nuflexa reviews
I had 3 injections 2 months ago after a cortisone shot. The cortisone wore off and now my knees are so swollen, they feel like basketballs. I am very disappointed.
User Reviews for EUFLEXXA intra-articular
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- Osteoarthritis of the Knee (315 reviews)
- Other (16 reviews)
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Most voted positive review
Just let me start by saying I almost didn’t get the treatment becasue of the reviews I read on this site. I am a 50 yr old women that loves to run. I had my knee scoped 2 years ago and am now bone on bone and was looking for some relief. My Dr. suggessted Euflexxa. I was excited for the chance of running without pain. Then I started to do research online and everything written was absolutely terri.
Most voted negative review
I am preparing for this Euflexxa and quite frankly I am more nervous than before reading the reviews on this procedure. I had surgery on 11/26/10 and I am still inable to function. I can barely walk and the pain is so intense I wake almost nightly to screeming out in pain. I know that I have to try something, I can not continue in this pain and on pain medications. I am a heart patient and diab.
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I have been getting these shots for about 3 years now. Work great for me I also have bone spurs in both knees. I get these shots to keep from getting another surgery. I do not want another surgery. For anything. I am a 68 year old female and I work as a security officer. At least I can sit down at work.
Xrays showed that I have a bone on bone condition in my due to absence of cartilage, I got my first series of 3 injections in January 2021. It have been very effective, and I have not needed to take Advil even once in the last year. Recently I’ve started to feel some disomfort, so I am getting the series of 3 injections again. I’m really very pleased at how much relief I got from the first series of injections..
I am a 58 year old male with osteoarthritis in my right knee. When I was 18 years old I had surgery on my right knee to remove what the dr said was a “fibroma.” Actually it consisted of fibrous tissue that caused a painful lump on the top outside of my knee. Like I said this was removed at age 18. Throughout the years I always had pain in this knee. I participated in sports and have worked construction all my life. Because of the diagnosis of osteoarthritis and acute pain the knee has been drain ed of fluid, underwent 2 arthroscopics where the knee was cleaned up. Afterwards and due to continued pain the knee was injected appropriately 6 times over a three year period with cortisone. Cortisone worked great but it wore off rather quickly. So, I decided to have the three Euflexxa injections. I read all the reviews I could find prior to deciding to go forward. Most were negative put others positive. My experience with shot #1 was immediate relief in small amounts. Shot #2 again immediate relief in further small amounts. Shot #3 was further pain relief. It has now been three days since shot three and I have zero pain in my knee! It feels great. My plan is to not overdo it and hope this lasts for a long long time!! Read More Read Less
I got the 3 exfluxa shots in both knees. Getting the shots were extremely painful!! It’s been almost 2 weeks since last shot. Both of my knees are worse. So much pain . Cannot go up steps they hurt so much. I have had steroid injections before and they worked. Waiting for the dr. to call to see what we can do! So upsetting ??
Today was my first injection (right knee) in 2 days they’ll do left knee.. then #2 and #3 will follow over the next two weeks. Procedure was EZ!! Done in about 10 minutes & no pain. I iced before I went and as soon as I came home I got right in a recliner and am icing 20 minutes every hour. It’s been a few hours now and no pain..no swelling..very little redness. I will hope the evening & tomorrow go well. I have friends who have had the injections and told me their main advice was ice before you go and ice when you get home and the next day you should feel fine. So far So good. Read More Read Less
I’m a 55 yr old female who had an arthroscopy in 2015, dr shaved half of my meniscus down and I’ve NEVER fully bounced back from it. Been getting cortisone injections off and on every since Received my first injection of euflexxa yesterday.. no pain or anything at injection site. Was told that I could return to my daily activities… I chose bed rest for remainder of the day as well as today. Woke up this morning pain is gone after first injection… the main thing now is to start walking norm al again because I have been limping for years. Still have 2 more injections to go…. Will keep you all posted. Praying that this injection will be the answer to relieving my pain as well as yours . Read More Read Less
It works excellent for 4 months, then start decreasing
Did not work at all. I am 5 weeks out from my 3rd injection and the pain is worse. Doctor said I should have felt some relief by know. I barely can walk. Never again!
I have had 4 sets of injections over the last 6 years and each has worked but for different amounts of time. The first series lasted 2 years, second lasted only 6 months, and the last two series lasted about a year. I’m ready for my 5th set and can’t wait! These shots work well for me and give me my life back! I am on my feet walking and going up and down stairs at work, plus I walk golf courses. I am 71 years old. Everyone is different but Euflexxa works miracles for me! Go for it!
