1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
Profile picture for catherine71655

Any experiences with Kevzara (sarilumab)?

Posted by catherine71655 @catherine71655, Jun 18, 2025

My doc wants me to start Kevzara. What should I expect? What have you experienced?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

Profile picture for caroljeand
caroljeand | @caroljeand | Apr 26 9:39am
In reply to @jabrown0407 "@tweetypie13 Kevzara has a half life of 10-14 days. That means that only half of a..." + (show)
Profile picture for jabrown0407 @jabrown0407

@tweetypie13 Kevzara has a half life of 10-14 days. That means that only half of a drug is in your system at the end of every half life. Doctors consider 5 half lives to be "completely out of your system" mark. Meaning 50-70 days for Kevzara. You are in this window.
Your CRP being up can be expected to continue going up without drug therapy intervention. I suspect this is why your doctor wants to start you back on Kevzara now and not later.
Ask your doctor about taking injection every 2 or 3 weeks rather than every week and getting 150mg rather than 200mg dose injectable.
Take care and know your doctor is there to keep you out of the ditch and not just help you get out of the ditch.

Jump to this post

@jabrown0407
I’m going to be in the same position in this next year.
Since there isn’t much track record on this drug no one really knows if we can be drug-free at some point. That is the goal for all of us but we are in limbo with no real life long term experience of drug effectiveness. We are the guinea pigs or canary in the mine.
At least we can be hopeful for a better future than our ancestors.

REPLY
Profile picture for mikeydee
mikeydee | @mikeydee | Apr 26 10:53am

I think the kevzara half life and amount remianing in the blood looks like this...
Calculation of Kevzara amount in blood and steady state concentration
oops... could not add excel sheet..

REPLY
Profile picture for stonewheel
stonewheel | @stonewheel | Apr 26 3:39pm
In reply to @tweetypie13 "@stonewheel Started Kevzara March 2025 @ abt 8 mg prednisone. Off all prednisone by 7/15/2025 11/5/2025..." + (show)
Profile picture for tweetypie13 @tweetypie13

@stonewheel
Started Kevzara March 2025 @ abt 8 mg prednisone.
Off all prednisone by 7/15/2025
11/5/2025 chged Kevzara to every 3 weeks because of low WBC.
Jan 2026, blood work normal, stayed at Kevzara 3 week intervals.
Last Kevzara shot 2/22/2026…….stopped cold and no side effects.
Note: I was not, and am not, on any other medications for any other conditions .

I am now 2 months since last shot, blood work shows elevated CRP (10.8). I am not feeling it, 🤞, Dr wants me to restart Kevzara, I’m asking to retest in another 2 months. Wait and see, if a problem reach out to him. Note, I have not heard back yet. 🤞

Jump to this post

@tweetypie13
Thank you for your response. If you haven’t had Kevzara in 2 months 8 weeks) then 6 weeks ago you started your Kevzara taper. If that sounds tight, then it shiukd be out of your system about now (see Mike’s link) at 28-43 days.
I pray your CRP is beginning to go back down. It makes me wonder if adrenal function is messing with your CRP numbers since you are not feeling higher CRP effects. I don’t know.

I am going to continue to follow your progress, as you have been such an inspiration for me.

Keep feeling good girl!

REPLY
Profile picture for stonewheel
stonewheel | @stonewheel | Apr 26 3:56pm
In reply to @tweetypie13 "@jabrown0407 Ok, so let me seee….. 8 wks past last injection of 200mg at a 3..." + (show)
Profile picture for tweetypie13 @tweetypie13

@jabrown0407
Ok, so let me seee…..
8 wks past last injection of 200mg at a 3 week interval……means I have nothing in my system?
Are we suggesting that because my CRP is elevated, and no Kevzara in my system…I need to restart as a precaution?
Restart at 3 wk intervals which I was in for 4 months before stopping?

