Posted , 88 users are following.
A place for patients (and prospective patients) of Stem Cell procedures related to arthritis and cartilage building due to athletic injury, wear-and-tear and arthritis.
7 likes, 187 replies
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louiselost jeffharms
Posted
I'm an American living in the UK. I have osteoarthritis in the knees and so far have been able to manage. Just three days ago, the left knee felt rigid even though I do loads of stretching exercises. I have an appointment to see the GP this week, and possibly a referral to a rheumatologist. What I DON'T want is a knee replacement at any cost since I'll be travelling to the USA in 2 months.
I hope they do stem cell procedures in the UK or ANY non-intrusive procedure which hopefully would bring relief to these damn knees. I'm not overweight but plan to lose around 20 lbs as an effort to see if that helps.
maria56025 louiselost
Posted
I had stem cells 4months ago in the UK. I think it all depends on the OA extent you have whether the stem cells work. So far i still have a limp and the knee is very sore post surgery. It's a big test on your emotions to stand giving up all the active things you love to do, like cycling, dog walking, dog training and so on. its a very long and frustrating rehabilitation, but then i also had an acl repair as well which may be adding to my long recovery...
hope4cure louiselost
Posted
Let us know what treatment the doc suggests. There are many from exercises to water walking to injections and PRP.
I was diagnosed with osteo in the knees several years ago and torn meniscus. I also use spring shoes they have help my knees by taking the pressure off the knee while walking, have healed with rest, PT & ice is important . I also wear a knee band and use magnesium spray for swelling
There are many approaches each one depends on how the knee responds to treatment. Healing blessings sent ur way. 🙏🏽
Its painful & frustrating especially when you when you have a trip coming up. I hope you can manage the knee pain successfully and get it under control before your trip.
Have a a nice Day!😊
lorna55875 maria56025
Posted
As a result of a horrendous skiing accident in my dim distant youth which led to arthritis in my left knee which was replaced 8 years ago (no problems there now) and more recently in the talo-navicular joint (that's the one below the ankle). I was offered fusion which I declined as my late husband was seriously ill and needed 24 hr hands on care and they couldn't tell me what my functionality would be afterwards but in any case I would have been off my feet for a while. I gather I have lost all the cartilage in that joint. It is not particularly painful now (was at one time) if I am not on my feet too long but then it swells and walking is very painful, and I can walk on flat surfaces for limited distances but downward slopes and steps are difficult and out of bounds in some areas of my garden. I had understood that stem cell therapy for arthritis was not available in this country (apart from for racehorses) so I would be interested to know where you had your treatment and also how your knee is now.
Am I right in thinking that things may have gone too far in my foot for stem cells to help? I should be very interested to hear from anyone n the UK who has had a similar problem and whether they had stem cell therapy or otherwise what was done. I also have arthritis in the lower joint of my left hand ring finger and that is very swollen, painful and hot and I can only bend it slightly which makes typing difficult. I think I should have had my ring cut off sooner than I did after my fingers got fatter.
I should perhaps mention that I am 81 but, touch wood, in good health and not on any medication. NHS seems to be in meltdown and service not good in my area but I would be willing to pay reasonable costs if I could be sure of a benefit.
elisaj77 jeffharms
Posted
hope4cure elisaj77
Posted
Many healing wishes sent your way. We will all be thinking of you.
keep us posted on how your doing anytime .
lorna55875 elisaj77
Posted
mceastside jeffharms
Posted
Thanks
mceastside
Gardenfairy mceastside
Posted
lorna55875 Gardenfairy
Posted
Gardenfairy lorna55875
Posted
here in Cincinnati for my thumbs and wrist, Pittsburgh, Pa. for my lower back.....not all the docs in the network do the spine. They all have their specialties with spine and neck requiring most experience. Same network though which I can't post here. Ankles are tricky, knees more reliable....assuming good health and enough cartilage remaining for stem cells to imbend. I am 5 months from stem cell treatment on my lumbar facets and now can start to see improvement
florentina36053 Gardenfairy
Posted
Hi. How are your wrists now after 5 years? I have base of thumb arthritis and thinking to have stem cells injection.
mceastside jeffharms
Posted
just some info, saw my stem cell doc last week, seems to think pain in my right knee is torn meniscus, so i am wearing an "unloader one" brace on it, also got a cortizone shot, no pain right now (cortizone??), and follow up in eight weeks, with possible prp for meniscus.
I wear the brace four to six hours a day
allison8543 jeffharms
Posted
I am a 54 year old female, very active, normal weight, just had stem cell injections in both hips this past week, had torn labrums on both sides from kickboxing.
all seemed fine, i was able to walk (slowly) no pain really, a tiny bit of discomfort. I had the PRP injections yesterday. My left leg/hip feels like it is out of joint? it really hurts when i try to move it - right leg/hip fine. Of course it is now the weekend and I cannot get ahold of my dr. I have not had any fever or swelling, but i can barely move without a lot of pain due to my left hip pain. i cannot lift my left foot off of the ground without pretty excruciating pain, if my leg twists even slightly to one side or the other intense pain. i will of course call my dr first thing monday, but am wondering if this is normal? doesn't seem normal, my left hip had more damage to the labrum initially and more pain. i am staying as immobile as possible, but even getting up to go the bathroom is terrible. Any similar incidents or words of wisdom. I am very very hopeful that this will work, I do not want labrum surgery - had it before and it really didn't help and it is SO invasive, took me 6 months to get back to normal exercise routine.
Molly1charlie2 allison8543
Posted
So sorry to hear this....i had stem cell and prp in both hips a year ago...it helped for about 6 weeks but i am now in excruciating pain in both hips.....and I feel like my hips are out of joint too....my left hip was the worst and my DR. Thought my right hip would have a good chance of getting better.....but my right hip is now just as bad as the left
i can barely walk by the end of the day...... Seeing an orthopedic surgeon end of June.....so FRUSTRATED! WHERE DO YOU LIVE? (The only thing helping my pain is medical Marijuana. ......tylonal or hydrocodone doesn't help the pain at all......and after reading about NSAIDS....i won't take those.)
sampojoe allison8543
Posted
Its been a year since I completed my stemcell / PRP therapy. I was given placental stem cell shot followed by 3 prp in one hip, having a torn labrum from stepping out of a elevator that missed its floor by about 8*. The hip was supposedly asymptomatically arthritic previously looking at Xrays, so I was pretty functional. After the incident had enough pain to make me limp and regret stairs existed. Warming up for the stemcell treatment I had hyalaronic shot series of 5. My doctor always said it takes 6 weeks for the effect of any shot to reach maximum, and you usually get soreness after the firs week and should use ice up to 4 times a day. I have had ups and downs where I felt up to one point about 80% recovered, but fell back as I went back to work and seemed to slowly grind down to having regula though not severe pain. I eventually followed up with more hyalaronic shots again a couple months ago, follwoed by the 6 week improvement period. The whole time it has been nececssary to use every trick in the book to fight the arthritis pain, in particular PT stretches my doctor gave me and some of my own yoga style, and sometimes giving into a week treatment taking ibuprofen to flush out inflammation. I luckily respond well to that. So the second hylaronic acid treatment the doctor said he saw new studies that show the feed the stem cells, and they should be still growing in the joint over a year later. Given that I am backk up to possibly 50-75% recovered range, knock on wood, they might be working. Not sure if I will ever get to the 100% but here is hoping.