I was never sold the idea that I would be "pain free." I was told the pain would be managed with prednisone and the pain would be more tolerable. Yes ... the pain was more tolerable when I took enough prednisone but never was I pain free during the more 12 years I took predisone.

I was able to taper off prednisone. My steroid withdrawal symptoms were rather painful. I had to keep reminding myself that PMR was in remission. After being off Prednisone for almost 3 years ... I still have some pain but the symptoms aren't anything like the onset of PMR.