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Has Prednisone/Actemra worked to completely heal GCA?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 12 9:11am | Replies (12)Comment receiving replies
Yes ... there are 1 mg tablets of prednisone. I didn't need the 1 mg tablets for 10 years after PMR was diagnosed. I wasn't able to get much lower than 20 mg during that period of time.
You are doing well. I always say there isn't any best way to taper off Prednisone. There are too many other factors to consider when tapering off Prednisone. No two people are the same. Duration of Prednisone use and cumulative dose are important. However, relative to being on a moderately high dose for 10 years, you are doing okay ... I think.
If Actemra is working, a faster taper is possible though. In my case, after 12 years of prednisone use before Actemra was tried, there wasn't much of a rush. It took me about 9 months to get off Prednisone the first time I tried going from 10 mg to zero. My second attempt a year later only took 3 months going from 15 mg to zero.
Replies to "Yes ... there are 1 mg tablets of prednisone. I didn't need the 1 mg tablets..."
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@dadcue
Wow! I'm sorry it took so long to get PMR under control. I just wonder if you also had GCA and if you did, scary if it wasn't diagnosed.
Just to clarify. It's my husband on prednisone not me. And he's been on prednisone for over a year. Diagnosed with PMR in May 2023, 30 mg prednisone, tapering to 12.5 mg, then developed GCA in Feb 2024 and up to 80 mg, tapering now to 17.5 mg. He started Actemra a few months ago and it's going well. He's had lots and lots of prednisone side-effects, probably the worse being 3 compression fractures from developing steroid-induced osteoporosis. It's so bad his doctors won't let him do any bending at the waist, he's not a great squatter and doesn't have the best knees so that doesn't help, and he can't lift anything weighing over 5 pounds. So I'm doing just about everything but that's OK. I signed up for this 43 years ago when I said "in sickness or in health."
I really appreciate your feedback on this topic and it's good knowing that everyone is different and we can just keep trying to taper and hope for the best. Thanks for letting me know there are 1 mg tablets. We might end up needing them.