Monovisc for Osteoarthritis User Reviews (Page 2)

• Tru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2021

"Tore first meniscus in 2011-dog knocked me down. First orthopedist offered nothing - she likes surgery. Second offered cortisone-no help. Third offered Orthovisc, and I had a great experience for 8 years. Tore my good knee (meniscus and muscles) when Medicare would not let me get the injection a month early. Treated the injured knee immediately with Orthovisc, and it helped a lot. Makes a big difference in how the provider administers the injection. Lost my best injection giver and went to her boss (ortho surg) who did awesome and talked me into Monovisc. Relief is slower than with the 3 shots-it has been 3 weeks, but I am still hopeful. Vastly better than cortisone, nothing, or Synvisc (which did nothing). Have seen too many patients suffering after knee surgery-I will stick with Mono or Orthovisc."

• Tri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 20, 2022

"I have bilateral severe bone-on-bone arthritis in both knees. I have used cortisone injections that only worked temporarily for about a month. Then I decided to use the gel injection Monovisc - the worst thing I could’ve ever done. The pain started immediately at the injection. My knees are 10 times more painful now than before the injection. It is horrible pain now after exhausting everything and methods that I have to have total knee replacement. Monovisc is the worst injection I could’ve ever done. I have all the side effects magnified five times. I can barely walk, and it’s only been one month. It has been horrible, the worst pain I have ever experienced, in daily chronic debilitating pain. This did not go well for me. If you have severe arthritis, Monovisc gel will aggravate the inflammation to the 10th power. I can barely walk. I don’t recommend. I had the one shot Monovisc. The worst decision that I could have made searching for some pain relief."

• Ben...
• January 13, 2018

"Amazing result for my OE knee. I have severe osteoarthritis in my knee due to ACL. I received one full dose of a 20 mg injection on January 2nd, 2018. I went to the fracture clinic in the hospital to receive the injection. Treatment wasn't painful at all. After 2 days of resting and applying ice on my knee, all my old pain and discomfort was gone. I wish that I knew about Monovisc much earlier. It is nice to live without pain again. I just hope that it will last at least six months."

• Bar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2019

"I did try Monovisc last spring, 2019. At that point in time, I would try anything. The pain I felt was raw and very uncomfortable. Unfortunately for me, the injection did absolutely nothing. Still searching for a magical bullet to ease the discomfort. A knee replacement is coming, but the surgeon wants me to try a custom-fit brace and another injection. Why am I the only one that understands the party is over? Please, just do the surgery."

• Bob...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 16, 2024

"I have used Monovisc about three years ago and pain free for a year and a half. Switched doctors and tried Orthovisc injections, which are given once a week for 3 weeks. Had headaches for 3 weeks and knees stayed stiff for 4 weeks. Could not play golf. Lasted about 9 months, though, but did not like the initial procedure. Tried Durolane, which was terrible. Headaches, knee pain, and only lasted 2 months. Went back to my doctor and requested Monovisc. It has been 5 days since my injections in both knees, and no headache and slight discomfort, stiffness in both knees, which is gone in four days. Looking forward to a year and a half of painless knees. I see people complain about painful injections. That is because the doctor is in a hurry or doing a poor job. A good doctor gives injections pain-free."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 16, 2016

"Monovisc combined with PT has significantly improved my knees after injuring an old torn meniscus. Arthritis was diagnosed as well on the MRI. Dr. would not operate! I get injections every 4 months, and pain is very rare... ice needed occasionally. Thinking of using it in my shoulder after RC surgery. Other shoulder has a partial tear. Anybody have any ideas on this?"

• Man...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2023

"I'm a 65-year-old man and had years and years of bone-on-bone knee pain. It wasn't until I turned 65 that Medicare would pay for it as previous insurance wouldn't. The day of my injections, my knees were severely inflamed. For me, and probably not most of you, the injections were excruciatingly painful because of the severe inflammation in my knees. My knees were actually warm to the touch. I have one of the top-rated doctors in the state for knee replacement. I'm not a candidate for surgery because unless it's critical, I can't go under anesthesia for medical reasons. After seeing stars from the injections, I went home and had the normal 24-hour swelling. But I did notice that downward pressure on my knees was not there. Two days later, I'm literally walking all over the place. This has been an absolute miracle! Most people won't get the pain from the injections, and even if you do, I have my life back! Lifesaver!"

