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Infusion vs injection of tocilizumab (Actmera)
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 20 1:07pm | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
Yes, my psoriasis which had been dormant for about 5 years resurfaced. Hence the move to Infliximab which isn't particularly effective for PMR. So, I'm hoping my rheumatologist can prescribe another biologic because there's no way I'm going back on Prednisone
Replies to "Yes, my psoriasis which had been dormant for about 5 years resurfaced. Hence the move to..."
Thanks Mike, I find that the Infliximab isn't working too well for me. I had a resurgence of joint pain so my rheumatologist additionally prescribed Arcoxia (90 mg) as a supplement and Pantoprazole Teva Pharma (40 mg) gastro-resistant tablets but the psoriasis is still at bay. I'm curious to see what she can suggest at my next appointment as the Arcoxia was to be a temporary measure but I tried reducing it to every second day and the pain and stillness came back immediately so had to revert to it again.
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Maybe Rinvoq (upadacitinib) would work. It was recently FDA approved for GCA and has already been used for psoriatic arthritis.
Technically ... Actemra isn't FDA approved for either PMR or psoriatic arthritis.. My rheumatologist only wanted me to try Actemra because he felt it "should work" for PMR since many people with GCA also have PMR.
Actemra was originally FDA approved for RA but was shown to be effective for GCA in 2017. That was why my rheumatologist wanted me to try Actemra. I have both PMR and reactive arthritis (ReA) along with uveitis. ReA is sometimes called a "cousin" to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) due to some shared characteristics. ReA and psoriatic arthritis are in the "same family" of autoimmune disorders.
Anyway, both my rheumatologist and ophthalmologist are currently pleased that Actemra seems to be working for me. However, Rinvoq has already been mentioned as a possibility for me if Actemra stops working. All of my doctors, including me, would rather that I not take Prednisone again for many reasons.