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How does Kevzara help with PMR symptoms and pain? I am being weaned
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jan 13 7:45am | Replies (54)Comment receiving replies
I am so grateful to find this meeting place. I don't know anyone with PMR and has never heard of it until I was diagnosed 7 months ago. I have been o Prednisone ever since and my rheumatologist is having me taper slowly (current dose is 7 mg). I recently had Covid and after that the second of two upper respiratory infections. I have the sense that I am depleted, that my Qi is being drained by the steroid, even as it helps the pain and I don't even know what to do about the fatigue. Just reading what others are going through and have found effective relieves my sense of anxiety and depression....as in.."will I ever get of Prednisone? Will I ever feel better again?" I am hoping the answer to those questions is YES and I also have gleaned that it's not going to be right away. Thank you all for your wisdom💗
Replies to "I am so grateful to find this meeting place. I don't know anyone with PMR and..."
Inflammatory disorders like PMR cause fatigue. When you have chronic pain, you are exhausted at the beginning of the day. Pain along with prednisone makes it hard to sleep and you wake up with more pain. Poor sleep causes an increase in inflammation which makes your pain worse and more fatigue follows. It leads to a downward spiral.
Prednisone should energize you when you first start taking it. Prednisone is a glucocorticoid that mimics the action of the body's natural hormone cortisol. Unfortunately, prednisone shuts off the cortisol that the adrenals should produce.
As you slowly decrease your prednisone dose below 7 mg you are gently trying to persuade your adrenals to start producing cortisol again. Sometimes the adrenals balk at resuming normal cortisol production. "Overwhelming fatigue" is a symptom of a low cortisol level.
Will you ever get off prednisone? Will you ever feel better again? The answer depends on how soon PMR goes into remission. After that, it depends on how quickly your adrenals are able to produce enough cortisol so that you can taper off prednisone. It is a two-stage process that can take a couple of years.
In my case, it took me many years. Yes, I do feel much better being off prednisone. I wasn't able to get off prednisone until a biologic was used instead of prednisone to control my symptoms.
Just keep telling yourself YES, things will get better again. Saying NO means you have lost hope and that doesn't do you any good at all.
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Welcome @lunamadre, I think we've all had those "will I ever get off of prednisone" moments. I think there are some things we can do to help with healthier eating and making sure we get some daily exercise in without over doing it. If you haven't already seen this, you might find it helpful:
--- Can Diet Affect Symptoms of Polymyalgia Rheumatica?: https://www.healthline.com/health/polymyalgia-rheumatica-diet.
There is also another discussion that might help you with the tapering:
--- PMR Dosages and Managing Symptoms: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-dosages/.
It sounds like you at doing great being at 7 mg prednisone after 7 months. What dosage of prednisone did your rheumatologist start you on when you were diagnosed?