Kenalog and kenalog injection

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 had a Kenalog injection in May. I was on vacation in Vegas and had bad allergies and ear pain due to my allergies. I went to an urgent care center and they injected the shot in my right butt cheek. I noticed an indention in that spot today and never would have linked it to the injection. I did online searches and put it together. I called the urgent care center and spoke with a nurse who told me that muscle atrophy at the injection site is a side affect and yes it can take several months to show up. In my case exactly 5 months to the day. The doctor called me back. I asked why he did not tell me about the side effects. His response was that only 1% of people get this kind of side effect. I highly doubt that this is accurate considering I can google it and find many people with the same reaction. I asked if it will go away and he said it may never go away. I am 27 and in shape. I am interested in pursuing this legally if it does not go away. It is pretty upsetting.

I received a kenalog injection in April of this year. Immediately I had bruising and an indention at injection site. I didn't pay much attention until last week when the indention became tender and painful. I was wondering about the long term effect. Does the dent and pain ever go away? No one ever mentioned the side effects.

My husband and I were going to try to have a baby and then I was rear ended in a car accident causing nerve pain in my lower back. I had the injection without being told of the irregular period side effect even after the doctor knew we were trying to have a baby. I am very upset. Has anyone had luck regulating their period after a Kenalog injection? I had the injection 4 weeks ago. I had very predictable periods prior to the injection. I missed my period 2 weeks after the injection and then a week later began spotting that hasn't stopped for 4 weeks. It gets light and then heavy with no indication prior to being heavy. There are clots. How long does it take for the cycle to return to normal? I think I am getting depressed worrying about if I will ever be able to have a normal period and have my baby.

I have received a Kenalog injection (40 milligrams) in my right hip. After a few weeks passed I noticed my hip starting to "cave" or "dent" in. It is dented in so much now you can feel the bone. I appreciate the other posts regarding this drug because I was starting to think there might be something terribly wrong with me. I would love to hear any more updates on the side effect of this drug and what is being done to remedy them. Will the pharmaceutical company be liable?

I'm so glad I found this website - thanks to all of you who have shared. I had a Kenalog injection in May 09 and about a couple of months ago noticed an indentation in the side of my leg. I had it given in my leg instead of buttocks due to other health issues currently going on. It is sore sometimes and hurts sometimes when I bend down or exercise. I also had abnormal periods for several months and didn't realize that it was related to the injection. I had a sinus infection/ear infection and had to get on a plane to go out of the country the next day, otherwise I would have never done this. No one mentioned (or I think knew) anything about the possible muscle/skin side effects. Does anyone know about a class action suit regarding this? I've already made a report with the FDA. I am working with a dr that is doing soft tissue work on it weekly, this does seem to be helping, the indentation decreases quite a bit, but it the indentation increases if I don't have the soft tissue work. I'm hoping I won't have to have plastic surgery to fix this, but looks like I will looking at all the other postings. Does anyone know of a class action law suit regarding this? I tried the person listed in Delaware's e-mail listed on the posting, but it wouldn't go thru.

I took my daughter about 5 months ago to the dermatologist. She got a Kenalog injection and now she has skin discoloration and a huge dent on her arm. It hurts and it pounds.

I suffered with huge patches of psoriasis on both elbows which continued to grow larger and larger for years. Numerous treatments of various creams and light therapy had absolutely no positive results on my problem. Then I found a doctor who injected some small amounts of Kenalog directly into the layers of my psoriasis, and FINALLY the psoriasis disappeared completely. It was a MIRACLE for me! My patches of psoriasis now normally remain in remission for about two years. When I notice them to slightly reappear, I got get another Kenalog injection to clear it up for another couple of years. I have never had any side effects with this procedure except for positive ones! My self image has improved, and I can now wear short sleeve shirts without anyone asking me "what's wrong with your elbows?". I think it's the best thing!

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.

