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Kevzara and prednisone effectivness
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Oct 15 12:48pm | Replies (68)Comment receiving replies
@dadcue
Both, as it logically is a better fit for me.
Probably included words like sausage fingers (which I said so her AI could note it) and included that they weee paying for CBC labs every week but my WBC, anc and platelet counts were too low to take Kevzara and have been for over 4 weeks.
Restarting Prednisone (I’ve successfully tapered off with the help of an IL targeting biologic) could hospitalize me, as it did in the beginning ($50k/ day) + meds) which met my Advantage Plan part D deductible on January 6, of this year.
You may remember, I went to the ER on Jan. 3 and was released on the 7th, but should have gone in on Jan 1.
(Happy New Year!) The ER was full of flu patients and I didn’t want to go be around that. Eventually, I figured that if I got the flu there, that I was at the right place to be with the flu. So I went.
…Fast forward 9 months:
I’m sure that with sound medical reason, logic and proper punctuation (very important) she told them the truth.
I learned early in life that it is the whole truth that sets you free, a partial truth will do damage.
Replies to "@dadcue Both, as it logically is a better fit for me. Probably included words like sausage..."
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@stonewheel
You had a large DVT as I recall. You were lucky it didn't move to your lungs.
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It was a convoluted process when I was approved for Actemra. My rheumatolgist first wanted my "commitment " to try Actemra "ONLY IF" he could get Actemra approved for me. I agreed without knowing anything. I asked another doctor if Actemra would be approved for PMR. That doctor told me it was "unlikely" so I didn't think my commitment mattered.
I was on another PMR forum at the time and asked if anyone had experience with Actemra for PMR. I received negative feedback because "prednisone was the only option" and "black box warnings" --- basically nothing positive. Nobody had ever tried Actemra for PMR so I was surprised by all of the negative opinions. When Actemra was approved, I almost refused it except for the commitment I made. I didn't have to try Actemra and almost backed out of my commitment. That was when my rheumatologist said "I wouldn't know if Actemra worked or not unless I tried it."
I was very pessimistic about Actemra. I expected that it wouldn't work. At one stage when I tapered prednisone by 1 mg per week because I wanted to get the "inevitable flare" over with.
I read the request for approval that was submitted. My rheumatologist was completely honest. The justification wasn't for PMR so much. It was mostly about being on prednisone for decades. "All other options had been tried and failed" to get me off prednisone. My rheumatolgist stated that Actemra was my "best chance" of ever getting off prednisone.
At the time, Actemra was recently FDA approved for GCA. My rheumatologist never claimed that I had GCA or RA or anything else that Actemra was FDA approved for. There was some kind of panel that reviewed my medical records. They decided to approve Actemra with one stipulation. I had to be treated with the protocol "AS IF" I had GCA.