Reminder, fully active at 80 yo, and no inflammation symptoms except a chronic knee. Still hike, bike, walk when I golf, comfortably handle a 4.5 mile walk at 19 min mile with elevation chg.
Thxxxxx everyone

Jump to this post

@tweetypie13
Love the attitude!
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Like you, I’d ride it out.
Speaking for myself, if I got/get that far then I’ll take nothing and see how it goes. Maybe a Tylenol, haha and go from there.

I appreciate and am grateful for all of the knowledge shared thus far. I’m hoping more people will add their experience with terminating Kevzara. So many of us are looking for answers to guide us through.

Like I said, you are an inspiration for me and I want your experience to be successful and forever!!!

REPLY
Profile picture for stonewheel
stonewheel | @stonewheel | Apr 26 3:59pm
In reply to @dadcue "@jabrown0407 I don't have any allergies ... thank God for that because I have more than..." + (show)
Profile picture for Mike @dadcue

@jabrown0407

I don't have any allergies ... thank God for that because I have more than enough to worry about. I'm also glad I no longer have to decide how much Prednisone to take every day.

My rheumatologist decides my Actemra dose and the infusion center gives me a choice within a week or two either way for when I take it. I have done 3 weeks between infusions but not more than 7 weeks but usually every 4 weeks.

The infusion center nurse says my rheumatologist wants me to have 50 mg of Benadryl and 650 mg of Tylenol a half hour before every infusion to decrease the chance for a reaction so I take that too. 👍

Jump to this post

@dadcue
Good to know. I’m glad you shared that.

REPLY
Profile picture for mikeydee
mikeydee | @mikeydee | Apr 26 4:30pm

I think the kevzara amount remaining in the blood along with steady state amount for 14, 18, 20 and 30 days cycles looks like this...
REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for stonewheel
stonewheel | @stonewheel | Apr 26 6:17pm
In reply to @mikeydee "I think the kevzara amount remaining in the blood along with steady state amount for 14,..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikeydee @mikeydee

I think the kevzara amount remaining in the blood along with steady state amount for 14, 18, 20 and 30 days cycles looks like this...

Jump to this post

@mikeydee
Under 56
Should it be 4,85
not 48.5?
typo?

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for prettypatti76
prettypatti76 | @prettypatti76 | Apr 26 11:36pm
In reply to @jabrown0407 "@tweetypie13 Kevzara has a half life of 10-14 days. That means that only half of a..." + (show)
Profile picture for jabrown0407 @jabrown0407

@tweetypie13 Kevzara has a half life of 10-14 days. That means that only half of a drug is in your system at the end of every half life. Doctors consider 5 half lives to be "completely out of your system" mark. Meaning 50-70 days for Kevzara. You are in this window.
Your CRP being up can be expected to continue going up without drug therapy intervention. I suspect this is why your doctor wants to start you back on Kevzara now and not later.
Ask your doctor about taking injection every 2 or 3 weeks rather than every week and getting 150mg rather than 200mg dose injectable.
Take care and know your doctor is there to keep you out of the ditch and not just help you get out of the ditch.

Jump to this post

@jabrown0407 Very helpful! Thank you!!

REPLY
Profile picture for mikeydee
mikeydee | @mikeydee | Apr 27 12:33am
In reply to @stonewheel "@mikeydee Under 56 Should it be 4,85 not 48.5? typo?" + (show)
Profile picture for stonewheel @stonewheel

@mikeydee
Under 56
Should it be 4,85
not 48.5?
typo?

Jump to this post

@stonewheel You are correct. My error. I will post the revised sheet tomorrow. It should be 4.12
Thanks for pointing that out to me.
I appreciate it!!!
mikeydee

REPLY
Profile picture for mikeydee
mikeydee | @mikeydee | Apr 27 1:16pm

I have redone the spreadsheet on estimated amount and steady state of Kevzara in one's body during the first 5 shots based on Kevzara having a 10 day half life.
I hope this will serve as an example of the amount of Kevzara that remains in one's body over time.
REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.