The longer you stay on prednisone, the longer it takes to get off. It mostly depends on how quickly the adrenals recover.

I never got past the 7 mg barrier without the biologic I presently take. The biologic controlled my PMR inflammation without suppressing my adrenal function. After the biologic was started, I blew right past the 7 mg barrier down to 3 mg.

My endocrinologist said I needed to be on 3 mg of an "extended period of time" and hope my adrenals would start to produce some cortisol. I had withdrawal symptoms but they weren't as bad as my PMR symptoms were originally. I kept telling myself I wouldn't have a PMR flare because the biologic had that part under control.

My endocrinologist wasn't too optimistic about the chances that my adrenals would recover since I was on Prednisone for 12 years. She said the adrenals usually recover but 12 years was a very long time to be on Prednisone. It took about a year for me to have an "adequate" cortisol level. When I had an adequate cortisol level, my endocrinologist said from 3 mg to zero no tapering was needed. I did a 3 mg - 2 mg - 1 mg -zero countdown taper in a week and I was suddenly off Prednisone.

I had to stay on 3 mg for a year! That would have been impossible for me to do without the biologic. I have now been off prednisone for more than 3 years but I still do a monthly infusion of the biologic. My side effects from the biologic are minimal if any. I had terrible side effects from Prednisone. I would rather not need the biologic but it works better than Prednisone for me without all the Prednisone side effects.

I sometimes feel like I cheated with taking a biologic. I was prepared to take Prednisone for the rest of my life except my rheumatologist didn't like that idea.