I didn't have pain and stiffness for another autoimmune condition which had symptoms similar to PMR. I took Prednisone intermittently for this other autoimmune condition for many years before PMR was diagnosed. I didn't have problems tapering off Prednisone. We are talking 60 to 100 mg of Prednisone and tapering off usually in a month. No problems whatsoever.

PMR was different after it was diagnosed. I don't know if PMR was inherently different but I wasn't able to taper off Prednisone again for 12 years. The thing that was different was that I was told I would need to take Prednisone for at least a year (long term) after PMR was diagnosed.