Have had two meniscus surgeries and a microfracture procedure done on my left knee over a 10 year period. Received the Euflexxa gel shots approx. 2 years ago and my knee couldn’t feel any better. I have not had any issues at all and it has allowed me to get back to doing things I enjoy. Highly Recommend.
Dr Halina Snowball gave me 3 injections of eufflexxa per knee. She did not do an ultrasound or use a numbung agent. I have an extremely high tolerance for pain. Had a cesarean
Had first injection today. The PA used ultrasound device connected to an ipad to view placement. No numbing spray. He counted to three and then stuck the needle in (which I found helped reduce fear/pain of the needle). The pain of the needle was minimal and lasted only a second and it didn’t hurt at all having the fluid injected into joint cavity. It’s only day 1 and I have 2 more injections to go. I will write another review on whether I think it’s a treatment worth trying.
I saw Dr. Donald Stafford in Cypress, TX for the EUFLEXXA injections. One in each knee for three weeks. I was given a pamphlet that explains the progression of relief after each injection. I had no relief after first injection, and the injections are very painful, which adds to existing pain. I had no improvement with the second or third injection, which I expressed to Dr. Stafford each time. After third injection, Dr. Stafford suggested that the pain was all in my mine stating, “if you don”t th ink that it’s going to work, then it probably won’t”. He then suggested that my next step was surgery, and tried to convince me by showing me a video of a person walking on a ladder, whom he had supposedly performed surgery on, only 7 weeks prior. I am also out of $345. co-pays. Read More Read Less
The first round of 3 shots lasted almost a year. Getting ready to do it again.
After having 3 steroid injections, my doctor started me on Euflexxa. What a miracle! I didn’t have much relief after the 3 injections, but about 2 weeks after the third one my pain is gone. The first injection was started Feb. 3 with 2 more weekly treatments after that. I am beginning to feel a few tinges of pain now (April 9) but they go away after a few minutes. I am so glad to know that I can have more injections in the future and hopefully not have to endure a knee replacement. Thank y ou, Euflexxa, and thank you doctor! Read More Read Less
I had 3 injections 2 months ago after a cortisone shot. The cortisone wore off and now my knees are so swollen, they feel like basketballs. I am very disappointed.
got immediate relief after the first injection but took all 3. it’s been 3 months and my knees are starting to ache when the weather gets bad. I would do this again, but have to wait until i meet my deductible and also my out of pocket maximum before i can afford these shots.
The closest to a “miracle drug” I have ever experienced. After the 3rd injection, my knee was without any pain or problem for about 18 months! I’ve repeated the procedure 3 times already, with similar results each time.
I had immediate relief after the 1st injection. I am typically pain free for 8-10 months. It a miracle injection for me.
I received the first of three Euflexxa injection into my Right Knee from the Orthopedics Dept at the Dole VA Center, Wichita,KS O/A Feb 23, 2018, and continued with an additional two injections a week apart. I followed all of the instructions given to me by the doctor and nurses at the VA; and after a couple of weeks or so the pain in my knee began to subside thereby allowing significant movement of my knee joint. It’s been 4 months from the last Euflexxa injection and I am know at a point that I can walk without the use of a “cane” or a heavy duty bracing knee wrap. I have not experienced any of the known side effects or any adverse reaction of any kind. This has not cured my osteoarthritis but it has made living with it a lot easier. I still have to be careful with some activities, but I’m really satisfied with this medication. From what info. I’ve been able to find on our beloved internet, Euflexxa appears to have an effective lifespan of 4 to 6 months and sometimes it is effective up to a year. It’s been right at 4 months for me and I’ve not found anything chiseled in stone stating the minimum time between injections, so I made an appointment at the VA seeking an additional series of 3 injections. My appointment was today (6/25/18), I was informed that I must wait 6 months from the last injection to begin another series. This is the VETERANS ADMINISTRATION form of “RATIONING” care to decorated, wounded in action combat veterans (yes, me), and is exactly what President Trump said would not happen. I’ve looked into seeking Euflexxa treatment elsewhere, but the cost is beyond what I am able to cover. It looks like my next course of action is to contact my Congressional Representative for help in this matter. My last word: EUFLEXXA works great, I would recommend it to anyone with knee joint problems. Read More Read Less
During pregnancy, Euflexxa should be used only if prescribed. It is unknown if Euflexxa passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Euflexxa
Euflexxa (1% sodium hyaluronate) is a cartilaginous defect repair agent indicated for the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conservative non-pharmacologic therapy and simple analgesics (e.g., acetaminophen).
