Kenalog (triamcinolone acetonide) is a prescription drug used to treat many inflammatory conditions. Kenalog can interact with certain other medications, supplements, and vaccines such as certain diuretics and metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza).
Kenalog is used in adults and certain children to treat many inflammatory conditions, including:
- nervous system conditions such as multiple sclerosis
- digestive system conditions such as ulcerative colitis
- joint conditions such as osteoarthritis
- eye conditions such as uveitis
Kenalog comes as a suspension (a type of liquid mixture). Depending on the strength of your dose, a healthcare professional will inject the drug into a muscle, an affected joint, or an affected area of skin.
The active ingredient in Kenalog is triamcinolone acetonide.
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Kenalog’s possible interactions. And for more information about Kenalog, including details about its uses, see this article.
Before you start receiving Kenalog, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Kenalog interacts with herbs or vitamins and supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Kenalog?” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The table below lists drugs that can interact with Kenalog, but it doesn’t include every drug that may interact with Kenalog. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| certain birth control pills | • ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate (Sprintec, Tri-Sprintec, others) • ethinyl estradiol/drospirenone (Yasmin, Yaz, others) • ethinyl estradiol/norethindrone (Junel, Nortrel, others) | The risk of side effects from Kenalog may increase. |
| certain diuretics | • chlorthalidone (Thalitone) • furosemide (Furoscix, Lasix) • hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide) • torsemide (Soaanz) | The risk of a low blood potassium level may increase. |
| certain antifungals | • itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura) • ketoconazole • voriconazole (Vfend) | The risk of side effects from Kenalog may increase. |
| nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) | • aspirin • ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) • meloxicam • naproxen (Aleve, others) | The risk of bleeding in your stomach or intestines may increase. |
| macrolide antibiotics | • azithromycin (Zithromax) • clarithromycin • erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab, others) | The risk of side effects from Kenalog may increase. |
| insulin | • insulin glargine (Basaglar, Lantus, others) • insulin lispro (Humalog, Lyumjev, others) • insulin human (Humulin-R, Novolin-R, others) | Insulin may be less effective. |
| sodium-glucose transport protein 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors | • canagliflozin (Invokana) • dapagliflozin (Farxiga) • empagliflozin (Jardiance) | SGLT2 inhibitors may be less effective. |
| cholestyramine (LoCholest, Prevalite) | — | Kenalog may be less effective. |
| metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza) | — | Metformin may be less effective. |
| warfarin (Jantoven) | — | Warfarin may be less effective, or the risk of side effects from metformin may increase. |
Certain health conditions or other factors could increase your risk of harm if you take Kenalog. These are known as contraindications. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Kenalog for you. The list below includes contraindications of Kenalog.
If you have idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP): If you have ITP, your doctor likely won’t give Kenalog as an injection into a muscle for this condition. This is because injecting Kenalog into a muscle may cause bleeding under your skin near the injection site. Your doctor will recommend other ITP treatment options.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Kenalog or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Kenalog for you. This is because the drug could cause another allergic reaction. Ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.
Before starting Kenalog, talk with your doctor if either of the factors above apply to you. They can determine whether Kenalog treatment is safe for you.
Kenalog is not known to interact with alcohol. It’s likely safe to drink alcohol during your Kenalog treatment.
If you have questions about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Kenalog.
Interaction with certain diuretics
Kenalog can interact with certain diuretics. These are medications used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and other conditions.
Examples of diuretics that may interact with Kenalog include:
- chlorthalidone (Thalitone)
- furosemide (Furoscix, Lasix)
- hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide)
- torsemide (Soaanz)
What could happen
Kenalog and certain diuretics can cause a low blood potassium level as a side effect. So taking these drugs together can increase your risk of this side effect even further.
What you can do
If you use certain diuretics during Kenalog treatment, your doctor may check your blood potassium level more often than usual. If your potassium level falls below the typical range, your doctor may give you treatments to increase it.
If you have questions about using Kenalog with certain diuretics, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with macrolide antibiotics
Kenalog can interact with macrolide antibiotics, which are used to treat bacterial infections.
Examples of macrolide antibiotics include:
- azithromycin (Zithromax)
- clarithromycin
- erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab, others)
What could happen
Taking a macrolide antibiotic with Kenalog can raise your risk of side effects from Kenalog. These antibiotics may slow the breakdown of Kenalog in your body. This can lead to a high level of the drug in your system, which may increase your risk of side effects from Kenalog.
What you can do
Your doctor can advise you on whether it’s safe to receive Kenalog while you’re taking an antibiotic. They may prescribe an alternative to either drug.
If you have questions about using Kenalog with macrolide antibiotics, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with metformin
Kenalog can interact with metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza), which is used to treat type 2 diabetes.
What could happen
Kenalog may raise your blood sugar level. Receiving Kenalog during metformin treatment could make metformin less effective at managing your blood sugar.
