How long to take Kevzara and how to taper off Kevzara?

Posted by foretravel @foretravel, Oct 30 5:19am

I have been taking Kevzara for 16 months now. It allowed me to taper off Prednisone within about 4 months after the first injection. I have not had a flare since starting Kevzara. I have tolerated Kevzara well. The only side effect is that it has dropped my White Blood Cell Count to the low end of the acceptable range. How long do I need to stay on Kevzara? How do I taper off Kevzara? I'm interested in the experience of others on this topic.

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tweetypie13 | @tweetypie13 | Oct 30 8:11am

Sorry, can’t answer yet.
I’m at 8 months, blood work today.
Will respond after Dr appt next week.

jjn55 | @jjn55 | Oct 31 12:15pm

Interested to know what Kevzera is. Tx

lsa22 | @lsa22 | Oct 31 1:15pm

I've been on Kevzara for about 4 months. My rheumatologist said at about a years time we could try to stop the Kevzara by lenghting the time between injections. If I feel that the PMR is gone we can try sooner.

tweetypie13 | @tweetypie13 | Oct 31 5:08pm

In reply to @jjn55 "Interested to know what Kevzera is. Tx" + (show)

@jjn55
Kevzara is a biologic you give yourself, bi weekly and it helped me get off prednisone totally.
I don’t take any other meds.

howardgm | @howardgm | Oct 31 5:40pm

I’ve been on Kevzara for 2 years and off of prednisone four 20 months. I have had one presumed flair and some moderate muscle pain. I am in discussions with my Rheumatologist about tapering off of Kevazara. I am interested in the experience of others, but I might be in the leading edge of experience.

tadatada1 | @tadatada1 | Oct 31 7:44pm

In reply to @howardgm "I’ve been on Kevzara for 2 years and off of prednisone four 20 months. I have..." + (show)

@howardgm
I am at the point as you. My Kevzara is now 3 weeks apart and plan on going on 4 weeks apart. I have neck pain since stopping prednisone 16 month ago. Had light neck pain before PMR but it became severe after stopping prednisone Finally after 6 month of Pt following repair of a fragmented herniated disc L3-4 ( which gave me severe right thigh pain and weakness) surgery, my neck pain seems to be dissipating . My therapist is willing to give private time to my neck and right leg . I never had back pain . Not all therapists are willing to do this. I appreciate all his effort.
In the meantime my husband is having hip replacement the same day as my rheumatology appointment in 3 weeks
which I had to cancel They said I could come the next day which would not work. He needs today overnight. The next appointment they wanted to give me was in February You can imagine how annoyed I was. Since when I am at her office she basically only checks my blood test since my symptoms are controlled . I asked for permission to take a blood test before I start doing the Kevzara every 4 weeks.
I left out an important piece.
I was on prednisone 15 months and developed corticosteroid myopathy. Both my legs became very weak . That took 6-8 months to get under control with PT.
Thank goodness my physical therapist is a one man show so he follows my progress and changes my therapy with change in my symptoms