Orthovisc VS Hyalgan, Hyalgan Wins Big With Me
I have traumatic osteoarthritis in my left knee. After surgery to remove debris from the injury I had to start getting injections as I am too young for knee replacement (35). I had three rounds of hyalgan injection (five shots each). The first two were ... more »
I have traumatic osteoarthritis in my left knee. After surgery to remove debris from the injury I had to start getting injections as I am too young for knee replacement (35). I had three rounds of hyalgan injection (five shots each). The first two were six months apart, the last one almost a year. It worked amazing for me. I could walk and go up/down stairs with no pain until the next set of shots. It started to relieve my pain at the 2nd injection and was really working well by the 5th only to improve over the 2 months following the 5th one.
I had to use Orthovisc this time because my insurance wouldn't approve the Hyalgan(due to increases costs Obamacare, and yes my company told me that) . The first shot was more uncomfortable than the ones I had with Hyalgan and I ached for 2-3 days. I just got my second shot yesterday, and it hurt A LOT! I cried and couldn't move my leg for 15-20 minutes and only at that point because the doctor gave me an injection for pain. It was a burning pain in the joint with pains that went down my leg with numbness at my toe. I had to take pain medicine the rest of the night. I still can’t put weight on it with any bend in the joint. It is still swelling, which I did not have with the Hyalgan.
For me, Hyalgan does not hurt and Orthovisc hurts a ton. I know Hyalgan works as without it I can’t walk without pain. It is TBD to see if Orthovisc does that for me. I’m not sure how I will be able to make myself get the third injection.