What you can do
If you take Kenalog with metformin, your doctor may have you check your blood sugar level more often than usual. They’ll review your blood sugar readings to help decide whether to adjust your metformin dosage.
If you have questions about using Kenalog with metformin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Kenalog may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Kenalog.
Does Kenalog interact with supplements?
Kenalog may interact with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplements, which are used for bone health and other conditions. Receiving Kenalog while taking DHEA supplements could make the supplements less effective.
Before starting Kenalog, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs or vitamins or supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Kenalog interactions with herbs
Kenalog can interact with echinacea, which is used to help boost the immune system. Receiving Kenalog while taking echinacea could make Kenalog less effective.
Your doctor may suggest that you not take echinacea with Kenalog. They can recommend an alternative.
Kenalog and vitamins
There are currently no reports of Kenalog interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future. For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while receiving Kenalog.
Does Kenalog interact with food?
Kenalog may interact with grapefruit or grapefruit juice. Consuming grapefruit products while you’re receiving Kenalog could keep your body from breaking down the drug properly. This may increase the amount of Kenalog in your system, raising your risk of side effects from the drug.
Before receiving a Kenalog injection, tell your doctor if you eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice. They can advise you on whether it’s safe to continue doing so during Kenalog treatment.
Does Kenalog interact with vaccines?
You should not receive live vaccines during Kenalog treatment. (Live vaccines contain weakened versions of the virus or bacteria they’re meant to protect against.)
Getting a live vaccine while you’re receiving Kenalog may increase your risk of infection. Examples of live vaccines include rotavirus; measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); and chickenpox.
If you need to receive a vaccine, talk with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.
Does Kenalog interact with lab tests?
Kenalog may interact with certain skin tests, such as those for tuberculosis (TB) or allergies. Having skin tests during Kenalog treatment may lead to a false-negative result. This means the test may show that you don’t have the condition being tested for even though the condition is present. These results may be affected for up to 6 weeks after you stop Kenalog treatment.
If you have questions about getting any lab tests during Kenalog treatment, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does Kenalog interact with cannabis or CBD?There are currently no reports of Kenalog interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Kenalog.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Kenalog. Before starting Kenalog, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether this drug is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Kenalog include:
Diabetes: Before receiving Kenalog injections, be sure to tell your doctor if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The drug may increase your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may adjust your diabetes treatment plan during Kenalog treatment.
High blood pressure or heart problems: Kenalog may increase your blood pressure, particularly at high doses and with long-term use. If you have high blood pressure, talk with your doctor before using Kenalog.
If you’ve recently had a heart attack or you have other heart problems, talk with your doctor before receiving Kenalog. The drug may worsen your condition. Your doctor can advise you on whether Kenalog is a safe treatment option for you.
Liver problems: If you have a liver problem such as cirrhosis, talk with your doctor before receiving Kenalog. Liver problems could affect how well the drug is removed from your system and raise your risk of side effects. Your doctor can advise you on whether Kenalog is a safe treatment option for your specific situation.
Thyroid problems: If you have an underactive or overactive thyroid, talk with your doctor before starting Kenalog treatment. Thyroid problems may affect how well Kenalog is cleared from your system. Depending on your thyroid condition, the drug may be less effective or have an increased risk of side effects. Your doctor may monitor your thyroid condition closely and adjust your Kenalog dosage if needed.
Digestive system problems: If you have a digestive system problem, Kenalog may increase the risk of holes or tears in your intestines. Examples of these problems include stomach ulcers and diverticulitis. Your doctor can advise you on whether this drug is a safe treatment option for you.
Eye problems: Kenalog may worsen certain eye conditions, including cataracts and glaucoma. If you have an eye condition, ask your doctor whether Kenalog is a safe treatment option for you.
Mental health conditions: Kenalog may worsen certain mental health conditions, including depression. If you have a mental health condition, talk with your doctor about whether Kenalog is a safe treatment option for you.
Nervous system problems: Kenalog may worsen certain nervous system problems, including myasthenia gravis. If you have a nervous system problem, your doctor can determine whether Kenalog is a safe treatment option.
Infection, including TB: Before starting Kenalog, tell your doctor if you have an infection. Also tell them if you’ve ever had TB or if you’ve recently been exposed to measles or chickenpox. Treatment with Kenalog can make it harder for your immune system to fight infection. Your doctor may treat any infection you have before you start Kenalog treatment.
Osteoporosis or factors that raise your risk: Treatment with Kenalog may weaken your bones. This risk may be greater in people with osteoporosis or factors that raise their risk of this condition, such as having gone through menopause. Your doctor can advise you on whether Kenalog is a safe treatment option for you.
Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Kenalog is safe to use during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before starting Kenalog treatment.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Kenalog while breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Kenalog or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Kenalog for you. This is because receiving the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Kenalog. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs (they can also help you fill out a
medication list ) - what to do if you start taking a new drug during your Kenalog treatment
It’s also important to understand Kenalog’s
If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Using Kenalog exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