My story started about a year and a half ago. I got my first kenalog injection for ORAL LICHEN PLANUS and was told that it was safe enough to give to his own wife and kids and he convinced to take it. But little did i know that it was going to leave this huge dent in the top part of my right arm. The doctor said it would fill in but would take awhile. So in 4 months i went back for my second injection because it seemed to help my mouth but then strange things started to happen. I take blood pressure meds and have for 14 years and never had any problems until that second shot and my BP started to go up and down and i mean very low and very high. I went to my family doctor and he wanted to try other meds and i said no so he sent me to heart doctor and that was a waste of time and money. I just waited it out and in the mean time i stared to to drop a lot of weight and couldn't figure it out. Now it was time for third shot and by this time my weight started at 145lbs. is now 119lbs. The doctor said my problems are not from the shot. So my health started going down hill and my bp is now very high all the time and still losing weight. Guess what its time for fourth shot and i now weigh 109lbs. and i told myself no more shots because in the end every shot i took started to not help my mouth anymore. Well its been 5 months since my last shot and my bp is normal now and my weight is at 115lbs. I still have the dent in my arm. This is a very dangerous drug and i advise no one to try it. Someone needs to take it off the market. And before i forget- what it has did to me is i have very bad bone and joint aches but i hope in time it leaves and blurring vision and headaches everyday. I just want it out of my system.

I URGE YOU TO PLEASE SUBMIT ANY ADVERSE EVENTS OF THIS TERRIBLE KENALOG DRUG TO THE FDA--JUST CLICK THIS LINK AND COMPLETE THE FORM: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/. The FDA is responsible for assuring safety of medications. Therefore, it is imperative that the FDA recognize the adverse effects to provide any credibility to a class action suit. Please consider forwarding your case to the FDA to force them into action and begin addressing these atrocities. Here's my case: I am also a victim of having the Kenalog injection administered over a year ago to alleviate poison ivy itching symptoms. Prior to having the injection, I was not informed of any side effects. Not only did the injection not alleviate the symptoms, but has resulted in a discolored and uncomfortable indentation in my left buttock area and psychological anguish because of disfigurement of my body. It is over a year later and the indent remains and continues to cause discomfort. The dermatologist who administered the injection stated that there was nothing I could do to reverse such effects. I reported my case to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Med Watch and strongly urge others to report their adverse event to the FDA (see link above).

In January of 2009 I had a Kenalog injection between the L4 L5 in the lower lumber spine area to help with pain. It began to work for me about 5 days after the shot and my back felt better. I was due to return to work, and then I had a panic attack. Never in my life has this happened to me. I was just laying on the couch and all the sudden I felt sick to my stomach, got a terrible headache, had trouble breathing and was experiencing numbness in my hands and feet. I was taken to the ER and tests all came back negative. Was given Klonapin to help me relax, and returned to work a few days later. On Feb. 1st, while at work, I had another panic attack, only after this one, my speech was stuttered and I had neck spasms so bad that I almost couldn't stand it. I also had the night sweats, nausea, depression, headaches, lack of appetite, so I went to see a neurologist. Several tests were done and all came back normal. Then I was referred to Univ. of MD Neurologist that told me it was stress related. However, during both panic attacks there was no stressful situation. After an increase in Effexor I returned to work after being off for four weeks. Then just two nights ago I experienced a terrible immediate migraine that resulted in another panic attack. My speech is still stuttering, I have constant neck pain, and I feel like it's never going to go away. My doctor wants to do another set of Kenalog injections in my neck this week. I think after reading this site, I am going to refuse and get a second opinion.

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 don't know if this would be a side effort but from what I heard is that a Kenalog injection can get rid of a pimple. I had a pimple on my nose for 6 weeks straight which was red and flared up every few days. I got the injection and within 2 days the pimple was gone! But 2 weeks later, that same (funny as it sounds) pimple rose right back up. I've booked an to get another injection but I don't know if this is the solution. I don't want to keep going back for the injection.

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.

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 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 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!!

I URGE YOU TO PLEASE SUBMIT ANY ADVERSE EVENTS OF THIS TERRIBLE KENALOG DRUG TO THE FDA--JUST CLICK THIS LINK AND COMPLETE THE FORM: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/. The FDA is responsible for assuring safety of medications. Therefore, it is imperative that the FDA recognize the adverse effects to provide any credibility to a class action suit. Please consider forwarding your case to the FDA to force them into action and begin addressing these atrocities.

