bugfen--Like you I am new to PMR. Last Nov. or Dec. I started having pain in my back. Following a visit to my primary care doctor I went to physical therapy and she detected a pinched nerve. I was relieved after 3 sessions but then I started getting pain in my shoulders during the night. It got worse and worse and no pain relievers helped. My primary care doctors ordered tests but nothing showed up. The pain was sort of alarming because I couldn't get relief. If I stayed flat in bed and didn't move I could sleep but if I rolled over the pain brought tears to my eyes. It started lingering longer in the morning and was so bad I couldn't lift a cup of coffee. I am 77 and fairly active. I swim and do weight machines--neither really intense but I was doing them. I stopped the weight machines but continued water exercises several times a week --but not using my shoulders. When diagnosed I was put on prednisone and had immediate relief. That was in Feb. After 1 round that was just a week the pain returned and I was put on 30mg. I have now reduced to 5mg and I see my rheumatologist next month. I am back to being active and feel fine. My side effects have been slight elevation in blood pressure but not too bad, easily bleed under skin on arms, sleep difficulties, moon face, and weight gain that bothers me a lot. I was also diagnosed with a rather rare slow progressing type of leukemia associated with rheumatic arthritis. I will be interested to see what my rheumatologist has to say on the next visit. I would like to get off prednisone --I have been on for 6 months---but when I read other people's stories on this forum,, I realize I could be on it for longer.