Stem cell therapy for joints (Lipogems)

I was at the doctor's office today, and he's saying stem cells might not be the right move for me. He suggested we maybe look into PRP instead. Since this isn't his specialty—another specialist handles that side of things—he didn't really dive into the nitty-gritty of the "how" or "why."

It feels a little strange, though. I mean, everyone talks about stem cells like they’re the absolute pinnacle of modern medicine, yet this orthopedist kept shaking his head like it just wasn't a fit for my situation. On the REGENEXX scan, they aren't seeing much damage in the knee. Maybe that’s it? Perhaps the damage isn't significant enough to justify stem cells yet? I guess I also had this nagging worry that stem cells could potentially cause some issues, even though everywhere I read online, people swear there are no downsides at all.

I'm heading to see the other specialist in October, so hopefully, I'll have a clearer picture then.

I’m starting to realize that while both PRP and stem cells are great at calming down inflammation, I have my doubts about whether they actually do much to regrow cartilage—it feels like a bit of a stretch. In my opinion, stem cells probably hold more promise, though you’d likely want an MRI on hand just to see if they're even making a dent before
investing too much. If I were just throwing money away for the sake of it, I’d probably sign up for these treatments every chance I got, but let's be real: there's no guarantee your cartilage will actually regenerate. Plus, the only way to truly track any progress is through an MRI

Benjamin Newman8 said:From what I gather, both PRP and stem cells mostly just calm down inflammation. As for actually regenerating cartilage? I mean, maybe a tiny bit, but honestly, I have my doubts... stem cells are probably better, though maybe you should get an MRI first just to be sure.
If I had money to just throw out the window, I’d probably go in for these shots all the time, but let's be real—there's no guarantee the cartilage will actually grow back. And I guess the only way to really track if things are improving is through an MRI.

I think you might have missed some of the earlier posts here. Lately, you can actually get PRP and stem cell treatments covered by Medicare.

Well, here we go again with the doubts creeping back in. I was actually visiting a specialist today who makes custom orthopedic insoles—since I’ve got flat feet, you know? I ended up venting to him about how much my knees are killing me and mentioned I'm looking into stem cells and PRP. He basically shut me down. He told me it isn't a great idea, that I'm probably too young for this kind of thing, and that even if the injections feel fine for a year or so, the pain and damage just end up coming back even worse later on.

I honestly don't know what to believe anymore. It feels like the last doctor I spoke to, the one who actually performs these procedures, was singing its praises from the rooftops, but I can't help but wonder if he's just trying to sell his own program. I guess we'll see what he says, but man, I really wish I could just get an opinion from some unbiased expert.

I guess there are some studies out there suggesting that PRP might not actually be any better than a placebo when it comes to treating knees.

When you take stem cells from fat tissue and inject them into a knee, they tend to last about four years. You see athletes doing this all the time—it’s a pricey cycle since they have to repeat the process every few years. I looked into a private clinic in a major US city where they were charging roughly $5,000 for this a couple of years back, though in smaller towns, you might find it closer to $3,000. Personally, I decided against it because my doctor was pretty blunt about the limitations.
Now, there’s a newer experimental approach involving stem cells harvested from bone marrow. I can't say much more about that just yet, as a friend of mine who's interested in that route is still waiting to hear back about their appointment. We'll see how that goes.
I stay pretty closely tuned into everything regarding cartilage wear and tear. For my own issues, I rely on bioenergy and a 1500 mg oral glucosamine sulfate powder. I've been sticking to that regimen for over a decade now. I actually had to step away from physical labor this year, and even though I was struggling to walk due to the pain back in the spring, I feel a massive improvement now. I can move, walk, run, and even dance... So, if this helps anyone out, there you go.

Melissa Roberts22 said:So, here's the deal with stem cells harvested from fat tissue—they inject them into the knee, they stick around for maybe four years, and you get about a 30% or 40% improvement, I guess. It’s mostly wealthy athletes doing this because they end up repeating the whole process every four years anyway. I heard at one private clinic in a major US city, they were charging roughly $5,000 for it a couple of years back, though in smaller towns, maybe it drops down to closer to $3,000. Personally, I decided against it because that's how my doctor explained the outlook to me.
The new thing being tested experimentally right now involves taking stem cells directly from bone marrow. I can't say too much about that specifically, since a friend of mine who is looking into that option hasn't even been called in yet. Well, we'll see how that goes, I suppose.
I stay pretty close to everything regarding worn-down cartilage. As for my own issues, I manage them through bioenergy and by taking a 1500 mg glucosamine sulfate oral powder. I've been grinding away at that for over ten years now, and I can tell you, I finally stepped away from physical labor this year. Even though I couldn't walk last spring because the pain was just too much, I feel a massive improvement now. I can move, walk, run, dance... so, if that helps anyone out... lp

Glucosamine is alright, but I read somewhere that collagen is actually twice as good. If you decide to take a break from the glucosamine, maybe give collagen a shot.

I can't recall the specific papers off the top of my head, but if I remember correctly, there just aren't any high-quality studies out there proving that either PRP or MS actually thickens cartilage.
When it comes to MS, my understanding is that the process starts with bone marrow and then moves on to fat tissue later.
Since cartilage relies entirely on synovial fluid for its nourishment, you really have to stay consistent with your exercises; it’s the only way to ensure enough nutrients actually reach the area through improved circulation around the joint.

I mean, I'm starting to think the only real way forward is just consistent, light exercise—maybe even some stuff specifically designed for your particular joint—along with dropping some weight and sticking to an anti-inflammatory diet.

Honestly, I ended up having a bad reaction to collagen. I’m pretty sure that painful vein issue in my leg was triggered right when I started the collagen therapy, which is actually listed as a side effect. It feels like there aren't any perfect medical fixes; one pill helps you out, and then the next one just ends up causing more trouble.

Melissa Roberts22 said:So, here is the latest news regarding what’s currently being tested experimentally—they are starting to harvest stem cells directly from bone marrow! I really can't say too much more about it right now because a close friend of mine is actually heading in for that exact procedure, so lp

But honestly, this isn't some groundbreaking discovery; it's been standard practice in the US for ages! In fact, many experts claim it's five times more effective than using fat tissue. If you want proof, just look at the massive amount of research published on the REGENEXX website... they have endless articles. There is even a clinic performing this right here in the States.

It’s looking like this might hit the US market in 2024! Right now, they’re running through phase three clinical trials across the USA, Canada, and Europe, among other places. It turns out—get this—that pain isn't actually tied to how much cartilage you've lost. You could look at two different people on an X-ray where one has five times more damage than the other, yet that person feels almost nothing, while the second person has tiny little spots of damage but is in absolutely brutal, agonizing pain. At least, in certain cases!

The real culprit behind the pain is some kind of protein that forms right under the cartilage, which then sends out those nasty pain signals to the joint. This Australian biotech firm might have just stumbled upon a DMOAD drug that actually blocks that specific protein from causing all that joint misery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjZ-...harmaceuticals

This stuff has actually been used for animals for ages, specifically for horses. In fact, there's already a registered medication for horses that "prevents" further cartilage breakdown and actually converts subchondral bone back into healthy bone... which is honestly mind-blowing!

I’d wager a full course will run you about $2,000, and you're looking at a minimum of two years of treatment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTU-...harmaceuticals

There are even ten famous Major League Baseball players giving their testimonials after using the treatment.

The whole process is pretty straightforward: you get a prescription and then just inject the medication into your own muscle.