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← Return to Kevzara (sarilumab) to treat PMR
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Kevzara (sarilumab) to treat PMR
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: 59 minutes ago | Replies (205)Comment receiving replies
Kevzara went through clinical patient trials and is approved for PMR. I was diagnosed last July 2025. And started on 20 mg of Pred. I am 76 with osteopenia/ osteoporosis. My Rhumatologist put me on a taper of 2.5 every two weeks and Kevzara every two weeks.
The Kevzara has been a game changer. I got off Pred last November. I am now extending out my Kevzara. Currently every 5 weeks an injection, then six weeks and hopefully I will successfully find remission. I am in neutropenia with low WBC and Neutrophils which is a side effect so I have blood work done before my next injection. Feeling great. No breakthrough pain through the process and off Pred.
Replies to "Kevzara went through clinical patient trials and is approved for PMR. I was diagnosed last July..."
@laurelfagan
Thank you for sharing.
I have been looking for weeks/months about Kevzara tapering. Your reply is the first I’ve read about.
Did your rheumatologist suggest the adding of a week before the next injection? How long were you at 3-week intervals?
Besides your WBC being low ( mine is too, and it worries my rheumatologist), is your ANC also low? Mine is and so is my Platelet count, low. Is yours?
I’m sorry for the questions but I’ve been looking for answers and your reply is the first I’ve found about Kevzara tapering.
@laurelfagan
How difficult was your prednisone taper and at what dose of prednisone did you start kevzara? I've been tapering down from 25mg because of a subsequent SMM diagnosis. I was doing 2.5mg decreases every 10 days. I'm at 10mg now and holding for 2 weeks, then 1mg drop each week until I reach 5mg. My rheumatologist added 3mg LDN as a bridge. My hematologist oncologist signed off on the use of kevzara almost 2 weeks ago but I'm still waiting for all the other approvals. My PMR is mild to moderate at 10mg with LDN.
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@laurelfagan
It sounds like you had a very smooth transition from discontinuing prednisone and relying only on Kevzara. You seem to have avoided the relapses that are so characteristic of tapering off Prednisone.
It isn't that Prednisone doesn't work. It becomes very hard to taper off Prednisone without having a relapse. The longer you need Prednisone the more likely side effects will happen. One of the worst side effects from long term Prednisone is adrenal insufficiency.which makes you dependent on Prednisone.
Good luck with being able to stop Kevzara without having a relapse. You shouldn't have the problems associated with adrenal insufficiency since you didn't need Prednisone very long.
If you relapse after you stop Kevzara, it shouldn't be sudden severe pain. Stretching out the interval between Kevzara injections while monitoring your inflammation markers should reveal if PMR is still active. You probably won't experience the sudden excruciating pain of a relapse that is characteristic of tapering off Prednisone.