Hyaluronic gel into a multi issue knee

Posted by pb50 @pb50, Mar 28 12:51pm

I am a retired woman facing a total knee - but I’d like to enjoy the summer and not be laid up until cold weather. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, used to run and play tennis and in general do activities that were hard on knees. And so my knee issue is a mix of pseudo-gout crystals from calcinosis, a cartilage tear, and garden variety arthritic wear and tear. I had no specific injury… Just got up one morning and it hurt to put weight on it. MRI described all that. I had physical therapy that did not improve things. So next idea was Hyaluronic acid gel injections.. 3 shot series. I had the last yesterday. It seemed to be more volume and inserted into more Crevices - hurt like a Mother***. .. unlike previous 2 injections. I really had to work to imagine the first two had helped at all. Occasionally i could be limping along and realize the last step hadn’t hurt as badly as the one before it. Hardly an advertisement. But today I really do seem to be walking without as much pain when I place weight on it. I mean it still hurts. But not as badly. It is however doing weird things like hanging up and then popping when it moves into position. I don’t know What that is.
So now I wait for 8-12 weeks to see what I am left with. Seems to be a medicare timeline because i see no reason the think the cartilage mashed between two bones has a reason to retract because i had something injected.
Is my experience reasonably consistent with others? I am curious what I’m in for over the next 2-3 months until i can get a more permanent fix.

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pb50 | @pb50 | Apr 9 6:55pm

Thanks so much for responding. I did have the three shot series of HA- performed by a doctor in the practice who is the gel injection specialist. He did guided injection, finding landmarks via ultrasound.

So am two weeks past that last injection and i will say it is better. Not perfect but I didn’t expect that.
* I can walk with much less sharp pain in the lateral knee where the torn meniscus is
* I do have a bit more dull pain under the kneecap - no idea what that is
* I can go from standing to sitting (weight on bent knee) and vice versa without gritting my teeth and squealing. That is HUGE to me. Especially at church. LOL

I do waken early morning with back of knee and calf pain. I suspect the former is fluid/swelling settling at lowest point of gravity overnight, and the latter may be secondary muscle pain from stilted walking.

I don't regret it by a long shot. I surely would like more relief and range of motion. But do I want to go through the protracted misery of surgery?

Not yet.