PMR and Methotrexate

I am in MTX too. I take it at night once a week after dinner, the only side effect I notice is some hair loss. I started with 20 mg Prednisone in January, and, I am currently in 5 mg.

I am about to start taking methotrexate at my rheumatologist strong recommendation in order to wean off of prednisone.

Thanks to all of you that have posted on this subject. It’s been very helpful and enlightening. If I have any interesting experience on methotrexate, either positive or negative, I will post an update.

This group has been very helpful since I was diagnosed with PMR in March 2021 and I am grateful to all those that administer it and share their experiences on it. I wish you all the best in dealing with this disease and I hope you feel better soon .

I was told I had to take all the MTX dose within 24 hrs. For me it’s 8 pills (20 mg). I start taking it at noon and take a pill every 3 hrs. During the the night I tend to wake up anyway so just take it whenever I wake up. There’s 3 hrs wiggle room to finish by noon the next day. I still have side effects but it’s better since spreading out the pill taking.

I took MTX for 4 months with prednisone and did reduce from 15 mg to 10 1/2 mg. I felt sick the entire time and finally side effects were so severe I had to stop taking it. So, it does work but not everyone can tolerate it. You have to try to find out. Good luck. We all wish we could attain pain free living again.

I have been taking 10 mg. 2 x day once a week for 9 weeks to help wean off prednisone but still have lots of pain and am reluctant to reduce from the 8 mg. of prednisone that I am on. The only side effect I have is being more tired. If I don't start to feel any better will question the effectiveness of the MXT.

I’m on both now for about 8 mths,I’m not finding any difference taking methotrexate,I’ve lowered my dosage down to 5 mg of prednisone and thinking of going back to 10,I can’t seem to get below 10 comfortably,I thought the methotrexate would pick up the slack but it hasn’t,

Hello @livingwithpmr, Tapering off of prednisone while managing the PMR symptoms can be difficult at times. You might find this discussion where others have shared helpful.
— PMR Dosages and Managing Symptoms: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-dosages/.

One thing that helped me was keeping a daily log of my prednisone dose and the level of pain/aches I had in the morning before taking the prednisone. My rheumatologist also gave me an Rx for 1 mg tablets along with the 5 and 2.5 mg tablets. Towards the end before my PMR went into remission I had to buy a pill splitter and would split the 1 mg tablets to go up or down a small amount when needed.

@livingwithpmr
I was typing a reply to you and lost it ??? Anyway, I was asking if you were in the States, and if not could you see a rheumatologist privately? It is just that I personally am a big believer in rheumys for autoimmune diseases since MDs misdiagnosed me for months. My best.💞

No, I’m in Canada,I’m seeing an internal medicine specialist right now who put me on methotrexate along with the prednisone,he doesn’t want me on prednisone because it pretty much melts your bones so the methotrexate is eventually going to be my only treatment,I’m not sold on the methotrexate yet as I lowered my prednisone the methotrexate didn’t pick up the slack,so I’m wondering why I’m even taking it,I don’t see him now till Oct so I’m considering stopping it on my own and just sticking with a prednisone dose which right now is 10 mg supplemented with Tylonol Arthritis

You are so right,logging helps and so does a slow taper