As we all get older we start to break down and it's apparently my turn with my right knee. I had a cortisone shot which did nothing and my doctor states he could try the "gel" shot in the joint. I have tried some physical therapy but again doesn't really do much. I have researched the gel shot a bit and have heard different things. I have some bone on bone action and a meniscus tear, (which is probably causing the pain), more so than the crepitus/arthritis in my knee. Has anyone had the gel/hyaluronic acid shot in a joint and if so, how did you feel after a while? I know it is a band-aid of sorts but am trying to gauge this vs. arthroscopy. I had my left knee done years ago for a medial meniscus tear and it has been great. Just trying to figure out if it is worth it or not.

Keep trying whatever they tell you. The insurance company won't pay for a total until you have tried the rest. Hopefully you find something that helps before you get to the total.

Hyaluronic acid and krill oil are some of the things needed:

https://www.lifeextension.com/...acting-joint-formula

https://www.lifeextension.com/...ealthy-joint-formula

Krill oil is Omega-3 fatty acid, consisting of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 41,

I tore the meniscus in my left knee when I was 19. I never had anything done about it because I always had a phobia about invasive procedures. Finally about 12 years ago I went and saw an orthopedic surgeon. He said that the meniscus had worn completely away (so, bone-on-bone) and that there's also some osteoarthritis going on. We talked about a replacement joint, but there's that phobia in the way again. So we did a series of hyaluronic acid shots, I think it was 3 of them spaced a week apart. I had good insurance at the time that paid for it, otherwise it would have been like (IIRC) $1600. It helped a LOT, but wore off about about six months (he'd told me it would do that). I had a second series done, and it helped some but not as much as the first round, don't know why. The difference was enough that I never went back for a third round. The other thing the doctor did was fit me for a heavy duty knee brace - aluminum, neoprene and velcro straps. It was in the neighborhood of a thousand bucks, but it's been working very well although I did have to replace the straps about 4 years ago, that was about $150.

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
Hyaluronic acid and krill oil are some of the things needed:

https://www.lifeextension.com/...acting-joint-formula

https://www.lifeextension.com/...ealthy-joint-formula

Krill oil is Omega-3 fatty acid, consisting of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Those links are NG

Server Error

404 - File or directory not found.

The resource you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.

About this time last year, I had the 3-shot series for Euflexxa (similar to hyluronic acid) in both knees. For the most part, it has been a success.

To be fair, I've done my part to by losing 30 lbs which reduces the load on the arthritis.

I've only had 2 flare ups in the past year, and both involved walking an inordinate amount (e.g. the God awful Frankfurt Airport) in one day and having to go down stairs carrying a load (e.g. the Frankfort Airport where the assholes don't believe in escalators).

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
Hyaluronic acid and krill oil are some of the things needed:

https://www.lifeextension.com/...acting-joint-formula

https://www.lifeextension.com/...ealthy-joint-formula

Krill oil is Omega-3 fatty acid, consisting of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Those links are NG

Server Error

404 - File or directory not found.

The resource you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.

I fixed it ....Thanks

I had three Cortisone shots followed by the gel injection.
The first Cortisone shot did wonders for a few weeks. The following two shots did little.
The gel injection did very little.
You probably have to go through the entire regiment of injections before insurance will pay for a replacement knee.Replacement is the only real cure.
Your knee even with replacement will never be as good as it once was.

Been doing cortisone shots in my right knee since before 2021.
Started at 6mos intervals, then went to 4mos and the past year or two have been at 3mos.

Did Euflexxa injections in Jan, they haven’t even touched the pain.

Went end consulted with a surgeon this past Thursday. Setup total knee replacement surgery for late October.

I turn 49 at the end of May.

quote:

Originally posted by patw:
As we all get older we start to break down and it's apparently my turn with my right knee. I had a cortisone shot which did nothing and my doctor states he could try the "gel" shot in the joint. I have tried some physical therapy but again doesn't really do much. I have researched the gel shot a bit and have heard different things. I have some bone on bone action and a meniscus tear, (which is probably causing the pain), more so than the crepitus/arthritis in my knee. Has anyone had the gel/hyaluronic acid shot in a joint and if so, how did you feel after a while? I know it is a band-aid of sorts but am trying to gauge this vs. arthroscopy. I had my left knee done years ago for a medial meniscus tear and it has been great. Just trying to figure out if it is worth it or not.

Tons of patients come to me ( I work in orthopedics) talking about a torn meniscus when they have bad arthritis. Once you get significant arthritis ( or stage 3/4 chondromalacia ) the meniscus is meaningless- it IS the arthritis giving you your pain. In older patients that get meniscus surgery typically they come back 3-6 months later complaining again, because the arthritis is progressing.
The various gels ( euflexxa, synvisc,durolane) can give some people relief in 5-6 months ( longer if you are lucky) increments and is only FDA approved for every 6 months. If that doesn’t work, knee replacement is the only answer. No limited surgery like a scope is going to do any good.

I have seen patients who are morbidly obese ( let’s say 100+ pounds overweight) who worked extremely hard on weight loss and after losing 80 pounds told me the knee didn’t hurt anymore.

I've tried the knee gel injections 3 times, 2 different brands, and they did NOTHING for me.

I have bone on bone knees and shoulders.
I've been receiving cortisone shots in both for years around every 3 months for shoulders, every 6 or so for knees.
Insurance will pay 100% for them every 3 months.

The first 2 gel injection series Doctor #1;
A year into the knee cortisone injections, Doc asked if I wanted to try the gel.
This doctor was a pain management doctor.
The gel injections were a series of three, I think a week or 2 apart.
After a month following the first series, my knees felt better, so 6 months later we did them again.
Come to find out the 'feeling better' was more psychological than physical.
I wanted them to work, although after 2 rounds I found they gave me less relief than cortisone.

Insurance first said they would only pay 80% so I was out of pocket $300, the claim was filed as a surgical procedure so they paid 100% and I was reimbursed.

My last round with Doctor #2;
I changed doctors to an orthopedic surgeon because the pain management went as far as they could go.
This doctor told me I would eventually need both knees replaced, but unless the pain was unbearable, I needed to wait until I got older if possible.
I was 58 at the time, and he said knee replacements may need to be redone after 10 or so years.
He asked if I wanted to try the gel again, and the gel he used was only one injection every 6 months.
I gave it a shot since insurance covered it.
It didn't give me any more relief than the cortisone.

So I'm sticking with cortisone until I get the knee replacements, if I even do.
Since I lost weight, I'm only getting the knee cortisone every 8 to 10 months.
Some days my knees bother me, some days I don't even think about them.

Shoulders are a different story, I had the left one replaced in January and hope to get the right one replaced in April.
All along both knee and shoulder doctors told me the cortisone shot relief wasn't going to last forever.
That came true with the shoulders after a few years.

I'm not saying the gel won't work for you.
It has helped a few of my coworkers, or so they say.

Sorry for the rant..

Thanks for the info. guys. I appreciate the time in replying.