Synvisc-One and Stiffness: What Users Say

• Jak...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 2, 2020

For Osteoarthritis "I have mild to moderate osteoarthritis in my right knee from an ACL reconstruction in 2000 and meniscectomy in 2016 to clean up meniscal tears. I have been using Synvisc-One for over 2 years and it has been very effective. It takes me from having a stiff, painful knee to a nearly fully functional joint that I can train and do fairly high-impact sports on. It takes a week or two for it to kick in after an injection. Knee feels stiff and achy at first, but it eases up and within a month, you forget you ever had OA. With the single injection, you are adding an extra 6 ml to the 6 ml already in your knee joint capsule. No wonder it feels full at first. Rest and give it a week or so to blend in. I am 56 and surf nearly every day. Synvisc-One is the miracle solution that keeps my knee pain-free and functional. I highly recommend it."

• Sag...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2019

For Osteoarthritis "This was a terrible experience for me. I had the Synvisc injection, and the next day I was super anxious and weepy. This anxiety lasted 7 days. I am normally none of those things. Over the next 2 weeks, my knee was painful, stiff, and I had to use crutches to walk. The injection did not work, and I will not have another Synvisc injection again."

• Ebl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2015

For Osteoarthritis "I had a Synvisc One injection in both knees about a week ago. Initially, I was told to expect pain and swelling for the first 48 hrs. So, I took it easy and stayed off my feet. As the week went on, the pain and swelling progressed. Exactly 7 days later, I ended up in the ER with excruciating pain, swelling, and stiffness. The doctors removed 110 cc's of fluid from my left knee alone. I was later released and told to follow up with my physician. To date, I am still in continuous pain and have difficulty walking. I wish I had never done this."

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2019

For Osteoarthritis "I had injections in both knees today of the Synvisc One. This is the third time in a year and a half. First one injection, no problems, no side effects, but a little sore afterwards for a day. After the second one, I had stiffness and pain for a few days. I called the office and was told to use ice. After three days, it was better, just a little sore. I had the third one in both knees today, and OUCH! The right knee didn’t hurt much due to it being numbed before they did it. The left hurt. I was sore walking out, but okay. About three hours later, my knees are stiff, excruciating pain, hurting all the way down to my feet, swelling. I cannot get up from a sitting position. I cannot bend my knees, they are so stiff. Walking is horrible, and I need help with my legs not wanting to move. I’m elevating with ice. I need relief."

• WW ...
• November 21, 2015

For Osteoarthritis "Well, I have had a Synvisc injection in each knee once a week for the past 3 weeks. Unfortunately, the swelling and stiffness have been almost unbearable. I have a very high tolerance for pain, but it has kept me up at night for the past week. I am now icing my knees for 20 minutes every 2 hours and staying off my feet as much as possible. I have read that these side effects can last up to 3 weeks (I hope not). It is very difficult to get up off the toilet and I have had to use a cane the last 2 days. It has now been a month since my first injection, and I noticed the symptoms worsened with each one! They have cost me $700 from Canada. Insurance would not pay for medication."

• ADI...
• March 8, 2017

For Osteoarthritis "I was told I had osteoarthritis, and surgery is not an option on my knee due to my age. I had the cortisone shot in August. It did nothing. Therefore, I had the Synvisc-One in March. Oh my God, there ought to be a law that ALL doctors should be frank with their patients who are in severe pain and seek relief. Lo and behold, I had the shot, which was somewhat painful, but bearable. The first night I was in agony... could not sleep for the pain. It has been a week, and severe stiffness has set in. A friend recommended Blue Emu for the pain and Tylenol. The Blue Emu helps, but the pain (which is as bad as last week) is beginning to subside during the day. At night... just horrible, I awake every two to three hours with pain! Never!!!"

• JDM...
• March 7, 2017

For Osteoarthritis "I received the Synvisc-One injection in early February in both knees. The injection was extremely painful for one knee. It's a month later, I'm still in pain, especially at bedtime. Lots of pain/stiffness in my calves and behind my knees. Not sure if I would receive another injection. Can surgery be worse?"