What Are Side Effects of Euflexxa?
Common side effects of Euflexxa include:
- , ,
- pain in extremities,
- musculoskeletal pain,
- joint swelling,
- fluid accumulation around the joints,
- injection site pain, ,
- nausea,
- fatigue, ,
- infection,
- increased blood pressure,
- tendonitis,
- headache,
- numbness and tingling,
- runny or stuffy nose,
- skin redness, and
- itching.
Dosage for Euflexxa
A dose of 2 mL of Euflexxa is injected intra-articularly into the affected knee at weekly intervals for three weeks, for a total of three injections.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Euflexxa?
Euflexxa may interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Euflexxa During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
During pregnancy, Euflexxa should be used only if prescribed. It is unknown if Euflexxa passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Euflexxa (1% sodium hyaluronate) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
SLIDESHOW
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- severe pain or swelling around the knee after the injection.
Common side effects may include:
- warmth, pain, redness, stiffness, bruising, or puffiness where the medicine was injected;
- nausea, stomach pain;
- trouble walking;
- swelling in your hands or feet;
- back pain, joint pain, muscle pain;
- numbness or tingly feeling;
- headache, dizziness; or
- runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
QUESTION
SIDE EFFECTS
Adverse event information regarding the use of EUFLEXXA as a treatment for pain in OA of the knee was available from two sources; a 12 week multicenter clinical trial conducted in Germany, and a 26 week multicenter clinical trial conducted in the US.
Reported Device-Related Adverse Events
The most common adverse event related to EUFLEXXA injections reported in the clinical studies are the following:
All adverse events related to EUFLEXXA injections reported in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Potential Adverse Events
The following adverse events are among those that may occur in association with intra-articular injections
- Arthralgia
- Joint swelling
- Joint effusion
- Injection site pain
12 Week Multicenter Clinical Study
This clinical investigation was a prospective randomized, double-blinded, active control (commercially available hyaluronan product) study conducted at 10 centers. Three hundred twenty-one patients were randomized into groups of equal size to receive either EUFLEXXA (n=160) or the active control (n=161).
A total of 119 patients reported 196 adverse events; this number represents 54 (33.8%) of the EUFLEXXA group and 65 (44.4%) of the active control group. There were no deaths reported during the study. Incidences of each event were similar for both groups, except for knee joint effusion, which was reported by 9 patients in the active control group and one patient in the EUFLEXXA treatment group. Fifty-two adverse events were considered device-related. Table 1 lists the adverse events reported during this investigation.
Table 1: Incidence of Adverse Events Reported by > 1% of Patients
| Body System | ADE | Patients, n (%) | |
| EUFLEXXA (n = 160) | Active Control (n = 161) | ||
| Gastrointestinal disorders | Nausea | 3 (1.88) | 0 |
| General disorders and administration site | Fatigue | 2 (1.25) | 0 |
| Infections and infestations | Bronchitis | 1 (0.63) | 2 (1.24) |
| Infection | 2 (1.25) | 0 | |
| Investigations | Blood pressure increased | 6 (3.75) | 1 (0.62) |
| Musculoskeletal, connective tissue and bone | Arthralgia | 14 (8.75) | 17 (10.6) |
| Arthrosis | 2 (1.25) | 0 | |
| Back pain | 8 (5.00) | 11 (6.83) | |
| Joint disorder | 2 (1.25) | 2 (1.24) | |
| Joint effusion | 1 (0.63) | 13 (8.07) | |
| Joint swelling | 3 (1.88) | 3 (1.86) | |
| Pain in limb | 2 (1.25) | 0 | |
| Tendonitis | 3 (1.88) | 2 (1.24) | |
| Nervous system disorders | Headache | 1 (0.63) | 3 (1.86) |
| Paresthesia | 2 (1.25) | 1 (0.62) | |
| Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal | Rhinitis | 5 (3.13) | 7 (4.35) |
| Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | Erythema | 0 | 2 (1.24) |
| Pruritus | 0 | 3 (1.86) | |
| Vascular disorders | Phlebitis | 0 | 2 (1.24) |
A total of 160 patients received 478 injections of EUFLEXXA. There were 27 reported adverse events considered to be related to EUFLEXXA injections: arthralgia – 11 (6.9%); back pain – 1 (0.63%); blood pressure increase – 3 (1.88%); joint effusion – 1 (0.63%); joint swelling – 3 (1.88%); nausea – 1 (0.63%); paresthesia – 2 (1.25%); feeling of sickness of injection – 3 (1.88%); skin irritation – 1 (0.63%); tenderness in study knee – 1 (0.63%). Four adverse events were reported for the EUFLEXXA group that the relationship to treatment was considered to be unknown: fatigue – 3 (1.88%); nausea – 1 (0.63%).
