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PKR Raffs' Recovery Thread<'

Raffs, what is the pain like? I still have a bit of lateral knee pain when descending stairs (going up is pain free) but the pain is so low level (about a 3) and temporary (no residual after I get to the bottom) that I really can ignore it. It's like a pull across the outside of the knee but has decreased over time.

I assume your pain is much more significant since you are seeking additional treatment but wonder if after 8 months, should I be experiencing that pain. I wonder if I am minimizing that last bit of healing or if this is where that 12 to 18 months comes into play.

I recall the PRP cost being in the multi thousands when I checked it out. It may be due to the region. In the end it wasn't recommended for OA so it would have been like tossing it away. I'm anxious to hear about your outcome and hope it works for you.
 
I am wondering the same thing Hawk is. I too have lateral pain going downstairs that resolves when at the bottom of the steps. Mine is a popping and pulling and I would rate it a 1-3 on the pain scale. I too will be interested to hear how the treatment goes. Keep us posted.
 
@momweb I've also read that cortisone can damage tendons which is why some OS's try to avoid them for tendon problems. Thanks for your kind words, very much appreciated. Sending good thoughts right back at ya!

@tdawgs Thank you. I feel very lucky that we do have some savings that we can raid in order to pay for the treatment should the insurance still refuse. Husband is all over them - he says he will not give up until they agree to pay! What's Unicap Knee Resurfacing? I've never heard of that. Is it a partial replacement? I'll go and read your thread a bit later.

@hawk2go The pain is across the front of my knee underneath the knee cap in the soft tissues. It is sore and tender and goes from a 0 when I'm lying down up to a 5 or 6 when I've been on my feet for a while. It is also very tight - the dreaded tight band feeling - and I get a feeling that the tendon is very tight and pulling or resisting when I bend my leg. It also clicks and pops a bit It isn't particularly stiff and I have great ROM (0/135) and full mobility and movement and function, no limping. It is made worse by going down stairs - up is not as bad but it still isn't happy. You sound like you are doing pretty good and probably, as you say, in the last phase of healing, the 12 to 18 month period. Thanks for your support.

@Wanttobebiking Yes, popping and pulling - I have both of those. Not just on stairs but it pops when I stand up (sometimes) and pulls when I bend my knee (sometimes). I'm so glad that 28 months was a typo!! I will keep you posted re the treatment, thanks.
 
I do feel like I'm doing great but look to my fellow kneesies in case I am ignoring something that I should not.

Anywho, do keep us posted - looks like we're all waiting with bated breath for the positive outcome! :ok:
 
Raffs, good luck with this procedure. Hoping it takes away your pain.
 
Raffs, I do hope this treatment works for you. I have an appointment with the hospital Physio next week as my pain is in exactly the same place as yours. It goes from 0 when I am sitting or lying to 5/6/7 when I have been standing in the kitchen for an hour cooking, and can get fairly painful walking on pavements in solid soled shoes.i want to hear what she says before I see my OS the following week. I really don't understand what is happening with my knees as both hurt even though this time last year the left one was virtually back to normal. How can that's be?
I went to a sports masseuse this week as my muscles were so tight. She only lives down the road and practices from my hair dressers salon. I have known her for years as she is in our local fire brigade, but never knew her job - it is like this in the country! However she spent virtually an hour massaging my muscles, she said the worst was my left IT band, and boy do I feel better. I shall go again in 2 weeks I think.
I'm sure that like me you feel quite despondent about your pain when so many of our contemporaries are back to normal. I have one just around the corner, 2 weeks behind me yet pain free and been off meds for months. :tantrum2:
 
Had PT last night. I told him that the MRI has confirmed an inflamed patella tendon and that, at the moment, I haven’t been told that anything else is wrong. So he decided to concentrate on treating the tendon.

He used an ultrasound machine on my knee. Bit of gel and then rubbed it for a few mins with the probe (or whatever it is called). He said that tendon problems can respond to ultrasound as a treatment. I asked why he hadn’t used it before and he said that he wasn’t sure until now that I have a problem with the tendon!

The acupuncture this week was a little different. He put the needles directly into the tendon and did some ‘dry needling’. This is when a fine needle is introduced to the tendon which causes further mild trauma to the damaged areas to encourage healing. It also damages the blood vessels resulting in a small local bleed in the tendon. I may have this done again by the radiologist as part of the PRP injection on Tuesday, PT said that PRP injections sometimes have dry needling included as part of the procedure.

He then taped the knee up (as usual) and told me to rest as much as possible for a week after the injection. I'll see him again in two weeks.

He told me last night that he thinks my strength and control have improved since I've been seeing him (about 6 weeks) but that he feels my pain level is about the same and probably the same as it was a few months ago. I think he's right.

I'll report back after I've had the PRP injection on Tuesday. Wish me luck!

Sending good wishes to everyone.
 
Lynn,
I have had ultrasound with great success. When I had tennis elbow for about six months years ago, I had about three ultrasound treatments and it was gone. I do hope you have success with your treatment, both this and next week's.
 
