Diagnosed with PMR in 2011. Many flares. Started KEVZARA in December. With prednisone at 10mg/day. I’ve reduced to 0/day now. Twice my wbc has been low. Last few months more infections. Ear/sinus/ cold sores. Will test my wbc again in a couple weeks and see what my rheumatologist says.
Congratulations for tapering off Prednisone. I hope you can stay off Prednisone.
I was on Prednisone for 12 years to treat PMR until I was able to taper off with help from Actemra. It was a bumpy road for me too including low neutrophil counts. My counts were low but my absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was the more critical value for fighting infections. When my ANC was somewhat low ... the recommendation is to skip one injection rather than discontinue treatment permanently.
My difficulties mostly happened when I was still on Prednisone along with Actemra. When I finally got off Prednisone my labs normalized and I haven't had many problems since then. I think it was "too much immunosuppression" when I still needed some Prednisone before I was able to taper off. I'm on Actemra without Prednisone now and I don't seem to have any problems with any of my lab values that are being monitored.
Congratulations for tapering off Prednisone. I hope you can stay off Prednisone.
I was on Prednisone for 12 years to treat PMR until I was able to taper off with help from Actemra. It was a bumpy road for me too including low neutrophil counts. My counts were low but my absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was the more critical value for fighting infections. When my ANC was somewhat low ... the recommendation is to skip one injection rather than discontinue treatment permanently.
My difficulties mostly happened when I was still on Prednisone along with Actemra. When I finally got off Prednisone my labs normalized and I haven't had many problems since then. I think it was "too much immunosuppression" when I still needed some Prednisone before I was able to taper off. I'm on Actemra without Prednisone now and I don't seem to have any problems with any of my lab values that are being monitored.
I am lucky that I have two completely separate and independent health insurances: BCBS PPO and TriCare4Life. So what one insurance doesn't pay the other will. BSBS PPO pays all but $75 and TriCare pays the rest.
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Congratulations for tapering off Prednisone. I hope you can stay off Prednisone.
I was on Prednisone for 12 years to treat PMR until I was able to taper off with help from Actemra. It was a bumpy road for me too including low neutrophil counts. My counts were low but my absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was the more critical value for fighting infections. When my ANC was somewhat low ... the recommendation is to skip one injection rather than discontinue treatment permanently.
My difficulties mostly happened when I was still on Prednisone along with Actemra. When I finally got off Prednisone my labs normalized and I haven't had many problems since then. I think it was "too much immunosuppression" when I still needed some Prednisone before I was able to taper off. I'm on Actemra without Prednisone now and I don't seem to have any problems with any of my lab values that are being monitored.
Thank you.
I am lucky that I have two completely separate and independent health insurances: BCBS PPO and TriCare4Life. So what one insurance doesn't pay the other will. BSBS PPO pays all but $75 and TriCare pays the rest.