Kenalog and poison ivy

I just came across this site while searching online for photos that resembled what is happening to my body. I have matching large indentations above both butt cheeks, and after reading this I realize that they are in the same location where my dermatologist gave me "steroid" shots for poison ivy in Sept. of 2008. I have no idea if it was kenalog, but after reading this I'm afraid that's exactly what it was and will be calling his office on Monday to confirm. I too would like to know just how big these will get and if there is any way to correct them. It's all I can do to sit at my desk for 8 hours. I am in great discomfort, and very upset about the appearance of these large indentations.

As a fairly healthy 34 year old male, I went to my doctor for help getting over poison ivy mid-July 2008. I received the Kenalog 40 injection without being advised on any potential side effects. Within 36 hours I started having severe anxiety attacks with spikes in my blood pressure and vision problems (spotty, increased sensitivity to light). These attacks continued for 4-8 weeks during which time I underwent an MRI (head), stress test, and blood work to make sure nothing else was causing my symptoms.....conclusion: everything normal. My doctor prescribed me Xanax to help with the out of control anxiety. Started feeling more normal 60-90 days later. I started trying to run on my treadmill to get back in shape at the 90 day mark, and once again....symptoms returned. It's been a couple of weeks and I'm getting closer to being back to "normal", but I have no idea how long it will be before the Kenalog has completely metabolized out of my system, and I can get on with life. This has been a horrible experience and I would caution anyone from receiving this drug!

My hair is falling out too!! Since January I have had 2 kenalog shots for allergies and 2 shots for poison ivy. My side effects are hair loss, depression, headaches, bruise easily, swollen joints, weight gain, and a dent on my rear. These effects did not start until I had 2 shots, now it is so severe. I was so scared when my hair started falling out but knew that I didn't have Lupus or Diabetes which could cause the same side effects...I have been tested for both and do not have either.

Please let us know if there are anymore out there who have hair loss because of the Kenalog Shot.

I too received a Kenalog shot for poison ivy in my buttocks. The nurse informed me it may cause a little indent for a few weeks since I am thin, but will go away. I never asked anymore questions b/c I was so desperate to get rid of the poison ivy and she made it seem like it was nothing.

Well it's been 9 months and I have a HUGE indent where the kenalog was injected! AND it's gotten bigger and deeper with time. Luckily it is under my bathing suit bottom and most of my panties. But it's sore to the touch and sensitive.

After reading posts on this, I sent a complaint to the FDA. Has anyone who did this heard back from them? If there is a class action suit, I am in. It's amazing all the blogs I've found on the Internet with people in our same situation. It's about time something was done!!!

I would have NEVER got the injection if I knew this was going to happen!

This has happened to me as well. I too have a dent in my right glut that appeared along with a bruise a few weeks following the Kenalog shot for poison Ivy. If anyone knows how to move forward with a class action lawsuit, PLEASE let me know.

I made an appt. with my gyno. about six weeks ago because my period was going on for two weeks at a time. Around that time my husband noticed a dent in my butt cheek, and since then it has gotten worse. I was looking up indentation on the butt and came across this information. I JUST called my Dr. and asked them when I was in there for poison ivy what they gave me for a shot, you guessed it KENALOG 80MG. This was five months ago. The indentation is getting worse. Will it ever stop, and what kind of Dr. do I go see about this? Will my periods ever regulate?

I can't attribute this directly to my cortisone shot - however, I've noticed that the past few months I have been losing my hair. I can pull it out virtually by the handfuls anymore! I am only 24 - this doesn't seem normal and the only change I could point to is the shot. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD HAIR LOSS THEY CAN TIE TO A CORTISONE SHOT?

I also noticed a change in my period. Nothing as extreme as I'm reading here - but I'm so glad to have read this - puts my mind more at ease to know have a cause for that.

I have tried other remedies - but the cortisone shot has been the only thing to actually work. Any other ideas?

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.

My 12 year old son gets poison ivy every summer and about a year ago we took him in for a shot. The shot left a dimple in the upper part of his buttocks. Not a big deal at the time. Now almost a year later this has grown to the size of a half dollar and skin looks pinkish in the center. Does anyone know how they treat this, if at all? Poor kid, you know he won't be wanting to undress in the locker room. We need to do something about this. I also was not warned of any side effects let alone a disfiguring problem.

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

I am glad I found this site before I got rid of my puppy. I had the Kenalog shot also back in mid summer of 07. I had a bad case of poison ivy at the time and the shot got rid it. For a month or so I was rash free then I started itching on my head,back and sides. I hate to even brush my hair because it is coming out (thank God I have thick hair). My back still itches and the rash is mainly around my elbows and lower part of my legs. But I will not be wearing shorts this summer unless I can get rid of it. It really looks bad and the itch is almost unbearable sometimes. I have tried several creams and nothing works now I know why. Anyway I thought my puppy was the cause of this until now. I had other side effects but this rash is the worse one and I hope the last.

