Regenerative Stem Cell & PRP Treatments - Update - Nov 22, 2021

[dodger]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

I see Jack Nicklaus just got this done says he's golfing like a 50 year old again

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Yep, it was all over the radio today. They were saying it “cured” him.

Dodger.

[NayNay]

Any updates?

[Zip-in-Z]

Further to Post #16, I’ll be 63 next week, I was in chronic pain and getting cortisone shots every 3 months in my lower back due to a car accident (rear ended) in 1980’s, I was looking at more advanced treatment and it was suggested I see the CAPRI - Central Alberta Pain & Rehab Clinic in Lacombe.

I had my initial stem cell therapy about 3 months ago on April 17th, 2018, I can truthfully say I have experienced some improvements as well pain relief without taking Advil, Aleve or Voltaren and more restful sleep since the procedure, I was told not to expect any significant improvements for at least 4-6 months.

In this short period of time I believe I’ve seen a 20% improvement, perhaps it’s also due to being more active, stretching and exercising daily including golfing 3 times a week & walking approx. 5.2 miles over 18 holes.

On August 21st, I’m booked for a follow-up treatment to my stem cell injection with a PRP injection as it acts as a "booster". The job of the PRP is to attract stem cells to the area, promoting an increase in results. I understand it’s recommended to do this 2-6 months following a stem cell treatment. In my case 4 PRP injections would be $600.

I’m told the instructions I had to follow for my stem cell treatment apply to the PRP treatment as well. You need to book it at a time where you can have a 3-7 day rest period, (no golf) plan to have a ride and the same medications (Advil, Aleve, etc) would have to be discontinued again for at least 4 weeks.

The CAPRI clinic website still has a notice that they are not taking any new patients for Stem Cell Therapy as Health Canada has not finalized its position on this treatment. I’ll enquire further when I’m there in August. Link https://www.capriclinic.ca/

As previously stated, I’m very hopeful to see more positive results over the next weeks/months and will update accordingly.

Cheers

David



From the CAPRI Website - PRP Injection

Blood is drawn from your arm and the platelets are concentrated and re-introduced into the site of injury/degeneration. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) consists of concentrated platelets from your own blood and contain chemicals called growth factors or cytokines, which signal to other cells to gather and heal at the site of injury/degeneration.

[Red Bullets]

Hope the treatments work for you. It would be a blessing if these new ways of approaching pain and healing replaced drug therapies and degeneration.

[Zip-in-Z]

Another update for those following my progress in this thread.

On Tuesday, August 21st, went in for my PRP - Platelet Rich Plasma stem cell booster shot(s) in my lower back, I arrived early for my appointment at the CAPRI Clinic/Lacombe & had a chat with the ladies at the front desk, they said that Health Canada & AB Govt have still not made a ruling on Stem Cell treatments and as a result they are still no longer able to provide this service. They gave me a handout and encouraged me to respond, plan to do so. (see attached)

Then it was my turn to see the Doc. We had a brief discussion, he asked if I thought the stem cell procedure I had in mid-April was successful and how I was managing the pain ? I suggested I have definitely seen an improvement and am sleeping better, more active and enjoying more golf, not taking nearly the amount of pain meds that I was and said I believe I’ve seen a 60% plus overall improvement. I asked if there were any stem cells in my PRP, said no. He then said the PRP should help me further & I was doing the right thing. I asked how would I know if PRP was successful ? He said if the booster works you will know by your pain management/reduction. I asked, if I experience further improvements do you recommend getting another PRP injection in the future? He said yes, it’s your own blood cytokines which promote growth to the damaged areas, so in another 6-8 months it would be recommended.

The procedure was approx. 1/2 hour, they took an ample amount of blood and put it into a centrifuge for about 5-8 minutes and the nurse said they remove the PRP which rises to the top and used that material in 6 injections of approx. 10 ml's to L3/L4, L4/L5, & L5/S1. The doc used an ultrasound device to see my spine and direct the needles to the correct spot, there was no local freezing, 5 of the 6 injections didn’t really hurt but I sure felt the last one and was happy it was over. The Doc showed me on the ultrasound screen/image the exact areas where he gave me the injections, a couple of them felt like he was inflating a tire tube in my back. He said they normally extract more blood from the patients to ensure they have ample PRP’s for the injections, in this case I believe more is better. Was told not to take any Advil/Aleve/Voltaren etc. for 2 weeks and stay off my feet and try to be a couch potato for at least 3 days to help the healing/regenerative process.

Paid my bill $600.00 on my CC and the Mrs. drove me home, was looking forward to a double rum/coke. They told me to take it easy for the next 2 weeks, just do normal stuff, no heavy lifting, extreme sports or golf, after 2 weeks start you normal exercise routine and enjoy the summer.

