Joint Aspirations/Steroid Injections (Was Re: update on Allie

[Guest guest]

My 2 cents worth....

Hannah has had 3 joint aspiration/steroid injections thus far, 2 in

the right knee and 1 in the left. They have had an almost miraculous

effect on the inflammation in these joints and have enabled her to

avoid treatment with systemic steroids. I HIGHLY recommend this

treatment if suggested by the doc.

> >

> > Hi Angie:

> > My daughter, Mickey (6, systemic jra, diagnosed 3 yrs ago, steroid

> > dependent, also metho by wkly inj, indomethacin, cytotec, folic

acid) has

> > had many steroid joint injections. Her knees and ankles have been

done 5

> > times, her wrists twice, elbows once, and she goes to have her

hips injected

> > for the 3rd time on Friday. She always has to stay off her feet

completely

> > for 48 to 60 hours afterwards, I think to keep her own weight

(all

34 lbs of

> > her) from squishing the corticosteroids back out of the joint.

She

has never

> > gone into med-free remission and has never gotten below 5ml

prednisone a day

> > without flaring badly.

> > The joint injections are a way of getting the steriods to

specific

problem

> > areas without upping her overall steroids taken orally. It has

been VERY

> > effective - very dramatic results, usually. From a kid who could

hardly walk

> > from pain, she goes to running around like any kid, climbing,

jumping, full

> > of energy. The swelling usually disappears before she can even be

back on

> > her feet, and she has greatly improved joint mobility. The big

bonus for us

> > is that it usually prevents upping the oral steroids again. My

understanding

> > is that it also helps reduce the chances of joint deterioration

and damage.

> > As for surgery to remove inflammation, with Mickey, her hips seem

to get a

> > synovial fluid buildup, which apart from causing pain and

difficulty

> > walking, can also do damage to the joint. They have - I think the

word is

> > aspirated - her hips each time they've been injected - which is

to

say,

> > drawn out the excess fluid. This takes pressure off the joint and

helps

> > reduce inflammation also. I'm not sure if this is what you meant,

or what

> > your doctors meant, but that is what has been done in Mickey's

case.

> > I wish you luck with it, it has been very successful with Mickey.

> >

> > ----- Original Message -----

>

> > Hi everyone. I have a quick question.

> >

> > How many of you have had to endure the steroid shots? Allie had

another

> > flare up in her knee and the doctor has decided to start with the

steroid

> > injections. What are the side-effects? Did it help/hinder the

JRA??? This

> > was our last resort. If this doesn't work, they are talking about

surgery to

> > remove all the inflammation? Ever heard of this?

> >

> > Thanks,

> > Angie