Kenalog and weight gain

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 have been injected previously with Kenalog shots for allergies. I never had the site indentation that most of you are commenting on. But I can tell you that the menstrual cycles did change considerably. Kenalog is a steroid, and like oral prednisone it is hormonal. It is just like taking birth control pills, you have the irregular or heavy periods, the excessive hunger, hair growth where you don't want it and weight gain. And as far as my allergies are concerned it never worked. I have excessive sinus disease that has been aggravated by living in a dry windy desert climate. After my second sinus surgery in 2 months the holes in my sinus cavity are starting to close up again. So yesterday my doctor tried a new therapy of injecting kenalog right into my sinus cavity. However it was not injected directly. A small piece of spongy foam was placed into my sinus cavity and the medicine was injected into the foam so my nose would absorb it naturally without the tissue being directly injected. I don't know if it will work or not. I have experienced some unpleasant side effects already, higher blood pressure and increased heart rate. Although the heart rate did come down after a few hours. Any kind of steroid causes this problem. I was hospitalized in January with a severe asthma attack and was given steroids thru a I.V. It was the only drug that opened up my lungs, however by the second day my heart temporarily went into v-tach because I was getting too much too often. As soon as it decreased I was fine. So dosage is a major concern. I can tell you from experience that Kenalog last realistically for about a month even though docs tell you it's good for 3. I would not have multiple injections for any reason. But when you are in pain and hurting and you have inflammation in your body, unfortunately steroids of some kind will always be the drug of choice. I have recently started acupuncture and will see if that helps my sinus problems. I have taken up yoga too to help my breathing. I highly recommend these alternatives to drug therapy. I have been on every kind of asthma and allergy drug out there and I do not trust any of them anymore. But ask the doctor lots of questions and refuse the meds if you are not comfortable. if your doctor is herding you in and out of his office or not willing to explain the meds completely then refuse it and go to someone else.

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'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.

I have had three kenalog shots: once when i was 15 to combat severe allergies, sinusitis, rhinitis, nasal polyps, and everything else that can go wrong in the nose. I also have moderate to severe persistent asthma. Yet after this shot i was cheerleading, running the mile and 800m in track, and running the 3mile in cross country. I had another shot almost 2 years ago after a severe asthma attack made me go to the hospital and yesterday i had another shot.
I have never had any adverse reactions to Kenalog (besides weight gain, same with prednisone) and i am sorry to hear that so many people have experienced terrible side effects. I have never had any mood swings, period problems, dissolving of my butt cheeks, joint pain, etc.
Kenalog keeps me alive and breathing.

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

Wow - I had a great experience with kenalog in suppressing my allergies. They have been unbearable until getting the shot. I sat down with the doctor who went through the list of pros and cons with the drug. He said, and I agree wholeheartedly (I'm sure we all do) that no is more interested in or more responsible for my health than I am, so he said after going through the risks of meds that I should verify it for myself and if I felt comfortable with the shot he would give it. Can you imagine how much better off the world would be if we all took responsibility for ourselves - actually did our own homework? I've seen doctors before who don't really take the time to discuss side effects so I'm glad he did (but then, how many people ever read the drug information that the pharmacist gives out - can't really blame the doctor for that...). Anyways, given that I had severe symptoms that was affecting sleep and very low risk for osteoporosis I got the shot and man do I feel great!

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 have a herniated disc in lower back.Been dealing with it for about 7 yrs 3 of which have been chronic. I had a series of 3 shots in 3 weeks one year ago and had instant relief for about 2 months. My pain came back after this short pause with a vengeance. I just went back to the doctor for my second series of 3 shots but he really knocked the hell out of me this time. I have had a accelerated heart rate, puffy face, huge weight gain, anxiety, insomnia, incredible appetite, cotton mouth and some digestive problems as well. One good thing about it is that I do not have any pain(for now). I am scheduled for surgery in a month hopeful to get away from all drug treatments.

My Kenalog experience has been horrible! I had two in January '07 but had an IUD in at the time so I chalked the side effects (excess facial hair, weight gain, moodiness, depression, etc.) up to that. I had my IUD removed in March and a couple of months later things improved. I thought it was all the IUD.
Fast forward to September '07. I had two more Kenalog injections Well it was horrible. I had every side effect I think except for the indentation. My husband and I were also trying to get pregnant and I had no idea these shots could do so much damage to my cycle. I am not ovulating now and had almost no period for two months and now I cannot stop bleeding. It is so disheartening.
I don't know if I would go through it ever again since the results don't seem to last long term for my pain anyway. I just wish I had read more about it before I had two in a row done.

My friend got CMV retinitis because her immune system tanked during chemo for leukemia--ALL. After the chemo was finished she still had problems with the eye and the ophthomologist gave her an injection of Kenalog right into the eye. A few weeks after that my friend started to gain weight, sometimes as much as 10 pounds a month. At the time of her injection her TSH was normal. Yesterday, 35 pounds heavier than she was 6 months ago, the TSH was > 100!!! Basically, she has no thyroid.
This is a very serious situation. Please be aware of possible side-effects before you have a Kenalog injection.