It’s been 4 days since the injections, have only taken 2 Tramadol R/X as my lower back is a bit sore, but nothing serious, hoping the PRP stem cell booster will be successful and will update in couple of months.

Cheers

David




From the CAPRI Website - PRP Injections

Blood is drawn from your arm and the platelets are concentrated and re-introduced into the site of injury/degeneration. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) consists of concentrated platelets from your own blood and contain chemicals called growth factors or cytokines, which signal to other cells to gather and heal at the site of injury/degeneration.

Hand out:

[/IMG]

[sns2]

I hope you see further incredible results!

[Johnsonn2018]

Tagging this thread. Definitely interested.

P.S. Shouldn't this be covered by provincial health plan?

[Zip-in-Z]

Nov 17th, went back to the Central Alberta Pain & Rehab Inst. (CAPRI) in Lacombe for my scheduled Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections. Arrived early, the nurse took me in immediately, took 3 large vials of blood put it in the centrifuge spun it for 10 minutes and extracted only the good stuff the layer of my platelet rich plasma filled 4 syringes.

Doc came in, we had a chat this was my 4th treatment since I had my Stem Cell therapy in April 2018 in my lower back, the PRP is considered a stem cell booster shot and for me it has been very helpful. Asked if there was any progress on continuing offering Stem Cell treatments in Canada, he said it's all still under review between the various levels of Govt, at this time they still can't do Stem Cell treatments.

I asked him if there was any treatment for some arthritis I recently developed in both my hands on 3 of my knuckles. He checked them out & said the same PRP shots, numerous patients have this done for pain relief. I said let's do it.

He prep'd my back and with an ultrasound unit located the six locations in my lower back L3/4, L4/5 L5/S1 & did the procedure, only 2 of the 6 shots hurt a bit, took him 15 minutes. Then he did my knuckles, he said this could hurt more than my back, but it didn't he was able to get the needle between the joints and I could feel my fingers inflate like a bicycle tube. Took him less than 10 min to do the three knuckles, bit of blood, cleaned it up put on bandage and I was done.

Went to the reception, price went down $100.00, they charged me $550.00 for the 6 shots in back and $150.00 for the 3 knuckles, total $700.00 Alberta Health doesn't cover any of the cost, I'll get 15% back on my income tax.

It's been just over 8 hours since I had the procedure, my back is a bit sore Doc gave me a R/X took 2 Tramadol at noon, my hands/knuckles don't have any discomfort, I'm hoping the PRP will continue to produce positive results especially in my hands. If it helps, I'll be going back in April for another 9 shots.


Anyone here have PRP shots in their hands due to Arthritis ... did it help you?

Cheers

D.









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[Zip-in-Z]

This got kicked to the 2nd page .... Bump.


Been a couple of days, my back is a bit sore, the fingers/knuckles don't feel to bad today, perhaps a bit less pain and maybe the fingers are a bit more flexible when I close a fist.

Has anyone had any PRP or other treatments other than med's for arthritis in your hands/fingers/knuckles ?


Tks

D.

[Trap30]

I've had 2 rounds of cortisone in my hip and don't think it did much good...or at least not for very long, maybe a couple of weeks. Thanks for sharing your progress, another alternative to cortisone.

Trap

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z

This got kicked to the 2nd page .... Bump.


Been a couple of days, my back is a bit sore, the fingers/knuckles don't feel to bad today, perhaps a bit less pain and maybe the fingers are a bit more flexible when I close a fist.

Has anyone had any PRP or other treatments other than med's for arthritis in your hands/fingers/knuckles ?


Tks

D.

Ex wife’s daughter had juvenile arthritis
The meds that worked the best for her was embrel.
That was about 12 years ago now

Girlfriend was seeing a stem cell specialist in California
Smartest guy I’ve ever met
He’s pretty much the reason why Hollywood doesn’t age

[Zip-in-Z]

Tks Trap30 & marky_mark, for the replies, I'm very fortunate that the stem cell & PRP treatments have helped my lower back. Told the Doc that I had one of my best golf seasons in the last 5 years, was driving the ball much farther than I have before & broke my PB ever this year.

Doesn't look like anyone here has got PRP or other arthritis treatments on the fingers/knuckles.

Today my fingers are actually feeling a bit more flexible with less pain in the knuckles, if this progress continues I definitely will be going back in April for another treatment.

EDIT: Will update again in the spring.

Cheers

David


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[gulfman]

Watching your thread with interest, Thank you for forwarding your experiences with improving your quality of life and living pain free.
Looking forward to your updates.

[Grizzly Adams]

Never discount the placebo effect. I've had the cortisone shots, not enough improvement to do it again.

Grizz

[Peasant]

This will be an interesting thread to follow, I know that there are doing IV stem cell treatments now not only site specific.

