What was your injury that was treated with prp?
- I had chronic patellar tendinitis for 2 years.
Did you try any other therapy before you opted for prp treatment?
- I had physical therapy including ultrasound, tens stimulation, and exercises.
Why did your physician decide to utilize prp for this injury?
- He saw that nothing was working. I had tried resting from any physical activities and it still would not heal. He had tried PRP on a few basketball players for the University of Irvine basketball team with success. He was actively seeking more info/conferences on PRP injections.
What medical facility did your physician perform this treatment? Hospital? Physician clinic?
- Orthopedic Specialty Institute of Orange.
Did your physician have you follow a specific protocol the night before your prp treatment?
- No
Do you remember how much blood was drawn from you? After they drew the blood, how long did you have to wait before the platelet rich plasma was ready for use on your injury?
- 20-30mins
What did the physician do to prepare the injury site for injection?
- topical numbing solution
Did the physician use ultrasound as a guide to place the platelet rich plasma?
- No, he just used the MRI to target the area of necrosis I had.
How did the injection feel? Explain. And do you remember how long the prp treatment took? If you had pain, how long did the pain last? Any swelling?
- My knee felt still for a couple days. The treatment took 1 hour between drawing the blood until the injection. I did not have much pain but I definitely didn’t feel I could use it fully for a couple days.
How long did the entire visit take?
- 1 hour
After treatment, did your physician wrap the treatment site? If not, what did he do post treatment?
- No he did not. He told me to rest for 2 weeks abstaining from intense physical activity.
What was your physicians post prp treatment protocol for you? Restrictions? Rest? Exercise? Stretching? Pain medication? Any specific directions you had to follow?
- Nothing other than rest for 2 weeks. But he knew I had experience in physical therapy so I think he trusted me with rehab.
How much was the prp treatment?
- Out of pocket $700. Insurance did not cover it.
Did the treatment work for you? If so, when did you start feeling better? How soon could you bet back to playing your sport?
- I saw the doctor 4 weeks post procedure and I told him I was very disappointed. I told him that I did not feel any improvement and my patella tendon still felt weak. At the 8 week appointment I told him it might be better but I wasn’t sure. He told me that sometimes it could take up to 6-9 months. He was exactly right. My knee is now 100% better than it was. About 6 months post the injection is when I really noticed the improvement in my knee. I no longer had pain upon jumping or running. I went from not being able to run without pain or discomfort to now I try to run twice a week 3-6 miles and play basketball once a week. It has been a truly amazing turnaround for me that I never thought would happen. For 2 years I dealt with this chronic injury and I never thought I would feel better. I had seen many doctors and lost hope until I found Dr. Michael Shepard.
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