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PMR: Are there treatment alternatives to Prednisone?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Jan 11 7:08am | Replies (175)Comment receiving replies
That is a good outlook to have, I really hope prednisone is now in your past.
I have been completely off prednisone for the past 2 years. My very first dose of Actemra was January 1, 2019. My rheumatologist said Actemra was my best and perhaps only chance of ever getting off prednisone. I was on prednisone for chronic and refractory PMR for 13 years. Not only did I get off prednisone, I also was able to discontinue several other medications that were treating prednisone side effects.
My rheumatologist now says Kevzara might be another option for me if Actemra stops working.
My understanding is that PMR is only in remission while I'm still taking Actemra. My rheumatologist says PMR isn't ever going to "go away" completely but remission is the next best thing.
I'm not sure what remission is. However, my rheumatologist never thought I was in remission on prednisone because I was always symptomatic. Now I'm symptom free of PMR.
I will be going to an Actemra infusion every 5 weeks in 2024. It is the first steps taken to see if I can get off Actemra
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dadcue; I know that this is long term and at 82 the side effects long term use of prednisone probably will not matter. However, my brother,79, has been on prednisone for 20 years for RA and his kidneys are shutting down. My brother-in-law, also 79 and a former long haul truck driver has also been taking prednisone for RA for 20 years and his adrenals have shut down permanently. So you have my admiration for dealing with this for more than a decade. I feel really fortunate that Kevzara was approved for PMR within week of my diagnoses and that I was able to get on it within 9 months. Now we wait to see what happens.
Stay well; John