Here's my case: I am also a victim of having the Kenalog injection administered over a year ago to alleviate poison ivy itching symptoms. Prior to having the injection, I was not informed of any side effects. Not only did the injection not alleviate the symptoms, but has resulted in a discolored and uncomfortable indentation in my left buttock area and psychological anguish because of disfigurement of my body. It is over a year later and the indent remains and continues to cause discomfort. The dermatologist who administered the injection stated that there was nothing I could do to reverse such effects. I reported my case to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Med Watch and strongly urge others to report their adverse event to the FDA (see link above).

Wow....sounds like Kenalog is not a drug to be administered without careful consideration of the pros out- weighing the cons. I had a Kenalog injection in my elbow at an urgent care center while on vacation about 8 mos ago (painful elbow was impacting vacation activities). It took my pain away 100%. Never gave it another thought even until just recently when it began hurting again. Did, however, notice the atrophy at injection site...and a grayish tone to skin. Indentation has not grown, but certainly has remained. My elbow is also super sensitive. Feels like the nerve is right there under a thin layer of skin.....so sensitive. I also have leg shakiness, hip weakness, anxiety, nausea, and increased heart rate....I assume these are related as I did not have these issues prior. These issues bother me way more that the indentation on my elbow. Dont like not feeling well. I guess the learning is that all medications are foreign to your body and thus have potential side effects. One needs to ask questions and or do own research on their own prior to consenting to take a mediation to be sure the benefits are worth it.

I have contacted an attorney in Delaware who is willing to pursue a possible class action suit. I explained my side effects from this drug and told him of the countless others that are suffering as well. He said if I was willing to do the "legwork" and gather up names of others who would like to join this suit, perhaps we could get a class action started. If anyone is interested please reply by contacting me at ***** Please be sure to type "Kenalog" as the subject and include your name, email address, and a description of your experience with Kenalog. I will than gather your responses and forward them to the attorney. He will than contact you individually, so please include a contact number. This will take some time. So please be patient, as you know these cases take time. I have spent 15 months trying to get some kind of help from various doctors, to no avail. Someone needs to step up and take responsibility.
Hope to hear from many of you. Thank You

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 just received a kenalog injection a week ago when I went to the doctor for sinus problems. My regular doctor was not in,so I saw a different doctor who is an allergy specialist.He spent a whole 60 seconds with me and stated that I needed an injection of kenalog.I didn't question him,as I knew that kenalog was a steroid and I had taken oral steroids before with few side effects. The injection itself was not painful,but the next day,I felt terrible and have ever since.I ache,I feel very nervous and have been crying for no reason. My blood pressure is up.I have weakness in my muscles and heart palpitations,and a constantly upset stomach.I also have had a flare -up of irritable bowel syndrome and yet even with the stomach and intestinal pain,I cannot stop eating.I am also constantly thirsty and have excessive urination.I have a pins and needles sensation in my hands and feet and I have blurry vision and confusion and forget things easily.I have trouble typing,as I have to spell-check everything.I am going crazy wondering how long these side effects will last.I am the primary caretaker of my mother,and I now cannot take care of myself.Why do they not tell a person of the possible side effects? I would never have let that nurse give me the shot had I known that it could cause such horrid side effects. And my sinuses are no better.I have an infection and now need antibiotics,which is what I told the doctor in the first place.I don't know what to do,I feel like I am going to die.

I am also a victim of having the Kenalog injection administered over a year ago to alleviate poison ivy itching symptoms. Prior to having the injection, I was not informed of any side effects. Not only did the injection not alleviate the symptoms, but has resulted in a discolored and uncomfortable indentation in my left buttock area and psychological anguish because of disfigurement of my body. The dermatologist who administered the injection stated that there was nothing I could do to reverse such effects. I reported my case to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Med Watch. I urge others to report their adverse event to the FDA--just click on this link and complete the form: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/. The FDA is responsible for assuring safety of medications. Therefore, it is imperative that the FDA recognize the adverse effects to provide any credibility to a class action suit. Please consider forwarding your case to the FDA to force them into action and begin addressing these atrocities. Such documented cases and recognition by the FDA will provide leverage for attorneys in pursuit of a class action suit.

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.

A plastic surgeon injected Kenalog in two places underneath my chin to dissolve small spots of scar tissue. The result is a disaster. I have a dent on one side and a large burned looking, atrophied area on the other. He did not advise me that there was any possibility of this drug eating my healthy tissue -- said it would probably not do anything. I did this on the spur of the moment and am angry with myself for not researching the drug first.

