Hello. I Had A Kenalog Shot 4 Weeks Ago And

Posted on Tue, 9 Jul 2019

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 9 Jul 2019 Answered on

Last reviewed on

Question : Hello. I had a kenalog shot 4 weeks ago and the side effects are still raging. I think it had an effect on my adrenals. I had a cortisol test done -- AM is on the low side, but normal. The PM test was low, below the threshold range. I'm experiencing bad acid reflux and trouble breathing sometimes. These symptoms worsen as the day goes on. I've never had allergies, asthma, or constant acid reflux before.

I just want to know:
-- Is this related to the kenalog, low cortisol, or something else?
-- Will it go away over time on its own as my adrenals recover?

Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Mirjeta Guni (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
About low cortisol level;

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for asking!
I have gone carefully through your concern.
The symptoms you described are not typically suggestive for adrenal insufficiency but the low cortisol level at PM needs a synachten stimulation test to confirm/ rule it out.
Kenalog injection contanis steroids and may be a cause of adrenal failure, but usually it happens after some shots, not a single one.
It may need up to 6 months to get back to normal cortisol levels.
Hope the information will help.
Best wishes,
Dr.mirjeta

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Mirjeta Guni (29 minutes later)

Ok, thank you. And what about the acid reflux? I’ve never had that before, and it only started happening after the kenalog.

Answered by Dr. Mirjeta Guni (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
About corticosteroids side effects:

Detailed Answer:
Hi again,

Corticosteroids usually cause gastric reflux when taken orally. Local injections can be a cause in rare cases.

Regards,
Dr.Mirjeta

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee