1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Anyone having luck while taking methotrexate?

Posted by lindaadele @lindaadele, Mar 23 4:57pm

I have been on my third week of methotrexate tablets. I take 5 mg each week. So far every medicationI have been taking for my PMR are not working very well for me they work until they don’t work!!! Right now I feel worse taking this medication then I did before I took the medication !! Any information that you can give me would be very much appreciated as I am really getting pretty frustrated with this whole PMR thing which I have had since April 2023. Thank you very much for any help that you can give me at all!!!

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juliemcgee62 | @juliemcgee62 | 5 days ago
In reply to @dengland "I am currently taking 15 mg MT once per week starting 4/1/25 with folate once per..." + (show)
@dengland

I am currently taking 15 mg MT once per week starting 4/1/25 with folate once per week as well. I was on 3-4 mg prednisone that I had tapered down from 20mg in July 2022 when I was first diagnosed. I am starting to see results with less shoulder and hip pain! I am tapering to 2 mg of prednisone now and doing well. I will say the brain fog has been difficult and scary but I have been powering through and it seems to be dissipating. I am very hopeful I may actually get off prednisone, finally. It has been a long journey with many twists and turns. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to not wake up in horrible pain. I was resistant to taking this medication as I am a wine drinker and I feared the worst for my liver. I had my first blood panel at the 7 week mark and it was the best it had been since being diagnosed with PMR. Fingers crossed this continues and improves. I wish all here the best, peace and grace walking through this disease. I hope we all find remission and a pain free tomorrow.

Jump to this post

Im taking Methotrexate and it works..just takes time.

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1 reply
pdxmac | @pdxmac | 5 days ago
In reply to @jsteck "I have been to several doctors over the past three months. Finally, today, the rheumatologist diagnosed..." + (show)
@jsteck

I have been to several doctors over the past three months. Finally, today, the rheumatologist diagnosed me with PMR. I have been on 10mg of prednisone for three months now. I have decent days and, like today, bad days. My rheumatologist has prescribed MTX which I start this Friday night and Saturday morning, every week from here on out. Seems odd. He said since the 10 mg of prednisone wasn’t working that this would help get me off of it. Anyone have anything similar that worked?

Jump to this post

I have been on it since early Feb and have had only one issue - I had to give up all alcohol due to acid reflux. Don't love that part but it's only until I kick this PMR completely. And in the meantime I have no pain just occasional stiffness. I have been able to titrate down from 20 to 10 mg over the course of 5 months.

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1 reply
farnhamlaf1 | @farnhamlaf1 | 5 days ago

This is my 3rd week on MTX. Haven’t had any reaction to it. I’m still on prednisone. I’ve gone down to 7.5. I have a little bit of stiffness in my neck. I have noticed that my rib cage is very tender and I accidentally ran into something the other day and boy it is not recovering. It’s really sore. Is that from the prednisone making the bones weak

REPLY
farnhamlaf1 | @farnhamlaf1 | 5 days ago
In reply to @dengland "I am currently taking 15 mg MT once per week starting 4/1/25 with folate once per..." + (show)
@dengland

I am currently taking 15 mg MT once per week starting 4/1/25 with folate once per week as well. I was on 3-4 mg prednisone that I had tapered down from 20mg in July 2022 when I was first diagnosed. I am starting to see results with less shoulder and hip pain! I am tapering to 2 mg of prednisone now and doing well. I will say the brain fog has been difficult and scary but I have been powering through and it seems to be dissipating. I am very hopeful I may actually get off prednisone, finally. It has been a long journey with many twists and turns. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to not wake up in horrible pain. I was resistant to taking this medication as I am a wine drinker and I feared the worst for my liver. I had my first blood panel at the 7 week mark and it was the best it had been since being diagnosed with PMR. Fingers crossed this continues and improves. I wish all here the best, peace and grace walking through this disease. I hope we all find remission and a pain free tomorrow.

Jump to this post

I too am on 15 mg of MTX and have dropped down to 7.5 prednisone little bit of stiff neck, but I have noticed my rib cage being really sore and tender. I’m also a wine drinker and worry about the liver but so far so good. it’s a tough thing to give up when you enjoy it so much

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jsteck | @jsteck | 5 days ago

My doctor has me starting with 10mg Friday evening followed by 10 mg Saturday morning. I am currently taking 10mg of prednisone daily. How long did it take (any of you) for the MTX to start working and how did that effect tapering off from the prednisone?

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naveiraps | @naveiraps | 4 days ago
In reply to @jsteck "I have been to several doctors over the past three months. Finally, today, the rheumatologist diagnosed..." + (show)
@jsteck

I have been to several doctors over the past three months. Finally, today, the rheumatologist diagnosed me with PMR. I have been on 10mg of prednisone for three months now. I have decent days and, like today, bad days. My rheumatologist has prescribed MTX which I start this Friday night and Saturday morning, every week from here on out. Seems odd. He said since the 10 mg of prednisone wasn’t working that this would help get me off of it. Anyone have anything similar that worked?

Jump to this post

I have good days and bad days I wish I knew why

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2 replies
jsteck | @jsteck | 4 days ago
In reply to @naveiraps "I have good days and bad days I wish I knew why" + (show)
@naveiraps

I have good days and bad days I wish I knew why

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Me too. Two days ago I could hardly get out of bed and I hurt all day. Today, not so bad

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naveiraps | @naveiraps | 4 days ago

I know I thought it was due to weather but it’s not

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bamiller57 | @bamiller57 | 3 days ago

Methotrexate (oral) did nothing but make me feel like total crap. Went back to Prednisone and started Kevzara about 3 weeks ago. So far so good.

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farnhamlaf1 | @farnhamlaf1 | 3 days ago
In reply to @naveiraps "I have good days and bad days I wish I knew why" + (show)
@naveiraps

I have good days and bad days I wish I knew why

Jump to this post

I’m on my 3rd week of MTX and 7.5 prednisone. Pretty good days an then a stiff neck shoulder day. Nothing like before though 😊

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