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You will all think I'm crazy, but.....

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beth1954

beth1954

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I went to my OS today and we had a good talk. Both of us, together, decided that I should try the Synvisc first and see how that goes. My plan is (IF it works) to do that for a year. At the end of that year, I will probably go ahead and have the surgery. Or sooner if it doesn't work.
If the shots don't help--and help ALOT--I'm going to do the surgery as soon as I figure out whether they are going to work or not.

I know alot of you here have said to "skip the shots--just get the surgery" but I really want to give this a try. I still have some mixed feelings about it, but I think this might be the best thing for me right now.

I have a good job and have been here for almost 25 years. I'm worried that if something ELSE would happen to me to where I might HAVE to quit work, then I would have no insurance to pay for the knee surgery. My head is just spinning right now.
 
Always exhaust every option before surgery. I had synvisc in both knees before I decided to have BI-TKR. The synvisc did not work for me. I had BI-TKR 9 weeks ago. Just as the surgery is different for everyone the synvisc will also have different results.

Max
 
Synvisc has been a really big help for me. I have used it in my unoperated knee since 2002. The last shots this summer to help it as much as possible before the TKR on the other knee didn't work as well as in the past. I know it is only a matter of time. The point, though, is that the Synvisc really helped a lot at first, so at least one person has had success with it.
 
I had success with Synvisc. My first series of injections lasted 8 months... it was great. My second and third series of injections helped less and less. I say go for it. When I finally opted for a TKR, I felt better knowing I had exhausted all the alternatives.
Sandy
 
I'm just so wishy-washy. I kept going back and forth on that decision. I just don't know what is best. But today my OS looked at my x-rays and said "That's a really bad knee." But we decided that it is worth a try with the Synvisc. I don't want to put the surgery off TOO long, but at least a little bit. I would be glad if this could keep me out of surgery for about a year. I've got this bad feeling that if I don't have the surgery fairly soon -- well it just worries me that if something else should happen and I would have to quit work, then I would have no insurance at all.
I am just a worrier and no matter what, I'll question what I have decided, and worry about it too!
So how much worse are the Synvisc injections than the cortisone? I am suspecting they will be much more uncomfortable........?
 
Synvisc is very easy and painless...you'll only feel a sting and it lasts a few seconds.

Cortisone shots on the other hand, HURTS like heck.

Soon after you get the injection, wiggle your knee as much as you can BEFORE you start to stand up and walk. And your knee will feel very 'full', like it's stuffed with wet cotton balls. :)

I had Synvisc for 6-9 months and when I finally have had it, I told my doctor that I need a surgery because the quality of my life was going downhill. You know your own body and it's up to you to decide when's the breaking point to have a TKR.

good luck!
 
beth1954 said:
I'm just so wishy-washy. I kept going back and forth on that decision. I just don't know what is best. .............

I am just a worrier and no matter what, I'll question what I have decided, and worry about it too!
Click to expand...

I am the total master of prevarication, Beth. I could change my mind back and forth a dozen times in a day! People never knew how to talk to me because one minute I'd be 'yes' and the next I'd be 'no'!

When I was trying to decide to move up north from London, it got so bad that in prayer group one evening the minister even prayed "And, Lord, if you have plans for some of us to be elsewhere, please help us receive Your message clearly!"

 
Beth
I am terrible at making decisions. I am a hippy with knee problems. I did the 5 series of synvisc injections in the fall. They really did not hurt me at all. I also had 2 cortisone shots in that knee, not more than a pinch either. The way I look at that decicison, you can always go ahead and replace the knee . After the replacement there is no turning back.
I did not notice any differeence with the synvisc or cortisone so am now in the recovery of arthroscopic surgery. I am forrtunate that only the patello femoral section is damaged. My doc did microfracture surgery which has a long recovery but we are both very hopefull that this will do the trick after a few more months of healing and rehab. My back is another story.

Good Luck and you are not crazy
Judy
 
My doc always sparayed what seemed like half a container of something and did the injection at the same time.
Judy
 
You are doing the right thing...it may help you. It did nothing for me. Cortizone (which does hurt for a few days) gave me some relief...for awhile.

Hope it works for you!
 
Many insurances will require you to exhaust all treatment options ie: synvisc, before the will authorize and pay for surgery. My DR said we would keep doing it as long as it worked. My knees were so far gone it never did.
 
Not a great position to be in,,,but we all seem to agree that you should exhaust all your options. You can always have the surgery at a later date! Good luck to you!
 
Beth, I know it's a difficult decision to make, especially with the concerns that insurance might not be available to help with a surgery. But I think you are taking the proper route by exhausing all the conservative treatments first. You'll know within a couple of months whether the injections work or not. I took Supartz and, although it helped a little, in the end I decided it was not good enough and agreed to the surgery.
 
I say forget the injections. I'm basing this on your doctor's saying that you have a bad knee. I had the same situation, arthritic knees, a right knee meniscal tear with an attempt to correct with arthroscopic surgery. When that didn't help the doc tried injections which helped a bit. I read on-line that you can expect about 30% pain relief and I would say that is what I had. It got me through a summer vacation, but things went downhill about six weeks after the last injection.

I went for second opinion and the new OS said what the first one had done to me was "criminal", referring to the arthroscopic surgery. His belief is that knee arthroscopy is reserved for a very healthy knee, not one with arthritis. I agree with my doctor that once your knees have reached a certain point you just have to face the facts and go for it. Mine had reached that point, with lots of bone spurs etc. True that you can't turn back once you have the surgery, but without the surgery you are risking more and more distortion of your bones. My right leg was becoming rapidly bowlegged due to the deterioration of my meniscus.

I know how difficult it is to face our situation. But we are so lucky to have such a great option. The husband of a friend at work has severe arthritis in his ankles, and his only option is fusion. Which is not much of an option for him as he is a professional drummer.

Sorry to ramble on, but I'm 10 weeks out from RTKA and I'm a total believer. I can hardly wait to get the left one done.
 
OK.......now I'm confused. I have been wishy-washy about this all along. My knee is really bad. The doctor said that. When he looked at my X-ray last week, he said the same thing as before, "That's a really bad knee."
 
I have 2 arthritic knees. I had micro fracture surgery in 1990 and it worked great on left knee but did nothing on right. I then tried synvisc and that did not work and finally had my right knee replaced. My left knee has felt pretty good last 18 years but recently started to hurt badly and I figured that I was destined for another knee replacement. I had both a synvic shot and a cortisone shot last week and my left knee feels terrific. I will be getting the next 2 shots and keeping my fingers crossed. I know I will eventually need another replacement but as long as I can put it off the better.
 
CG'sknees

As for your friends husband synvisc is an option for the ankles. It is not approved in the US yet but they have had great results in Europe with it. I bought it online(much cheaper) and my OS installed it with great results. I ankles used to swell up so bad I could not walk if I was on them al day
 
exjock

How do you buy prescription meds on line? Does your doc give yo a prescription?

I am about 6 weeks into my microfracture. Your success story motivated me. After my recent nightmareish back surgery, I am going to do everything I can to stay out of the OR.

Glad to hear injections are helping you again
Judy
 
Canadian pharmacy. No prescription necessary. You can buy just about any non narcotic you want. The synvisc is about 350.00 for 3 shots.
 
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