"Actemra is helping me to taper off of prednisone at a faster rate. I started Actemra when I was taking 50 mg per day of prednisone, and I'll be going to 10 mg / day in just a few days."

This is a good sign. I hope you can continue to taper off faster. I started out at approximately 50 mg of prednisone and coundn't get anywhere near 10 mg for the next 10 years. After 12 years, I barely managed to stay on 10 mg which was when my rheumatologist wanted to give Actemra a try. Actemra allowed me to quickly taper to 3 mg but I needed to stay on 3 mg for more than 6 months. I didn't have a flare but my cortisol level was too low for me to taper any lower. Fortunately, my cortisol level improved and I was able to go to zero in just a few days.

An endocrinologist said that 3 mg was such a low prednisone dose that there was no need to taper "as long as my cortisol level was adequate." I could just stop taking prednisone if I wanted to but if I "felt the need" I should restart Prednisone again.

I was afraid to simply stop taking prednisone because I took it daily for the better part of 13 years. I did a fast taper from 3 mg to zero in just a few days.

Depending on how long you have taken prednisone, be aware of symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. I persevered when the PMRGCAuk support group experts were saying prednisone at 5 mg or less was safe to take for the rest of my life. My rhematologist said 3 mg or less might be okay but my endocrinologist said I should try to get off prednisone if I could.

I hope Actemra continues to work for you. My rheumatologist now thinks I'm much better being off prednisone than I ever was when I took prednisone. Apparently, my IL-6 level was my only problem. In any case, I have now been off prednisone for 3 years as long as I stay on Actemra. My rheumatolgist doesn't have any plan to stop Actemra anytime soon.