I have had PMR for 6 1/2 years, I have Poly arthritis and now have been told tendons under my kneecaps are damaged. The pain is terrible! I have chronic arthritis in my ankles, so all in all not doing so well at the moment.
Has anyone troubles with tendons? Just don’t know how to relieve the pain!!
Constance, I really feel for you, after years of pain in my knees and feet, I am not any help to you. Only found ice packs on knees helped.
I now have trocanteric bursitis in hip and groin. I need to go out now, so have taken paracetamol but it’s not much use. My left leg just gives up without warning.
I hope someone comes along who has some suggestions.
Just wanted to say I sympathise with your pain, not to moan about mine.
Do try ice packs, at least it gives a little relief for a while.
No magic cure I’m afraid, but ice, rest and otc medication it would appear.
I sympathise, being in chronic pain is extremely debilitating and demoralising.
🌷
I have read that too! What a beast!😏
I am on 4mg Pred atm and have Cocodamol for the PMR and Seronegative PolyOA. I have tried ice (I must admit spasmodically), will have to try harder.
💐💐
I am so sorry that you are in so much pain,l wish l knew how to help you.l can only say that l really do hope that a solution can be found .Take care xx.
I wanted to respond earlier but was too busy. I have various kinds of arthrtis with tendonitis etc. NSAIDS (naproxen, ibuprofen) help some--I only take during episodes not longterm. Have you had cortisone shots, hyaluronic acid shots, or fluid drained from your knee? All helped me in the period before I had to have knee replacements. I find alternating stronger and lesser pain meds helps, then they maintain some effectiveness. Sometmes a brace or elastic bandage helps, for short periods only. I feel for you, if that is any use. All the best.
Morning Joaclp (at least it is here)!
Thanks for the info.
I haven’t tried cortisone shots or any of the other things mentioned as it is not the OA causing the pain - it’s the damaged tendons, so no fluid in the knee and as I am taking Pred for the PMR and prescription Cocodamol for pain I really don’t want any more drugs!!😟😟
I wear elastic bandages on both knees and special elastic braces on my ankles when I leave the house.
Trying to do any exercises to keep my heart healthy is a no no!!😂 I do stretches, etc whenever I can, and I go up and down stairs - when I can pluck up the energy.
Not to worry - it won’t kill me and, luckily, I don’t get depressed. Get frustrated though!😟
🎄💐🍾🍸🍀🍀🍀💥
Hi Constance
I too have pain from tendonitis in my hands so you have my sympathy. It’s very debilitating. In addition to the strategies you’re using I find a product called Biofreeze available at pharmacy quite helpful. It offers some relief by cooling the area like a local anaesthetic. Mine is in spray form and I find that more convenient than messy gels. It has a eucalyptus fragrance. Rest obviously helps too but more difficult at this time of year……
My husband has done all of the gift wrapping this year and I’ve postponed wrapping his gifts from me in the hope that I might have two working hands soon. No such luck - so will have to resort to a big gift bag clumsily stuck up with sellotape.
Hope it all improves for you soon.
Linda
Thanks Linda. Luckily my hands aren’t affected too badly - I can peel potatoes, etc - can’t lift a kettle so OH does the honours for coffee/tea (of which I drink FAR too much)!
I know ice helps with tendon pain, but being under the kneecaps it’s difficult to cool (that’s my excuse as I prefer heat and of course that is counterproductive)!
Enjoy Christmas as best you can. I can’t drink much alcohol now, in fact I prefer milk!😂
ATB for you and your family. 💥🎄🍀💐
jinasc on here has a brilliant water boiler that sits on the worksurface, holds 3l of water and dispenses it, at the set temperature, into a cup.
This discusses the pros and cons
which.co.uk/reviews/kettles...
but I assume you can't see the makes without subscribing to Which. However - the article is 6 years old, it will be out of date. Just thought it might make you feel more independent - although being waited on can be nice... 
“Really nice” - I’m not going to rock the boat!😂
A friend has just got one and we have one in our village hall. I must admit I don’t really like the idea of having ‘stale’ water, it is probably just in the mind. I always empty my kettle out before filling it up for use. Having said that I am chairman of our village hall and helped choose it. The Women’s Insitute won’t use it they insist in heating up a kettle, as we had thrown out the urn or perhaps someone had nicked it.
