Medicine Question For Cam or Anyone Who Can Relate, too

I have had very bad arm problems where to use my hand was extremely painful in all areas of the arm and hand. Anyhow, since my regular medicines for muscle problems were not working he gave me a shot. He said it was cortisone. What I wonder is if those shots give you any mental side effects. I noticed I felt very tired after it and some euphoria, too. I have felt some anxiety after the euphoria left but that could be unrelated. I also wonder what the name of the cortisone drug is. I can't find it in a book I have. Doc did not tell me. Thanks in advance for a reply.

<font color=red>"The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience." Emily Dickenson</font color=red>

CQ - While longer term oral corticosteroid therapy (eg. greater than a week or two) can cause hypomania, mania, depression, or psychosis in suseptible individuals. These effects are usually dose related, but seldom seen.

Injectible cortisone minimizes this risk as it acts locally (ie. at the injection site) rather than systemically. The cortisone slowly diffuses from the site of action and produces very low blood levels, and is subsequently metabolized to inactive metabolites in the liver. The chances of a cortisone injection causing hypomania (ie. euphoria) is minimal when compared to oral corticosteroid therapy. I suppose that there is a slight risk of these side effects, but I have never seen them with the cortisone injections.

It might be worth mentioning your observations to your doctor. If it happens again, the doc may have to use lower dosages of cortisone to try to avoid these side effects. Another shot would be the only way to prove a cause/effect relationship between the injected cortisone and the euphoria/anxiety.

OTOH, it is possible that the doctor accidentally injected the cortisone into an artery, instead of the muscle tissue. This could cause higher blood levels of the cortisone and possible cause the symptoms that you experienced. If this was the case, you would have possibly felt a near immediate "rush" of euphoria.

These are just guesses; ask your doctor if he has ever seen side effects like these.

Take care - Cam

<font color=orange>"Sometimes you may be shown the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right"
- Robert Hunter</font color=orange>

CQ many years ago when I was "young" I was getting cortisone injections for a skin rash then was given prednisone, these medications can cause depression, etc. I became extremely depressed, tired and put on water weight I was really happy when I was through with this!! I even got the doc to shorten the therapy when he saw how depressed I had become and told him I did not want anymore prednisone, the rash went away anyway. Be sure to tell your doc what is happening there may be something more compatible for you after all there are so many medications today. Still looking for the "happy pill" myself, Hope you are starting to feel better.
Sincerely,
"darkeyes"

Cam,

Just a question out of curiousity. Why is it a doctor doesn't want to give cortisone shots too close together? I've had numerous injections for my back, knee, ect, and I'm always asked when my last one was to make sure it wasn't too recent. Is it for the reasons you've listed here, or is it something else?

bptoo

P.S. I got my computer back...YAY!!!

bptoo - The reason is that you shouldn't get the injections too close together is that the injectible cortisone is made in a depot (long acting) formulation. It is designed to release cortisone slowly. Getting shots too close together will raise the cortisone blood level (which, in essence, is like being under a lot of stress) and problems like the one's CQ and DE mentioned begin to occur.

So, were you able to trade that computer for something a little faster ..... say ..... an Apple II?

- Cam

<font color=orange>"Sometimes you may be shown the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right"
- Robert Hunter</font color=orange>

Cam,

Thanks for the feedback on that, I've always wondered why. You learn something new everyday!

And yes, I did break down and buy an apple....no, wait a minute...never mind, Brandon just ate it :^P

bptoo

Thanks Cam, Darkeyes and Bptoo for your replies and experience with this. It was an injection I got. I already had vicoden in my system too I forgot to mention. I had taken it early in the a.m. (probably 12 hours prior to doc visit) because of extreme pain before I saw the doc. I didn't get the rush you mentioned but felt a little "high". I also didn't hardly feel the shot when he said I would. Thanks for the info on it because he didn't tell me much but only to call him in a week if it's not better or call him right away if I feel worse. I wonder if this was the same type of shot I got in my spine last year but don't even know what that was. I felt "high" on that but even more so. It was supposed to last a month.

Darkeyes-you're right, there are lots of medicines out there for treatment. He gave me the shot after the muscle relaxers and antiinflamatories did not work. I thought I needed a new arm the pain was so intense and all over.

Bptoo--thanks, I got a new computer, too, recently. I'm glad it has the restore point part to it, too. I always wanted an Athlon.

<font color=red>"The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience." Emily Dickenson</font color=red>