Q. Are there any unwanted effects of Kenalog injection?
A. All medicines may cause some unwanted or "side" effects. Some which can occur with steroid treatment are as
follows. Tell your doctor immediately if you get ulcer pains in your stomach, severe pain in your abdomen or tarry
black stools, facial swelling or an unexpected rash.
Steroid treatment may cause: Increased appetite, weight gain, indigestion, bloating feeling tired or weak.
Increased risk of infection;
Thinning of bones or tendons causing fractures or torn muscles and muscle wasting;
Wounds or broken bones may be slow to heal;
Water retention, changes in potassium, sodium and calcium levels, heart problems, irregular heart beat, high
blood pressure or blood clots, increase in white blood cells;
Skin disorders, including bruising, rashes, redness, itching, itchy raised lumps (hives) and other serious skin conditions. Acne, increased hair growth, increased sweating, flushing and thinning of the skin, and eye problems, including glaucoma and cataracts, may occur.
Treatment with steroids can stop the body from producing some hormones and may slow or stop children's growth
rate.
If you are female, your periods may stop or become irregular.
Elevation or depression of mood, feelings of dependence on the medicine, worsening of psychiatric conditions,
sleeplessness, dizziness, fainting, convulsions, tingling, numbness, wheezing, breathing problems and severe
headaches have been reported.
When Kenalog is injected into a joint you may notice some indentation or skin discolouration appearing after a while in
the surrounding area. There may also be some temporary worsening of the pain, irritation and discomfort after the
injection. These changes should disappear in time.
Occasionally, Kenalog given by deep intramuscular injection produces dimpling of the buttock, caused by loss
of fat under the skin. Severe pain and changes in skin colour around the injection site can also occur.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any other troublesome side effects.
