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Effect of long-term use of prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil on immune system
Prednisone and mycophenolate have controlled my MG symptoms since 2018. However, I was recently treated for a squamous cell carcinoma, and new dental exams have indicated a loss of jawbone density and an occurrence of tooth disease.
It seems that the treatments may have weakened my immune system making it harder to fight off these diseases.
Are newer treatments, such as Ultomiris, less likely to weaken the immune system?
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4 Replies
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I’ve been on them 7 years. My doctor is switching me to Vyvgart infusions. The plan is to gradually reduce prednisone first and then the mycophenolate. May take a year or more. Vyvgart is a rifle approach that only lowers IgG levels. MG is caused by misguided IgG antibodies. The other drugs reduce IgG and all of our immune systems, a shotgun approach. After 3 months I’m significantly stronger. Will reduce from 10 mg to 7.5 mg of prednisone this week.
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Hi:
I wish you success on switching to Vyvgart. Please come back in a month or two and let me know how your treatment is working out. Thanks, Bob Z
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Prednisone damage my spine but I cought Covid with Vyvgart.
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I went on mycophenolate in 2017, using IVIG to allow the mycophenolate to take full effect without using prednisone. MG appears to have been stable since.
Tried the Vyvgart back in 2023 but got a UTI, tried it again and got another. Never had a UTI before, now I have had another without the Vyvgart precluding future use of the drug. It’s too bad because the Vyvgart completely erased the MG for the short period it was effective.
I just had COVID a couple of weeks ago (not up on my vaccines). With only treatment using mycophenolate and Paxlovid there was no noticeable effect on my MG.
From what I have heard prednisone is a nasty drug with considerable side effects. It may be the cause of some of your problems and if so replacing it should improve your situation. But prednisone is dirt cheap and everything else is expensive so hopefully your insurance covers it.
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