Connect
← Return to Are others with GCA and PMR on Tyenne Monthly Infusions?
Discussion
Are others with GCA and PMR on Tyenne Monthly Infusions?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Mar 14 2:01pm | Replies (58)Comment receiving replies
@julieahp Without going into detail on why, I see an Infections Disease (ID) doctor who works at a local major teaching hospital. I have been on prednisone off and on since 2020 for my PMR. I talked to him about Tyenne lowing my immune system and my need to protect myself when I travel. He advised that at the level I was taking Tyenne I did not need to protect myself anymore than I did when I was on prednisone. We are not taking it at the dosage of a transplant patient and thus our immune system in not being challenged at the same level. Hope that helps.
My ID doctor did suggest I get a new pneumonia vaccination (Prevenar) since it included newer strains I had not previously had in my last Prevenar. Apparently Actemra/Tyenne patients are prone to upper respiratory problems. You may want to talk with your PCP on this before doing anything.
Replies to "@julieahp Without going into detail on why, I see an Infections Disease (ID) doctor who works..."
Connect
@jabrown0407
Helpful message. Thanks! Unsure about our comparative Tyenne dosing (maybe the same percentage) but I was warned about infection risk (and it preventing me from getting my monthly infusion and/or worse) and just wanted to lower that risk closer to zero since I can do so by masking in public. For me, it sure beats dealing with any kind of respiratory infection--it works, easy solution. I did ask my rheum. about various immunosupressant Rx(es) and disease scenarios and she did explain the continuum and that I'm/we're certainly not fully immunocompromised for sure. I got Prevnar 20 in May 2025. My strategy with vaccinations is that I get them 1 week before my monthly infusion, hoping that that is the best window for them to have a chance to be the most effective they can be in my situation. Haven't gotten much guidance from docs on this, despite asking.