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DiscussionTapering Pains Body Response or PMR?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jun 25 8:36pm | Replies (13)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "I definitely agree with you that there is no “best way”, but…all other factors being equal…the..."
I don't know how to control "all other factors being equal." I don't think it exists in the real world of medicine.
I remember trying to enroll patients into experimental research studies. Finding the "perfect patient" was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Exclusion criteria had to be followed. The goal was to eliminate "confounding variables."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3503514/
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I don't know if a faster taper would be better compared to a slower taper. The need for a slower prednisone taper is because of the withdrawal problems and adrenal suppression from long term Prednisone use. I'm not sure if it is something inherent to PMR.
I just wish for more alternatives to long term Prednisone for the treatment of PMR.
For me at least, I wish Actemra had been tried much sooner than it was. I can't blame anyone because it wasn't an option. Technically Actemra still isn't an option for PMR but it is for GCA.
I tell people I used to be able to taper off Prednisone quickly. My ophhalmologist said I was "skilled" with Prednisone tapers for uveitis.
I was terrible at tapering off prednisone after PMR was diagnosed. I generally think the people who get off Prednisone quickly after PMR is diagnosed are more skilled than me.