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Diagnosed with PMR 16 days ago.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 27, 2025 | Replies (56)Comment receiving replies
Sorry you’re going through this. I also did not respond well to 20 mg, I was referred to a rheumatologist who increased pred to 40 mg, and after a couple of months added methotrexate, which eventually led to decreasing the prednisone (can’t get below 15 mg without a flare). She wants me to start weekly injections of actemra but my drug plan doesn’t cover it for PMR (although it will for other diagnoses 🙄). PMR is different for everyone and sometimes a rheumatologist just has more knowledge in complicated cases. Good luck ❤️
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"She wants me to start weekly injections of actemra but my drug plan doesn’t cover it for PMR (although it will for other diagnoses🙄)"
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This is why treatment shouldn't be restricted to a certain diagnosis. If your IL-6 levels are increased then it seems reasonable to use a medication that targets and blocks the effects of elevated IL-6 levels regardless of the diagnosis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500320/.
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Prednisone doesn't precisely target any autoimmune condition. Prednisone is broadly used as an immunosuppressant for many conditions. This broad approach is sometimes referred to as a "shotgun approach" compared to more targeted therapies like biologics.