@Majic thank you. That's good to hear. I'm a bit miffed that ultrasound as a treatment hasn't been suggested until now but better late than never I guess! Hope you're doing ok. Has anyone suggested to you that you might have tendonitis?
 
No, no suggestion of tendonitis, and since pain under my knees is largely later in the day, when my leg muscles start to feel rigid, my Physio thought that it was all caused by very tight muscles and plain tired legs. She also thinks my muscles have been very badly affected by loss of a stone and a half, combined with such a prolonged period of UTI when I spent a lot of the time clutching a hot water bottle, and going to the loo, that my muscles almost wasted away. That much weight was quite a lot for me as I only weighed eight and a half stone when I went into hospital and they weighed me. I am currently back on antibiotics for the second time in three weeks- UTI again:banghead:
 
Thinking of you @Raffs. I'm amazed that the PT never used ultrasound before now. I thought the tendon was always suspect. Oh well, let's hope it helps. Sending good wishes for next week.

I have my injection in my IT Band for the second time tomorrow. I'll post later on my site to let you all know how that goes. UGH, it feels like here we go again. Let's hope for the last time!!!
 
Thanks @momweb. I am amazed too! But both PTs I've seen since October didn't think that the tendon was the issue even though I did! Thanks for the good wishes. Hope the injection goes well today, will be thinking of you and will look forward to reading your update later. UGH - yep, I know that feeling.....!
 
Had the PRP injection at 6pm yesterday.

Dr was lovely and very funny which helped ease my nerves! He explained that PRP is not an exact science and doesn't work for everyone but I'm a suitable candidate because I've tried pretty much everything else to treat the tendonitis (he called it tendinopathy) and have been suffering for many months.

He drew a smallish amount of blood from my arm and put it into a centrifuge for 5-10 mins. Whilst it was spinning he examined my knee via ultrasound and showed me the areas of inflammation which showed up as red on the screen. He said the tendon isn't torn, just inflamed. He asked me to show him where most of the pain is so he could concentrate on that area.

Once the blood had separated out - the platelets and plasma had risen to the top - he syringed them off and prepared to inject them. He only anaesthetised my skin, not the tendon as he said anaesthetic would interfere with the natural reaction to the injection and the healing process. He warned me that the injection would hurt and that I would be in pain for a few days afterwards. Awesome!!!!

Using the ultrasound to guide him he started injecting into the tendon. It was uncomfortable at first then became extremely painful at the end! But it didn't take longer than 5 mins and was bearable. Husband sat and watched the screen and said he could see the needle going in between the fibres of the tendon. Husband said I was very brave!!

Been told to rest for a few days (I've taken today off and will work from home tomorrow and Friday), no PT at all for three weeks, no exercise other than normal daily living for three weeks and to take paracetamol/Tylenol for the pain. No anti inflammatories as the tendon needs to be allowed to become inflamed as part of the healing process. Dr said I will probably need another injection so I made an appointment to see him again in 6 weeks.

He said I won't know if it has helped or not for 4-5 weeks. Hmm.

Knee was very painful last night. Swollen, warm, sore, tight and stiff. Painkillers helped. Feels better today, although very tight and stiff and painful to bend - am pretty sure my ROM hasn't been this bad for months lol! I was told to expect this so am not worried.

Can't remember if I said in a previous post but husband managed to get the insurance to agree to pay - yes!! Not sure if they'll pay for another one though but I know he'll do everything he can to 'persuade' them! If they refuse and it is helping then we'll pay for it ourselves.

A vet friend of mine told me last night that this treatment is used for horses with tendon injuries!! Shall I enter myself in a race?! LOL.

So, that's a lengthy update. Well done if you've got this far. I'll update weekly so you know how I'm getting on. Tagging you @momweb as I know you'll want to read all this - how're you doing?

Hope everyone is doing well.
 
Happy to hear all went well yesterday Raffs. I thought of you all day as I also had an appointment with OS. I do hope the treatment is successful, and since it is used on horses, it must be good.!:fasthorse:
 
@Raffs, wishing you success with this new treatment. I've never heard of it, but am glad for the information. I can seeing you running around like a race horse...what a great visual!
 
Lynn, you are a forerunner in treatment! I do hope the treatment is a soaring success and you will be the expert for all of us!
 
I hope the injection works very well for you. Hooray for your husband getting your insurance to pay for the treatment. I'll be watching to follow how you get along.
 
@Majic Thanks. Just read your latest posts, glad your appointment with the OS went well.

@Swish Should the day come when I'm feeling up to doing horse impressions around my house I promise I'll post a video of it on here!!

@Wanttobebiking Thank you. I hope so! It's better today than it was on Tuesday after the injection.

@Timetolive I will keep you posted. First time in my life I've felt like a pioneer!

@newlybionic Thank you. Although I haven't commented I've read your entire thread. You've certainly been through it. Sending you every good wish and thought possible for a successful revision next week.
 
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