Chicken Shots

Officially known as Synvisc.  It is made from the crown of chickens, of all things.  I have often wondered who thought to themselves: "let's inject knees with the crown of chickens." 

According to my Orthopedist, the studies indicate that 70% of people report some improvement in knee pain from osteoarthritis of the knee with chicken shots.  He said that his experience is that about 50% show some improvement.

Me?  It is a miracle drug.

My family physician told me today that Group Health Insurance will no longer pay for chicken shots because the effectiveness is not sufficient to warrant them.  They are wrong wrong wrong.

Perhaps they do not work for everyone.  But for me?  I can go, within a few days after a shot, from not being able to walk down a couple of stairs to being able to bound down a flight of them.

I have had two in my left knee and three in my right knee.  They have given me new life.  I would have to stop cycling and hiking without them, and probably start looking at two knee replacements.

What do I make of the studies that indicate that the effectiveness of chicken shots is minimal?  This stuff works for me.  I can do hard 100 mile rides, and the STP (205 miles in two days) only because of this medication (well, in addition to training like crazy).

I would sell my living room furniture, my car, whatever, to pay for them myself if my insurance company stopped paying for them.