i got gel shots today

[Lee Barner]

they're kind of like jello shots but not as much fun. I got them in both knee joints. I won't take steroids because of my diabetes so I opted for the gel shots. it takes up to a couple of months for it to work completely throughout the joint so no instant relief. very little discomfort. the NP that gave them was good. he had done it before. barely felt the needle due to the freeze spray applied first. found out I don't need new knees. just arthritis with a few little bone spurs. also prescribed Mobic, a 24 hr anti-inflammatory. hope things get better soon. i'm way behind on yard work and honey-do's. lee

 

[Watchdog]

A good friend of mine is into his third month (I think) of the gel shots regimen. He told me last week he's beginning to see some improvement. He's just getting the shots in his left knee. He has his own landscaping business, and he's able to work every day...mowing, pruning, weed eating, all that stuff. Every once in a while he'll limp a bit.

Good luck with your treatment.

 

[JayFramer]

What is it and does it stay in?

 

[Lee Barner]

Jay, he told me what it was I have no idea what he said. LOL. it stays in and takes several weeks to work it's way throughout the knee joint. the doc said it can last 6-12 months depending on your level of activity. I told him I would be back in 3 years. lee

 

[H Richard]

I had 4 of these over 3 years, but finally had a replacement 4 weeks ago. Usually they lasted about 6-7 months, but the last one only lasted about 2 months. So far so good on the replacement. work out ride cycle etc 4-5 days a week.

 

[susieqz]

it's just great that you don't need surgery.i just moved from crutches to a cane today.
not fun.
cutting doesn't always work.

 

[BC38]

Are you talking about hyaluronic acid shots? The stuff that was originally made from the comb of a rooster?
There are 3 varieties I know a little about - Hyalgan (5 shots), Euflexxa (3 shots), and Synvisc (one shot).
Though I guess there is a new one out there called Supartz FX. Not sure how many shots it requires.

Or are you talking about something completely different?

 

[boykinlp]

Are you talking about hyaluronic acid shots? The stuff that was originally made from the comb of a rooster?
There are 3 varieties I know a little about - Hyalgan (5 shots), Euflexxa (3 shots), and Synvisc (one shot).

Two years ago I had the Euflexxa type. It lasted 10 months. The next time I went to get them I had a new insurance company and they insisted I do the Hyalgan type. This infuriated me because not only was it not the one that had previously worked for me, but it involved getting 2 more shots. Shots don't bother me, but I was getting IV Chemo treatments at the time, and just having to go there 2 more times and sit in a waiting room when my I was very susceptible to catching something made me furious. To top it off, the second type did not work for me at all! Within the next few weeks I am going to go back and get the first type again. Fingers crossed.

 

[Jebus35745]

Hope the shot will work. Got cortisone shots for abt 5 years and they quit working. Replaced both knees 6 weeks ago tomorrow. Just wanted to end the pain and hopefully live a normal life. Can’t wait to go pheasant hunting this fall and not have to quit cause my knees hurt. Larry

 

[BC38]

Two years ago I had the Euflexxa type. It lasted 10 months. The next time I went to get them I had a new insurance company and they insisted I do the Hyalgan type. This infuriated me because not only was it not the one that had previously worked for me, but it involved getting 2 more shots... made me furious. To top it off, the second type did not work for me at all!

Weird. I had the insurance company pull the same switch-eroo on me. I was ticked too - but the 5 shot Hyalgan series actually worked better for me than the 3 shot Euflexxa series.

 

[NYlakesider]

I have had 5 runs of the 3 shot Euflexxa. Up to know it has worked well, hope I'm not jinxing my self by posting. I can get a series every 6 months paid for by my rather good insurance (a $20 co pay every visit) and that is what I did. Actually after the first two I went longer, on the docs orders. It is now over 18 months since I have had a shot.

The one thing my doc, a surgeon impressed on me is to do the exercises he prescribed for me. I do them every day and my tendons are very robust. He has told me that they hold everything together and the stronger you are there the better.

