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When to taper prednisone when starting kevzara
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jul 22 11:56am | Replies (11)Comment receiving replies
@dadcue Hi Mike, I have been on prednisone for PMR and trying to taper. I am currently alternating 7 mg one day 6 mg the next. Ever since I have moved to 7 mg my right shoulder pain has increased. My rheumatologist recommended going back up to 7.5 mg to and then alternating between 7.5 and 7 mg.
She has mentioned adding either Kevzara or Actemra (I'm not sure my insurance will cover the Kevzara). I noticed that you were able to come off the prednisone which is wonderful however I didn't see if you were still taking the Actemra. If you are still on the Actemra how long did your rheumatologist say you would need to be on it?
Replies to "@dadcue Hi Mike, I have been on prednisone for PMR and trying to taper. I am..."
@pappy6 I think Kevzara was recently approved for treating
PMR. That's probably why it might be covered by insurance.
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@pappy6
I still do an Actemra infusion every month. There is some flexibility and sometimes the time between my infusions is more than a month. I have not been able to completely stop Actemra. I don't think my rheumatologist is so concerned about a PMR flare as he is about flare-ups of some of my other medical conditions.
I'm not the best example of a patient with an isolated case of PMR or GCA with no other medical conditions. I'm not so sure isolated cases of PMR or GCA even exist in the wild. It is the combination of different medical conditions, our genetics and our environment that makes everyone different.