First I am in total awe that you can casually say you walked 2 miles. I have had a 1 mile goal for 3 years and am not giving up on the goal. I was diagnosed with PMR in early 2020 after being sick for one year without a diagnosis. Right now I am about at 0.2 miles, so in that way you are ahead of me literally by miles!

As for your effort to get off your PMR steroids. I would suggest you talk to your Rheumy but I would also suggest that you do not have to agree to drop to where you are having pain and then staying at that painful level. You are entitled to go back up to a pain free level then try again in 2-4 weeks to drop a little to see if you can now tolerate a lower dose. Everyone is different.

Long term steroids has multiple side effects that are real and if you have not already I would encourage you to talk with your PCP and your Rheumy to be tested for things like bone density issues, eye exam, blood sugar/blood pressure problems and possibly a few other known side effects. Among the side effects can be adrenal insufficiency, which you could easily be having based on your problems with dropping below 10mg of steroids. Four years is definitely long-term use of steroids and it may take patience for your body to embrace what you and your doctor have both intellectually embraced. Your mind may be willing, but your body is in charge!

As for how long it will take to feel normal again is a matter of what you are willing to accept as normal. If you have a long-term goal of getting off steroids and being pain free then stick with it. It may take a year, but progressed needs to be measured in 90 to 180 day intervals and not always 30 days. I see your progress as going from 20mg to 8mg and going off Hydroxychloroquine completely. Both of those are wins. Track your progress as well as your pain.

One other item, I went after many of my pains individually and discovered problems like osteo arthritis in my knees that have no relationship to PMR. Steroids would hide this problem. As I came off my steroids several problems showed up that needed to be addressed as unrelated to PMR yet masked by steroid treatments.