I'm really sorry this happened. You had a steroid injection, and it caused an adverse reaction? Where I'm from, Kenalog is a white, milky substance we usually give to people who are sick, have allergies, or have an overactive immune system so they feel better. It usually lasts a few days to a few weeks. It sounds like you are grieving your old life, and I can understand that. There are quite a few people here because something happened to their health or they were in an accident. I'm one of them. I was accidentally burned, and it caused severe internal injuries. I can barely speak or eat. Add to it that my fiancé died unexpectedly a few Christmases ago after 12 years together. I had just graduated from college for the second time when my injury occurred. I need major reconstructive surgeries that I probably won't be able to get because, as we speak, the family member I live with is selling our house and moving across the country, and my surgeries are not scheduled for another 3 months. So I will likely lose my disability and insurance benefits and be in this disabled state forever that is worsening all the time. I don't mean to make this about me, but wanted to let you know you're not alone in going through something horrible. I identify with all the things you've said. I don't recognize myself; I've withdrawn from everyone and everything, and I wish for nothing more than to go back to the day it happened and somehow prevent it from occurring. I don't really want to die, but I don't want to keep living like this. I wish I would die in my sleep and be relieved of the burden of making a decision and of this life. I have turned back to my faith, though, which is where we differ a little, perhaps. It's the only thing keeping me going. I watched a BBC documentary on medical aid in dying that was filmed here in the States, which I agree with. I then watched a BBC documentary on people who are spending millions to stay alive against all odds, and I can say one of the stories on there really lifted my spirits and made me believe that sometimes
miracles do occur.
Do they know why your body is reacting this way to the injection you received? And why does it persist after the medicine should have long been metabolized out of your system? Have they ruled out any other causes for what you're going through? ChatGPT is sometimes good at helping you sort through symptoms if you tell it everything that's going on. I really hope you get some relief from your symptoms and can lead a normal life or somehow learn ways to cope with what you have now. Sometimes it takes the body quiite a bit of time to heal.
I'm so sorry you're going through all of this, and my heart really goes out to you, especially with the loss of your fiancé. I can only imagine how overwhelming and painful that must be. I also think it's really beautiful that, through everything you've been through, you've found your way back to your faith. I was a much happier and more hopeful person when I believed in a higher power, and I truly hope you never lose that sense of faith and hope. I really hope you're able to find a way to keep your surgery scheduled and get the care you need. I completely understand how frustrating and exhausting it is trying to navigate the medical system here in the States. I've spent thousands of dollars out of pocket seeing doctors, even though I have decent insurance, and it's incredibly frustrating when you're already struggling and still have to fight to get answers. My situation started when I went to a dermatologist to make sure the hair follicles on the top of my head were okay after a hairstylist over-processed some highlights. The doctor told me everything looked good and that I had healthy hair follicles, but said that, as a precaution, he wanted to give me a low-dose steroid injection. I specifically asked him to confirm that it was a low dose because I only weigh 90 pounds and I'm very sensitive to medications. I often have to take children's doses. He assured me it was a low dose. The injection was actually 50 mg of Kenalog, which I later learned was a very significant dose for my size and situation. Afterward, I developed severe physical and psychological symptoms and was hospitalized for six weeks. During that time, I watched my body change in ways I never could have imagined. I experienced severe fat atrophy throughout my body, especially in my face and hands. I also developed this horrible sensation that feels like my nervous system has been electrocuted, or like I have an internal burn throughout my body that has never gone away. I've spent thousands more seeing doctors and specialists, and many of them have told me that the changes are from the Kenalog and have questioned why that dose was given in the first place. I've also relied a lot on ChatGPT for help throughout the past few months, especially in the beginning, because I honestly felt like I was going crazy when all of these side effects started happening and my dermatologist kept insisting that they couldn't be from the steroid injection. It wasn't until I obtained my medical records and saw the actual dose that I realized I had been given 50 mg.
Thank you so much for sending the video. I just added it to my playlist, and I'm looking forward to watching it tonight. I never imagined that a single injection could completely change my life, and I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone. I really hope things get better for you, and that you're able to hold onto the faith and hope you've found through all of this.
This is just so tragic to read. I am so sorry for your unbearable suffering
. But I feel this might not be a permanent state for you, if you can hold on a bit longer. Can I ask what you got the Kenalog injection for? Was it just once? Did your Dr admit you were overdosed? And what does the Dr say about the condition you have been in for 15 months? It is possible the Kenalog has triggered something else in your body to malfunction. Have you had extensive blood labs done? Specifically on the adrenal glands or thyroid?? I am trying to instill some hope in you coming from someone who was completely bedridden by the most severe form of mental illness for almost 3 years. I purchased the rope too and a hood to put over my head as to lessen the trauma of whoever found me. I picked out the place and had it all planned out. I tried over 25+ psych meds, ECT & Ketamine. Nothing helped at all. On my own, I tried HRT as a last ditch effort as I am in menopause. It has been an unbelievable miracle that I never thought was possible. I am still depressed, but back to my usual functional baseline depression. I am no longer bed ridden. I can shower, eat and go out and do things now and don't think about killing myself 24/7. So for whatever reason, my brain was needing Estrogen and cannot function without it like many menopausal women can. So I believe there is some root cause for all that is going on with you too. It just may take some more time to figure out. Hormones could also be a possibility since you mentioned you were no longer ovulating.
Thank you so much for reaching out to me and for sharing all of that with me. I'm honestly really happy to hear that you're doing better now, especially knowing how dark things had gotten for you. The fact that you went from being bedridden and thinking about suicide constantly to being able to go out and actually live your life again is incredible. I'm so glad you found something that helped you. The reason I got the Kenalog injection is actually one of the things that makes this whole situation so hard for me to accept. I went to a dermatologist because a hair salon had over-processed some highlights on the top of my head, and I wanted to make sure my hair follicles were okay. The dermatologist told me my follicles looked healthy and there was nothing wrong with them. He said that, just as a precaution and to help my hair grow faster, he wanted to give me a low-dose steroid injection. I'm only 90 pounds, so I was really hesitant and specifically asked him if the dose was safe for someone my size. He assured me it was a low dose and that I had nothing to worry about.
It was just one injection. But when I eventually got my medical records, I found out it was 50 mg of Kenalog. I was shocked because I had specifically asked about the dose because of my size, and I trusted what he told me. After the injection, I developed severe symptoms throughout my entire body and ended up hospitalized for six weeks.
Most of the severe changes seemed to stop after about 10 weeks, but my body never went back to the way it was before. For the first year, I kept trying to tell myself that my body would eventually recover. I kept thinking, "The body wants to heal" but at 15 months, and I'm having a really hard time accepting that some of these changes may not go away.
I've seen so many doctors and specialists, I spent thousands of dollars out of pocket on a functional medicine doctor because I was desperate to find an explanation or something that could help me. We did hundreds of tests and ran extensive bloodwork. By then, the steroid was long out of my system, and most of my labs looked pretty normal. I was also extremely healthy before this happened. That's what makes this so difficult. I really appreciate you trying to give me hope. I know you understand what it's like to be in an incredibly dark place, and I don't take that lightly. I'm so glad you found something that helped you and that you're in a better place now.