Table 2: Relationship of Adverse Effects to Treatment Groups That Were Considered to Be Treatment Related
| Adverse Event | (EUFLEXXA) (Number of Reports) n = 160 | Commercially Available Hyaluronan Product (Number of Reports) n = 161 |
| Arthralgia | 11 | 9 |
| Back pain | 1 | 0 |
| Baker’s cyst | 0 | 1 |
| Blood pressure increase | 3 | 0 |
| Erythema | 0 | 1 |
| Inflammation localized | 0 | 1 |
| Joint effusion | 1 | 9 |
| Joint swelling | 3 | 2 |
| Nausea | 1 | 0 |
| Edema lower limb | 0 | 1 |
| Paresthesia | 2 | 0 |
| Pruritus | 0 | 1 |
| Sickness | 3 | 0 |
| Skin irritation | 1 | 0 |
| Tenderness | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 27 | 25 |
26 Week Multicenter Study
This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of EUFLEXXA, as compared with saline, in subjects with chronic osteoarthritis of the knee followed by an open labeled safety extension study. The intervention consisted of three (3) weekly injections of study device into the target knee, with scheduled follow-up evaluations during the 26 weeks following the first injection. In the extension phase subjects received three (3) weekly injections of EUFLEXXA into the target knee with follow-up evaluation up to 52 weeks. Table 3 shows the treatmentemergent adverse events by preferred term with an incidence of ≥ 2% among treatment groups.
Table 3: Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events by Preferred Term with an Incidence of ≥ 2% among the Treatment Groups (Safety Population)
| System Organ Class Preferred Term | 26 Week FLEXX Study (Core) | Extension Study Repeat Injection for 52 Weeks* | ||
| All Treatments N = 588 n (%) | Saline N = 295 n (%) | EUFLEXXA N = 293 n (%) | EUFLEXXA N = 219 n (%) | |
| Any TEAE | 326 (55.4) | 169 (57.3) | 157 (53.6) | 96 (43.8) |
| Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | ||||
| Arthralgia | 62 (10.5) | 35 (11.9) | 27 (9.2) | 19 (8.7) |
| Back pain | 23 (3.9) | 11 (3.7) | 12 (4.1) | 6 (2.7) |
| Pain in extremity | 13 (2.2) | 10 (3.4) | 3 (1.0) | 3 (1.4) |
| Musculoskeletal pain | 10 (1.7) | 4 (1.4) | 6 (2.0) | 2 (0.9) |
| Osteoarthritis | 9 (1.5) | 7 (2.4) | 2 (0.7) | 0 |
| Joint swelling | 8 (1.4) | 4 (1.4) | 4 (1.4) | 6 (2.7) |
| Infections and infestations | ||||
| Upper respiratory tract infection | 23 (3.9) | 11 (3.7) | 12 (4.1) | 6 (2.7) |
| Nasopharyngitis | 17 (2.9) | 13 (4.4) | 4 (1.4) | 10 (4.6) |
| Sinusitis | 16 (2.7) | 10 (3.4) | 6 (2.0) | 5 (2.3) |
| Urinary tract infection | 12 (2.0) | 6 (2.0) | 6 (2.0) | 3 (1.4) |
| Injury, poisoning, and procedural complications | ||||
| Injury | 17 (2.9) | 9 (3.1) | 8 (2.7) | 9 (4.1) |
| Nervous system disorders | ||||
| Headache | 17 (2.9) | 11 (3.7) | 6 (2.0) | 3 (1.4) |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | ||||
| Diarrhea | 14 (2.4) | 2 (0.7) | 12 (4.1) | 3 (1.4) |
| Nausea | 12 (2.0) | 7 (2.4) | 5 (1.7) | 4 (1.8) |
| Respiratory, thoracic, and mediastinal disorders | ||||
| Cough | 10 (1.7) | 3 (1.0) | 7 (2.4) | 3 (1.4) |
| Vascular disorders | ||||
| Hypertension | 18 (3.1) | 5 (1.7) | 13 (4.4) | 1 (0.5) |
| *Treatment group for repeat study are for subjects who received EUFLEXXA in both the core and extension (219 out of 433). N = number of subjects in a given treatment group for the population analyzed; n = number of subjects reporting at least one adverse event within system organ class/preferred term; (%) = percentage of subjects based on N; TEAE = treatment-emergent adverse event. Note: An adverse event was counted as a TEAE if it was either not present at baseline (prior to the first dose of double-blind study device) or present at baseline but increased in severity during the treatment period. | ||||
During the initial randomization/treatment phase, 326 (55.4%) subjects in the safety population experienced 742 TEAEs. The proportion of subjects reporting TEAEs was generally similar in the EUFLEXXA and saline groups (53.6% and 57.3%, respectively). The most common preferred term of TEAE was arthralgia (10.5% of all subjects). Thirty (5.1%) subjects experienced severe TEAEs, and the proportion with severe events was larger in the saline group (6.4%) than the EUFLEXXA group (3.8%). Overall, 10.4% of subjects had TEAEs considered related to study device, with comparable proportions in each treatment group (9.9% and 10.8% for EUFLEXXA and saline, respectively).
