1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Knee pain and PMR?

Posted by debbiebas216 @debbiebas216, 6 days ago

I was diagnosed with PMR the end of October 2024 and have been on prednisone ever since and tapering. Right now I just increased from
8 mg to 9 mg (sometimes accompanying with Tylenol arthritis tablets) with pain typically shoulders and hips but it’s been somewhat manageable. My knees have been pretty painful (only after my diagnosis) mostly in the morning and if I sit for too long (1/2 hour or longer). Getting up from a sitting position is rough. My rheumatologist feels it’s not PMR related. I will make an appointment with my orthopedic to further check it out.
Does anyone else experience pain in their knees (mostly the back) and do you think it’s part of PMR? She also would like me to go on leflunomide, an immunosuppressant which is very scary to me that I’m avoiding. I believe besides being on leflunomide, I still have to stay on prednisone until I wean off of it. I live in the north east and the flu, rsv, etc right now is rampant and, in my mind, that puts a halt on my immune system leaving me susceptible to any one of those viruses (and cancer). I also read that it has a slow half life that could take 2 years to leave my system.
I just think that if I’m functioning, even with pain, I should stay the course on prednisone for now because prednisone is not a cure, but a med to reduce inflammation? So confused.

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bren0718 | @bren0718 | 4 days ago

I have pain behind my knees. Worse in the morning and if I continue to keep moving it lets up in the afternoon. My Rheumatoid dr was at a loss. Said she didn’t know if is related or not. I was diagnosed August of 2023. Started at 20 mg and currently at 3 mg. My pain travels. One day it my hips and glutes and another day neck and shoulders. Knee and clavicle pain are new to me though. Maybe in the last month I have started to experience this pain. I just assume it’s another quirk of this strange disease.

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ukgirlincanada | @ukgirlincanada | 4 days ago
In reply to @megz "My knees were badly affected by PMR before prednisone, making bending the knees to sit and..." + (show)
@megz

My knees were badly affected by PMR before prednisone, making bending the knees to sit and stand up from sitting very painful. At its worst I couldn't lower myself onto the toilet. The pain was in the connective tissues at the back and sides of the knees, not the knee joint itself. It was definitely PMR pain which has gone since being on prednisone.

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Me too, pain down the inside of each knee and at the back and practically unable to bend my knees

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jennyjune | @jennyjune | 3 days ago
In reply to @megz "My knees were badly affected by PMR before prednisone, making bending the knees to sit and..." + (show)
@megz

My knees were badly affected by PMR before prednisone, making bending the knees to sit and stand up from sitting very painful. At its worst I couldn't lower myself onto the toilet. The pain was in the connective tissues at the back and sides of the knees, not the knee joint itself. It was definitely PMR pain which has gone since being on prednisone.

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Oh I can so relate to that, just excruciating, and it’s so amazing that so many specialists don’t recognise it to coincide with PMR, yet on this forum so many people have or are in the same boat.

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1 reply
Teri | @tsc | 3 days ago
In reply to @jennyjune "Oh I can so relate to that, just excruciating, and it’s so amazing that so many..." + (show)
@jennyjune

Oh I can so relate to that, just excruciating, and it’s so amazing that so many specialists don’t recognise it to coincide with PMR, yet on this forum so many people have or are in the same boat.

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I also had incredible stiffness behind both knees before I was diagnosed with PMR. No amount of walking could get the blood flowing or unstiffen my knees. Prednisone relieved that symptom.

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debbiebas216 | @debbiebas216 | 3 days ago

Thank you for the input. It makes me feel better that I’m not the only one. Interesting no rheumatologist think it’s related. At a loss🤷‍♀️

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1 reply
dlc2025 | @dlc2025 | 3 days ago
In reply to @debbiebas216 "Thank you for the input. It makes me feel better that I’m not the only one...." + (show)
@debbiebas216

Thank you for the input. It makes me feel better that I’m not the only one. Interesting no rheumatologist think it’s related. At a loss🤷‍♀️

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Yes My Dr said the same, It does make you wonder
Thanks for input

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new2pmr | @new2pmr | 2 days ago

I had a lot of pain in my knees especially the left one when my PMR started. Many days could hardly go down one small step into the garage. The steroids took the pain away so I am sure it was from the PMR.

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kathyv66 | @kathyv66 | 1 day ago

I had significant knee pain in both knees before I started on prednisone and my rheum also said it was unrelated. I now have peripheral arterial disease with reduced blood flow at the knees. Here's a study that was shared with me showing higher occurrence of PAD in PMR patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2688201/

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