Alternative to Prednisone for Treating PMR?

I was taking prednisone for five years and my CRP was high,so along with methotrexate my rheumatologist added Rabeprazole 20 mg, this is for RA usually but it has helped me far better than prednisone.
Hope this helps.

LDN ( low dose naltrexone) I have 4.5 mg compounded for me & I take 1 a day
I am in remission almost 3 years after 5 years of PMR & prednisone.
Do some homework on this .
It’s a game changer for some of us .

Good thread. I haven’t posted in 6 mo or so. Still slaying the dragon called PMR, down to 4.5 mg. I’m
Tapering at .5 mg / month or 5 weeks and even then I’m doing a modification which entails taking 4 at 9 am then the .5 no later than 1 pm. I do this for a week before dropping to the next level. I’m due to drop to 4 any day now but taking it slower as I’m having some muscular issues. As far as sleep help I use an herbal tea with Passion flower ( no valerian) about 2 hours before bed, try to cut off any screen time, and I do have Passion flower tincture from my local herbalist. I go to sleep by DO NOT stay asleep thru the night. I accept this reality and just try to do deep breathing and rest. I’m just about two years into this journey. I too want off the steroid but know too swift a curtailment can be risky. I got GCA on my first bold tapering.. take care all.

Very interesting Chris. Did your rheumatologist prescribe? What side effects of the naldrexone? I’m going to read up on it. Is it an anti depressant or narcotic?

Thanks Teri. I had thought of Valerian as well, so I may just try your tea. I will forget about the Melatonin. When I'm down to a lower dose, hopefully I too will stop feeling like a super energizer bunny. Also, when my aunt had terrible osteoporosis, she in her 60's started doing Tai Chi. It was soft and slow and weight bearing and really helped her. She was in so much pain and to watch her do the fluid movements of Tai Chi was very inspirational. She also walked quite alot. Her sister, Ida, became a Yoga master in her 70's and lived to be 103 (just a side note). Two amazing sisters. Thanks again ~ Deb

Welcome @psmcdonough, I have not heard of systemic enzyme therapy used for PMR bud did just now find some information from August 2021 on fighting inflammation topic --- Reducing Bruising, Swelling and Pain with Systemic Proteolytic Multi-Enzyme Therapy: https://nutritionreview.org/2021/08/reducing-bruising-swelling-and-pain-with-systemic-proteolytic-multi-enzyme-therapy/

Are you looking for an alternative to prednisone to treat PMR?

My primary care Dr . Prescribed it .
It’s is made & used in 50 mg tablets as an anti narcotic drug , but they have discovered that 4.5 mg is helping many people with different problems .
At first I was hesitant but I was searching for a way get off prednisone once and for all. I had been nine months prednisone been off for three months and then it would flare up and come back and I did this for five years straight until finally I agreed to try the LDN. I had to start at a 1 mg dose and over 30 days go to 4.5 now I have a pharmacy compounded for me.
In August it will be three years PMR free

I wish you luck. I know how brutal this disease is

It has no side effects.

Low dose naltrexone (LDN)

Thank you Chris. I did a search on this drug and saw the low dosing data and micro-dosing too. The NIH paper 2018 is quite technical. Thankfully my spouse is a biochemist/ clinical pharmacist/ basic researcher. He gave a light read and will follow up. Sounds very promising. Did you stop the P and start the N at the same time or cut one and add the other? I’m two years in and I think I’m having a flare right now, the last week has been brutal. It’s my second attempt at tapering, honestly I couldn’t go much slower this time. Thanks for your information, really useful and glad you found a solution.

I hope you find the perfect timing to switch and get her off prednisone onto LDN..

I waited a couple of months after prednisone before starting LDN as I felt a flare coming on… I started on a very minute tiny dose and compounded it myself with my doctors permission until I reached 4.5 and got tired of compounding it and found pharmacy to send it to me every six months..

I’m glad you have your husband support and hopefully this might be an answer for you let me know how it works out…