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Prednisone is like running UP a DOWN staircase
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 6 9:19pm | Replies (33)Comment receiving replies
Did anyone have success with prednisone? All I see are depressing stories.
any success with Biological meds?
Replies to "Did anyone have success with prednisone? All I see are depressing stories. any success with Biological..."
It depends what you mean by success. From what I understand, we are to take prednisone and "wait until PMR burns itself out." Supposedly PMR does burn itself out for most people in 1-2 years or a "reasonable" amount of time. Prednisone can then be stopped. I would consider that a success.
There is a sizable group of people that included me where it takes much longer for PMR to burn itself out. There is no way for me to say it was a complete success to take prednisone daily for 12 years. It was an arduous journey to say the least. However, I survived so maybe it was somewhat successful. In any case, prednisone was called the best option at the time.
The question then becomes when is it reasonable to stop prednisone and try something else. Unfortunately, you can't stop prednisone easily after you start the journey of long term prednisone use. I'm not saying people shouldn't try that path because there isn't a way to know if you will be part of the successful group or not.
I tried a biologic after 12 years of prednisone. I was off prednisone a year later except I needed to go back on 60 mg of prednisone again for a few months. The first biologic was easy to stop. I considered it a partial success. After a second biologic didn't work, it too was stopped. I was allowed to restart the first biologic with some dose changes. I tapered off prednisone in 3 months the second time. I have been off Prednisone for 3 years and I'm pleased with the overall outcome of the biologics I have tried.
I consider the biologic I currently take a success at least until it fails. I'm more optimistic than I ever was on prednisone.
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Hi, great question. Personally, my dose began in April, low 10 mg, and I am on a very conservative taper. I'm at 8.5 now. It's been challenging. I guess I have a love /hate relationship with prednisone 😕. When it works, it's marvelous and I have a great day. But frequently I have struggles with it. I look at it this way: would I be able to live without it and endure the hideous symptoms of PMR? I have to be very mindful of the alternatives.
I have learned to adjust the taper without having to bump up the dose. It's a temptation to increase but in the long run, it's wiser (for me) to push through the days of flare-up and wait for my body to recalibrate.
😊