I've asked my surgeon this question but he is out of the country and his secretary is not answering...so I'm putting it to you all in the meantime...

I've been on a work stop for 2 weeks due to protruding disks in my lower back. Because bandsters can't take high doses of anti-inflammatories, my GP has been trying everything else to get my pain level down. I've done: Advil over a period of three days (now my band is super tight due to the stomach swelling effects, but that's OK; it will go down); high doses of Tylenol with Codeine, Valium, daily massage by a physio therapist who comes to my home, and bed rest.

I finally was able to get out to get a scan which showed the problem. The doctor who did the scan suggests a steriod injection at the site. He says the cortisone stays locally and does not circulate systemically, and as such should pose no problem in terms of stomach irritation and band complications.

Has anyone on this forum had a steriod injection (anywhere---knee, foot, shoulder, lower back) and is what the doctor saying accurate? In other words, I don't have to go get a complete unfill before getting the injection?

Thanks in advance!

Parisshel,

I had multiple injections in my right shoulder, before finally having rotator cuff surgery.....I never experienced it affecting my band/tightness. Hope you get to feeling better!

Parisshel,

I had multiple injections in my right shoulder, before finally having rotator cuff surgery.....I never experienced it affecting my band/tightness. Hope you get to feeling better!

Thanks tons, Catfish, for replying so quickly, and confirming what the scan doctor said. OK; I'm scheduled for an injection this afternoon. Cannot wait to get out of pain, and back on my bike. (Haha, I said "back.")

Have had one in my elbow. It caused no band issues. Elbow actually hurt more for day and half but then got better.

Good luck.

feel better parrishel ♥ ♥

So sorry you're going through all of this. Hope the injection gets the swelling down so that disc material goes back where it belongs. Keep visualizing yourself strong on your bike, peddling away, hair blowing in the breeze......sending lots of positive thoughts your way!

I've had cortisone shots in my feet (before I was banded). I have a hard time believing it does not affect you systemically. They are known to cause high blood sugars and I even missed a period because of mine. But, I think it would be ok with your band.

One note, I had a strange reaction to cortisone that my doctor did not warn me about, called a steroid flare. For three days I looked and felt like I had a sunburn. Just wanted to tell you in case it happened to you.

The only thing I can think of, is that if you were to get a fill while your body was still under the effects of the cortisone, you might not have the inflammation that sometimes comes with a fill. Once the steroid wears off, you could potentially feel a change in the band.

Best wishes! My shot made me feel great for about 3 months.

I just recently finished three rounds of the injections in my lower back. I had no adverse side affects with my band.

I feel your pain. I hope the injections alleviate the pain you are experiencing. Back pain can be a real biotch!

Thanks, everybody, who responded. I just came back from the hospital and the injection was done so easily! Less stress than a band fill, imho. I'm already in less pain and will take it easy for a few days to get the full benefit going.

Leepers, I had that steroid flare up too, when I got a shot years ago in my foot for plantar facitis (sp). I also remember that it really hurt a lot the next day as the cortisone "set up"....it was like sparks of pain. I asked the rhumatologist if I could expect this same thing but she said the lumbar steroid injection is not at all like what they use for plantar facitis. That seems odd to me, but at least I know that if I do get a sunburned back, or if tomorrow the pain sparks, it's totally normal.

Thanks again, fellow bandsters...love you all and will love you all even more once I'm painfree!

Did your plantar fasciitis go away? Mine just went away about a month before my surgery. I had it in both feet for four years. It was debilitating. Finally found a pair of nursing shoes that cured me. I'm hoping that losing weight and eating healthy will help keep it away in the future.

Hi Shel. Just saw this thread. Glad you got the shot and I hope you get relief. I was going to let you know that I got several cortisone shots before the hip replacement, and unfortunately, have had to get more in my back since the hip replacements. I've done all of them while being banded and like everything else we do or take, it's always a question of risk/benefit. Feel better soon!

Did your plantar fasciitis go away? Mine just went away about a month before my surgery. I had it in both feet for four years. It was debilitating. Finally found a pair of nursing shoes that cured me. I'm hoping that losing weight and eating healthy will help keep it away in the future.

Yes, it went away with the cortisone shot and had self-resolved by the time the shot wore off...around 3 months, I believe. I later had a heel spur that also got treated with a shot, and that also self-resolved by the time the shot wore off.

There are great exercises on the Mayo clinic site to keep plantar fasciitis away once you've gotten rid of it. I still do them each morning, and my spell of PF must have been around 16 years ago, and it never came back (knock wood).

I am glad to see you got the injection, I just saw the thread so was late with a answer. I have had 3 total knees and had many cortisones before surgeries and the cortisone will not go to all parts of the body. Get feeling better soon my friend!

I am glad to see you got the injection, I just saw the thread so was late with a answer. I have had 3 total knees and had many cortisones before surgeries and the cortisone will not go to all parts of the body. Get feeling better soon my friend!