Has anyone who has had these "dents" had their atrophied area fill back in?

When I was visiting him for something unrelated, my doctor pointed out the bags under my eyes and said he could eliminate them with a Kenalog injection. He did not mention any possible side effects. Worst case, he said, would be that the injection would have no effect.

That's the last time I consent to a treatment on trust without first researching it thoroughly myself. The injection did nothing for the bags, but did cause atrophy of my right cheek at the injection site, resulting in a severe indentation in the middle of my cheek which continued to get worse as the weeks went by.

Attempts to fill out the sink-hole have resulted in a lopsided appearance to my face, which is quite demoralizing.

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 can't believe that so many doctors don't know about the side effects of Kenalog and/or don't advise their patients about them. It's unbelievable!!! My father was a very well-known rheumatologist in Puerto Rico (he passed away in 1994) and I worked with him for many years. And one of the first things I learned about Kenalog (and all corticosteroids) were its possible side effects, the most common ones being redness or pain at the injection site, headache, menstrual period changes and/or post-menopausal bleeding, easy bruising and/or bleeding, swelling of the ankles/feet, persistent weight gain, puffy face, unusual hair growth and thinning of the skin, among many others. In case you want to learn more about this, you can visit ******.

I myself am post-menopausal although I'm only 51, and haven't had my period for over two years now. Two weeks ago I got a shot of Kenalog for my back pain and about three days later started spotting, and right now I'm having full vaginal bleeding. I don't worry cause I know it was the Kenalog, but since I have an appointment on the 29th with my gynecologist, she'll tell me if anything has to be done.

Anyway, I hope to have helped the soooo many women who have soooo many doubts about Kenalog. Take care, friends! TutiMM from Florida

I also received a kenalog injection from a dermatologist for rashes that wouldn't go away. He told me ONLY that it would probably mess up my menstrual cycle. I thought "yeah sure that sounds great" I just wanted relief from all the itching. The rash did go away but i started to notice a dent where they gave me the injection. It has since gotten bigger and I am scared and wondering what is going on with me. My doctor never told me of atrophy or even that it was a possibility. I consulted with another doctor who told me he is not sure how this couldn't happened and that they probly injected in the wrong site. i now know after coming to this site that i am not alone and it is the kenalog that has caused me grief. Doctors need to be responsible in letting patients know every detail about the drug they are using on us. I was reassured by him that my only side affect would be irregular periods. Hopefully one day mine will go away but until the people need to be educated on certain steroids.

I do understand that this medication can be helpful for some people and for them, the benefits out-weigh the side effects. For this reason, I don't think that this med should be taken off the market, but I DO think that we, as patients, deserve to be explained these side effects before we are just injected with such a powerful drug!!
I went in to a walk-in clinic with allergy symptoms that were not relieved by OTC drugs. Nothing super- severe that I couldn't stand, but I was looking for something to make me feel better and the Dr. prescribed Kenalog. No side effects were mentioned/discussed. A nurse came in and gave me the shot. A few months later, I noticed the dent on my left buttocks area. I was very worried because it looked SO bad! The dent has increased in size and depth over the months. My PCP told me that it was most likely from the Kenalog injection but I have an ultrasound scheduled to find out how extensive the atrophy is! She says that it only destroys the tissue and fat but I know for a fact by feeling the area that the muscle underneath is completely gone!! How can this shot be given to patients without a verbal description of possible side effects and a written consent!!
I've read that some people have been lucky enough to have the "dent" go away! How long did that take?? I am only hoping that I am as lucky!!! It is such an UGLY site!! Luckily it is covered by a swimsuit and my fiance doesn't find it as ugly as I do!!

I had a Kenalog injection in November to try to get over bronchitis. About three months later I noticed an indentation on the right side of my butt. I went to the doctors and she said that that can happen and it will probably come back. It is now June 2nd and it is way worse than it was then. I don't know what to do now. I think they should be responsible to fix it. It's disgusting.

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.

