Orthovisc for Osteoarthritis User Reviews (Page 2)

• CarlS...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2017

"It's been 5 weeks since the last shot in a series of 4 Orthovisc injections for my torn meniscus. My right knee is now super swollen, and my pain is now Twice as bad as before the injections!! I drug myself up to get to sleep, but I am awoken each night/morning with excruciating pain!! I don't know what the heck went wrong! I'm only 47, with bone on bone, arthritis, etc. Had surgery to repair meniscus, but it was torn again! Only "fix" the doctor's say is a total knee replacement. Trying to push it back till I'm older, but I've had problems with this Knee since 2008!!! Can't take it anymore! Am I supposed to keep waiting for something to happen miraculously? I ice it daily, exercise, stretching, hot tub, etc. Any advice would be great!"

• Anonymous
• May 23, 2013

"Dr. gave me a numbing shot first then followed with the injection. I've felt great relief and I have been pain free for a few years. I've had ACL Recon, meniscus, etc., and this was the next step! I'm thankful to have the option as I don't want to just swim, I want to continue with soccer, paintball, etc. If you can afford it and/or have insurance I highly recommend it. Ask for the numbing shot before as my Dr. said most orthopedic Dr's don't do that."

• Linda...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2016

"I got three injections, a week apart. The first two didn't hurt at all, but I got the third one from a different doctor and it hurt. After the first injection, my knee felt swollen on the inside and stiff, it got worse with each new injection. I used to have pain pretty much only when I went on the stairs or twisted the wrong way. Now it feels swollen in the joint and on my leg from a few inches above the knee to a few inches below the knee. Like I am wearing a super tight bandage. The pain has increased to the point it is really painful to go up or down the stairs and even at night lying in bed, it's hard to find a comfortable position because it feels like someone is drilling into my knee."

• Slages
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 1, 2016

"I have now had these injections 2 times. They are a miracle. I used to be an avid runner and now bone to bone. Even with the injections, I don't run anymore but can bike and basically be without excruciating pain that I was in."

• omaja...
• June 10, 2009

"I had my first injection of Orthvisc on 08 June 2009. My next scheduled dates are 15 June 09 and 22nd June 09. I have had 3 series of the Supartz and I can tell a big difference in my knee. I am out of pain as of the first injection. No side effects. I am glad to be getting only 3 injections as opposed to the five of Supartz. I have osteoarthritis in both knees and the left one is the worst. The doctor wants to do knee replacement on that one however at age 67 in Oct 2009, my medical doctor does not want me to have the surgery yet. I am very pleased today, 10 June 09 with the results and pain free from my first injection of Orthovisc. Perhaps this is the answer and Medicare will pay for the injections every six(6) months. So I am looking on the positive side."

• Janisj
• April 3, 2016

"As a 64 yr old female I was having severe pain and stiffness in both knees due to advanced osteoarthritis. Ortho doc recommended a series of 4 weekly Orthovisc injections in both knees. For me, the shots were very painful. There was no improvement until after the 3rd week. I am now 1 wk. post the 4th and final shots and have greatly decreased pain. I now can exercise regularly without pain. The only difficulty I still have is walking up and down stairs. I highly recommended the orthovisc injection treatment."

• Jason...
• January 3, 2012

"38 year old male with history of knee pain and troubles. Osgood Schlatters with both knees from age 14. Have had constant aches and pains for the past three years. Aleve no help, Mobic no help. Cortisone shots helped, but I was interested in something that would help without accelerating the damage. I've been through my three shots of Orthovisc in each knee, last one a week ago. The difference is night and day. No constant ache, no warm knees. Things are great so far."

• MellenL
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2019

"THIS DRUG IS NOT WORTH THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT WILL WORK. For those that found relief in these reviews I cannot express my envy for you. Since my third injection all I can say is my pain from before the injection has gone from discomfort but manageable with Ibuprofen or Naproxen - to after the orthovisc EXCRUCIATING and no drug, prescribed or otherwise can ease the pain! That 6.5 avg. rating is a pretty big clue, wish I'd read this before getting these injections. Everyday since the Ibuprofen and Naproxen (that ruin your insides) stopped working I have done everything possible - elevated, compressed, iced and the pain is still keeping me in tears and unable to concentrate on any work. I swear I just want to get rid of my leg or worse... My Ortho doctors have no clue what the next step will be and I cannot continue to live like this. GOD HELP ME PLEASE! Just save yourself the trouble. I know insurance makes you go through worthless steps before approving knee replacement. This is TORTURE!"

• Tennis
• November 19, 2014

"I have knee osteoarthritis. Medium to severe, with severe meaning I need to go down stairs one at a time. I am an active tennis player and have been for over 40 years. I am almost bone on bone. I did not feel the discomfort of the shots were any big deal. A little pinch or pressure, but nothing really. I made a concerted effort not to play tennis during the four week period of the injections. After the fourth week, my knee pain went from a 7 to a 2. I was amazed and could walk down stairs with NO pain. A week later, buoyed by how great my knees felt, went out and played three hard sets of doubles. Some discomfort after playing. Maybe up to a 4 in pain. Played a couple more time and now I feel like I am right back where I started."

• Ermal
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 23, 2013

"Received 3 shots in April. Very little relief. Now it's Aug -and I've been in agony since July, so didn't work for me. I'm amazed at the comments about playing tennis, hiking, etc. It's all I can do to walk 3 steps."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2019

"It's been 2 weeks since the third and last injection of Orthovisc, and my knee is hurting significantly more than before the injection. I now have to take an ibuprofen to get through the day whereas before I only took one occasionally."

• gma
• December 14, 2019

"Knee is much worse than before Orthovisc injection, I have only had one and will NOT have it again. I am hoping that my knee will return to pre injection status, My knee is now so swollen, stiff and sore I can not bend it. Doctor told me to try this before joint replacement. This is just awful !"

• SBano
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 12, 2020

"I’m at 70-year-old woman who a year ago could not walk down stairs normally or bend my knee 90° because of a bone on bone patella. I first had a Cortisone injection which lasted about a month and then went to three injections of Orthovisc. Because the doc first numbed my knee with lidocaine I barely felt the injections under my kneecap. The relief has been tremendous! I must admit I did this in conjunction with physical therapy to increase range of motion and a lot of overall strength training. So I’m not sure what has been the most beneficial. All I know is I can now go down stairs normally, walk without pain, have better range of motion, and can run agility again with my dog. Thank goodness for Medicare which covers it!"

• FL SueP
• December 5, 2016

"Last year had four injections in my right knee in Nov. It took a good 3 weeks after my 4th shot to be pain free. It's a year later and needed to start the injections in my left knee. I have already started to feel some relief. I did not let the second knee get as bad before seeking this treatment. I'm back to tennis and will Pickleball soon. I did start to feel some discomfort in my right knee again so will most likely start injections in that knee after the first of the year. Sure worth a try. BESURE TO DO YOUR PT EXERCISES DAILY. I'm 66 so good luck!!"

• Steve...
• October 9, 2013

"I have had all 3 shots and my knees feel good, NO pain. The shots were spread out 3 weeks in a row, the 2nd week it hurt some but not as bad as the Knee pain I had. I can tell you how nice it is not to have pain."

• Cdiep
• October 15, 2013

"6 months ago a doctor injected Euflexxa. My knee was sore for 4 months. On the fifth month my knee got really bad, pain and swollen. A month later doctor starting injecting Orthovisc, on the first injection in felt like the doctor injected a knee, the inflammation went down and the pain went down 70%. Shot number two hurt and I was swollen and had pain for three days. Third shot didn't hurt and it was like the last piece of a puzzle. My knee feels amazing. Will definitely have these ones again. Let see how long they will last."

