Stem Cell Recovery Forum: Arthritis and Cartilage Injections

jeffharms why not eat plenty of stick celery, lots of leeks and cucumber as these are natural diuretics. She can ask the doctor if she should be taking water pills but they cannot just be started and stopped like that. Best to change her diet and eat those vegetables in abundance and in the pharmacy she can buy some cherry stones, also natural diuretics.

She should ask her doctor. They know which medicines have interactions or inhibit healing

Thanks for the response.  Turns out you are right. Water retention is not related.  Have been hearing about these injections you were describing. Definitely curious, hopefully in the future.

joy47826  I have been undergoing PRP injections into my knee for many months. I can't understand why it is so expensive!  All they do is to take your blood (from the crook of the arm in usual fashion), place it into a centrifuge and then it is injected into the knee. That's all!  Before the injection I am given a local anaesthetic into the knee and the doctor uses a catheter which dispenses with a second needle/injection. It is difficult to say whether these stem cells are working! I have read it can take over a year of injections. I would suggest you get more information from

thestemcellinstitute.com who are in the USA. Lots to read on there. I would do anything not to have knee surgery as it is most complicated. I heard from some who had the Op that the pain is just as bad afterwards. I hope you decide to give it a try.  I have these injections every month. As always it is impossible to say if I would be better without them! An operation wasn't a real alternative since I have withered ligaments lower down in the legs due to age and these would not support a prothese.

Oh man, keep us posted on how you progress.  

I believe the Stem Cells are often used to rebuild ligaments... I don't know if that is an option for you...

The thing of it is, with the bone marrow stem cell procedure, at least in my mom's case and the "jock doc", they are used to young athletes that can take a month off using a leg or an arm.  The rest of my mom's body hasn't really been strong enough to support one leg taking a "vacation" to heal.  And the clinic had NO out patient literature for us.  No exit plan.  Just "stay off the leg".   For someone who already struggles to walk, they need A LOT more help and care than the athlete who will just be out for a bit.

Hi there. ..I stumbled across this discussion and I have to pipe up and provide some valuable information.

2.5 years ago. ..I had bunion surgery on my left foot. Up until this time. ..I never had any knee issues whatsoever! !! I was a runner for over 20 years and pronated while running and this caused the bunion. I was given an elevated boot after the surgery for a couple of months after the surgery and walking like this for months caused major issues on the right side of my body. I wore down the cartilage on the interior part of my right knee. There was only a small area of bone on bone but it caused such bad pain and inflammation that I was unable to bend the knee at all for awhile. I went through hell for 2 years ! I went to massage...acupuncture (which helped a lot)...chiropractic. 2 different orthopaedic doctors. Over the course of 2 years I had at least 3 cortisone shots and 3 rounds of supartz or chicken shots. None of this gave me lasting relief.

Then I found a doctor that does prolotherapy and PRP injections. I have now had 2 rounds of both. The first time. ..it provided relief.

I might add that after the first injection. ..I suffered an Achilles tendon partial rupture on the same foit that I had bunion surgery on..so I had to wear that awful boot again for 6 weeks. I think this prevented the PRP to completely do its thing with the knee.

Well...I was really losing hope and thought I would have to live with the pain forever ! I am only 56 and do not need knee replacement surgery! !! (That's what the orthopaedic doctors tried to tell me would be my only alternative).

And then....my wellness doctor did 1 stem cell injection with cord/placenta blood...3.5 weeks ago. 1 shot only. ..vs about 15 with the PRP.

They said it could take 18 weeks to take affect. From the time I walked out of the office I felt at least 75% better. I would almost say at times. ..that God awful pain and inflammation waa almost gone. For 4 weeks. ..no anti inflammatories. ..only tylenol. I would say that if I do a lot of walking. ..I still feel some pain...but I am only 3 weeks into my recovery! I could not be happier! !! Whatever the cost. ..it is worth it!!! Nothing is worse than not being able to walk and I couldn't even walk my dogs before. And NO down time! With the PRP...I had quite a bit if inflammation and some pain for a couple of weeks. But none with this. I wad also told not to work out for a couple of weeks....this is driving me crazy aa I feel like I could do anything right now! Except. ..no more running ever (by choice ) and no squats either. ..also by choice.

I would highly recommend stem cell!!!

I can't give the network's name here but the standard is prolotherapy week one. return in 7 days & inject PRP. Return in 30 days and do more PRP. This group has done the research and that is the PRP protocall. They have doctors in that network throughout the country.

Are you having any traditional prolotherapy? If the joint is treated but the ligaments are not restored you will not improve. Traditional prolo is not as expensive and is a necessary part of any joint treatment. If the ligaments are loose or damaged the joint will continue to be unstable and painful. It is normal to have many months of prolo but not that many PRP...maybe three...two is the standard. You are not getting stem cells but the platelets should be attracting stem cells.

