Cortisone Injection - Psych Side Effects

[blackemerald1]

I had a single Cortisone Injection a few weeks ago. It's a slow release type and the first I have ever had.

My issue is that my mental health has taken a sharp nose dive which I felt coming on about 12 hours after the injection. I sort of dropped into a black, swirling gluggy mess of emotions that I haven't felt for a long time... I felt like the monster from the swamp!

I'm trying to pull myself out of it... Extra appointments with T and psydoc and ramping up lots of other stuff to help myself. Even my sleep pattern has been demolished.

I did not join the dots between the two events...initially.. but now I am pointing a accusatory finger at that injection.

Is this a coincidence or does anyone else have experience similar to this? If so, how did you help to rid it out of your body?

 

[Friday]

Cortisone, also known as 17α,21-dihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,11,20-trione, is a pregnane steroid hormone. It is one of the main hormones released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. In chemical structure, it is a corticosteroid closely related to cortisol.

Note the bold... plus a disorder that is highly reactive TO stress... equals?

Essentially... you’ll probably need to treat it as a major stressor in your life that you can’t do anything about (a death, illness/injury, zombie apocalypse ;) etc.) until it’s worn out of your system. How long is the slow release expected to last for?

 

[blackemerald1]

How long is the slow release expected to last for?

I don't know... I am emailing my gp today to find out.

This is the second time in 2018 a doctor gave me treatment that screwed up my 'balance'. Honestly! :wtf: :cry:

Thanks for the info., I am very grateful... I need to tell my T and psydoc about the injection too..

 

[Friday]

This is the second time in 2018 a doctor gave me treatment that screwed up my 'balance'. Honestly! :wtf::cry:

To be fair?

It could have gone the other direction (better balanced, and more the you that you love best), or had no effect whatsoever.

Hormones are powerful creatures, as they regulate everything in the body, but are complex as hell. Different hormones, but classically, why one woman is bawling her eyes out whilst pregnant, meanwhile another glowing and on top of the world, meanwhile others vacillate moment by moment.

In theory, localized application of hormones (inhaler for asthma, injection for inflammation, IUD for birth control) usually have faaaaaar fewer side effects than global applications (taking pills orally, so it’s system wide). But for some people it’s the exact opposite, their body goes kind of “Oh? What’s this then? Huh. Okay. Shrug.” when it’s everywhere, but freaks the hell out when it’s local. Like a halfway house thunked into a good neighborhood is met with outcry, meanwhile in the ghetto, eh. At least we know where this lot is and can keep an eye on the bastards.

My kid is like that with corticosteroids. He can take oral pills that are notorious for kicking things up in huge ways without a blip, but one puff on an inhaler and he is f*cked sideways for weeks. (Only for a few days from the med itself, then weeks of resetting the insomnia and screwed up sleep schedule, and the side effects of sleep dep & added stress of missed school. Super fun compounded problems :wtf: All from nooooooooooo doooooooon’t give him thaaaaaaaaat <<< slow mo of me trying to get to the nurse who read the chart wrong and grabbed the inhaler instead of the bottle. Exact same med, different delivery. Like I said, hormones are complicated. )

No way to know which way you’d respond until you’d tried it. So don’t beat yourself up, yeah? It’s all learning. We’ve got whole galaxies swirling through our bodies undergoing zillions of changes and interactions every second. And they’re touchy as hell. A localised application was the smart play to try first. 9:10 it works great. The 10th person? Bit of a chemical supernova to deal with. Kabooom. (And still kicking ass despite it, good on you.)

 

[Abstract]

Personally not at all negatively affected by pumps and set off by injections and oral medication. But steroids so can rock the boat and badly. So sorry @blackemerald1 I hope you feel better soon.

Totally agree with Friday that hormones and their interactions are endlessly complex and there is quite a lot of Russian Roulette stuff that happens. Pregnancy is an excellent example. Same thing happens but not only can it produce different effects in different people but usually different effects for the same person and a different pregnancy.

