I don’t have experience, but would also love to hear any feedback since I’ve also been advised to have a series of Euflexxa injections for my knee (1 injection a week for 3 weeks). Same as you, I’m scheduled for my first injection on Monday, but I’m a bit younger - I’m 45. I’ve had medial knee pain at the joint line, some clicking, and it will occasionally catch and hyperextend when running. My doctor thought I had a torn meniscus but the MRI did not show any tears but it did show some roughening behind the petella on the medial side and some inflammation. My doctor tried a cortisone injection but it only helped for about 3 weeks. My issue all started from a fall while running, so I’m not 100% sure It makes sense that my knee pain is from arthritis since it came on immediately after the fall, but the only other thing I can think of that might be causing my pain is plica syndrome since a torn meniscus has been ruled out. I’m planning to discuss the possibility of plica syndrome before my first injection next week to make sure going ahead with the injection is the right treatment to try. I’ve been doing PT/quad and hip strengthening every day with no improvements.

Hopefully some people on here have had some experience with these injections and can share their experiences!

My wife has had these injections, twice. Each time, she had all the medicine injected all at once instead of a series of 3 injections week after week. She did her first IM in 2014 and had the injection 6 weeks before the event. After the injection, she thought it was a miracle drug and finished the race.
In 2015, she went with the same plan of injection 6 weeks before the race. One week after the injection, her knee swelled up so badly she could neither bike nor run. Bad pain. The doc thought she might have an infection but ends up it was diagnosed as "pseudoseptic reaction causing synovitis". She'd basically had a severe allergic reaction after the second injection. No IM in 2015 because of this reaction. She'd never had any type of quad tendon issues until after this pseudoseptic episode. Now she deals with quad tendinitis on an ongoing basis and that's very frustrating as well.

Not trying to scare you. Just sharing her experience. Most people I know, who've had these injections, have done very well and loved them. But, there are a small percentage of people who can have an allergic response, as with any drug. Unfortunately, my wife was one of those people.

The other part about your post, the MRI, can be a little misleading as well. My wife's MRI also did not show a meniscus tear but one was found when she had arthroscopic surgery.

Unfortunately I have a lot of experience! I’ve had, since 2005, over 100 injections of Synvisc and for the last 6-7 years Euflexxa. At one point I was getting 3/cycle every 3-4 months. Now I get e per cycle every six months. I was told to stop running/triathlonback then rejected that advice and gone this route ever since.

I have perforated articulate cartiledge (sp?) and a torn medial meniscus. It’s become increasingly painful over the years but I’ve had very good luck. I’ll be doing my 15th IM since starting the treatment on 11/4..

My doc says I’ve had the best results of any of his patients. That said, it’s not a miracle but helps manage the pain.....

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Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com

Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.

Good luck at IMFL

So what is the point of these injections? I don't want to sound rude at all, but it seems similar to a pain killer/anti-inflame that just masks the pain while one continues to destroy their knees. At some point, won't you just increase the risk/need to have your knees replaced??

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I’m told it operates as a lubricant. As for increasing “the risk/need to have knees replaced,” doesn’t all running do that? Seriously, stuff wears out. That goes for body parts.

Thanks, that helps.

As far as all stuff wearing out - I suppose so. I was thinking of it in terms of if you have pain from damage that is derived from an action, then masking the pain of the action would only lead to more damage.

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Use this link to save $5 off your USAT membership renewal:
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You are right, but I accept my addiction and acknowledge I do this for other than heath reasons.

Father time is undefeated.

Just curious, how soon after the injections do you start to feel pain relief? Do you notice a difference after the first injection or after the whole series? My doctor and I decided to go with Hymovis instead of Euflexxa. It’s newer and the effects are supposed to last a little longer. It requires just 2 injections one week apart. I had injection #1 on Monday and go back next week for #2.

I just finished a cycle of 3 injections 8 days ago and I’m starting to notice improvement now so this 23 days after the first injection. I try to get a cycle started 5 weeks before my Ironman race (doing IMFL this year) and found it to be very effective for that race....

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Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com

Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.

It’s a lube job and not a pain killer. FWIW, I’ve been doing it since 2005 and my doc says the spacing in my knees has stayed stable. I had a bad knee to start with the training but it hasn’t got a lot worth since then.

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Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com

Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.

Henceforth I'm going to stop using my brain. Need to preserve it....

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