Hi

i have just joined the forum and have read your post with interest.

Due to a lifetime of football I too have worn out the inside of both knee cartilages and am at a stage where according to my consultant I am killing time awaiting full knee replacements eventually.

Could you possibly share details of costs and locations of stem cell treatments?

Many Thanks

Have examined Flowable Plancental Tissue Allografts ( Stemcells retrieved from C-section Placentas) , googled a good study last year on tendon repair, subjects better in a month.  Atlantic Spine and Joint Institute Westmont NJ is doing an "FPT" treatment using PRP with the stem cells, thrown almost for no extra charge, said to feed the stem cells, injected with them and afterwards a month apart.  $5000.

Hello, I am seriosly considering stem cell injection for knee osteoarthritis treatment. How do you feel now?

Hi Susie. This sounds really promising and I have found a clinic that does the stem cell therapy in my area but it is over $2000 and no guarantees that it works.  I am 57 and can barely walk with osteoarthritis in both hips and the knees too.  So I'm considering trying this stem cell therapy before resorting to the joint replacement surgery which seems my only other option.  My question is, how painful is it when the aspirate the cells out of the bone marrow? And what about when they inject it into the joints?  I'm really anxious about this. But I would love to be able to walk my dog again, ride a bike & play with my kids & grandkids.  I'm considering the cortisone injections in the meantime if it would give some pain relief even temporarily. I'd appreciate you sharing your experience with the procedure. thanks. Hannah

Hannah, read your other post, not as much to fear on the shots, just need a good injectionist, mine uses a flouroscope to guide him.  Read an article recently about how medical industry is softening its stance against using hyaluronic acid shots, finding there objections may not have be well founded.  A company was marketing a hyaluronic acid/Placental stem cell mix shot product and was doing a trial.  I am getting the shots from Atlantic Spine and Joint, NJ.  I understand you got to watch the cortisone, as they clean things up and take away the pain for a while but just lead you to then wear out the joint more.  My injectionist did a series of cortisone, 5 hyaluronic shots a week apart, with a final cleanup cortisone.  Felt better after a few weeks, but doc said it wouldnt peak out for 6 weeks, but went right into a stem cell series he offers.  It is a stem cell mixed with PRP, followed by 2 PRPs, all a month apart.  Feeling stronger, but sortof reinjured my hip once in the middle of things just missing a step out the front door.  I am stepping up activity but maybe a bit premature there, will ask the doc my last shot coming up this week.  The pain I am still having may be from activity or not having completed cleanup.  Praying my mis-step didn't boot the whole process...

As I have posted I was feeling like I could almost walk normally 2weeks into my first stem cell/PRP mix shot (w/2PRPfollowups), which I also had a series of 5 hyalaronic acid shots prevously too.  But then I tripped jamming my hip like the injury that ruined my hip in the first place.  (Doctors claimed I was a candidate for a hip replacement before, but that I must have been asymtomatic, kinda just ready to go)  Took about 4-6 weeks to get back to where I was.  That was about a 50% cut in pain at that point.   Now about 4-6 weeks after my last PRP shot,  I am over the 50 mark approaching a 70-80% pain reduction, returning to my pre-arthritic activity levels.  Doctor says pain and healing could continue up to a year after.  I expect to be stronger than before my troubles started by then!  There were times when I thought getting over my re-injury situation, that I was never going to get better, because the amount of change day-to-day is miniscule and not very noticeable.  Cudos to Atlantic Spine and Joint Institute, Westmont NJ

Hi Susie, This sounds really promising . did they take the stem cells from your bones?  This sounds super painful to me and so I am hesitant to even look into it. It is about $1000 an injection here so I am also hesitating to do something that expensive that may not even work. But I am only 57 years old & can barely walk.  Can you describe what it was like to get the stem cell injections?

Have you tried prolotherapy? 

??Hi Hanna, 

sorry to hear of the hip joint pain from osteoarthritis. I have had both hip replaced due too OA. I was bone on bone the carthlege was gone in the ball joint.

i waited and hemmed and jawed about the first one . I knew the pain was to much I was in a wheel chair. After I had THR I was so glad I did . I wondered why I put it off so long . I had a better quality of life and no severe pain. 

My surgeon warned me not to wait to long before THR before the joint can develop spurs on the bone and loose precious bone from necrosis. PT Fisk infection. He said in order to have a good outcome he needs good healthy bone. I see why now and have seen many surgeries online. Also had a seconded hip done . 🎄I wish carthlege grew back but it doesn't . Stem cell treatment is still in clinical studies. So my best option was THR. I'm glad I did😀

I had stem cell injections in my bone on bone knee. My 90% tear in my left rotator cuff. I went to Premier Stem cell in Loveland Co. Best thing I have ever done for myself!

 

Price range for the stem cell in knee?  From Loveland and would be interested in it.