I super hyper extended my knee stepping in a hole and for a while the pain went away. Then years later it came back with a vengeance and I had scope surgery and all was well for about a couple years. Then down in Mexico I stepped wrong into a boat and torqued the knee bad. It appeared to heal up OK but after a while I was back at the docs prepared to do a knee replacement.

He said lets try the Euflexxa and as of now I walk pretty good, basically pain free . My biggest problem is walking on broken ground. Getting in and out of my Vette no problem, but shifting was and this last car is a auto trans!

 

[amazingflapjack]

I wonder if it would work in a shoulder, and does VA have it?

 

[Onomea]

I had the hyaluronic acid regime, with limited success a coupla months ago. Doc gave me a cortisone shot a few weeks ago, before traveling to the US, which is working great, but it is a short term solution. Short term because they can only give it to you maybe once or twice a year, as I understand it, and its efficacy lessens with repeated use.

I am hoping to get my knee replaced late this year after I get my weight down. Not looking forward to the op and recuperation, but very much looking forward to having a knee that works properly again.

 

[wood714]

A friend of mine had a knee that was so bad she needed a cane sometimes to walk.

She went to a place in Jax called SmartChoice Stem Cell Institute, and went thru a 2 stage process. After all the tests and evaluations were taken care of, they took bone marrow from her hip. They processed it or something and a couple weeks later she went back to have it injected in her knee.

Healing time was pretty fast, and she's now pain free, and even able to ride her motorcycle again.

Pretty sure no insurance companies cover the procedure, it cost her around $7,500. Not bad for a permanent fix.

 

[tlawler]

I had a couple of rounds of those shots a year apart. First time worked better that the second, but they had warned me about the “diminishing returns” that the shots offered with subsequent treatments. Then in late 2013, I convinced my ortho that I wanted a double partial replacement before years end because all of our out of pocket was met for the year. He had told me I was a good candidate for partials, and I just said: let’s getter done. I had the surgery on 13Dec, and I was walking that night. I went back to work before the end of the year. Best decision I ever made. I was pretty much pain free in a couple of months after years of enduring almost nonstop pain from the osteoarthritis.

 

[crsides]

6-12 months get you thru Fall and Spring Tulsa shows.

 

[susieqz]

well, did the shots work?

 

[carpriver]

About a month ago I got a cortisone shot in both knees, the left is the worst. is has helped some, the doc said it could last 3 to 6 months, if the pain comes back I should call her. I have osteoarthritis and RA. I am now taking Humara every 7 days, After years of taking it every it every 14 days.

I read that researchers are taking a persons fat and turning it into stem cells. The stem cell and being injected in joints, in the spine and it is really helping regrowing bone and repairing spine injury's.

I am going to talk to my doctor about the gel injection and the stem cells.

 

[D Brown]

I've been walking with a cane since I had a bad fall at home last September. I had finally gotten a call in mid April of this year from the orthopedic surgeon to set up appointments for a series of these injections, and at that point, regretfully had to tell them I would have to wait until I recovered from the open heart surgery that was scheduled for the 30th of April before I could get the knees taken care of.

Hopefully, in another month or two, I'll re-schedule those injections for my knees.

 

[paulh]

A friend of mine had a knee that was so bad she needed a cane sometimes to walk.

She went to a place in Jax called SmartChoice Stem Cell Institute, and went thru a 2 stage process. After all the tests and evaluations were taken care of, they took bone marrow from her hip. They processed it or something and a couple weeks later she went back to have it injected in her knee.

Healing time was pretty fast, and she's now pain free, and even able to ride her motorcycle again.

Pretty sure no insurance companies cover the procedure, it cost her around $7,500. Not bad for a permanent fix.

That's exactly what that doc I posted about in the diabetes thread does. Some amazing stuff.
Dr. Calapai's Nutritional Medicine practice: Anti-aging & Stemcell Therapy lots of info and videos