[MrDave]

I've been getting cortisone injections at Capri in various spots, well over a dozen so far. Then they tried the freezing to test if I was a candidate for the RFF on my facet joints but not enough pain relief to justify the procedure.
So on the 17th I had the platelet injection. Still struggling to sit due to the injection site being sore. The good news is that I got the treatment as part of a study and didn't have to pay out of pocket.

I've spent 12 years taking prescription narcotics for knee pain, degenerative disc disease, and then to top it off I got squished by a tipping antique wardrobe. Then I was forced to go to CBI Physiotherapy in Red Deer, they tore my rotator cuff majorly. Had surgery and went to a different physiotherapy clinic. Idiot there ignored the surgeon and tore the repair. Had a second surgery and another year of therapy. I finally found a job, worked 10 days and got Tboned on the job by a criminal while driving in Olds. So after another round of physio for a brain injury, I was left with a plethora of pain and disability.

So last spring I cold turkey walked away from the drug dealer,aka physician, and totally quit the Percocet. Thousands of them damn things taken just so I could continue to be employed.
I hope this is going to help with the low back pain, but I have limited hope. With head to toe disc degeneration, there is only so much one can expect. If I get some relief from this I might try the knees for the arthritis in them.

FYI they are having trouble finding Guinea Pigs for the study, and if you qualify the treatment is free. My kind of deal. If you are in bad enough pain it's worth a try.

[Zip-in-Z]

Nov 24th .... went back to the CAPRI Clinic, Lacombe for my 6th PRP injection(s) since my stem cell procedure that I had done in April 2018. I get 9 shots per appointment, 6 in my lower back which has made a significant improvement and now 3 on my right hand knuckles were I have some arthritis. Cost = $700.00 it's not covered by insurance.

I go twice a year, April & Nov to get my shots & it sure has helped me with reducing my back pain, gaining more flexibility & a better night's sleep.

As mentioned I have arthritis in my right hand in 3 finger/knuckles which are still a bit stiff but I can close them & make a fist and have a stronger grip on items I pick up or hold on to. I've seen some promising results with PRP in my hands. as well, it's easier to hang on to my golf club grips, too.

Told my neighbor to who still get cortisone/steroid shots that last 3 months or less, he's cheap but said he's considering the CAPRI.

I asked them if they have any updates when Stem Cell procedure will be approved again in AB, was told the governments are still working on it.

If your suffering check out their website, they may be able to help you.

Cheers

D.


Website Link .... www.capriclinic.ca


Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses injections of a concentration of a patient's own platelets to accelerate the healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. In this way, PRP injections use each individual patient's own healing system to improve musculoskeletal problems.


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[trigger7mm]

I had PRP injections in my shoulder. I had it done n Red Deer. It didn’t help at all, but I certainly hope it provides you with relief at lasts a long time.

[newguy]

Glad to hear you had good experiences with the stem cell injections. I’ve had 2 lower back surgeries and the last one in 2017 I had stem cell injections to promote healing. My surgeon said I progressed exceptionally well post operative. I felt great almost immediately and worked hard to get back to a new normal. That new normal is numbness in my leg and foot from nerve damage. He couldn’t say if the stem cell injections helped that.

One thing worth noting, the harvesting of the stem cells was an awful experience I don’t want to relive. At least with surgery they knock you out. Those needles were nasty!

I think science is just beginning to see the benefits of stem cells.

[Zip-in-Z]

Originally Posted by trigger7mm

I had PRP injections in my shoulder. I had it done n Red Deer. It didn’t help at all, but I certainly hope it provides you with relief at lasts a long time.

That's unfortunate, from a few of the replies herein, PRP hasn't worked for everyone.

For me it's like a power booster shot for the stem cell regeneration procedure. It's almost equivalent to getting cortisone shots but my PRP improves my lower back condition with time & lasts 7 plus months before I start to feel more back pain.

Wish it would be covered by insurance.

Cheers

D.

[Zip-in-Z]

Originally Posted by newguy

Glad to hear you had good experiences with the stem cell injections. I’ve had 2 lower back surgeries and the last one in 2017 I had stem cell injections to promote healing. My surgeon said I progressed exceptionally well post operative. I felt great almost immediately and worked hard to get back to a new normal. That new normal is numbness in my leg and foot from nerve damage. He couldn’t say if the stem cell injections helped that.

One thing worth noting, the harvesting of the stem cells was an awful experience I don’t want to relive. At least with surgery they knock you out. Those needles were nasty!

I think science is just beginning to see the benefits of stem cells.

Many tks for sharing your experience.

I would agree & would hope Health Canada & the provinces get there chit together so more Cdn's can get these procedures here vs going to the States or like Jack Nicklaus (see post #29) went to Germany for the procedures.

(Nicklaus met German stem cell pioneer Dr. Eckhard Alt at his 75th birthday party, the Golden Bear was convinced that adipose stem cells, found in abdominal fat, may finally provide him with permanent back pain relief.)

D.