Lefluminide dose

[Howard523]

Hi,

I am currently on 3 mg of pred and am also on lefluminide/omprazole, as I am on a fairly low dose of pred do I have to keep taking the other drugs, any advice would be appreciated.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Just had this discussion with GP re Omeprazole. He wanted me to stay on PPI although now finished Pred, I am also on small dose of aspirin (originally for high blood pressure way before GCA).

After a bit of thinking he decided to decrease dose by half, and we will review in 3 month's time. I guess yours will suggest you stay on it, although there are lots on this forum who don't take it anyway.

[Howard523 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks for that

[PMRpro Ambassador]

As far as the leflunomide is concerned you need to discuss that with your rheumatologist. I assume it has been given you as a steroid-sparer to get your pred dose down so it is possible you will be able to taper off that as well if you manage to get to zero pred. I'm not sure I would stop it before stopping the pred though - it isn't thought to work on its own in PMR.

There was a pilot study with leflunomide alongside pred where 22 out of 23 patients with PMR went into remission but I don't know how long they were followed up or whether they remained on it longer term. It hasn't been used much by patients on the forums that I know of so there isn't a lot of experience with how it is used.

[Howard523 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for that will have to make app to see rheumi