@laura1970

After a long time on Prednisone it was difficult for me to know if I still needed prednisone for PMR or because I had adrenal insufficiency since both conditions cause muscle and joint pain. Corticosteroids are the treatment for both conditions.

To a certain extent, after prednisone suppressed my adrenal function, it caused me to be "dependent" on prednisone to regulate my inflammation levels. My adrenals weren't producing enough cortisol to regulate inflammation for me.

According to my rheumatologist, both PMR and adrenal insufficiency have similar symptoms like muscle pain and fatigue making a precise diagnosis challenging after prolonged prednisone use. It was easier to differentiate my symptoms when Actemra controlled PMR without suppressing my adrenal function. After my adrenals recovered it was much easier to taper off Prednisone. It was still a slow taper but not for years.