@abbeyc

Wow ... I need to think about that because I took Prednisone for 12 years and now I have been off Prednisone for 5 years. I consider it a miracle that I got off Prednisone!

Some of the interventions started before I tapered off Prednisone. I had knee replacement surgery on both knees first. I give my knee replacements credit for a 10 mg reduction in my Prednisone dose.

For nerve pain ... I had another surgery. The surgery I had for trigeminal neuralgia resulted in another 10 mg reduction in my Prednisone dose.

Right after surgery for trigeminal neuralgia, I had a "flare of sciatica." People on the internet were saying my symptoms were "piriformis syndrome" which was common with PMR. My sciatica was caused by severe spinal stenosis and an urgent lumbar fusion surgery was recommended. That was a huge setback because I wound up taking 60 mg of Prednisone to relieve the sciatica. I still haven't had the lumbar fusion but I have done conservative interventions like physical therapy.

Actemra (tocilizumab) eventual controlled PMR and I was able to taper my prednisone dose down to 3 mg. I received some interventions and guidance from an endocrinologist to help me overcome adrenal insufficiency that was the result of long term Prednisone use.

After I got off Prednisone, I enrolled in a diet and exercise program. I also tried Tai Chi and acupuncture. I continued with physical therapy and deep tissue massage relieved a lot of post PMR pain.

My rheumatologist belatedly diagnosed gout because my uric acid level was high. Gout flares are sometimes treated with Prednisone but I don't think I have ever had a flare of gout. Now I receive allopurinol for gout and my uric acid level is normal again.

At one stage, atorvastatin was stopped after I got off Prednisone. My cholesterol level was high when I took Prednisone. After I tapered off Prednisone my cholesterol level was too low and my CK level was high. My rheumatologist said I had statin induced myopathy which involves muscle pain/weakness. It wasn't clear exactly what was causing the myopathy but metabolic abnormalities were diagnosed. I was already seeing an endocrinologist for adrenal insufficiency and they are still treating the metabolic problems that Prednisone caused. I have lost a significant amount of weight with help from the endocrinologist.

I can go on and on about various interventions that helped me to get off Prednisone and have allowed me to stay off prednisone. I still have pain but the pain is being addressed without Prednisone. I never want to take Prednisone again.

If I could identify one thing that I did without medical interventions it would be my aquacise classes. I do aquacise regularly now and I was elated when I discovered that I could still swim.

Medically ... I give Actemra most of the credit. It seems to keep all of my systemic inflammation at normal levels without the need for Prednisone. I don't seem to have flares of anything anymore.