[Ruthxxx]

I went to the orthopaedic surgeon this morning to get my frassing knee evaluated. It's only been 11 months!

He is going to schedule me for a knee fix but, in the meantime, is going to give me a cortisone shot (June 7) which will take away the pain! Yippee!

Now....how painful are these shots? I'm not a real wuss but would like to know what to "look forward" to. If it works, it'll be great and I understand they usually work.

So how bad are they? Shall I take a bottle of Scotch to the appointment?

[AdiaFaith]

Leave the Scotch at home....best take the Jack Daniels.

Really, they aren't bad. DF has had them and they work wonders!

[Gryffgirl]

I have had several shots of cortisone in my knee and they are not "painful" so much as they are annoying. Try not to look at the needle if you're squeamish about needles. Sometimes, to reach the pain point, they have to be a bit longer than regular injection standard needles. They can make the injection point really sore for a day or two but the shot will really help with pain in the area. Sometimes, there is swelling but it will go down usually when the soreness does. It's a really good short-tern solution.

[jenne1017]

They burn or sting more than anything. I've had them in my back and hand (where they have to feeze you to numb you first and that's the most painful part).

Just turn away and don't look directly at it (says this HUGE baby)

[Bamiegurl]

Oh NO I will never have another one of those stinkin shots! That was the most pain I have ever felt! Yeah she dug around tryin to look for gold I guess and I was sweatin by the time she was done and the relief time of 2-3 days was nowhere near worth the pain. Mind you I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I have also had it where they numb it first and give it but it still only lasted a couple of days and then they did the nerve block through my spine that did not work. Now I have known people that said they didn't think they were bad but they had had them in their arms or hips. Everyone is probably different but for me never again! When he did the one where he numbed it first and injected the joint itself was very expensive. He charged me 650 bucks for that shot in his office! Ruth if you do it i hope you have better pain relief than I did. I have heard people with arthritis say that is a relief. When is he gonna do the surgery and why didn't he just give you the shot today?

[Barb0522]

I have had them 4 or 5 times in my right foot - mostly before I had my bunion and hammertoe surgery but also a couple of times afterwards. They always would squeeze freezing cold liquid on it while giving it to make it hurt less. I still think it was pretty bad but in my case, the shots would give me about 4 months of pain relief and he would give them every six months if I really needed them.

[beachgal]

Wow, Bamie, your experience sounds awful!

I've never had them, Ruth, but my grandmother has them regularly for arthritis. They last her anywhere from 3-6 months.

[ellis]

Ouch, Bamie!! You poor love!!

Ruth, my Dad used to have them fairly regularly, and the relief they provided was worth the pain of the shot.
yeah... why DIDN'T he give it to you right then and there?

[CSummer71]

I have Psoriactic Arthritis in my hands, so far I have had 5 cortisone shots in the joints of my fingers. Yes it hurts, but I imagine some areas are more sensitive then others. For me though the relief of swelling and achiness far out weights the pain factor.

Charlene

[Ruthxxx]

Thanks for all the input, Chickies. I'm reassured.