What's a good anti inflamation drug (not prednisone) for PMR?

I could not tolerate methotrexate. Have you experienced side effects from taking Actemra?

I have tried Actemra via injection the results were impressive for pain reduction however I previously had diverticulitis and it is a contradiction to actemra i did have a diverticulitis episode so needed to stop taking it.
I have also tried Leflunomide again results were quite impressive however one of the side effects is peripheral neuropathy i developed neuropathy in both my hands and feet it has been confirmed on EMG study so that medication was stopped.
I was them prescribed methotrexate injections again great results, i did not have any of the documented side effects however i did become infected with COVID during treatment. I ceased the first week i was sick with COVID as instructed. Six weeks later i was still quite sick and simply could not recover from COVID symptoms so the medication was stopped and i eventually recovered.
My rhuemy now wants to try Rinvoq she is not happy with me as i have refused this treatment for now, i would rather stay with prednisone as it is the devil i know type situation. Rinvoq has some serious side effects and after some serious research and contemplation i have decided to battle it through with prednisone. This is my 4th year with PMR and GCA and i have only managed to cease prednisone once in those 4 yrs and the remission only lasted 3 weeks.

None thus far that I attribute to Actemra. I have severe fatigue, but that may also be due to long Covid. I have had injections once a month for four months and been able to get off using Tylenol three times a day and Gabapentin. Down to one mg of prednisone and hopefully off in November.
Actemra has been a miracle drug for me. Hoping I don’t suffer side effects from its immunosuppressive mode of action. Good luck!

I was on medrol "methylprednisolone" for about a year, it has fewer side affects for me but tapering is difficult due to the 4 mg size. I went back on
Prednisone to taper due to 1 mg availability.

I have found that after using celebrex a couple days I almost feel normal regarding pain. It is probably due to the fact that my pain is more in the moderate range than many here who experience far more severe pain. If you haven't tried it and if approved by your doctor, give it a try for a week or so to see how you do. take care, george

I also use it, but take it with something to protect my stomach. I have been taking it a couple of times a week, since I am off Prednisone for now, and having some issues with pain again. Stay well.

Hi @girastancil, You will notice that we moved your post to an existing discussion where members are discussing alternatives to prednisone for PMR. We did this to connect you with other members like @girastancil, @flymetothemoon, @ajf, @lmoross and others.

-- What's a good anti inflamation drug (not prednisone) for PMR?:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/recommended-anti-inflamation-drug-not-prednisone-for-pmp/
It sounds like celebrex is working really well for you?

I can't believe I found this group, thank you all for your openness and compassion to others. I have been reading posts for the last 2 hours and finally feel like I may be normal and I may actually get through this some day!
I am (was) a very active 62 year old male with several marathons under my belt. My PMR started in Oct 2021 (happy anniversary 😉 The pain is severe in my hips, shoulders, and wrists/hands/fingers (does any one else have it in the hands?).
I started prednisone at 20mg in January 2022 after many misdiagnosis. The pain was diminished quickly until I hit 10mg so my rheumatologist started me over in March 2022 at 20mg, and once again at 10mg the pain returned. In June 2022, I stared again at 60mg (fast taper to 20mg) and when I hit 10 mg, all was good from a pain perspective and my ESR and CRP levels finally hit normal. Then I went to 9mg in September....the pain started minor at first in hands and shoulders, three weeks later at 8mg in October I can barely move and I am extremely exhausted.
I saw my rheumatologist when it first started to come back and he sent me for an MRI of the shoulders, which showed some wear (did I mention my age). Since then I only was able to message him, he seems to not believe me that the PMR is back because of the blood levels and actually said that pain in the hands is not a condition of PMR? He asked me to try Celebrex and come in for steroid shots in the shoulder stating he believes this is simply joint pain, the Celebrex is not doing a thing. I went to my family doctor and asked him for blood tests - ESR=12 / CRP=14, its back!
Sorry to be so long winded, but this group seems very educated about the subject and sympathetic. So questions: has anyone had help from Celebrex and does/did anyone else experience PMR pain in the wrists/hands/fingers?

I had and have similar issues. Started at 20 mg 2 years ago. Few weeks ago finally off Prednisone but now back on 5mg. So many opinions and information out there. I also started taking Celebrex in place of Prednisone (make sure you take something with that and steroids to protect stomach) but it did very little. My wrists and fingers kill me. My Rheumatologist thought it may be arthritis and said PMR rarely effects hands. I still don't know for sure. Been seeing her for 2 years but time for a second opinion next week, which I am going to. I'm around your age and help with 5 grandkids so a lot of lifting and walking. My husband is a physician and thinks I should try Methotrexate. My doctor was hesitant due to its effects on liver and more blood tests needed. I've been to two hand specialists. One said he believed this was from PMR and the second gave me injections in the tendons and wrists. Painful. I also have type 2 diabetes. Steroids raise those numbers and bad for bones, but pain is unbearable. I will post what the new Rheumatologist says next week. She has excellent credentials here in a major hospital in NYC. I need a different perspective.

One of the many great aspects of this group is the shared lived experience. I too started to feel "normal" hearing others experiences such as pain in the wrists, hands and fingers. My rheumatologist also said this cannot be PMR and must be "something else", though she could not say what. I came across several comments from other group members with same experience. This was great reassurance to me that I wasn't abnormal. This pain has not been around in my hands for several weeks but 20 months into this complicated condition, I am ready for anything . Thank.you group. Sharing your experiences, educational materials and suggestions has been.my most important resource in coping with this condition.