Prepare For Your Doctor's Visit
Help your doctor determine
what the best treatment option is for your Osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain by
preparing in advance for your next appointment. Use the following 3 steps as a
guide to get the most out of your visit:
- Be ready to describe your knee pain in detail. When does
your pain worsen? Jot down any specific activities that trigger your knee pain.
- Describe how your pain is affecting your life. Does knee
pain make it more difficult to work, do household chores, or enjoy your
favorite hobbies? It's not just physical; if knee pain is affecting your mood,
explain that too.
- Keep a list of the medications and treatments you've tried.
Be ready to describe how well they've worked - or not worked - and their side
effects.
Your treatment plan
Once you've discussed your
knee pain in detail, your doctor will offer you a treatment plan. It may
include a combination of medications, exercises, and lifestyle changes. Be sure
to ask for your plan in writing, and let the doctor know if any part of the
plan doesn't seem feasible for you.
Asking questions in advance
will help ensure that you have a treatment plan that you can follow - and that
will work. Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:
- How long will I follow this treatment?
- Will this treatment interact with other medications I'm
taking?
- Are there side effects? If so, how can I manage them?
- How much pain relief should I expect, and will I be able
to get back to doing the things I can't do now?
- How long will the relief last?
- Are there other options?
This article is brought to
you by SYNVISC. If you have OA of the knee, SYNVISC treatment may be able to
provide you with up to 6 months of knee pain relief. Only your doctor can tell
you if SYNVISC is right for you. If your doctor does not provide SYNVISC, ask
for a referral, or click here to request a FREE
Knee Pain Relief Packet with a list of doctors in your area who
provide SYNVISC.
Important Safety Information
SYNVISC is used to relieve
knee pain due to osteoarthritis (OA). It is for patients who do not get enough
relief from simple painkillers such as acetaminophen, or from exercise and
physical therapy.
SYNVISC is generally well
tolerated. However, it may not work for everyone. The side effects most
commonly seen when SYNVISC is injected into the knee were pain, swelling and/or
fluid buildup around the knee. Cases where the swelling is extensive or painful
should be discussed with your doctor. Other side effects such as rash have been
reported rarely. Before trying SYNVISC, tell your doctor if you are allergic to
products from birds - such as feathers, eggs or poultry - or if your leg is
swollen or infected. Talk to your doctor before resuming strenuous
weight-bearing activities after treatment. SYNVISC has not been tested in
children, pregnant women or women who are nursing. You should tell your doctor
if you think you are pregnant or if you are nursing a child.
# S-00376.A
10/2007
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