Stem cell implants.

[SMBarrett]

I have just started a course of stem cell implants in both knees whilst considering knees replacement surgery ; l am reluctant to have the surgery so am hoping this implant treatment will work.

I would appreciate your comments fellow RA sufferers!

[Jan101]

Hi SMBarrett I have just been looking into stem cell treatments. It really looks like it a great treatment and has great results. There is so many people that have chosen to have stem cells treatment instead of surgery. I truly hope that you have great results to. I would really like to know where you had your procedure done. Was it in the uk ? If you don’t want to tell me on here you could pm me if you would like to. I truly wish you all the best and from what I have seen it doesn’t take long for the treatment to work. Take good care of yourself sweetie. Love and hugs 🤗🤗🌹🌹😘😘🤞👍

[SMBarrett in reply to Jan101]

Hi Jan

I live in Tenerife, & will certainly be happy to update you with my progress ....🌺🌹🌺

[Jan101 in reply to SMBarrett]

Thank you I would really appreciate it. Wish you well. Love and hugs 🤗🤗🌹🌹😘😘

[Darkrose58 in reply to SMBarrett]

Can I ask you, do you pay for your treatment in Tenerife or is there some sort of system in place?

[SMBarrett in reply to Darkrose58]

Yes l do pay for this treatment in Tenerife but it is paid for via my private health insurance which fortunately l have via my BBVA ( Spanish bank ) account.

I have friends who pay for it privately & it is €250 each time . I am having 8 sessions, 4 on each knee.

Obviously l am pleased that l obtained my health insurance prior to my 2 knees deciding to behave so badly !

[Darkrose58 in reply to SMBarrett]

I’m very interested in stem cell but it doesn’t seem to be available here, UK. How have your friends faired with this treatment. Thanks for info and I wish you luck.

[SMBarrett in reply to Darkrose58]

My Specialist says that it is a very new option & the results are not yet 100% proof that the treatment is making surgery unnecessary but certainly he is having some excellent feedback.

I do so hope that my surgery will not be necessary ....maybe in 6 weeks

[ladydog]

I'm interested in your results also as read quiet alot about stem cell. It sounds most people improve with it. X

[SMBarrett in reply to ladydog]

Hi ... l’ve had only 2 sessions out of 8 so l don’t have very much to report at the moment; obviously l’m hoping to delay / cancel the knee replacement surgery but maybe that is a little too optimistic.

[summer32]

Wow Spanish health service is way beyond NHS England x

[SMBarrett]

No , this is with a private health card obtainable via the BBVA bank but it’s still a good deal; obviously one needs to obtain the card prior to a disease becoming serious.

[stbernhard]

Good luck with the treatment. I'll be following your progress with interest. I will need to do something with my knee soon. The pain and swelling is beginning to restrict what I can do. Please keep us up to date. Thank you.

[Riedenise]

Good luck with it. I shall follow your progress if that is ok. I am awaiting for my referral to Ortho for both my knees. So really interested to see how this pans out. Rie

[NeonkittyUK]

Hope this works for you! Sounds amazing. I will be so eager to hear of your progress and would love to do this for myself as my knees are bad and RA/oseto damage but I keep soldering on! Would love to try stem cells as a first option before the surgery they tell me I will need. Good luck! x

[SMBarrett]

Thank you , all fingers, eyes & paws crossed at this end!

[MissMinto]

What a fascinating and exciting opportunity! Can't wait to hear the outcome, fingers crossed for much success.

It wasn't something I was ever offered, but having had both knees replaced I will say that for me the surgery was life-changing. To be free from pain (just in my knees) and now able to walk around freely has been fantastic. There's some work to be done interns of rebuilding lost muscle mass, but for me the decision to go ahead was a no-brainer as my life was literally grinding to a halt.

For anyone from the UK interested, I had mine done here, and patients come from all over the country:

nhs.uk/Services/clinics/Ove...

[SMBarrett in reply to MissMinto]

That’s encouraging Miss M ....

I do worry about having surgery on both knees since my house has 3 flights of stairs & l fear that possibly having to sleep on the sofa for a week or two may drive me insane ...!

The dr administrating the stem cell implants is also the surgeon so at least that side of things should go smoothly..!

[MissMinto in reply to SMBarrett]

It sounds like you're in safe, expert hands. There flights of stairs must be hard work with dodgy knees but I guess you've probably got good thigh muscles as a result! Seriously though, those stairs would pose quite a challenge post-operatively - hopefully the stem cell implants mean this can be avoided. Good luck with all X

[MissMinto in reply to MissMinto]

Sorry three, not there!

[SMBarrett]

Yes that’s plan A without any doubt ..!

[nomoreheels]

Hiya/hola SMBarrett. I'm sure I speak for the majority of us with painful osteoarthritic knees, I look forward to your updates & hope you ultimately find great improvement. If it affords you time before the inevitable replacement it will be worth it I'm sure.

From a quick check it would appear there are at least three hospitals performing bone marrow stem cell treatment for knee OA in the UK under the NHS, each in the south of England. It differs slightly in that there's a hospital stay, but the procedure involves just the one operation so rehab is accelerated, it of course means it's more cost effective too, which to my mind could make a roll-out nationwide sooner rather than later more likely. So the hope is that will extend to other hospitals in the country. Anything offered to ease the pain of knee OA would be welcomed.