@n1234 Thanks for sharing your experience. I'd like to hear more detail on what has improved and how you feel since being on methotrexate.

I was diagnosed with PMR in March after dealing with pain and stiffness since January. My rheumatologist started me on a tapering dose of prednisone (20mg-5mg) over a month's time. It's been an experiment since trying to see which DMARD is going to help. Tried the hydroxychloroquin, then added methotrexate. Broke out in an itchy rash so stopped the hydrochloroquin and only on methotrexate. Now I'm only on the methotrexate. Had been on the 15mg dose for 7 weeks along with a tapering dose of prednisone. Been off the prednisone for two weeks. The first few days off and only with the mtx, I felt a little better, but by day 6 and 6 weeks on mtx, the pain and stiffness returned. My doctor upped the mtx to 20mg last week (8th week) and told me to give it another 2 weeks and if that doesn't help to let her know and she will try something else. Tomorrow I take the 2nd of the higher dose and it will be week 9 on the mtx. I know it does take awhile to "kick in" for full effect, but it is hard to have patience when the pain and stiffness are so bad. Since off prednisone, I am awakened at night by knee, shoulder and elbow pain. Wake up with pain and stiffness in my feet, ankles, knees, fingers, wrist, elbows. I do take Tylenol and have been taking 800mg of ibuprofin in the morning to ease the pain. But it's not eased enough for me to be able to do much without frequent breaks.