Synvisc shots: should I be nervous about getting them?

[little red canoe]

I went through the series of cortisone shots. 3 over six months. Very temporary relief. X rays were clear bone on bone.. But I had to jump through the Medicare hoops. Synvisc next.. a series of three shots a week apart. Didn't hurt. Didn't help either. I carried on as usual.. The doc did use lidocaine.
The next month I decided I had to seek a TKR and went back to the original ortho docs practice.. It turns out they have one person who does knee replacements and he was leaving. The receptionist asked "Do you wish to be on a waiting list"?

NO

Immediately sought out a practice at the biggest hospital around. Yes I wound up in mass production joint replacement but when five docs do 1800 joint replacements a year and almost all successful, it didnt take me long to jettison the other doc

The paper trail I had already was sufficient for Medicare. I had had PT with no effect too and that was documented

For some insane reason I got notice of approval for surgery twice.. One notice was dated two days after the operation

Injections are temporary.. The pain is there after surgery but there is a difference.

Before surgery it gets worse
After surgery it gets better.

 

[SusieShoes]

I completed a course of Synvisc a few weeks ago. Four shots, one a week. Cortisone on the last shot. I did this in prep for a conference I went to. This is my third course of Synvisc over the last few years. The first time, I got relief for about a year. For the second source, six months. This time... the knees hurt less, but I'm still dealing with bone on bone; I can't walk long distances, or stand for long. It's helping, but not nearly enough at this point. Those first two times were great, though. Sure wish they would do that again!

My doctor is a knee specialist in a large orthopedic practice. I've been bone on bone for six years and he's kept me active. He numbs the area with Lidocaine. It's just like getting any other shot, only in the knee. I watch, but you can just not watch if longer needles bother you. Sometimes, not every time, there's a bit of bruising after. Maybe a spot of blood. I walk out of the office with a bandaid on each knee and drive myself home. Easy peasy. I don't take anything afterward because there's no pain, other than the usual pain in my knees that I have all the time anyway.

I hope you get good results from your injections!