Connect
Other treatment for PMR
I have had PMR for 2 years. I refused treatment for a year trying everything natural I could find for the inflammation pain. Nothing worked and it got worse. So in early December 2025, I reluctantly started prednisone 20mg. It got better for 17 days, then it got much worse, the pain was atrocious in my hips. I finally saw a rheumatologist in February who had me up the dose for a week and it got better. I reduced it after that and went down quickly. He also put me on Apo Risedronate once a week for bone protection. I have been decreasing the pred. and am now at 6mg with pain in my thoracic area but it is manageable. It usually goes away during the day. I am under a huge amount of stress too dealing with an aging father plus other issues. In the meantime however, I broke my hip in April (a 130lbs dog knocked me over -he just loves me!) and I broke my hip. I had had no pain until I broke my hip since late March and it flared so I had to up the dose back up to 10 mgs. So osteoporosis with PMR. I healed well with 3 pins in my hip. I can walk fine -not 10kms like before but 3 or 4 at most, I garden, I go to bone building exercise classes but the rheumatologist wants me on methrotraxate and Evenity. I plan on refusing Evenity because of the side effects but has anyone been on Prednisone and methrotraxate at the same time and how did that go? Have you heard of any other treatment? He told me about Kevzara but I live in Canada and you have to follow a protocol before you can access some of the newer stuff and I really don't feel like feeling worse so I can perhaps eventually feel better. My trust in the medical profession is pretty much nonexistant but it is all we have. I also don't want to break another bone.
If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. Thank you.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.
Connect
Hello @chris67, Welcome to Connect. Prednisone was my go to for my two occurrences of PMR but there are quite a few members with experience with other treatments. While you wait for other members to respond, here are just a few of the Methotrexate discussions in the PMR support group that might be helpful to learn what others have shared.
-- Using methotrexate with PMR: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/using-methotrexate-with-pmr/
-- New Methotrexate Study in PMR: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/new-methotrexate-study-in-pmr/
-- PMR and Methotrexate: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-and-methotrexate/
A daily journal of my pain when I got up in the morning along with my prednisone dosage for the day helped me when I was tapering off of prednisone. Do you keep a daily journal with your pain level and prednisone dosage?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
6 ReactionsI haven't journaled about the pain levels since I've been on prednisone but did while I was trying the natural approaches. I still take natural remedies and vitamins, still looking for some kind of miracle anti inflammation pain supplement which won't require these nastier drugs. I would like to try naltrexone but this rheumatologist doesn't seem open to much.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsI’ve had PMR for over 10 years, it’s been a medical journey, for sure. I started with Actemra after a slow tapering from Prednisone. It worked for 8 years until it lowered my white blood cell count to a dangerously low number. It’s been a series of medications since then including Rinvoq and Kevzara.
Changing to Kevzara almost cost me my life. I developed a side effect of an upper respiratory infection that evolved into pneumonia with blood sats in the high 80’s and a five day stay in the hospital and two UTI’s after leaving the hospital. All of which were listed as possible side effects, that I didn’t think they would ever happen to me. It is also a painful drug to administer. Now my rheumatoid arthritis pain has flared to the point of causing dark thoughts about not being able to live a normal life so why bother. My rheumatologist has started me on Humira which took several weeks before effective pain relief. I’ve improved dramatically, but Humira does not prevent a PMR relapse, which will require Prednisone for recovery once again. I’m 77 and live in Washington during the summer and Phoenix during the winter. Lots of outdoor activities, healthy eating and sleeping are easily accomplished, but I still drink 2 glasses of wine nightly with my husband, who is a sommelier. My body might be better without the wine, but that’s an indulgence that makes life worth living.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsPMR sucks! Ive had it since last January. The prednisone helped for quite a few months then Platowed and it came back like it just happened. Very frustrating. Rheumatologist wants me to do Kevzara but I'm reluctant.
My brother sent me an article from Time magazine about researches who feel they found the root of the problem with PMR. They said it's not in the Muscles. It's the area between our Fascia & Tissues that is getting dehydrated.
They made a supplement called "Facial". You take 2 pils a day alongside prednisone and it's suppose to get better. I'm gonna give that a try first. Greg in The bay area
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsIs this a medication that is available in the US? If so, is it FDA approved? Are there any peer reviewed studies on it?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@geese1 let us know how it works. I have seen advertisements for this on the internet. Always hesitant to use internet advice from someone who is trying to sell a product other than disclosing data based research.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@lagpmr2024 Kevzara is approved…in 2023 for PMR.
Successful for me
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@geese1
I can't find it online. Is there another name for it? I put in supplemt called "Facial" and it is slin stuff that comes up.
@geese1
I can't find anything about it online and AI says that there's no such article. If you could post a link to the article, we could look into it.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@cj762 yes my doctor feels the same way. not enough evidence that the supplement works.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction