I was on predisone first for swelling in hands and joints. It worked great but my doc gradually took me off it. He put me on methetrxate and plaquenil and folic acid. I have blood test every ⁵ weeks to make sure my kidneys and liver are good. They are and swelling gone. I hate taking pills too but I have to take methetrxate for the swelling and plaquenil with it. No prednisone anymore. I will have to go on a biologic if methetrixate and plaquinel stop working.