My physio introduced me to bio freeze, although she charged more than I can get it for at Amazon! I did not realise there was a spray form, that sounds even better as the gel is a bit messy.
It was a physio who recommended Biofreeze when I was having treatment on my feet, before PMR began. I had been icing the area using a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel but whilst this was ok as a home remedy it wasn’t very convenient when we were going away to a hotel in Bath for a weekend. The little pump action spray was so convenient and fits in most handbags( or a coat pocket) and can even be sprayed through thin clothing like socks or tee shirt. A useful travel companion for less than £10.
Constance as I have been suggesting to people, most people and even docs do not realize that a diet can have an effect on arthritis. Try to reduce your salt intake, maintain a healthy diet with fruits and vegs and boost your water intake. You might want to consider taking some vitamins and supplements to boost your health. There are some perfectly natural supplements which help to fight inflammation and provide pain relief for joint pains. Let me know if you would be in need of recommendations 
*happy 2019 to you
Thanks for your thoughts. I have maintained a healthy diet (well most of the time)😏 since PMR diagnosis in 2012. I eat little meat, eat fish, vegetables, little salt. I take vitamins D, K2 and magnesium. Don’t drink enough water though.
Stuffed too many unhealthy things over Xmas but........ (Can’t be good ALL them time).😀
ah yes. this season has really affected too many diets :))
you know there are some really great supplements and vitamins you can check out. To provide some relief and boost your health
I have just been watching a programme on supplements and I will really think twice if not three time before taking any supplement not recommended by my doctor. One poor guy had been taking green tea supplements and it caused liver disease in that he needed a liver transplant. Apparently one hundred billion dollars is spent on supplements worldwide per year. Probably ninety per cent are just good profits for the suppliers and nothing else. Some however if taken incorrectly can be positively dangerous. Just because they are “natural” does not mean that they are a good idea. Hopefully one day there will be more checking of supplements than there is now.
I agree with you. First, it is best to consult a doctor in any condition to know the right prescription.
But what I do not agree with is the statement against vitamins and supplements. Much like anything in this world, be it medicine, supplements or even food if taken of poor quality or wrong doses, surely will cause unwanted and potentially unhealthy consequences. But some supplements like the ones I use are made from completely natural ingredients such as herb extracts which have been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
What I would say from my perspective of course is one should get not only vitamins and supplements but even the medicine we drink from reliable and reputable sources and producers. And believe me the health benefits are numerous
Why do you need to take the supplements why can’t you just eat FOOD?
that is indeed a spot on question.
To answer you, I would say normally the food we consume on daily basis though might be healthy do not always contain the right amounts of the nutrients, minerals and vitamins we might be lacking.
Lets take for example something like ginger. Some people can eat ginger raw but others cannot as the taste will be extremely horrible for them.
What these vitamins and supplements do is to use these herbs and natural extracts to make easier for anyone to take.
But that's just my opinion as I have personally found them to be helpful. You are free to disagree
As regards health benefits I personally would prefer to spend my money on going to the Spa, taking a swim, chatting with friends, reading the papers, having some lunch and even the odd massage. I grow my own herbs which I use for cooking and also use things like fresh ginger and turmeric. I am loathe to try supplements that have virtually no research to back them, some may be OK and just waste my money, some may not be that good for me but I do not know. There are a lot of things that are “natural” but I would not want to eat them.
I'd been eating low salt for decades and giving up almost all pre-packaged foods with onset of PMR led me to become salt deficient with a number of unpleasant symptoms. So it isn't wise to tinker with our body chemistry with inadequate knowledge. Supplements must be treated with care. Chinese medicine for example which seems to work has been found to be contaminated with - steroids!
I made the mistake of using low salt for years (on doctors advice) and then had to take salt tablets to make up for a considerable deficiency.
These “specialist doctors” with all their amazing advice will kill us if we’re not careful.
I've had enough
Is this GCA ?
Could this be my adrenals struggling. 
Mrs Dawn Smith
