Arthosamid Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis
Comments
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That’s interesting, @mge, that your injured knee is taking longer to respond than the right. I suspect I have some OA in my left (good) knee too - as my ortho says, ‘there’s usually symmetry’. I’m yet to have it x-rayed but it’s been doing double the work (esp on stairs) for a year and is complaining. But like you, the reason my right knee is in such bad shape is trauma: breaks and dislocations, my first at 15. Surprised really that I made it to my mid 50s before pain showed up. I find the instability much harder to cope with mentally than the pain, aches and stiffness. There’s something kind of primeval about your leg just… not working. It’s why I’m still seriously considering TKR this summer, just to have the knee stable. Everything else - recovery, physio, rehab etc - I can work on then with focus. At the moment, I can’t even do a leg extension or leg lift.
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update: Arthrosamid has stalled. I’m having TKR in May…
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sounds like a good decision @jones8888 hope all goes well.
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I had both knees done on January 16th in London, my left knee is the worst 3 - 4. I have tried Hyaluronic acid and steroid injections in the past. The Hyaluronic acid did help but it was short lived. The Arthrosamid injections were done without steroid just an anesthetic, also guided ultrasound was not used which was a concern to me but I had to make a decision on the spot and as i don't live in the UK and re-arranging would be a nightmare so i went ahead with it.
Its now over 3 months since the injections and i don't feel any improvement at all. I realise it can take some time and i have contacted the clinic that did it and plan to have a zoom consultation next week. I will post anything that comes of that. I do believe in the treatment but I may just be one of the unlucky one that doesn't respond.
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Sorry to hear that @Markt59. I would think if you’ve had NO benefit in three months it’s probably going to stay that way, unfortunately. The guided ultrasound is vital, so my ortho said. He was certainly very thorough and took his time with it. Good luck with the Zoom and let us know what they say. I’m still only six weeks post-Arthrosamid but I’ve just had the worst two weeks I’ve ever had with my knee. I’m bewildered because the jab definitely did something for the first four weeks. But the last ten days or so it’s been terrible and with NEW symptoms: painful locking, pain radiating up and down my leg, swelling, an intense pain at the back of my knee etc. I saw a different ortho surgeon for a consultation last week and got a TKR date of May 29. That’ll be nearly 11 weeks after Arthrosamid and if it has kicked in in a major way by then, I may cancel. But I do feel like my faith in it has gone (as has my patience with being stuck at home feeling disabled and ancient). Not looking forward to surgery - am a bit terrified 🙄 AND it’s massively expensive - but my life’s passing me by…
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As you say if it not worked in over 3 months probably not going to. I hope you have some improvement before May 29th and can put off surgery…i think that's all we are trying to do really is to delay the inevitable.
Quality of life matters more than anything!
Hope you have some luck.
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Thank you. Have you worked out what your next step might be now? I’m curious about the Arthrosamid not working for you: did it do ANYTHING, even in the first week? I’m very confused by my jab cushioning and stabilising my knee joint for about four weeks - from the first night after the injection - and then suddenly stopping. Did it wear off?! I looked at my notes and there was definitely no steroid or additional thing. Did you have NO relief at all? Such a disappointment.
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Pre jab i didn't have that much pain, just a constant low level ache. More than anything it felt unstable and i felt it could give way at any time, also lack of movement range. I don't think it did anything even in the first week. I am having my consultation on May 10th, The doctor has replied and has said some people need a larger dose ie a top up. I'm not sure about this especially considering the cost and i have to travel to Europe to get it done. I was expecting that a top up may be needed after a couple of years not 3 months!!
I am annoyed at myself for not postponing it until a clinic with guided ultrasound capabilities was available, it always in the back of my mind that the procedure may not have been carried out correctly.
Will post any interetsing info after my consultation.
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Hello, I had Arthrosamid in both knees on the 16th April just over three weeks ago. Even though I realise that it is early days, I have been feeling despondent that I have felt no improvement at all. After reading your comments though I understand that it can take significantly longer to kick in than the 2-4 weeks I initially thought. The consultant pointed out that it doesn't work in around 30% of patients, so I knew it was a gamble, but being in a lot of pain I decided to take a chance - even though two injections were horrendously expensive! I had initially enquired about Nstride, but as I have some patchy areas of grade 4 OA the consultant said that Nstride was only suitable for mild to moderate OA. I really hope the Arthrosamide works otherwise there is no option for me other than knee replacements as I want my life back which has been turned completely upside down for the past 8 months due to the level of pain. It has though been a comfort to me to find this community and to read your posts.