During the extension phase, 43.4% (188/433) of subjects reported 377 TEAEs. Of these 43.8% (96/219) subjects receiving repeated EUFLEXXA reported 199 TEAEs. The most frequently reported preferred term in subjects formerly assigned to the core study EUFLEXXA group were arthralgia (8.7%), nasopharyngitis (4.6%), injury (4.1%), upper respiratory tract infections (2.7%), joint swelling (2.7%), back pain (2.7%), and sinusitis (2.3%). Of these TEAEs 9 (4.1%) subjects had study device related AEs classified as “Certain,” “Probable,” “Possible” or “Un-assessable.” The most common related TEAEs were arthralgia (2.3%) and joint swelling (1.4%).Table 4 shows the Study Device Related Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events by Preferred Term with an Incidence of > 1 among Treatment Groups (Safety Population).
Table 4: Study Device Related Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) by Preferred Term with an Incidence of ≥ 1 among Treatment Groups (Safety Population)
| System Organ Class Preferred Term | 26 Week FLEXX Study (Core) | Extension Study Repeat Injection for 52 Weeks* | ||
| All Treatments N = 588 n (%) | Saline N = 295 n (%) | EUFLEXXA N = 293 n (%) | EUFLEXXA N = 219 n (%) | |
| Any related TEAEs | 61 (10.4) | 32 (10.8) | 29 (9.9) | 9 (4.1) |
| Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | ||||
| Arthralgia | 23 (3.9) | 13 (4.4) | 10 (3.4) | 5 (2.3) |
| Joint swelling | 3 (0.5) | 2(0.7) | 1 (0.3) | 3 (1.4) |
| Pain in extremity | 3 (0.5) | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 |
| Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | ||||
| Erythema | 5 (0.9) | 3 (1) | 2 (0.7) | 0 |
| *TEAEs are for subjects who received EUFLEXXA in both the core and extension (219 out of 433). N = number of subjects in a given treatment group for the population analyzed; n = number of subjects reporting at least 1 AE within system organ class/preferred term; (%) = percentage of subjects based on N; TEAE = treatment-emergent adverse event. Note: Related AEs are AEs with study device relationship classified as “Certain,” “Probable,” “Possible” or “Un-assessable.” | ||||
Twenty-three serious TEAEs were reported in 19 (3.2%) subjects during the study: 10 (3.4%) subjects in the EUFLEXXA group and 9 (3.1%) subjects in the saline group. One of these events was considered related to the study device (increased redness of the left knee joint in the EUFLEXXA group). Eight (1.4%) subjects had 9 TEAEs leading to discontinuation: 3 (1.0%) subjects in the EUFLEXXA group and 5 (1.7%) subjects in the saline group.
Twelve (2.8%) subjects reported 20 serious TEAEs during the extension phase. Six of these subjects had received EUFLEXXA during the core study. None of the serious TEAEs was considered related to study device, and all resolved. Two (0.5%) subjects had TEAEs leading to discontinuation from the study, one of whom received EUFLEXXA during the core study; both subjects had events that were considered unrelated to study device.
Two subjects on saline experienced joint effusion. There were no reports of joint effusion among subjects receiving EUFLEXXA during the core and extension phase.