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Kevzara and Prednisone Tapering before and during Kevzara
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: 9 hours ago | Replies (118)Comment receiving replies
@stonewheel
Additionally, like others mentioned, my WBC, ANC, and Platelet Count all are hanging around the bottom of “Normal” to occasionally barely below normal.
My rheumatologist seems overly concerned but the levels are above Kevzara’s minimum requirements. So, gladly, keep injecting.
Like Mike noted, Kevzara targets IL-6. It doesn’t completely shut down inflammatory responses to anything other than PMR, from my research.
Me, I need to be off of Prednisone and I don’t think my rheumatologist has (or has had) any other PMR patients. If she does, I’d be surprised. (And that’s okay.)
I mention that because, we know our bodies better than anyone. We know our pains and quality of living before and after we walk out of their office. It doesn’t take us long to know what works and what doesn’t; we know what was a mistake and what wasn’t (sometimes that takes months.) She’s good, but ultimately I decide the “risk vs benefits” treatments (or lack of) being fully informed.
I live in a National Forest, with few neighbors, and have little social interactions other than doctor appointments (in person) and grocery shopping. Both of those are excellent places to catch infections, but so far-so good.
Best wishes with luck added.
Replies to "@stonewheel Additionally, like others mentioned, my WBC, ANC, and Platelet Count all are hanging around the..."
Have you seen the "bathtub theory" that explains how IL-6 inhibitors work. I found this "simplistic diagram" when I wanted to know how Actemra worked.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Mechanism-of-action-of-tocilizumab-in-RA-bathtub-theory_fig2_221967570
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It took me months to understand this diagram. One day I realized the red "Y-shaped" thing in the lower right corner of the diagram was a molecule of Actemra which caused a drastic INCREASE in circulating IL-6 in the tub water which represented our bloodstream.
Then the magic occurred and the immune system resets and we are in remission ... clear as mud.
Hint: The IL-6 drain is the bottom of the tub not where the IL-6 molecule attaches. The receptor where Actemra attaches blocks the activation of the communication network that activates the immune system which cranks out too much IL-6. The communication network turns down our overactive immune system so the IL-6 faucet returns to normal. Over time ... the excess IL-6 is cleared out or is catabolized.
Artificial intelligence explains it this way:
The Bathtub Analogy
The Faucet:
Your body makes a protein called Interleukin-6 (IL-6). IL-6 is a messenger that tells your immune system to fight germs.
The Water:
In healthy bodies, the faucet runs at a normal rate. But in diseases like arthritis, the faucet runs too fast. It fills the bathtub with too much IL-6. This extra IL-6 causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues.
The Drain (Actemra):
Actemra is like opening the drain in the tub. It blocks the IL-6 from locking into your cells. This stops the "water" from overflowing, which reduces pain and swelling.
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@stonewheel
It is true that Kevzara does not completely shut down all of the inflammation pathways. However, Kevzara isn't specific to just PMR. Kevzara can work for other autoimmune conditions.
The problem with treating inflammation is that NO single isolated inflammation pathway exists that is specific to PMR or anything else. The inflammation pathways are more like a communication network that transmits messages everywhere and not a single direct line of communication.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a major chemical messenger in this communication network. People with PMR tend to have elevated IL-6 levels but there might be other reasons why IL-6 might be elevated. Also. there are other cytokines that get into the act and contribute to PMR inflammation too. For PMR ... the IL-6 cytokine might be the main one but not the only one.
I don't understand how the immune system works. There are a lot of moving parts and it's impossible to simplify how it works. All I know is that there are hundreds of individual cytokines and there is a lot of network chatter. The communication signals are sent throughout the body but somehow IL-6 inhibitors communicate the message to turn down the inflammation that PMR causes, With a bit of luck ... PMR inflammation gets turned off.