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Hi @amandamcl, welcome. Has the Arthrosamid done ANYTHING at all yet? I had some immediate relief, a little bit of a cushioning and lubricating effect I can only compare to the way a plaster eases the soreness of a cut, or an aspirin helps a headache. It doesn’t take away the pain but takes the edge off. It certainly didn’t mean I could suddenly go for a 30 min walk (or even a 3 min one). Even that effect stopped at four weeks though and my knee deteriorated. At eight weeks now, there’s been no improvement. I’m having TKR in two weeks and am focusing on getting my head into the right place to go through this experience. I’m preparing and getting my game face on. I hope it starts to work for you. But if not, my advice is to be proactive about surgery. Life is short and arthritis is miserable.
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Hi @jones8888, thanks for replying to my post. Up until now there is no improvement from the Arthrosamid injections I had 4.5 weeks ago in both knees. I understand that it can take up to 6 weeks to feel an improvement, so I am hoping but finding it increasingly hard to be optimistic. Sorry to hear that it didn't work for you. I have come to the conclusion that you are right to be proactive about surgery as living in constant pain is - as you say - miserable. I am booked to see a knee specialist next Thursday. Wishing you all the best with your TKR and hope it enables you to get your life back.
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an update from me 11 weeks in. My right knee has made good progress. Less swollen, less painful and more mobile. My left and ‘better’ knee is still stiff and painful. So annoying.
My consultant thinks that the left knee might just be slower to activate but if there is still a disparity in the next four weeks I can have a 3ml top up in the left. This has cheered me up.
To those still the early stages I can only reiterate that progress is slow and frustrating. I really felt no improvement for probably 7-8 weeks and since then gradual.
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@mge Thank you for the update. I am 5 weeks today since my injections without any improvement and your post has cheered me up. Can't help but feel that it is misleading of Arthrosamid to advertise that improvement is seen between 2-4 weeks when the experience of a number of people on this forum is that it takes significantly longer. If we knew this up front we may well still opt to have the injections, but it would lessen the disappointment and despair as each week goes by without any noticeable improvement. I hope you continue to progress and that your left knee catches up.
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I feel their marketing is misleading too. I’ve kept in touch with the woman who had her injection at the same clinic and on the same day as me and she’s had no improvement either. In fact, like me, her knee got worse. Today at a couple of days short of 10 weeks since the jab, my knee hasn’t locked for a week or so (hope I’m not tempting fate!) but still no significant improvement. I wouldn’t be able to walk around a supermarket today. I haven’t since Feb. My patellofemoral joint doesn’t feel too bad but there is still pain, aching, stiffness and instability in the rest of my knee, if that makes sense, and some referred pain in my heel and shin. I’m wondering if the Arthrosamid literally just cushions under the kneecap, leaving the rest of the knee to hurt, grind and crunch as much as usual.
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Recently diagnosed with knee arthritis - worse in left knee from injury - always been active (fitness and Pilates instructor) Thank you for all your comments. Have pain even when seated but able to walk and train. Should I wait until it is severe to have an injection. Someone advised having hydraulic acid MONOVISC has any one had this if so has it helped?
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Try injections now, as they work better on mild to moderate OA and less well - if at all - on severe cases. What did your x-ray show?
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I have everything in place to have an Arthrosamid injection, but having seen the comments here am now seriously wondering if it is a good idea. I could accept that it might not work and would be a considerable amount of money wasted, but NOT the fact that it could somehow lead to the problem becoming even worse. I live alone up 55 steps and can manage them at the moment, so I have to think carefully……
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@indigoroma I had Arthrosamid injections in both knees six weeks ago and for me they did not make the problem worse. I had no improvement up until 5 weeks and assumed they were not working at all, but within the last week I have noted an improvement and walking is now a little easier. I went to a supermarket for the first time in months. I saw my consultant yesterday and he said that he has noted that his patients often don't experience an improvement until five or six weeks, or even beyond, and that they then experience a steady improvement even up until four to six months before it levels out. It seems that actual patient experience can vary quite a bit from what is stated on the Arthrosamid literature.
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I have been looking online and not a lot of experience to gain knowledge from so here is my experience. I hope it helps someone. I had Arthrosamid injections in both knees this morning. A little of my history. 50yr old female, 60kg . I used to run, be very active and could walk for miles no issues. Gradually became more painful and running had to stop, however very much on the go still but grin and bearing the pain and adapting what I did to compensate. I also do pole, aerial fitness etc which I am still able to do. I was diagnosed with stage 4 OA patches in both knees and stage 3. Also meniscus tears in both knees and bone spurs. I was managing to walk ok but pain and flare ups more often, stiffness and severe swelling in one or both knees quite often locking if the knees and also had constant baker’s cysts.
