and deeper.I will need to get Sculptra injections wich are very expensive and only a temporary fix.Like so many others I have also had other side effects,acne,hair loss and growth,headache,cramps,ect...Hopefully none of us will get any of the life threatening side effects like blood clots.I got the boxed insert from Brystol Meyers and it lists all of the side effects that the doctors failed to tell us about.You can call 1 800 321-1335 and get a copy mailed or faxed to you.

After a reaction to a known food allergy and being treated with success at the emgergency room with benedryl, I followed up with my GP for irratation in one ear. After an exam of my inner ear he said the canal looked inflamed, probably lingering from the food allergy and said a "shot" would clear it right up. His nurse came in with the injection, and I asked "what exactly is this" she said it was "Kenalog" and said people come in all time and get it for all kinds of things, mainly for allergies and they just "love" it. I had never heard of the drug before this. I received the 80mg injection in my left hip on 06-20-05. Since then I have experienced mild to moderate depression, anxiety, panic, fatigue, night sweats, muscle pain, stomach cramping and a mild form of acne around the hair follicles on my chest as per the dermatologist. I beleive it is the side effects of the Kenalog. If I would have been properly informed I would have opted out of injection and kick myself for not asking more questions about it. I know from reading the forums every one reacts differently but the side effects seem consistant throughout. I would caution anyone before taking this drug to througly weigh the benefits vs the risks.

I had been suffering from severe allergies for about 10 years and had been through the desensitizing shots, antihistimines, and whatever else one can imagine. I was a human dartboard for some of the allergists I consulted. Finally, this past Spring, my GP suggested that I try a Kenalog shot. At first I declined because I knew there could be complications with taking corticosteriods. After a month or two of suffering with the allergies and my fibromyalgia in full swing, I decided to get the shot. The difference in the allergies was like night and day. And the bonus to the treatment was that my fibromyalgia was decreased and a pressure buildup in my left ear subsided. Yes, I experienced longer and heavy periods, and occasional acne (which I was able to control with topicals), and I'm certain if I made the effort I could attribute other oddities in my life to the shot. However, I have been miserable lately since I believe the shot is wearing off. After reading all the horror stories on this site it has made me wary of the use of Kenalog. But we must remember that not all humans react the same way to all med.

I had a kenalog injection in Sep of 2003 in my upper arm for an allergic rash. Two months later an indent appeared and gradually got worse until March 2004. Now in June, some of the muscle is growing back (its was just thin skin a bones for a while!). The fat doesn't appear to be growing back and the skin is scarred and discolored. I noticed some acne around it for a while and some dark hairs have grown around it (a few shades darker than my arm hair). I think that I will always have some small scarring and deformation, but at last it is healing! No doctors could tell me anything..just to wait it out.
Also for a few months after the shot (5 months) I had periods with horrible cramps that were only about 20 days apart. I don't know if that was related, but I am back to normal now.

I received shots into the bald spots in my scalp (very low doeses) due to alopecia areata. Immediately upon reciving the shots, perhaps 15 of them in all. I immediately felt slightly nauseous and became very pale and felt chilled and very drowsy. This sickish feeling lasted a few days but was felt most intensly the first day or two. The second time I had the shots, this time perhaps only 10 shots, I became very very dizzy, saw spots in front of my eyes and again became very pale and felt chilled and drowsy. The dizziness lasted about 3 hours and was scary. The sick feeling lasted a day or two or so again, getting better slowly. I have had periodic shots into acne with no ill effects other than at times an indentation which reversed itself in 6 months or so. The good news is that follwing the kenalog injections my hair began to grow back in about 2 weeks. Unfortunately due to my reaction the doctor will not give me the shots again. Has anyone ev er had these reactions?

i had some kenalog injections in my forehead for some acne. about 1 week after the injection a deep indention occurred and about that time my forehead begin constantly hurting. lately I have had a week of a migraine and the site where the kenalog injection is hurts badly and it also makes me nauseated. The dr. never told me any side effects of this medication!!!!