I had a Kenalog injection on March 24, 2008. It was given to me for allergy, hay fever problems. I am now experiencing constant leg muscle pain and leg and feet cramping. I truly feel this is from the Kenalog. Can someone tell me how long these injections last in your system? I am miserable and would never get this again.
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A few months ago I had a Kenalog injection into a painful s/i joint. Now I have a huge painful crater at the site of the injection. There is no tissue left between the skin and bone. I have twice as much pain, and it feels cold on the inside and like the skin in pulling.

I am also a victim of having the Kenalog injection administered over 8 months ago to alleviate poison ivy itching symptoms. Prior to having the injection, I was not informed of any side effects. Not only did the injection not alleviate the symptoms, but has resulted in a discolored and uncomfortable indentation in my left buttock area and psychological anguish because of disfigurement of my body. It is 8 months later and the indent appears to continue to deepen and lengthen. The dermatologist who administered the injection stated that there was nothing I could do to reverse such effects. I reported my case to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Med Watch. I urge others to report their adverse event to the FDA--just click on this link and complete the form: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/. The FDA is responsible for assuring safety of medications. Therefore, it is imperative that the FDA recognize the adverse effects to provide any credibility to a class action suit. Please consider forwarding your case to the FDA to force them into action and begin addressing these atrocities. Such documented cases and recognition by the FDA will provide leverage for attorneys in pursuit of a class action suit.

HI, i too have to say i am kind of relieved after reading this website that i am not alone with my experiences of the kenalog injection. I was given kenalog injections to treat hayfever, although i wasn't told the name of the injection. They did help and i probably would of continued this year if it wasn't for the side effects.
I was told that to have one a yr was safe, then just before xmas i noticed a dent on my hip, this started getting larger and looked almost like scare tissue, I too was worried i had some sort of flesh eating disorder. The dent is still there and i will never have that injection again. I also have been experience problems with my hips and pain around my coxis,i am not sure if this too is related to the injection. I was told by my doctor who is very good that the kenalog had eaten my fat tissue causing a dent and that it will get better in time.

I had a Kenalog injection in two trigger points (one on the right side of my spine in the shoulder blade area and one on the right side of my spine in the lower neck) on March 27, 2008. Prior to the shot, I was suffering from numbness in my right arm and leg, shooting pains and loss of motor skills in my right arm, severe muscle spasms in my back and neck, tightening in my chest and back, severe migraines, night sweats and hot flashes, vertigo/dizziness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and chest pains to name a few. Since the injection, I have noticed an increase of heart palpitations, dizziness, severe migraines, blurry vision, excessive weight gain, severe hot flashes, tiredness, and have had trouble sleeping. In the last two weeks, I have noticed a quarter sized indentation where I received the shot in my shoulder blade area and a baseball sized indentation where I received the shot in my lower neck area. I was not made aware of ANY side effects to this shot and will DEFINITELY not get another one. It is only a month later and I have not felt any improvement in my symptoms that I had before or after the shot. I received the shot, as my doctor felt it would help with what they think is a spazzed muscle in my back shoulder blade area near the spine. The doctor who gave me the shot stated if it didn't help, they would try giving me a cervical epidural, which has its own set of scary risks! I am beginning to think I will have to live with my symptoms for the rest of my life!

I too, have been having weird symptoms over the last several months and just connected it all with having a Kenalog shot 7 months ago. In October 2007, two months after my injection, I developed severe anxiety and panic attacks. I thought it was related to perimenopause. Then, in January, I started having lots of muscle and joint pain all over my legs and hips. I've been a healthy and active person, so this was very unusual. I saw an orthopeadic surgeon who diagnosed me with a strained rotator cuff and bursitis on my hips. Now, just two weeks ago, I woke up with a large indentation on my left glut. Right where the Kenalog injection was given. My doctor had no clue what it was and said she might refer me to a Plastic Surgeon. I am SO relieve to find this board. It all clicked when I read everyone's postings. Now I just want to know if it will get worse or eventually go away. I did find some interesting information about the drug. BTW, the nurse or doctor NEVER said anything about side effects before giving my the injection. I am seriously going to pursue a law suit, so we can get this terrible drug OFF the market and no one else has to endure this disfiguring problem. If ENOUGH of us join together in a law suit, it might be worth suing the drug manufacturer. But we have to somehow get organized. Anyone intersted in pursuing this?