I had this injection for a slipped disk in my L5 lumbar spine. I am a healthy 31 year old female. I had hair growth and non stop periods. I had 4, 9 day periods in 2 months and I now have anemia and low sodium. After going to the gynecologist and running a bunch of tests on me, it has now been confirmed that only the Kenalog shot could have been responsible for this. They had to put me on birth control pills to stop this and now I have side effects from that too. From what I see others have had this side effect too and I believe this is much more than just a menstrual irregularity! I have also gained weight (15lbs) eventhough I was slender, eating very healthy, and exercising everyday.The doctors who gave me this shot said that it wouldn't affect me like other corticosteroids, but apparently they were very wrong. I am definitely letting the FDA know this.

I have had a fusion in my C5-C6 discs, but I still suffer from pain in my neck and down my arm, the doctors told me to quit looking and just manage my pain. My 1st injection took the pain away for about 1 month, but I did bleed for a month, there has been weight gain also, they would not do my 2nd injection because I was still bleeding. I did eventually go in for my next injection, I still have some of the pain, my breasts have hurt for a couple of weeks, and am bleeding again. Not sure if I want another epidural because of the side effects, I can have 3 in a six month period of time. They did give me a paper that listed the side effects, but they did not look too serious. Just wish my pain would go away!

I am forty-seven years old; I have received two Kenalog injections in my lumbar spine with x-ray guided fluoroscopy. I also ended up in the Emergency Room with heart palpatations, high blood pressure, profuse sweating, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and muscle weakness. I recently had my last injection three weeks ago and will never have another one. Since this injection I have experienced severe bloating/weight gain, fatigue, mood swngs, depression, and anxiety. At the moment I still do have muscle weakness and thought I had the beginnings of a yeast infection. Reading these posts made me feel not so alone. The physicians in the ER made me feel as if my symptoms where in my head and my own physician who performed the injection denies any link between my symptoms and the Kenalog. Each time that I have had these injections, a series of three, I have had to go under general anesthesia and spend several days recovering from the all the side effects of the anesthesia and the Kenalog. My physician never warned me of any of these possible side effects, and when I confronted him about them basically told me it was in my head and ignored me. Has anyone started a class action law suit? Reading these posts where a comfort to me as I felt alone since none of my physicians would acknowledge the link.

I have received three injections of kenalog over the last two years to control my eczema. My eczema has greatly improved however I did notice a couple of troubling side effects. I too have experienced the indentations where I received the injections. I received the three shots in my right buttock and now it looks like a golf ball. I thought I could ignore it, however I am starting to notice it when I wear tighter pants. I am not sure if it will go away or not.

In regards to my menstrual cycle I actually noticed a positive reaction in that it is much less painful. I have been plagued with extremely painful cramps for all of my life and since I have received the injections it has been much more bearable. I am assuming it is because of the anti-inflammatory properies of steriods. I did however, notice more clotting. And the first time I received the shot, I got my period for two weeks straight.

I also noticed temporary weight gain which took a couple of months to control.

The other more troubling side efffect was recurrent bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections. I couldn't understand why I kept suffering from them until I asked my doctor and she said that steroids lower resistance to yeast infections, bacterial infections and viral infections.

Although my eczema is much improved I think this will be my last injection because the side effects are becoming too irritating and I am concerned about the long term effects on my bone health.

I have severe allergies that aggravate Meniere's Disease (acute vertigo attacks). My suffering had me at wits end and my Doctor gave me a Kenalog shot in the shoulder. My symptoms cleared up in a couple days with no side effects other than the typical steroid effects of weight gain, hunger, irratability, etc. My allergies disapeared. It's lasted about 5 weeks and I'm trying to get back in for another shot.

I was recently diagnosted with 2 bulging discs in my back after being in constant pain for 7 months. My doctor suggested tht I get a series (3 shots) of epidural steriod shots in my back to see if it would help. I had the first on 02APR05 and felt great after 3 days. I was basically pain free for 6 weeks and then the pain started again. I just had my second shot yesterday and I'm just waiting for the soreness at the injection site to go away. The only side effect that occurred is slight muscle cramps in my hamstrings occasionally. I've had two different doctors give the injection and neither talked about side effects of the steriod (Kenalog 40). They only generalized steriod side effects such as possible weight gain, fluid retention, increaded appetite, increased blood sugar and a few other symptoms. There was nothing about the actual medication itself.

anyone experience diarrhea and/or alot of weight gain from taking kenalog? Thanks for the input.

Pitting at the site of injection is still evident after about 3 months, but it is better. My menstrual cycle is a mess - I have had many days off and on of spotting. The first cycle after the shot lasted almost an entire month. Facial hair increase - not good for a woman. Weight gain. After sinus surgery, I shouldn't need any more. I hope everything works itself out with time.