Atemra injections

[mpl615]

Hi, is anyone on the Actemra injection for PMR? I went from prednisone, to Embrel and now Atemra . I now can walk 2 to 3 miles with some pain and stiffness but have leg pain the next day. I do suffer at night with shoulder and arm pain. I never know how I will feel from one day to the next.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

There may be one or two in the USA on Actemra for "just" PMR - it isn't approved anywhere in the western world for PMR, only GCA. I believe there are health systems in the Far East who will use it - but PMR is pretty rare there anyway so maybe comes under "inflammatory arthritis" there. There have been a few pilot studies using IL-6 antagonists in PMR but no large scale clinical trial as yet. I think there are rheumies who use it off-label or through funding from Genentech.

If your diagnosis was PMR - I wonder why they used Enbrel? It is an anti-TNF drug and they are secifically warned against for GCA/PMR.

[mpl615 in reply to PMRpro]

I have been on Atemra injections for 2 1/2 years. Before Atemra I couldn't walk or dress myself.

When I was first diagnosed, I was on high doses of prednisone which was like a miracle drug! I didn't like the way I felt mentally. So off.