I had the shot mid August 07 for a case of poison ivy. At first nothing seemed wrong. A month later, I was still itchy, but not where I had poison ivy, on my scalp, elbows, and my right palm. My period was off by two weeks, but nothing like a 4 week period. Yesterday I had severe aching in my left quad and hamstring area, though I haven't done anything strenuous lately. Tonight I noticed the huge (maybe two inches long, not really round, but sort of like a finger was pressed into my skin) indentation and got really scared.

Just as so many others have posted, I was not warned of the risks of receiving this shot. I am a little scared about the indentation continuing to grow. I can't believe so many people have been adversely effected and so many doctors downplay it as just one shot. I feel like I've been duped and conned. I will definitely tell all of my family and friends never to try this snake oil.
What can we do? Has anyone contacted a lawyer for a class action?

Received 10 mg Kenalog with 20 mg Lidocaine on 10/12/06 for poison ivy. Partner to my own doctor didn't even have my chart until I suggested it. Poison ivy gone, but because of suppressed immune system from the 'cortisone' aka Kenalog, I have serious viral infection called para-influena upper respiratory infection. Kind immunology specialist I've seen for 23 years, says I'm to do NOTHING for at least 7 to 10 days to get over virus. Now, 11/17/06, day 12 of being sick, I still feel made of cement, and I'm thinking I might feel 'normal' again by Christmas. Also, cortisone shots increase emotional responses to life. Noreen

I had a Kenalog shot for poison ivy..my Dr. never told me what I was getting or the side effects...it worked wonders for the poison ivy, but 2 weeks later on day 20 of my cycle I started spotting...and turned into lots more..I ended up going to my OBGYN and fortunately I took my bill of $110 along in to show her what I had been injected with. As soon as she saw Kenalog..she said that's what is doing all this ..I came home and found this website and I was shocked to see how similar my story is to many of these..I never would have taken this had I known the side effects..I am now still bleeding heavily after 18 days..will it never end? What have you done for relief? I feel sluggish all the time..no energy...and I have 4 children 12 and under to see after! Please if someone can help me...email me at ******. Thanks

I went to my doctor for severe poison ivy that wouldn't stop itching. I received a Kenalog injection. That afternoon I thought the poison ivy was spreading, because the tops of my feet were covered in itchy red welts. The next morning, the backs of my hands were covered in the same welts. I am convinced these hives are from the injection, although my doctor doubts it.

I had a shot of kenalog in Aug. 05 to treat some kind of poison ivy/oak. !0 months later I was diagnosed with a steriod atrophy in the spot I had the shot. It is a round indentation, light purple in color on the back bottom of my hip. It may never go away and if if does it will take close to a year.

I to recieved a kenalog shot one time only for poison ivy. Acouple of months later noticed the hole in my hip followed by pain in my hip. The hole in my hip filled in about a year later . Although the pain was getting worse. I had x-rays and the doctor showed me the ball joint of my hip was also partially deteriorated and now I have the beginings of arthritis. I take naproxen for inflamation every day now and my hip will only get worse as time goes by. This is not the way I planed my future, as I have for many years taken good care of myself. Eating right and running 2-3 miles a day 3 or more times a week. Trying to keep a good quality of life as I get into old age. With arthritis my future is certainly not as I planned. I wish I had not taken this shot, if I had been informed of the side affects Icertainly would"nt have. I contacted many lawers non would take my case. Iam 42 now and my doctor said I will probably need a hip replace in my future. Its only been 2 years since my shot. I would advise anyone who got the hole in there hip to have x-rays to see if your shot not only melted your flesh but your bone tissue as well. My doctor zoomed in on my x-rays with his computer you could easily see the damage.

Had a kenalog shot for poison ivy in December of '02. Within 2 weeks, site (upper arm) became dented & pitted due to "fat necrosis". Upon examination, Doc said I should have had it in the buttocks since I'm skinny and to "put on some weight" to fill out the dent. Shaking, insomnia, feeling like I'm jumping out of my skin, depression/anxiety, total loss of appetite, muscle weakness irregular period. Took a year to feel back to normal. Dent is no longer visible, but can be felt.

I was recently given a KENALOG40 injection for simple poison ivy... I did not know what the shot was exactly until after the fact. BAD NEWS - it has left a LARGE indention at the site of the injection(left buttock)and I have read that this seems to be more of a problem with KENALOG than other similar drugs-I would advise to stay far away from KENALOG and opt for alternative treatment.

I recently received a Kenalog injection for poison ivy. I've had an allergic reaction to it. I have a red incredibly itchy rash all over my torso, arms, and lower back/hips. My doctor gave me a Rx for atarax to help with the itching. My concern is how long does Kenalog stay in your system. How long am I going to have this rash that is made worse my heat and cold? Is it going to affect being in the sun or my regular workouts? I can't take anti-itch medication for ever. When will this end????