Ed B, 71, Florida
“The gym that I go to has two huge sets of stairs, and I kind of had to pull myself up the rail. There’s an elevator, but I hate to go to the gym and take the elevator.”
Golfer’s knee
Ed likes his knees, “They are my only pair.” So when one of them really started to bother him five years ago, he persevered until he found the relief he needed.
Ed had some knee pain for a while, and his physician had been managing it with cortisone shots. “Then about five years ago, I noticed a specific instance when I was playing golf. I was working on a new turn and — whatever happened, it hurt.”
What a pain
Though Ed never gave up on the active things he enjoys, the pain did start to slow him down. “The gym that I go to has two huge sets of stairs, and I kind of had to pull myself up the rail. There’s an elevator, but I hate to go to the gym and take the elevator.”
Ed went to his orthopaedic surgeon to find out why he was in so much pain. Turns out, he has osteoarthritis of the knee. So his doctor suggested a higher dose of over-the-counter pain medication. “I got relief from some pain, but not all.”
Eventually, his doctor prescribed a knee brace. “It's a nuisance if you have to wear it all the time. It seemed to provide some relief and give me more stability, but I can’t imagine having to wear a brace forever.” Ed had to find another solution.
Better shape
Being a naturally curious person, Ed started looking into other options. “I read a fair amount about Synvisc-One® (hylan G-F 20).” So Ed mentioned it to his doctor. The doctor thought he would be a good candidate for Synvisc-One, and Ed was happy to have a say in his own care. “I feel like I’m participating, and I like that my input is worth something.”
After the injection, Ed liked the results. “My knee feels better. And I feel like I’m in better shape now — I can go up those gym steps without the rail or the elevator.”
Committed to success
Ed is happy to have his knee back, and he’s advocating for other osteoarthritis knee pain sufferers to keep at it, find the right doctor and get relief. “I like my doctor. But I’ve discovered doctors sometimes forget to tell you all your options. So you have to explore what’s available. If you don't look out for yourself, nobody else is going to do it.”
“I am committed to my knee, and Synvisc-One has allowed me to do so much. Whether it's walking, vacationing, playing golf, shooting baskets, or going to the gym, I can do it without the constant osteoarthritis knee pain. I think that's the big benefit of finding relief: fewer restrictions on my lifestyle.”
PLEASE NOTE: This article is a testimonial of one patient’s story and his experience with Synvisc-One. Individual results may vary.