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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Severe Weight Gain After Taking Cortisone Shot?

Since receiving a cortisone shot for knee pain my wife has gained almost 20 pounds. Could this be a side effect of the cortisone injection? She is 69 years old, in good physical condition and has not gained more than 4-5 pounds in the 41 years we have been married.
Tue, 4 Apr 2017
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

It is possible that it is related to the steroid injection. Steroids are known to cause weight gain though this effect should be less since they were injected into the joint not systemically.
Medications cause weight gain in different ways: (1)increasing appetite (2)decreasing fullness so that a person eats more frequently (3) decreasing activity level (4) altering the body's metabolism

She would not be able to adjust the metabolism but she can address the other factors. Using foods that would not be associated with weight increase if used more frequently or trying to increase activity.

If she is experiencing a lot of pain, it is also possible that the restricted movement and activity is contributing to the weight gain.

I hope this helps
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What Causes Severe Weight Gain After Taking Cortisone Shot?

HI, thanks for using healthcare magic It is possible that it is related to the steroid injection. Steroids are known to cause weight gain though this effect should be less since they were injected into the joint not systemically. Medications cause weight gain in different ways: (1)increasing appetite (2)decreasing fullness so that a person eats more frequently (3) decreasing activity level (4) altering the body s metabolism She would not be able to adjust the metabolism but she can address the other factors. Using foods that would not be associated with weight increase if used more frequently or trying to increase activity. If she is experiencing a lot of pain, it is also possible that the restricted movement and activity is contributing to the weight gain. I hope this helps