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Steroid injection

LittleSue

LittleSue

Well-Known Member
Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Next week I'm having a steroid injection in my hand for trigger finger. Obviously this is likely to affect bs.

Can someone advise whether it affects basal dose, meal boluses or both, and how long can I expect this effect to last?

Thanks
 
Sue,

I've had this done twice without any problems with bs. My doctor did say that it can effect control, so keep checking for a day or two after. Hope it goes well and isn't to painful!

Nigel
 
It went really badly :( Bs went up for a week, but that was least of the trouble.

The jab was very painful. Felt lightheaded by the end, so rested on their bed after. They just let me walk out when I felt ok.

I fainted on my way home. On the bus, on a high seat, which I fell off. Landed on my head accirding to witnesses. Woke up with neck/shoulder pain - taken to A&E on a spine board to rule out neck fracture :!:

Luckily no fractures anywhere, but damaged nerves running from neck, down arm to hand. Lost strength in hand and severe shooting pains when I did anything. 5 weeks on I've just got back to work on restricted duties, but nowhere near normal yet. Can't Type with affected hand as it provokes nerve pain.

It could have been so much worse, if I'd broken my neck or fainted crossing a road.

An email buddy tells me she felt faint after steroid jab, it took an hour till her blood pressure stabilised. She didn't tell me before, because she thought it was "just her". So I'm not unique, they even said it happens all the time, thats why the bed is there, yet there was no warning in the leaflet I was given and they didnt ask if I'd fainted before or how I was getting home.

Anyone going for a steroid jab - please be careful. May have no trouble but dont go on your own and don't drive home! If in doubt get blood pressure checked before going home.
 
Littlesue,

I am sorry to hear of your bad experience with the steroid injection, it would appear that it is much more painful in the hand than it is in the shoulder, which I could well imagine. Hope you feel better soon, and the injection works for your trigger finger.

Best wishes

Nigel
 
At least they warned you in advance! I've had steroid injections twice and nobody ever mentioned that it might affect my blood sugar. So I had these incredibly painful injections and got told off for swearing- doctors should note that it has been proven that swearing helps us cope with pain. Anyway I had blood sugars of around 20 for about a month, I couldn't get within range even though I doubled all my doses. I had to find out on the Internet that it was the steroids. Now I refuse to have any steroid injections. They didn't help my pain and I don't want to risk my blood sugars again.
But obviously everyone is different- hope it worked for you!
 
Following on from what I wrote earlier in this thread, I had 2 Steroid injections into my shoulder last Friday. This time I have to admit that it was rather painful, felt like passing out, although this may have been due to having 2 injections together than the 1 previously. My bg's have been erratic over the weekend, I have had to increase my insulin by around third, but thankfully today they have returned to normal. I wouldn't be put off again having a steroid injection again, but don't think I would let them give me two together again! :evil:

Still, my own experience is far less than the trauma that LittleSue experienced, that sounded awful, and I do hope you are recovering well Sue!

Regards

Nigel
 
Thanks everyone

Returned to work on light duties, but after 3 weeks they've had to "let me go". Trauma consultant said typing won't harm me if I keep moving, stretching etc in between, but must avoid sitting still for long periods. But typing even 3-4 pages a day causes unpleasant symptoms. They gave me a weekend to decide, either fulltime typing immediately or leave. Couldn't convince myself I can type all day and ignore the symptoms at the time and after. So had to tell them I can't do it. Tough decision but I think right one for my wellbeing.

They're within their rights, I'm an agency worker. NHS cuts meant one agency worker had to go. They tried to find another role for me but there's nothing. Huge backlog of typing built up during my absence, so typists had priority over me. I'm allowed back when I can type.

Frustrating, I'm a lot better than a few weeks ago but main progress has been in shoulder, not in the hand where I need it. Full recovery will take months.

Steroid jab only partially successful and person who injected me is very defensive about what happened.
 
Sorry to hear the trouble you had with steroid injection.I never got told a thing about blood sugar levels etc.I felt a little pain in my trigger thumb and it was a bit painful for a few days.I just went out of doctors room when i had it done and no one said a word to me.I went on my own as i usually do but never got warned oabout anything.Thumb was great after about a week that was about three months ago and now the same symtons are coming back in my thumb!!!!as well as my other frozen shoulder.
 
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