• Bad...
• May 30, 2017

"I had been getting Orthovisc for a few years and found it had worked wonderfully to stave off knee deterioration and pain after having two previous surgeries for ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair. I then moved to a different state where their preferred drug was Monovisc because it's just the one injection instead of three. It has been almost two months and my knee and now calf haven't hurt this bad since my initial inquiries: constantly swollen, can only minimally bend it and can't straighten it or put pressure on it to lay on my stomach. I'm not sure why there's such a huge difference, nor does my doctor who now just helps me manage the pain with cortisone, a brace, and meds, but I will never have Monovisc again."

• JMC...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 27, 2022

"I was told I would feel a little pressure, not pain. So as the Monovisc was being injected, I felt the pressure. Then more pressure. And more and more. It felt like my kneecap was going to blow off. So the little pressure, in my opinion, turned into pain. After it was done in both knees, I couldn’t stand for about 5 minutes. At all. I was offered ice packs and then was able to walk out. But yes, it helped a lot. Would I do it again? I don’t think so. Too painful. We'll see what is worse when the gel wears off/out."

• Dee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2023

"Awful, awful, awful! The medicine hurt going in, and I've been in daily pain since the injection back in November 2022. I will never, ever put this medicine into my system again. The manufacturer, Anika and J&J, did absolutely nothing to help alleviate the pain, nor did they offer compensation for the copayment amount."

• Tes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 6, 2021

"My knee ached pretty badly the day of the injection and that night as well. But it's been over 6 months of pretty effective pain relief, so I’m very happy with Monovisc. Just scheduled my 2nd injection! Haven’t felt this good in years!"

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2021

"My ortho doctor recommended this for my knee arthritis issues. I was told it takes 2-3 weeks to work into the joint and really take effect. I was also told they have about a 70% success rate at their office. I could tell a big difference as soon as I got the injection. Walking out to my car, there was much less knee pain. I'm having almost no knee pain standing up or moving/walking. I hope this lasts for 6+ months because my insurance doesn't cover the injection."

• Hik...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2021

"I hike a lot, and as I have gotten older, 51, my knees have been increasingly painful. I went to the doc about 6 weeks ago and had pictures taken. They are basically bone on bone. So they suggested we try Monovisc, anything to avoid knee replacement, right? It's been 4 weeks of just absolute pain. The knee pain was easier for me to withstand. Currently, I still have knee pain, and as an added bonus, I have hip and back pain as well now. The pain has gotten so bad I can barely walk without stabbing pain, and if I sit for more than 15 minutes, I can barely get back up. Motrin is doing me no good currently, I have an appointment to go back to the doc in 2 days, so hopefully they can do something to fix this nightmare. I feel it is only fair to add this: If the doc had told me there was a 40% chance I'd be in this much pain from getting the injection, I still would have tried it. I don't blame the doc, and I don't blame Monovisc."

• Nig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2022

"I had 4 ml of MONOVISC on the 10th of August. That is the 3 doses. I have felt in the past 3 days that my back is out, my knees are sore. I can only compare it with Cortisone, which went everyplace until it finally went to the knee. My previous MD said, “It's like injecting a plastic bag, it goes where it wants to.” Ultimately, it will settle in the knee. I have meralgia parasthetica from abdominal surgery, and oh, I can feel it has settled down in my lower abdomen, that is MONOVISC. I would love to hear about someone who has experienced this as well. It is hard to walk due to the pressure below."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2021

"My first injection with Monovisc took about three weeks to kick in, and then the difference was like night and day. I had another in the other arthritic knee yesterday, and the injection pain is horrendous. Anyone know how long that will last? Hopefully, eventually, it will be as magnificent as the relief from the first one."

• For...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 2, 2021

"I did not know I had osteoarthritis. I originally thought the knee pain and inability to extend the leg was due to a pulled muscle or ligament. I was on the couch for three months, thinking the ice, elevation, and rest would heal the knee. I was shocked having to contemplate total knee replacement. When the shock wore off, I took two weeks thinking of a solution I could accept. My doctor was absolutely correct in giving me Monovisc. The actual injection was given on June 2, 2021. I felt no pain, a small amount of pressure when inserted into the knee. I felt my knee stabilize immediately. No pain, no limp upon leaving the office. Today is October 2, 2021. The past three weeks, I felt a change in my knee: slight pain with walking, and now I ice on and off all day and night. I had three and one-half back-to-normal months. My appointment to discuss the next step is on the 18th of this month. I made the right choice with Monovisc."