Had MRI to establish the above diagnosis and whilst discussing my results I was told that all tendons and ligaments were good, however past the stage where physio would greatly benefit and the only solution would be TKR: Hyaluronic acid or steroid injections could offer short term pain relief, but not change the outcome of needed TKR. However be there is the option to have Arthosamid or Nstride but I would have better results with Arthrosamid and could possibly delay the need for the TKR for a considerable amount of time if not Imminently. Given the facts that it may only work for 70% of cases. Forward onto today..
The procedure was extremely quick and just a little pain from the local anaesthetic. As the arthosamid was injected I did get a sensation that the knee was filling. I did feel a little dizzy but think that was from the 2000mg dose of antibiotics I had to take one hour before the procedure. All done very quickly and pretty painless. Was told to not do anything strenuous and take pain relief and ice for upto 5 days by which time swelling should go down. Was told that could resume exercise after 2 weeks but needed to let the arthosamid do its thing with synovial fluid and listen to my body. I should have no problem running again etc. Which I was thrilled to hear. After 1 hr I could feel tightness in both knees and a little stinging sensation from the injection site, legs felt heavy. After 4 hours swelling continues and was worse in my left than my right. Seems to be above and around my left knee front and back restricting its movement and quite painful. Right knee slightly swollen. 8hrs later. Painful to walk as the anaesthetic has worn off and needing to ice both knees. Left still very swollen but no worse than at 4hrs. Left slightly swollen. I will keep you informed2 -
Edit on previous post. My right is slightly swollen
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An update from me at almost 15 weeks. My right knee is doing well. So much less stiff, no crunching and no constant pain though some pain still when walking etc. My left was still really bothering me. Crunching, locking when getting up and making my progress uneven and frustrating.
My consultant, Mr Attar gave me a top up in the left of 3mil on Friday. He went in to a deeper level and from a different angle. 3 days later, and I hope it’s not just the anaesthetic, but it already feels a bit better. Less of a crunch and more flexible.
Mr Attar has also said red light therapy can be good to improve collagen (makes sense have an led mask for my face!) so I’m going to try that too.
How is everyone else getting on?1 -
Interesting to read the experiences above. I am having bilateral Arthrosamid injections next week for my patellofemoral arthritis. It was quite a shock last year to be told after an MRI that essentially I had no cartilage left on the lateral portion of both patellas, although fortunately the rest of the joint is sound. I had a lot of swelling, relatively little pain (except from running, which I thought was tendonitis), but since then I have avoided running and hill walking which are my main two hobbies. The symptoms have moderated, helped by PRP/hyaluronic acid injections a few months ago, but I can't run any distance and going downhill/stairs is uncomfortable. The PRP injection didn't really move the dial, a bit more lubrication and less swelling, but not enough to allow me to partake in more activities.
I've decided to take the plunge with the Arthrosamid injections and I am hoping that these will enable me to do hill walking again, even if hill running not advised. I also find that there is quite a large impact on my daily life, things like DIY and even gardening are a lot harder if bending and kneeling down is an issue. I can still cycle (although ~2 hours seems to be the limit) and I do knee strengthening exercises (there are very few that activate the critical VMO muscle without aggravating symptoms - I do a sitting wall squat) so I am confident that all my muscles and ligaments are still sound and strong.
I realise that I am probably on the lighter end as far as symptoms are concerned, but even so they have been extremely debilitating, I was planning on taking early retirement, which I have postponed because I'd rather sit around at work getting paid than sit around at home. I will give an update as patellofemoral arthritis is much rarer and (apparently) harder to treat than tibiofemoral arthritis, so my experience may be helpful to others.
(I am in my mid-50's BTW and have had knee issues since my mid-20's on and off. It is likely these were caused by my patella not tracking properly as I have slightly dysplastic patella joints. Unfortunately, this poor tracking has essentially removed all the cartilage on the lateral portion of my patellas over time. As both knees are affected almost identically I haven't developed walking habits that have caused sympathetic issues elsewhere).
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Well good morning @Dodgyknees99 a very warm welcome to the online community from me.
I'm so glad this thread is proving so helpful to people who are considering trying the injections. The results do seem quite varied and of course the cost is prohibitive for many people.
You story is very interesting and may well resonate with someone else in the future so your offer to feed back on the outcome/progress is really very welcome.
I very much hope you will be back hill walking and able to do your garden and DIY more easily soon.
Wishing you all the very best for next week and look forward to reading your updates.
Ellen.
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