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Weaning off of all medicine - prednisone and methotrexate
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Sep 13 2:06pm | Replies (25)Comment receiving replies
It's nice to read this. I am 57 and was diagnosed 3 years ago. I initially started on 20mg of prednisone and got down to 1mg in the first year. The following 2 years have been continual flare ups and I am now on 5mg and struggling to get lower. My consultant has suggested methotrexate, but I was put off by the side effects particularly hair loss. I understand you can't stay on prednisone for ever and this is an option to come off it so feel I have no choice, but good to read a write up that has worked 🙂
Replies to "It's nice to read this. I am 57 and was diagnosed 3 years ago. I initially..."
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Hello @amandasmith007, Welcome to Connect. Sorry to hear you are struggling getting off of prednisone but I don't think you are alone. My first time with PMR took 3-1/2 years to taper off with the last six months going back and forth between 1 mg and 1/2 mg until I could finally taper off. There is another discussion that might be interesting if not helpful:
-- If you have tapering problems below 5 mg this might explain why.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/if-you-have-tapering-problems-below-5-mg-this-might-explain-why/
There are also quite a few other discussions on methotrexate that you might find helpful. Here's a link that shows other member discussions and comments on methotrexate - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/?search=methotrexate+for+PMR.