Hi Amberhere, Excellent question and one we all consider. In my opinion, I think the doctor prescribes the DMARDs based on the needs of your disease activity. It is totally probable to drop one of the DMARDs over time. Liver and kidney function must be watched carefully in blood work, and considered with the dosages too.

It is very common with DM/PM to change DMARDs over time too. I started on MTX. I did well for three years on MTX. At the beginning of this year, I had a bad reaction to MTX with the new development of my liver & kidney diseases. I now take Cellcept which is working well.

Some people are able to get off of Prednisone completely. Other people like myself have active DM and can not totally get off the steroid. There are also many people (under age 45 usually) that go into total remission and stop all meds for several years too.

Here is good news - I have DM with fatty liver, kidney disease and pulmonary hypertension. My enlarged right side of the heart is back to normal size. My liver scores are normal at this time not elevated. My kidneys are in a normal range at this point too. I have seen my scores go way up and then come back down. My secret....The Lord! I totally think bible study and prayer help. I also have an excellent diet too. Look to all the resources you can that will help.

I hope this helps.

I took Prednisone for almost 5 years and was able to get off it by taking weekly injections of MTX. My numbers are stable but I am still impacted by Myositis. I tried to taper my MTX to a lower dose about a year ago and I felt terrible so I went back up. I do NOT ever want to have to take Prednisone again. I plan to stay on MTX forever....unfortunately.

Hi amber. We are all different as the scientists are beginning to discover with more and more being learned about our auto antibodies. There is no doubt that these direct our disease pathway and are enabling our doctors to manage the disease more successfully. I tapered the prednisone last December but remain on the Azathioprine. I have Anti JO-1 and the lung specialist says the Azathioprine is 'key' to the suppression of this antibody so I remain on it for now. No one treatment fits us all so its very different to answer your question. For now, I am well and stable, getting on with my life, grateful the Meds are working two years from diagnosis and wish the same fir you. Having said all that I read many stories on these forums of people in complete remission, most get well, leave the forum and are never heard from again. We may all be these people one day very soon too. Autumm

Hi trpt1, lexisgirl and autumn - thanks for your replies, it certainly is food for thought - it would be wonderful to go into remission and never have to deal with this awful DM/PM anymore. It would be really good if this forum never existed in a year's time as non-one has any problems! Everyone here is so supportive and and it would be lovely if all the genuine ones could meet up I don't suppose it would ever happen but it would be good to put a face to the "names". Take care everyone.