Here are some facts about the drug I found online.

Kenalog is not appropriate for everyone. A thorough medical history should be assessed prior to prescribing this medication. Patients with a medical history which includes skin infection, tuberculosis of the skin, chicken pox, herpes, cold sores, sunburned or wind burned skin, chapped skin, open sores, diabetes, or a stomach ulcer may not be able to take Kenalog or may require careful monitoring while undergoing drug therapy with this medication, depending on the condition and the severity of the condition.

The American Food and Drug Administration rated Kenalog as a pregnancy risk category C. This medication has been known to cause harm or birth defects in unborn babies. It has yet to be determined whether or not Kenalog passes through the mother’s breast milk and affects a nursing baby. The prescribing physician should avoid prescribing this medication to women who are pregnant, nursing, or have a high likelihood of becoming pregnant.

There is a risk of side effects associated with Kenalog, some of which are severe. A patient who is experience a serious side effect or an allergic reaction should seek immediate emergency treatment. An allergic reaction will present with symptoms which may include facial swelling, such as swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, hives, and difficulty breathing. Other serious side effects which require immediate emergency medical treatment include symptoms such as insomnia, blurry vision, mood changes, halo vision, fatigue, weight gain, facial puffiness, or irregular heart rate.

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

My daughter is 14, a beautiful tall thin cheerleader who is very athletic. She, too, has a huge dent in her right hip -- and it appears to be getting bigger, even after a year since the Kenalog injection. Besides the embarrassment of what she feels is a disfigurement, she is now experiencing problems with the muscles in her hip area. If anyone has the name of a good attorney, please let me know.

My daughter is 6 years old has a dent on her left butt cheek, took her to her family doctor, they sent me to a doctor in St. Louis . They said it was from a shot, I couldn't remember her getting one, I called Urgent Care and they said May 2007 , my daughter received Kenalog. I don't know what to think, will my child later need plastic surgrey.

When I stumbled onto this site I felt so relieved. Until then, I had thought I was the only one with this "dent" problem. I hadn't been completely sure that it was caused by the shot last year, but that was my only incident with my left butt cheek that I could think of. When I called my doctor's office and asked them the name of the shot they had given to me last year, they told me Kenalog. They had no real response to my questions about why I was never told about the possible side effects. My doctor just said, "Well, it's never happened in my office before".

When I went to my doctor last May, I had unexplained hives. She told me that they were going to give me a steroid shot to quickly take care of the problem. As I was about to leave the country, I thought it sounded like a good idea. Initially I did not notice anything amiss. Then, a few months later, I noticed a small dimple where none had been before. I mentioned it to my husband, but neither of us thought too much about it. At the same time of the dimple, I noticed that my periods were getting irregular and my body seemed to act like it was going into menopause (i.e. extreme dryness, hair loss, etc). I went to my gynocologist who agreed that my body was acting strangely, but could not identify a reason. We decided that maybe it was a hormone problem and I went off of the pill for three months. I did not mention the dimple to this doctor because I never would have thought it was related. In the months after this visit, I noticed that the dimple had sunk into a full blown dent! You could put a golf ball into it.

It was only this month, after my husband noticed that the dent looked deeper, that I started to really worry if I had some flesh eating disease. I started looking things up on the internet and slowly but surely, I found this site and all the answers I needed.

My doctor has documented my comments (while offering no encouragement about the flesh ever growing back) and I guess I will go on being lop-sided.

I just had a Kenalog injection in my left knee today. 1cc of Kenalog and 4cc of Lidocaine. Ever since i had this done today i have done nothing but have to pee every 1-2 hours. I am 46, a female. It was my first injection. Can anyone tell me if the peeing is a normal thing?

