Quick question about cortisone shots

[sergecosta]

My dermatologist decided that since my affected area (hairline, forehead, and scalp) was limited that cortisone shots would be best, given my dissatisfaction with creams and other sensitivities I encounter. How long does it take to work and see results? I just want to make sure it is working. I got them on Thursday afternoon, it is now Monday and I see some lightening of the lesions. But when should one expect clearing?

Thanks
Serge

[Allie]

Serge,

The turn-around is generally pretty quick (w/in a few days), but you have to keep up with creams to enhance & maintain clearing. The big thing to watch with this is the rebound flare, once the steroid has worked itself out of your system.

[ouchyk]

Serge,

There is a nurse who use to post on the boards who has had Kenalog ( sp ) shots for her lesions and they worked very very well for her. I think she said within a week, I talk to her from time to time, so if I happen to speak to her in the next day or so, I will ask her to post. She had them on her elbows and I know she said they lasted thru the summer.

Here is a thread about the shots;

http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=16560&highlight=cortisone+shots

As I'm sure you already know, the shots you had were localized and not systemic and hopefully little to none will " leak " out into your bloodstream.

I hope they work for you. :)

Karen

p.s. Did you have the biopsy done?

[sergecosta]

My dermatologist said they are perfectly safe and are out of your system in a day. I trust him as he is a veteram derm and his nurse, whom I also like a lot, also said it was safe and effective. So I decided to go for it.

I suppose I was expecting these lesions to magically go away within 2 or 3 days.

I'll be very interested in hearing from others about their experience with cortisone shots for really localized problems like I have.

[sergecosta]

Karen

I did not have a biopsy done. My dermatologist is confident that this is psoriasis. Sure, the creams may be irritating me, but it is not the primary problem. I can agree with that.

[PJ Leary]

Hi Serge,

Unfortunately, these have never been effective for me in controlling the skin issues, then again, both my docs and I figured that may have been due to the vast amount of streoid treatments I had used over the years. The one place that type of shot did help was when I would get them into a joint severely afflicted with pa ( before the biologics ). In those cases, I would typically see six to nine months of serious relief. The down side is that getting those shots is very, very painful.

Hopefully the fact that you are seeing some inprovement is a good sign, but as you've read, you do need to follow through with the topicals.

Regards,

[pdharia]

i wanted to which creams and ointments i should use inorder to clear the patches that i have on my leg? i jus have patches on my leg so i wanted to know what should be done inorder to clear those patches.
Thanking You
pankil

[SandraJean]

Hi,

I've had the Kenalog injections in the past for quite a while. I would only need to get them many as little as once or twice a year and they helped me clear up with a week. I hadn't done any in about 2 years except for last spring as I was on Humira. I had a few little spots that wouldn't go away so I had the K injection and it went away.

Good luck to you

Sandy

[wiredown]

Only thing i can say is that they do hurt. I was getting them before I had p. I got mine in my left shoulder. Boy did it hurt.

[sergecosta]

Thanks Sandra - that is reassuring to me. I have been having the most difficult time getting rid of lesions on my forehead. So a week seems to be the operative word here. (God knows how I hope so).

They look lighter than four days ago, but they are still kind of dry in the morning. I just ordered some tar cream which should be here tomorrow. I'm going to try to use that in the meantime, at least to get rid of the dryness of the lesions. Oh, this disease sucks big time!

Serge

[sergecosta]

HI wiredown

They did not hurt me. I was talking with my dermatologist about my studies the whole time he was injecting me. I take needles well.

[RichJ]

i wanted to which creams and ointments i should use inorder to clear the patches that i have on my leg? i jus have patches on my leg so i wanted to know what should be done inorder to clear those patches.
Thanking You
pankil
hi pankil,
sorry i can't help much but welcome to the p family. you have met some of the wonderful people on here and will find alot of great info. welcome and nice to meet you.

have a good night all

richard

[wiredown]

I think the only reason mine hurt so bad was that it was shot in my rotator cuff.


later

Dennis

[sergecosta]

Dennis - yep, that would hurt. I meant skin lesions, not inflamed joints. I am not sure if I would have the courage to have inflamed joints injected.

[einna]

Shots in the shoulder joint are very uncomfortable (a great feeling of pressure), not so much in the knee. Joint injections and skin injections cannot be compared in discomfort level or systemic reaction. Apples and oranges. I've had them all.

If your derm suggests some skin injections know that the steroid is very topical. It won't be very, if at all, systemically absorbed. But if you flare with steroids consider that when you consider having a joint injected for pain.

Annie

[MikeK]

i wanted to which creams and ointments i should use inorder to clear the patches that i have on my leg? i jus have patches on my leg so i wanted to know what should be done inorder to clear those patches.
Thanking You
pankilHi Pdharia,

Welcome to the Board! Nice to meet you. I just posted a copy of your introduction to us in a brand new thread. Here's a link to it: http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?p=227308#post227308. I figured that you'd get a better response that way. I'll be responding to your questions in that thread.

I hope this helps.

Mike