I didn’t use any painkillers except maybe once or twice Panadol. It was a slow recovery post prednisone - about 9 months. Legs were first to be clear of any pain. Not bad pain but stiffness and fatigue. Then arms and shoulders. Just tried to keep going, moving, eating well and being patient. Prednisone impacts us all differently but the common factor is our bodies not only have to get over PMR but also the different ways prednisone affects us. I would never take prednisone as a painkiller if my inflammation markers were normal. Don’t care if they can be normal and some people think they still have PMR. The risk is being on this drug forever.