Assuming you were trying to be in less pain. Sensible wise you. Sorry it had collateral damage. Not you fault and it may have been fine.

 

[blackemerald1]

Hmm.. have emailed my gp and discussed with T - mystery why I have been a walking sobbing mess solved... thank you guys!! T has schedule even more appts and is intending on calling the doc tomorrow.

Honestly it wasn't even worth it bc it hasn't reduced the pain so losing all around.

But..like you said... it was worth a go..and it's a good idea if... it worked minus the mental health problem.
I paid almost $100 for five injections... they don't sell them individually... good old pharma marketing idea there!

Anyway, my doctor has plenty of patients who cannot afford the injections but need them desperately so looks like four lucky patients are going to get some relief in the near future.. (I give all my unused and sealed meds to her).

Thank you for your advice and support. :hug:

 

[Abstract]

I paid almost $100 for five injections... they don't sell them individually... good old pharma marketing idea there!

Try and do something about this! Don't take it lying down. Yes, maybe you should receive a discount if doing multiple but that doesnt mean you should have to pay for something not suitable for you. It isnt ethical. And on that note, 6 steroid injections seems on the unethical arena regardless.

 

[EveHarrington]

Yep.

I just did a week inpatient at the hands of steroids.

My psychiatrist says I can’t take steroids ever again.

 

[blackemerald1]

The pharmaceutical company sells them in packs with multiple doses. ... idk why - I will check it out but atm I will be glad to be rid of them out of my refrigerator with a note on my records to add that to the list of things I cannot tolerate.

I will ask my dr., what she reckons but the idea of getting multiple cortisone injections was never on the agenda anyway. It really was a one off, see if that gave me any relief and work on strengthening the area..while I was free of pain. But it hasn't worked.

My T has just told me the same thing Eve.. :) I'm sorry you ended up in hospital... :(

 

[shatter eyes]

Ummm... which injection is this?
I had a few and the last one in october. Epidural cortisone to nerve root friday 9am.... flooded and then 3pm BAM school kids screaming woke up misophonia monster which woke up the other gremlins... i was on the brink of ending my life to stop the monsters. They wanted to shut the kids up. To make some violent viral sacrifice of the kids in the name of silence. It was a battle as i know the kids just being kids having fun. The symptoms spikes came at me too fast and strong. I wanted to end before i hurt anyone so i decided i needed to go. 1am saturday admited to psych acute behavioural unit isolated into a quiet room which was serenity for me.

I did one week inpatient. Quiet and fed 3 times a day was very healing.

The injection was a flouro guided lumbar cortisone/or cortisteroid. Not sure if there is difference.
It took about 10days for it to kick in and get pain down for about 6 weeks.

 

[blackemerald1]

Oh @shatter eyes I'm so sorry this happened to you too! Is it still impacting you mentally even though you are not acutely effected now?

:wtf: I never knew this drug was a) so commonly used and b) created such havoc in some ppl.

Thus far I've not been admitted but I am waiting on a phone call from my gp and psydoc.. my T has been communicating with them.. so for now I am hanging on tight and hoping I don't crash any further. I should be okay..really.

 

[shatter eyes]

Oh @shatter eyes I'm so sorry this happened to you too! Is it still impacting you mentally even though you are not acutely effected now?

:wtf: I never knew this drug was a) so commonly used and b) created such havoc in some ppl.

Thus far I've not been admitted but I am waiting on a phone call from my gp and psydoc.. my T has been communicating with them.. so for now I am hanging on tight and hoping I don't crash any further. I should be okay..really.

I am doing better now emotionally and began DBT after discharge.

You have good team cuz my injection was never considered to impact my headspace with TBI rabbit holes magic mirrors and PTSd landmines.

I am going to tell my GP and T about this.

I did get pain relief where i can get off the bed like normal(ler) and didnt need a cane to walk. I move around easier and didnt feel the heavy leg drag.

This is a very interesting topic on cortisone and ptsd.