Synvisc Nightmare

[kathyjo53]

Any class action suits out there? In an attempt to be proactive in maintaining my knees, i took my doctors advice to have Synvisc injections in my right knee. After the second knee I had severe swelling, pain and complete instability when trying to walk. My doctor aspirated 30 cc of fluid from my knee. She then shared with me that the UPMC system insists that they use the Synvisc, a protien from chicken combs instead of a new synthetic shot that hhas less "pseudoseptic: reactions such as what I was experiencing!! I was just aspirated this morning and have as much swelling as I had before. I scoured the package inserts before I agreed to prodeeded and saw NOTHING evn close to the pain and symptions I have...Bewre!

[gvd]

My experience is similar.  I had a synvisc one injection in Fall of 2011.  2 months following, both knees, my shoulders, hips, all my major joints and sciatica were so painful I could not get up from a chair, could not roll over in bed, or even lift the covers up over me.  I would wake every 1.5 hours, have to get up and walk around awhile so that I could go back to bed and rest another 1.5 hours.  It was like my body blew up within 2 months.  My doctor sent me to a rheumatologist, who diagnosed me with many autoimmune diseases and said it absolutely could not be the synvisc one injection.  I complied, believed, went on some heavy medication, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, diclofinec.  I was on maximum doses and it took 6 months for my pain to begin to subside.  I continued another year with the meds, my inflammation levels dropped considerably.  Aside from the side effects of the meds, my pain level was so much less.  It wasn't perfect, but considering I am 59 years old, I don't expect to feel 25.  Then in January of 2013, I developed a terrible asthmatic cough, caused from the methotrexate.  The doctors took me off all the meds cold turkey and sent me to the U of WA in Seattle to a specialist.  I waited 6 months before I could be seen, waiting for my pain to come back.  Nothing.  I saw the specialist in Seattle.  No autoimmune disease.  Nothing in my blood work to suggest I have an autoimmune disease at all.  I told the doctor of my initial suspicion of the synvisc one injection.  He would not say, but he did tell me never to have it again and it would not be necessary to go back to my rheumatologist.  He said to follow up with him in 6 months.  I am convinced it was a reaction to the injection, but one would never know unless I had a second injection.  I still have aches and pains, not fully back to normal, but I would say I am probably at 75% of where I was before the injection.   The lesson here is to seek other medical advise if you can't get answers from the doctor that is treating you.  Go to the top doctors in your State.

[babsy55]

I also had horrible experiences with Synvisc. In 2006, had both knees injected and had to have the left one aspirated. We waited 2 weeks, did the last injection, and both knees swelled up so bad I ended up in the hospital and had to have both knees aspirated. Ended up with 2 TKRs 2 years later. Dr said it was unusual to have such a reaction to the first round of injections.

[kjohn168]

babsy55, I've been suffering this synvisc nightmare for almost a year and have succumbed to the fact that my knees will never get better on their own, but I have a question for you. With my knee pain and swelling, I also have pains shooting up my thighs and down my calves, along with heavy calf and toes cramping; I was wondering if after you had your total knee replacement, if you had these issues prior, did they go away  with the replacements?

[bell1961]

My husband had the Synvisc One shot in June 2011 a month after his knee surgery. He had to be admitted to the hospital for three days and he could not move from the shoulders on down. He then gt shingles from all the predisone. It is now on year later and he was diagnoised with reheumatoid arthritis. He takes all kinds of medications and still in alot of pain. The doctors said it was because of the shot. He was doing great after the knee surgery and the doctor said he had to have the shot for a lubricant . He has been through hell and still is. We have incurred so many medical bills. We waited a year to see if it would go away but now he has a permanent disabiliy.

[SuperPatient]

I have had three weekly injections with Synvisc with great success. Than my Rheumatologist offered to use a new product, Synvisc One, and all I would need is ONE injection.
After years of successful injections, after the Synvisc One, I experienced a similar reaction as Jathyjo53.
DON'T BE TEMPTED TO USE THIS PRODUCT. IT WILL NOT WORK AND CAUSE YOU A LOT KNEE PAIN,

[baybabenal]

I had o Synvisc-One injections only once last December (2009) in both knees. My knees swelled up with fluid one month later (I hadn't even gone to the gym or done anything to bring this on) and I had to have an aspiration to try to relieve the pain. It was so painful, I could only have the doctor apirate one knee. It took weeks before the swelling and fluid subsided.  I was in so much pain and could hardly walk.  I am generally active, 53 yrs old, tall, thin female, and I couldn't do anything and went into a depression.  Although I have osteo-arthritis in both knees and chondromalcia, I NEVER had fluid in my knees before.  My knees hurt every day now since I had this experience with Synvisc-One and I keep getting fluid buildup which is painful, and I am not able to exercise.  I am so sorry I ever agreed to get these shots as it has exacerbated my condition!  Something should be done about this to hold Genzyme responsible!  If there is a CLASS ACTION suite being held against Genzyme, someone, please let me know.  You can contact me at ***@**** also.  DO NOT GET THESE SHOTS if you are thinking about it!

[angelkslv]

I also had a severe reaction after my 2nd series of Synvisc injections.  I developed leg cramps, a horrible case of hives (no previous allergies to ANYTHING), swelling throughout my whole body, blood pressure plummeted 50/35 and finally a episode with my heart.  The cardiologist said my arteries & heart were fine (after heart cath) but that too much stress had been put on my heart from the allergic reaction.  Luckily I was in my family Dr's office when this happened.  I had 3 nights in the ER, 3 trips to my family doc, an ambulance ride, admitted to the hospital, a heart cath & a trip to an allergist before my ortho doc agreed to surgery to remove the Synvisc.   I am now looking for an attorney to go after the makers of Synvisc.