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Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR): Meet others & Share Your Story
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Sep 10 12:05pm | Replies (1906)Comment receiving replies
I was diagnosed with PMR two and a half years ago at age 71. Started out at 15 mg of Prednisone but had to go up to 25 to get it under control. After nine months my RA doc said he wanted to start me on Methotrexate (12.5 mg weekly) so I could begin to get off the Prednisone. I had three failed tapers from which I had to increase Prednisone back up a few mgs and start again. With each failure my methotrexate was increased. I am now on my fourth taper and am at 3.5 mg per day of prednisone going down 1/2 mg per month and 20 mg of methotrexate weekly. I have very mild pmr symptoms in the am which is when I take my meds and usually no symptoms by mid day. It has been a long slog but I feel like I am making progress. Another MD suggested I talk with my RA doc re: Tocilizmab. Any have any thoughts about this or experience with it?
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Hello @rkprice, Sorry to hear you have been struggling with your PMR and tapering off of prednisone. Prednisone was the only drug I used with both of my occurrences of PMR but it was tricky tapering off and you are doing it the best way - slow and easy. I started both occurrences at 20 mg prednisone and took 3-1/2 years to taper off the first time and 1-1/2 years the second time. There is another discussion where you learn what others have shared about their experience with Tocilizumab.
- Actemra (Tocilizumab) to treat PMR??: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/actemra-tocilizumab-to-treat-pmr/
One thing that really helped me for both occurrences of PMR was keeping a daily pain/dosage log for prednisone. Did your RA doc provide a tapering schedule for you?