• She...
• May 21, 2019

For Osteoarthritis "Just had my first injection of Synvisc-One yesterday. I have a high tolerance for pain, but it was terrible. So sad I did not read reviews. The doctor said it could not make me worse, and believe me, the Synvisc-One has made my knee worse. I have much more pain and swelling than before, along with the stiffness and popping. It’s horrible. I will not get the remaining two shots."

• Pss...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2017

For Osteoarthritis "I am experiencing more pain 2 weeks post-injection than I had prior to it. I have a great deal of stiffness. My knee is locked up, and when walking, it will buckle under me. The injections are very painful, and the doctor must have irritated a nerve because I'd have severe pain at the injection site from just brushing touch. Never, ever again!"

• Gin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2019

For Osteoarthritis "Chondromalacia in both knees with meniscal tears and loss of cartilage. First two weeks post-injection, my knees felt great. Third week, my knees began to hurt again with sharper pain than before. I am currently in the ER because my left leg is so stiff and painful I can't bend or straighten my left leg. Only came to the ER because the right is starting to stiffen up."

• Daw...
• May 29, 2018

For Osteoarthritis "On 3/24/18, I had Synvisc One in both knees at the same time. I got a bit flushed, nauseous, and like I would faint right after. Used a wheelchair to get to the car as my legs were very stiff and heavy feeling afterward. Had a spray cool numbing agent before shots, neither were very painful. Got shots on the outside of both knees, which the doctor said was usually less painful. One knee got about 90% relief the first week, the other only about 30%. Then I fell on both knees down a concrete step 14 days after injections, which didn't help my situation. I waited for 5 weeks after injections, icing frequently, mostly for the fall issues. I now had about 40% and 75% relief, so on 5/1/18, I went for an appointment, and they suggested a cortisone shot on top of the Synvisc One injection, and I had some more relief after that, even though cortisone shots had never helped me before. I got it in both knees, which hurt way more than the initial injection. But it worked. I am now about 85% and 90% relief!!! On 5/28/18."

• Wob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2018

For Osteoarthritis "Bottom line - I think the Synvisc One really helped the knee joint function, but the side effects for me were so bad I will never use it again. Severe osteoarthritis in both knees. Had Synvisc One injections in both knees early Dec 2017. The injections were brutally painful - and I’m not normally bothered by pain. Not sure I could bring myself to do it again. I was barely able to walk for 3 days, then developed constant, deep aching pain, swelling, and stiffness in both legs from toes to hips that did not respond to ibuprofen or lidocaine patches. Ended up having steroid injections twice to control the side effects. After the last one, I lost 6 lbs in 2 days, fluid out of my legs. Now it is mid-April 2018 and I can tell the side effects are becoming less - and the mechanical knee joint pain and instability are returning. It’s too bad that I experienced such severe side effects because I think the Synvisc was actually very effective with the joint mobility and pain."

• Blu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 23, 2023

For Osteoarthritis "The Synvisc One injections have made my knee pain a little better, but I am now having severe stiffness in my calves, foot pain, swelling, and numbness I did not have until after the shots. It is about 7 weeks post-injection. (The first 3-4 weeks were the absolute worst). I will not have them again and hope the injections will wear off in the next 4 months and my legs/feet will return to normal. I am considering seeing a different Ortho doctor and praying for a better solution!"

• Joh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 28, 2021

For Osteoarthritis "Doctor suggested Synvisc-One because, as a self-pay, I could avoid the cost of additional 2 doctor visits vs. a 3-shot regimen. After I received the injection through the enormous needle, and for several days, my knee was very stiff because it appeared to be too full of the Synvisc-One product. Did not resolve for 2 weeks. And even 30 days later, I'm experiencing pain in my knee, worse than before the injection. Prior 2 years, I had Euflexxa injections (3 course regimen) and did not experience any of the negative symptoms that I did with Synvisc-One, except for minor stiffness/soreness immediately after injection for a couple of days afterward - which is normal. My understanding is that both Synvisc-One and Euflexxa consist of 'synthetic' hyaluronic acid vs. natural rooster combs. Doctor's office said that some people have allergic reactions to the natural rooster combs. Note that the Synvisc-One injection was performed by a different doctor than my prior Euflexxa injections."