Treating PMR with Prednisone and Hydroxychloroquine

@joeblo746, This is from 2017 and mentions Hydroxychloroquine as a PMR treatment although I had not heard of it being used before (but hey, I have no medical background 🙃).

"Although 40% to 60% of patients with GCA have associated PMR symptoms at diagnosis ... evidence is available to suggest that hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil, ... Sep 27, 2017"
-- Latest Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica:
https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/pain/myofascial/inflammatory-arthritis/latest-advances-diagnosis-treatment-polymyalgia-rheumatica

Although this site rates the treatments and rates it as #11 and lists effectiveness rating which doesn't look very impressive at first glance - https://www.stuffthatworks.health/polymyalgia-rheumatica/treatments/hydroxychloroquine

I was on 10 mg of prednisone (P) from 5 mg due to having to stop Aleve. The hydroxychloroquine has allowed me to reduce P to 5 mg and the plan is to continue to reduce P. I have been on and off P due to PMR for 30 years. If there were an easy way for those interested in my PMR history you can search for my posts with my id of jchamilt2002.

I was taking Plaquenil for lupus before the PMR/GCA diagnosis. The rheumatologist suggested I continue it with prednisone because it would help the pred work faster and better. I don’t know how much the hydroxy helped but 48 hours after starting the pred my pain symptoms began to subside.

I’ve been on hydroxychloroquine for 15 years for Antiphospholipid syndrome and I really believe it does boost the prednisone. With my PMR diagnosis in March, I noticed an immediately drop in pain level on day two with methylprednisolone. Although I still have other issues with PMR, the pain is not as severe.

Maybe my id is jfannarbor.

I am interested to know if your doctor is treating others and for how long he has been doing this. I know that doctors generally don't like that kind of question, but if you could ask, I would appreciate it. Tell him that it is for me if that helps.
What state are you in? I am in Maryland.

Instead of Hydroxychloroquine, my rheumatologist added Leflunomide to my Prednisone. My understanding is that this to work with the Prednisone and combat concerns regarding potential Rheumatoid Arthritis. Has that been the case for anyone else?

Hydroxycholoquine (H) has helped me reduce prednisone (P) from 10 mg to 5 mg and soon to 4 mg. I was on 200 mg of H twice a day now due to sleep problems of H I am at 200 mg once a day.

I have the same experience. I started H in March 2023 after taking Prednisone for 3 1/2 years and numerous attempts at tapering. I have gone from 15 - 3 mg in that time and I am virtually pain free.
I also eat a Mediterranean diet and weigh the same as I did in my early 20's (I'm 72 now).

Do you feel that H helped you maintain your weight?