• Gre...
• August 18, 2021

"Monovisc was a last resort for me before going for knee replacement surgery. It has been remarkable, after receiving my infusion, it took approximately one month to work. I'm 60 years old, and I am able to do hot yoga, biking, and boxing once again. I'll be getting another injection come November, and hopefully, I can keep this treatment for years going forward. A shout-out to my wonderful surgeon/doctor and physiotherapist."

• Lex...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2021

"This is my second go-round with Monovisc. I have had other injections, including cortisone. Cortisone helps but doesn't last very long at all. I need a knee replacement, but due to my age, holding out as long as possible. Monovisc really helped me. It takes about a week or two to really feel the difference. Immediately after the injection, I have some knee pain and instability, but ice and pain medication like Tylenol or Motrin helps some. Mostly just resting the joint with elevation and ice for as long as possible. After about 24 to 48 hours, the injection pain is much better. Monovisc works well for me. I got it in both knees, but my left knee is bone-on-bone and it makes a much bigger difference in that knee. I haven't had any problems with it at all. I suppose the worse your knee is, the bigger the difference you can feel. Lasted about 7 months at a time."

• bil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2020

"My knees are ready for replacement, but I wanted to stretch it out a couple more years. I had ortho surgery in Aug of '20. In October, I received injections (painless for me). I had ups and downs for pain, but now in December, they are better than they were. They are both stiff in the evening, but I can get eight hours of work out of them with Tylenol and Celebrex. I had my doubts after reading these reviews. I have my second set in January."

• Lad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 30, 2022

"The injections themselves were very painful, with burning. I knew to expect the fullness, but not the excruciating pain a couple of hours later. I could barely walk and couldn't stand any longer than 20 seconds. My doctor did not prepare me for this at all. I iced, elevated, and took anti-inflammatory medicine with no relief. It has been 3 days, and I'm still in a lot of pain up and down both legs, with a lot of swelling. The reason for these injections was to improve my quality of life, not worsen it. I pray it improves and that it will be worth it. We will see."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2021

"I got this injection 4 months ago and got worse. My knees feel like they are stuffed with something, my knees are prone to lock, and I have trouble moving my legs after sleeping for a while. My movement has been much more restricted, and if I stand for more than 15 minutes, they ache. It has been very debilitating."

• kne...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 16, 2021

"I had my 1st injection of Monovisc yesterday. After 2 previous doctors recommended knee replacement without even ordering an MRI. My current physician did. The injection hurt going in, and that night my leg was stiff. I was thinking I made a mistake. Today I feel a little better, but reading the comments posted is giving me more confidence it will work out. We'll see on Monday when I go back to therapy."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 3, 2022

"I had a cortisone shot last October 6, 2021. I was extremely relieved because I didn't feel any pain at all the next day after the injection. I can kneel down and get up with no problems, but that only lasted for 2 weeks. Came back for a second injection, which was Jan. 12, 2022. This time it was Monovisc mixed with cortisone (he said it would be more effective if they were mixed), and so far I haven't seen any improvement or changes. I still experience a lot of pain and discomfort when I walk my dog. I seem to lose hope in Monovisc, which is highly recommended and so disappointing!"

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2021

"My doctor indicated I could no longer get cortisone injections and suggested the Monovisc. OHIP does not cover the cost of $790. I was in so much daily pain and sleep deprivation I gave in to getting the injections in both knees. What a mistake - the first three days I had so much swelling, pain, and stiffness I couldn't even get around. It is now a month later, and I am struggling daily with the pain and stiffness. I was in better shape before the injections. My neck, back, and hip are hurting due to hobbling around. I have called my doctor and begged for cortisone for some relief. I need sleep."

• Sue...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2021

"Got the Monovisc injections in both knees in the morning. By the evening, I was in so much pain, I thought something had been botched. The swelling was incredible, and I couldn't walk without two canes. The next day, the swelling had come down a bit, and one knee felt no better than pre-injection, and the other still felt much worse. After a few days, the swelling has now come down, and both feel a bit better than pre-injection. The doctor says that it will take about two weeks for the pain to subside, then things should be stable for a while. I am looking forward to getting around without my cane!"