Hi All,

I have heard through the grapevine that there is a new drug slated for release in about 2 1/2 years that is supposed to grow cartilege and therefore reverse osteoarthritis. As such stories are sometimes nothing more than stories, I thought I would put this out and see if anyone has heard similar news, and if so, do they know the name of this drug.

I have always been an athlete and since my left knee is deteriorating from osteo, I was hoping I could find something that could save me from a potential tkr which seems like the inevitable situation for me. Personally, it would upset me if I had to go that route as I would hate to have this surgery which would limit what I could do. I see many who have gone this route and are happy to be pain free, but it would kill me to have this surgery, say two years from now and to find out a year later that a drug like the one I mentioned above would become available and would have resolved my problem.

If anyone is aware of a projected cartilege building drug to be released, I would appreciate being informed.

Thanks,

Golfer

Thanks for your response. I guess there are a lot of frustrated athletes out there whose spirit is there but whose bodies aren't keeping up. I have seen remarkable "cures" for many conditions as my business is anti-aging and preventative healthcare, but unfortunately, I haven't found a magic bullet that effectively builds cartilege as of yet.

I think one of our modern tragedies is that people like yourself are put at risk because you can't afford procedures you need. I am also concerned that iatragenic disease (properly prescribed perscription drugs, procedures done by doctors that don't stand up, etc.) was the 4th leading cause of death last year. That's a downright tragedy and it certainly doesn't reflect well on the medical establishment.

One of the challenges of being an athlete is that we conceive ourselves as invincible . . . until we break something. My orginal knee injury was in 1963. I was a track star with county records and went out for a pass in 11th grade. The pass was on the wrong side but I was running at full speed and cut at full speed. My foot planted, my leg spun out and I tore everything.

In those days they didn't have arthroscopes so the OS went into the knee capsule and did a job on me. Years later, I went back to the track to time myself on the 880. In gym class, I knew I was doing well when I was able to lap the fat guy. Well, after the surgery and recovery, I went out and did the 880 again . . . and the fat guy would have beaten me.

There's nothing like the feeling you get running like the wind. I'm sure you feel that in motorcross. And for those of us who have been there, there is nothing worse than being reduced to crawling like a snail.

So I hope the rumors become fact and that elusive cartilege growing drug (that has been bandied about to be released within 3 years) becomes a reality. I have great respect for those who have had a tkr and while they can no longer run, get on their knees, etc., are having fruitful lives. I respect their courage and fortitude. For me, it would feel like a death sentence. I am a maniac golfer and have a very aggressive swing for a little guy. The thought that I could dislodge a prothesis would haunt my every swing. I like to walk the course and pay a price now but would fear that if I had a prosthetic knee, I would be wearing down a non-replenishable structure that doesn't heal itself with my every move. That would be very hard for me.

So my hope is that computerization, the internet and the global mindset of present medicine will accelerate the "cure" for arthritis and allow all of us who suffer from this disease to be free of it once and for all.

Regards,

Golfer

Hi Lizzie,

Just wanted to empathize with you. I have a lot of respect for people like you who love life and try their best to live it to the fullest. I know this might seem puerile, but it just doesn't seem fair that those like you are forced to become prisoners of their own bodies.

I am involved in a preventative healthcare and anti-aging business for a new division of the largest nutritional company in the world. One of my colleagues is a beautiful woman who was very physically active, was a nurse and is a very nice person. Two years ago, she came down with RSD--reflex sympathetic dystrophy. This is a wasting disease that only gets worse and I get angry that fate has unkindly thrown this curse her way. Now she finds it hard to travel short distances and lives with pain.

One of the reasons I got involved in my business is that I wanted to help people and I get very frustrated when I have to acknowledge my helplessness against the cruel hand of fate.

From what I hear in my business (which is 30% medical professionals) is that we are heading into a medical revolution thanks to globalization, the internet and the computer. This will mean that in the next 5 years, there will be a tremendous acceleration of new procedures and innovative approaches to resolve medical problems that haunt us today.

So, as a fellow athlete, I appreciate the losses you feel when your heart says "go" and your knees say "no." I truly believe we will see remarkable resolutions to many of our present medial conditions in the near future and that gives me energy and hopefulness for all of us.

Regards,

Golfer