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Giant Cell Arteritis Diagnosis
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Mar 31 7:58pm | Replies (104)Comment receiving replies
I have PMR and GCA. It’s been about 18 months. Started at 60mg of prednisone and recently got down to 3 mg and all my blood test markers were normal. I really believe the PMR is gone. Went to 2mg and quickly had GCA symptoms, sore scalp, runny nose, neck pain, headache, etc. but no PMR symptoms. Went back to 5mg and GCA symptoms went away. Seems like prednisone can handle my problems with minor side affects (fatty face and fat around my middle). I’m going to stay on 5mg until I see the doctor in October. If 5 mg can keep my symptoms at bay with these side effects, I can live with that.
Replies to "I have PMR and GCA. It’s been about 18 months. Started at 60mg of prednisone and..."
Be SURE the doc orders a bone density scan. I'd get one every six months. Prednisone messes with bone strength. Even in men.
Just wondered, are you not also on Actemra? Many on this list are able to eventually move off of prednisone due to monthly Actemra infusions (or weekly injunction). I have GCA, and am down from 60 mg prednisone to now 12.5, with monthly Actemra, reducing 2.5 each month, hopefully eventually down to 0 prednisone.
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I would be interested in what your doctor says about staying on 5 mg. My doctor didn't like that idea and dismissed it. At the age of 60 ... I was "too young" to take Prednisone for the rest of my life. However, if it was 3 mg or less maybe that wouldn't be so bad.
There are two primary factors to consider when taking Prednisone ... dose and duration. Disease control is very important but so are the side effects. Maybe if the side effects are minor it might be okay to stay on Prednisone. However, more and more research shows that even low doses of Prednisone for a long time isn't ideal.
https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/low-doses-steroids-increase-cardiovascular-risks-in-inflammatory-diseases/
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It is a personal decision between you and your doctor.