• Mybaby...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 26, 2016

"I was told at 32 I needed a knee replacement in both knees due to a birth defect in both knees. A group of doctors wanted to try this new drug on me. At the time it was a series of 5 shots. I could barely walk and was in a lot of pain. Couldn't get out of my car and was being shocked so bad I was being thrown to the floor. I tried the injections (which isn't pleasant ) but what a blessing. The pain stopped after the 3 shot and I was back to doing all the things I loved. They lasted about 2 1/2 to 3 years. I am 52 now and about to take another round of the miracle shots. Last ones kept me going almost 4 years. Thank you for creating it."

• Maine...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2016

"I had my first of three injections of Orthovisc yesterday (1/14/16) into my left knee. The physician numbed the skin and injected the lubricant. I did not experience any discomfort. The day after the injection I have not experienced any negative side effects. The overall effectiveness of Orthovisc is still up in the air but I'm eager to keep moving forward with the treatment. I will post again after completing the three injections."

• Lynk
• April 24, 2011

"I have a meniscus tear in my left knee which hasn't bothered me much till this year due to all the shoveling I had to do. My knee was aching with sharp pain for weeks which led me to my Doctor. He gave me a shot of cortisone which didn't do much. He spoke to me about Orthovisc which is a series of 3 shots within 3 weeks consecutively. I had the 1st shot last week which wasn't too bad. After the shot I had pain for a couple of days, it really didn't feel like I was getting any relief. I went back for the 2nd shot 2 days ago. I had pain for the day and now today 2 days later I have no pain at all. Nothing. My pain is gone. This medication is definitely working for me. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND these shots for everyone with knee pain."

• Maria...
• November 19, 2015

"I had my third shot on Nov. 11. So far, I am not impressed. Getting the shots did not hurt at all. Just a pinch and I felt the fluid go in a little bit. Not a problem. I have no relief at all as of yet. My doctor did say that it can take up to a month after the third shot, which will be Dec. 11. I really hope that he is correct. My pain level is at least a 5 every day, and once a day shoots up to a 10. This is all after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus. My next course of action is total knee replacement. At 54, I did not expect this to happen. I am so disgusted. Just praying that the shots kick in soon. Not happy at this point."

• Pwslvr
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2016

"I had a torn meniscus and surgery was necessary. When they went into the knee I was told the knee was full of arthritis and the physician had to clean the knee out leaving bone on bone. They suggested Orthovisc which I agreed. It has been two weeks since the third injection and I am in more pain then ever. I have no relief at all, living on anti-inflammatories with little benefit. I am really hoping for relief soon because I am confined to bed with ice packs."

• Photo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2015

"My knees were so bad I could barely walk around the office without limping. I had cortisone shots in both knees, which helped, but the Orthovisc treatment has been remarkable. A very noticeable improvement: I am much more able to walk, stay on my feet for hours, work in the yard, etc. As many others have commented, the first injections (one in each knee) were painful and left me limping. The three remaining injections, however, were painless. I don't know how long the impact will last, but so far, so good. The only downside is the cost. I have a high-deductible plan, and I ended up paying over $1,000 for the treatment. I hope I do not have to do this more than once a year at the most."

• vernon
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2019

"Horrible experience with Orthovisc and a lot of $$$$. Had 3 shots, I feel worse now than before the injections. I received the injections for bone on bone knee arthritis. Not only is my knee swollen my leg is swollen right down to my foot! The Dr. really should have mentioned that fact that this medication only has a 6.5 patient satisfaction rating. Instead he said that we should be able to postpone knee replacement for a year or two (maybe longer.) Now I have to wait 90 days after my last injection before we can schedule a knee replacement. I could have had my surgery and been on the road to recovery by now. My advice is to tell the Dr. NO if this is suggested to you."

• DFlex
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 3, 2019

"I had a cortisone injection at the end of May--great relief for 6-8 weeks! I just went through a series of Orthovisc...last injection was May 14. It is now Jun 4th...pain is unbearable. It's been three weeks and I have had NO relief...might be worse than before the injections."

• tntmaxx
• June 27, 2009

"I received my first series of Orthovisc injections in November 2007. My doctor told me it would last between 9-12 months. It is now June of 2009 and I can rarely tell which knee is the "bad" one. I have returned to playing indoor volleyball for the past two years with no pain. Highly recommend this product."