I'm currently 70 years old. PMR was diagnosed when I was 52. I took Prednisone for PMR every day for 13 years until I was 65 years old. At 65, a biologic called Actemra was tried and I tapered off prednisone in a year. I have now been completely off prednisone for 3 years.

PMR was not my first autoimmune diagnoses. My first diagnosis happened at the ripe age of 32 years old. That was when I got my first taste of prednisone. I still remember the bitter taste it left in my mouth. For my first autoimmune disorders, 60-100 mg of prednisone followed by a fast taper was routine for me until PMR was diagnosed. After PMR was diagnosed, I was on moderately high doses of prednisone daily until I was switched to the biologic.