Spinal treatments - PRP injections

[chasm]

Interested to know if anybody has tried PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections in to their discs?  I am about to try it - having had three discectomies at L5/S1, the last two either side of Christmas '22.  I thought I would give this a go before heading down the fusion or disc replacement route.

 

Also interested to hear if others have had fibrin injections (Discseel)?  Any insights or feedback would be really interesting and, in the same vein, I will share my experience in due course.  Very much hoping this might get me back on the course.

[ALIF]

PRP has its certain applications but this is not one of them.  If you’ve already have 3 microdiscektomies, the writing is on the wall. I would not waste your money on this. Live with the pain until you are ready to have the fusion surgery.  Good luck and hope you recover well.

[phizzy30]

12 minutes ago, ALIF said:

PRP has its certain applications but this is not one of them.  If you’ve already have 3 microdiscektomies, the writing is on the wall. I would not waste your money on this. Live with the pain until you are ready to have the fusion surgery.  Good luck and hope you recover well.

What types of injuries will PRP work for? 

[BombinJim]

I had PRP on a partial patellar tendon tear and it worked amazingly well for me.

[phizzy30]

Just now, BombinJim said:

I had PRP on a partial patellar tendon tear and it worked amazingly well for me.

My cousin is nursing that exact injury atm.  Does insurance cover PRP treatment? 

[BombinJim]

11 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

My cousin is nursing that exact injury atm.  Does insurance cover PRP treatment? 

No unfortunately not, but I found a facility which did it for only 500 cash.

[ALIF]

5 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

What types of injuries will PRP work for? 

Decent for tendon and ligament injuries. usually it’s not covered by insurance and most places charge quite a bit of money for it. If I do it for a patient I usually give them a pretty good deal. I want people to get better, I’m not trying to rake them over. As someone who has had an L5-S1 spinal fusion I have a halfway decent understanding of what works and what doesn’t outside of major surgery. I wish I could be more optimistic about conservative treatments but generally speaking they’re not effective long-term.

[chasm]

22 hours ago, ALIF said:

PRP has its certain applications but this is not one of them.  If you’ve already have 3 microdiscektomies, the writing is on the wall. I would not waste your money on this. Live with the pain until you are ready to have the fusion surgery.  Good luck and hope you recover well.

Thanks for this and I assume your forum name refers to your own fusion?  Very much appreciate the feedback.  Having read the research (in to this and other biologics treatments) I know that I am at the more unlikely end of the 'success' spectrum for this procedure but the research and trials are encouraging nevertheless.  I can always have a fusion or artificial disc in due course but both the surgeons and people I have spoken with who have had those surgeries have spoken pretty badly of the success rates in the longer term, with complications at adjacent disc levels.  So, I have concluded it is worth a shot as a low risk (nothing of course is no-risk) regenerative technique.  I have had PRP injections for quite severe tennis elbow and that worked when nothing else did and prevented needing surgery.  This is much more fundamental as you will well know from how spinal conditions get in the way of life.  I am not willing to wait longer for things to deteriorate, I have had long enough off golf (and anything else) and being in pain for this long makes it worth a shot (three shots, in fact)!

[Tanner25]

Would this work for Big toe arthritis, where the cartilage is worn down?

[moptop]

Can’t see PRP doing much for a disc.  I’m a dentist and there are some dental applications for it mainly involved in implants, but it’s pretty over rated

[moptop]

50 minutes ago, Tanner25 said:

Would this work for Big toe arthritis, where the cartilage is worn down?

It could help some there

[WarEagleGolf]

I'm doing this treatment now.  Seems to be working, actually.  L4/L5 and L5/S1.  Added in peptides for additional healing support.  Yes, expensive...no, not covered by Insurance.  Mobility increased, 'healing' improved (I am less sore the next day/round), and I'm not on so many NSAIDs.  

 

Done two rounds, don't expect to do another. It's a whole program with my doc, and I haven't had any other major work done, short of Epidural steroids, they stopped working I tried the next solution.  

 

Goal is to avoid fusion, fusing two will cause major issues with the above and below discs, plus really reduce mobility.   

[phizzy30]

6 hours ago, WarEagleGolf said:

I'm doing this treatment now.  Seems to be working, actually.  L4/L5 and L5/S1.  Added in peptides for additional healing support.  Yes, expensive...no, not covered by Insurance.  Mobility increased, 'healing' improved (I am less sore the next day/round), and I'm not on so many NSAIDs.  

 

Done two rounds, don't expect to do another. It's a whole program with my doc, and I haven't had any other major work done, short of Epidural steroids, they stopped working I tried the next solution.  

 

Goal is to avoid fusion, fusing two will cause major issues with the above and below discs, plus really reduce mobility.   

What peptides?  I've used CJC, GHRP, Hexarelin and Ipamorelin in the past with limited success when I was bodybuilding.  I think hgh works better on every level even at very low doses. 

Edited July 19, 2023 by phizzy30

[WarEagleGolf]

5 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

What peptides?  I've used CJC, GHRP, Hexarelin and Ipamorelin in the past with limited success when I was bodybuilding.  I think hgh works better on every level even at very low doses. 

Probably does work better in full form but was given BPC and CJC/ipamorelin. For healing, general health and anti-inflammatory properties really.  

[phizzy30]

Just now, WarEagleGolf said:

Probably does work better in full form but was given BPC and CJC/ipamorelin. For healing, general health and anti-inflammatory properties really.  

Are you on HRT? 

[WarEagleGolf]

28 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

Are you on HRT? 

Negative.  Purely for recovery and healing from some injuries/surgery and avoiding back surgery.  

Edited July 19, 2023 by WarEagleGolf

[phizzy30]

Just now, WarEagleGolf said:

Negative.  Purely for recovery and healing from some injuries/surgery and avoiding back surgery.  

Good deal.  My doctor has me on maintenance dose of test and gh.  The gh does wonders for my past injuries from bodybuilding.