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Reject meds that are not specified for PMR.

Posted , 5 users are following.

paul45653
paul45653

In my recent post about fighting an arrogant Ruemy, I mentioned his putting me on Methotrexate 10mg/week. I took the first dose on the 17th of this month and had some blood tests done on the 19th that were pending from the Rheumy and other specialist. I just looked at the results this AM and found my blood glucose having shot up to 131 after being perfectly normal for a year (4 tests). I immediately started a new search for correlation and did find it as a side effect. What is just as interesting is the complete lack of PMR as an indication for the use of Methotrexate. To be sure I am not using the very harsh drug and will be dropping the Rheumy. My GP can do as well as he for certain.

2 likes, 22 replies

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  • kathy67492
    kathy67492 paul45653

    Posted

    Thank you for the valuable information. My rheumy wants me to start the Methotrexate next  mnth because I have been stick on 10 mg of PRED for 9 months. I am desperate not to start that medication because of all the side effects and toxicity.

    Starting on January 1st I will follow Eileen's advice and do the Bristol taper...try to get down to 9 mg a day. Any other tips to help with the tapering? Thank you. Kathy

    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall kathy67492

      Posted

      Kathy, you must explain to your rheumatologist that 9 months of 10 mgs is still within the 1 year as recommended by the PMR Bristol plan, infact 3 months still within it. I really am so annoyed to hear that if patients are not tapering within a rheumatologists set idea of an acceptable recovery rate, their answer is mtx. The inflammation will burn out as and when it's ready and no amount of fiddling with the medication is going to change that. As I have stated before I believe the problem lies in many of the papers written about PMR. They state that it will probably last for 2 years and some patients may experience flare ups. The information should read that most patients will suffer from this condition for many years and many will experience flare ups. I believe that while there is information out there that states the former, clinicians will try anything to fit their patients into this recovery timeline, when in fact we are all different and the inflamation may takemay attempts and years to get better. Having a flare up and exceeding the 2 year timeline is no excuse, in my opinion to fiddle with our medication. Tell your rheumatologist that and if you really do not want mtx, tell them that as well. Stick to your guns. Good luck, christina
    • EileenH
      EileenH kathy67492

      Posted

      Kathy - you are already at 10mg so it is less the Bristol taper you need now as my "dead slow and nearly stop" reduction plan which you will find in the 4th and 5th posts of the thread you get when you click on this link:

      https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pmr-gca-and-other-website-addresses-35316

      The difficulties are that even when the PMR can be managed with a lower dose, the body can't cope easily with the change in dose needed to get lower. This is a way of smoothing the drops and explains it all in simple language including the whys and wherefores.

      Doing this slowly means most of the other recommendations are less important - but one of the main things is to make sure you aren't reducing at the same time as you are under stress of any sort. Like over Christmas, when you are travelling and so on. My plan makes that less of a factor though.

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