LymeNet Flash: steroid injections?

This is topic steroid injections? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by ibrakeforticks (Member # 6785) on :

I've read taking oral steroids can make Lyme worse, but what about steroid injections (for neck or back injuries)? Thanks!

Posted by snowboarder (Member # 6346) on :

Hello,

My experience was very negative last year and that's when lyme symptoms became full blown.

I had two steroid injections with in a few weeks and it almost did me in.

Steroids suppress the immune system and this enables the lyme to grow out of control.

I personally will never do steroid injections again or ingest anything with steroids i.e. flonase.

Posted by Foggy (Member # 1584) on :

Ditto, absolute DISASTER and I'm still paying for it. Set my body on fire, erased most of my progress, and caused a host of problems. These are a Band Aid, can make Lyme flare, and have no guarantee that they'll give relief.

I know back and neck pain is awful and taking Percocet ain't fun either. But the side effects for Lymies who take these drugs can be disasterous.

Talk to your LLMD about this.

[This message has been edited by Foggy (edited 31 March 2005).]

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Ditto to the above.

Posted by henson2 (Member # 463) on :

Hi,

By steroid injections for pain, do you mean nerve block injections? (I understand that nerve block injections have steroids in them).

I got 3 sets of nerve block injections for pain, and it was the worst decision I (or my non LLMD doctor) ever made. My pain increased probably ten-fold, and now I need to be on a much higher dose of pain med to control the pain.

At the time, I had no idea that nerve block injections contained steroids. I was sending steroids right to where the Lyme was causing the most pain!

So, if you mean nerve block injections, please be careful!!!

I'd be interested in other types of steroid injections you might be referring to, for pain. I know they called my injections "nerve blocks" and they did contain steroids.

Please, please, be cautious!!

Hoping you feel better very soon!

Posted by Laurie362004 (Member # 6928) on :

OH MY GOD whatever youdo..DO NOT GET THE INJECTIONS~~~~~~a little over a yr ago my husbadns started this whole terrible ordeal with a shoulder injurry atwork...after a series of steroid injectionsover a 6 week period of timehe wasnt able to move his arm, hand and and was give the dx of ALS????some to find out few months ago the her has lyme...............any injectable steroid with MAKE THE LYME MUTIPLY!!!!!!!! please do not do this.......9 months ago my husband was in the gym lifting 350 lbs and had 19 inch biceps.....we spent our vacatin last may in MB on our harley,...........NOE he can evenfeed himself and barley walks with a walker .i totally blame the fact that we had the injections bEFORE WE KNEW HE HAD LYME!!!!!!!

Posted by Corinne E (Member # 4670) on :

After first steroid injection in left knee and hip and just beside spine, pain gone. 3 weeks later more shots, pain gone. 2 weeks later again more shots, took 3 days to kick in and only lasted a few days.

Several weeks later was trying to figure out how to amputate leg or end my life. I didn't know I had lyme at the time.

Do not use steroid shots.

Corinne

Posted by timaca (Member # 6911) on :

My experience....

I had dormant lyme in my body. It was there, but with no symptoms.

I was given a steroid shot in my knee. 3 1/2 weeks later I started developing my symptoms.

It took a year and a half of hell to figure out what had happened.

I asked a prominent LLMD just last week if a steroid shot could have caused my lyme to "waken." He said "absolutely."

Steroids suppress the immune system; allowing the lyme a chance to grow.

If there is lyme in the joint (and there often is) that lyme gets to grow a lot since the immunosuppression is greatest where the shot was given.

And a smaller amount of the steroid cirulates throughtout the body giving the rest of the lyme a chance to proliferate.

In asking a pharmacist about this issue he said "Steroids are to lyme like fertilizer is to grass. It makes them both grow."

Tina

Posted by hatsnscarfs (Member # 6562) on :

In 1992 I had a cortisone injection in my hand for a strained ligament. Immediately I had horrible pain and swelling which was unending. Eventually my hard closed up and was unusable and unbearably painful.

In 1993 I had surgery to remove the lump pressing on my nerves. The lump was caused by the steroid injection.

The pain and swelling continued for another decade. I got relief only from weekly hand massages.

When I got Lyme in 2004 I took a lot of prednisone for the Bell's Palsy. My Dr. didn't know it was bad for Lyme. The good news is that the pain in my hand finally stopped and the swelling is greatly decreased.

Reading the replies here has made me think that the initial disaster with the cortisone injection may have been because I had undiagnosed Lyme at the time.

This is an issue I'm currently exploring with my LLMD. I never thought about the cortisone reaction being due to Lyme but it was so similar to other replies here that I'm now thinking it is another piece of evidence pointing to long term Lyme.

One more thing: before they gave me the steroid injection, the Ducks said "the worst thing that can possibly happen is that it just won't work. There are no side effects".!!!! This was in response to my question about safety since I am a musician.

Just say no!

hatsnscarfs