I had 2 kenalog injection in my sacroiliac joints. I had these injections within 2 weeks of each other. I had them done because I suffer from a chronic back pain, had had a spinal fusion and within 4 months began suffering unbearable pain in my hip and leg,it felt as though my hip was dislocated.
The side effects I have suffered are as follow: extreme hunger,weight gain, puffiness in my face and stomach, excessive hair growth on my face. The wierd part of the excessive facial hair is that before I had these injections done I always left handfuls of hair in the shower and when I put hair products in my hair, since the injections I hardly lose a single strand of hair.I also had severe night sweats,mood swings, and I have yet to get my period since I had the injections.
Above all of this I also suffered steroid withdrawal. Like I said I has these 2 injections within 2 weeks of the other. Abpput 3 weeks after the last injection I began to have a creepy crawly feeling in my arms, cold sweats, and vomiting. I called my Dr who said it was withdrawal from the steroids. I couldnt believe this. I did some research online . I discovered that this does happen if you have more than one injection within 3 weeks. I guess it does make sense because when you take oral steroids you are almost always given a taper pack. You are weened off of them so that you don't go into withdrawal. With an injection obviously you can not be weened but if you have the injections too close together, withdrawal can happen.

The only advise I have is that if you can wait to have your injections more than 3 weeks apart...do it because the withdrawal is miserable.

I had a Kenalog injection just over a month ago for a sinus infection by an urgent care doctor. The next day I was having panic attacks out the wa-zoo! I felt flush and "spacey" all day. I nearly went to the ER that night. On the following evening I could not take the panic, emotional distress, and the flushed hot feeling anymore. I went back to urgent care. The doc there said it could be a slight side effect of the Kenalog and should go away soon. Well it didn't. a week later, I went to see my regular internist. I was so wigged out, that he suggested Prozac. I didn't take it. All i was trying to get him to understand was I wasn't like this before shot. So....anyway. the paranoia/panic attacks are not as bad now, the spacey feeling is getting a little better. But now I am so afraid to go anywhere alone. I might mention I lost my husband 10mths ago so this isn't helping at all...having to deal with this, too. Oh well....I just I'll just ride it out, huh? How long does this stuff take to get out of your system!! I wish to God I had never went to that urgent care.

Kenalog Warning! Please think twice before letting Anyone inject this drug into you!! I am a new nurse, I had only been working as a nurse for 4 months on May 31st of 2007 last year when I let my NP of 7 years give me a Kenalog injection to my Left elbow for severe tennis elbow brought on my 16 hour days of charting by hand as a new nurse. As with any drug, we should always be on guard and informed, and I feel twice as dumb for being a nurse and letting this happen, but I was so busy and in demand that immobilization of my dominant arm at the time simply was not an option to my employer.

By October of 2007 I had a literal "crater" in my elbow. I went to an ortho doctor and when he walked into the room he looked at me and said I was the worst case he had ever seen. I still didn't believe him until he sent me for xrays and an MRI. I have NO fat left on my elbow. I have total muscle necrosis and wasting away. Basically the Kenalog shot ate away all but 2millimeters of my elbow muscle and the xrays showed so much inflammation and irritation that the doctor was afraid that the bone had become infected as well. So I had to endure a bone biopsy of the elbow 3 weeks ago before he would even agree to do the elbow muscle transfer which I have to have done this Friday.

I was a new nurse and did not even get to work for a year on the floor before loosing full use of my arm and being forced to give up my nursing job. This elbow muscle transfer requires 3-6 weeks of immobilization, then 4-6 months of physical therapy, then another 4-6 months before you can expect your arm to be back to pre-surgery condition.

Basically I can not work as a nurse for a year, and will not be able to type, write, sign my name, use my cell phone, drive a car, wash my hair, or even pull up my own pants after I go into surgery this coming Friday.

And no, Doctors can Not be sued for an improperly delivered Kenalog injection if the intention was good and the shot was in the right place and did not hit the bone. I have been turned down by 3 lawyers.
Please be careful and try physical therapy, ice and immobilization first!

I to have a huge dent in my right butt cheek. I would be interested in a class action suit. This is ridiculous! It has been about three months since I received the shot. Has anyone noticed their dents getting better with time?

I have recently discovered that I too have had a major side effect from this drug. I only received one injection 5 months ago in the buttocks for an allergic reaction I was having and now I have a huge indention like crater in the area that looks like the tissue has been eaten away. I did not even know it was from that since it has been a while and only one shot. After finding this website and talking to my doctor's office. They did confirm that the shot given was Kenalog and in that spot which I was certain of after reading so many others who have this side effect as well.
I am very interested in joining a class action lawsuit. People need to be warned of these major effects. I would have NEVER allowed the injection to be given had I been warned.