Spotting Following Cortisone Injection

Posted by toromama @toromama, Feb 19, 2021

Anyone else experienced spotting following a cortisone injection? This is my second experience. Both times it started about 10 days after the injection. Just wondering how long it usually lasts. The first time was a number of years ago and I thought it only lasted a few hours. I'm now on Day 2. I'm 61 years old and went through menopause when I was 52.

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Same! Knee shots 3 times, period returned avg of 11 days later, all 3 times.
I was about 2 years past that time of life - thrown into hot flashes, night sweats and then the bleeding.
I had a battery of tests and my orthopedist still says he has never heard of this correlation.
After reading all these posts, I wonder how that can be?!
I do feel the unwelcome side effects are a fair trade off for mobility.
I just get to slosh around for a few days 🙂

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So thankful I found this message board. I'm 68, had early menopause as I've not had a period since 1997. The morning I began spotting, I panicked. As the steroid shot I received for my back was the only thing "different" in the past few weeks, I began googling and found this page. HUGE sigh of relief! I also found other reference to this side effect, as well.

My GP hadn't heard of this side effect. I had a pelvic sonogram and a transvaginal sonogram. The sonogram tech hadn't heard of this side effect, either. I also had an endometrial biopsy. Thankfully, the biopsy came back Negative. The gynecologist did say to me that, on rare occasions, a steroid shot will cause post-menopausal bleeding.

My back Doctor that administered the shot was unaware of this side effect but has been doing some research and feels that he can adjust the meds used in the shot to prevent this from occurring again. He said that there is a hormone in one of the meds and he can use something else that will achieve the same results.

Hopefully there is an alternative out there so that we don't have to make a choice between bleeding and pain.

BTW, I'm curious . . . are any other redheads experiencing this side effect? We're known to have wacky responses to some things and I'm wondering if having red hair is a factor in experiencing this side effect.

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@toromama

I have not yet contacted my regular Dr. Last time it led to a Pap and ultrasound with a "nothing to worry about" result. I was relieved to learn that I'd had a cortisone shot during my knee manipulation two weeks ago...providing an explanation for the bleeding. It's just lasting a little longer than it did last time. I will goggle the topic and do some reading....thank you.

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Same thing happened to me. I had a cortisone shot in my knee about 10 days ago and started spotting. I’m 60 years old and hit menopause at age 53. Never had any spotting since that time until now.

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@mtnlaurl

So thankful I found this message board. I'm 68, had early menopause as I've not had a period since 1997. The morning I began spotting, I panicked. As the steroid shot I received for my back was the only thing "different" in the past few weeks, I began googling and found this page. HUGE sigh of relief! I also found other reference to this side effect, as well.

My GP hadn't heard of this side effect. I had a pelvic sonogram and a transvaginal sonogram. The sonogram tech hadn't heard of this side effect, either. I also had an endometrial biopsy. Thankfully, the biopsy came back Negative. The gynecologist did say to me that, on rare occasions, a steroid shot will cause post-menopausal bleeding.

My back Doctor that administered the shot was unaware of this side effect but has been doing some research and feels that he can adjust the meds used in the shot to prevent this from occurring again. He said that there is a hormone in one of the meds and he can use something else that will achieve the same results.

Hopefully there is an alternative out there so that we don't have to make a choice between bleeding and pain.

BTW, I'm curious . . . are any other redheads experiencing this side effect? We're known to have wacky responses to some things and I'm wondering if having red hair is a factor in experiencing this side effect.

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I’m very relieved that I’m not the only person this has happened too. Had a cortisone shot about 10 days ago in my knee and now started spotting.

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@sadie1967

Same! Knee shots 3 times, period returned avg of 11 days later, all 3 times.
I was about 2 years past that time of life - thrown into hot flashes, night sweats and then the bleeding.
I had a battery of tests and my orthopedist still says he has never heard of this correlation.
After reading all these posts, I wonder how that can be?!
I do feel the unwelcome side effects are a fair trade off for mobility.
I just get to slosh around for a few days 🙂

Jump to this post

Same thing has happened to be. I panicked at first but I’m relieved that I’m not the only person this has happened too. There must be something in the shot that causes this

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I received a cortisone shot about 2 weeks ago in my left shoulder and this morning after I ran my errands I started bleeding - like I was having a period! I am 67 years old. After reading the other posts I am not so worried. But it is really odd .

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@kimbo99

I received a cortisone shot about 2 weeks ago in my left shoulder and this morning after I ran my errands I started bleeding - like I was having a period! I am 67 years old. After reading the other posts I am not so worried. But it is really odd .

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Wow, I can see that this is happening to more women our age after getting the cortisone shot. This is the first time I ever took the shot in my right knee and I started spotting 10 days after, like a light period. Really scared me at first and yes very odd.

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I'm finding the timing of my spotting to be almost like a menstrual cycle.

08/07: Received steroid shot in back.
08/24: Began spotting. Spotted for 5 days.
09/23: Spotting returned for one day.

I'm curious as to what October will bring.

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There are hormones in the cortisone shot or any steriod shot. That probably is the answer.

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@kimbo99

There are hormones in the cortisone shot or any steriod shot. That probably is the answer.

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Yes for sure! Before I got the shot I did ask my doctor if there will be any side effects. He definitely didn’t mention that this could happen.

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