@raven1955
I was on Prednisone for more than 12 years until I finally tapered off in a year after Actemra (tocilizumab) was tried. Before I tapered off prednisone I had a reckoning of sorts when I read my extensive list of medical problems that I had acquired during the period of time I took Prednisone on a daily basis. I told someone that I felt more normal when I took Prednisone. The person reminded me that normal people don't need to take Prednisone every day.

It wasn't until I tapered off Prednisone when I realized that I truly was walking on a tightrope. I would fall off and have a flare which turned out to be symptoms that were consistent with prednisone withdrawal and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency.

It is incredible how many medical problems have dramatically improved since I tapered off Prednisone. It took a few years to partially recover from long term Prednisone use. My doctors say that I'm still a "work in progress" five years after my last dose of Prednisone. I remember being told my side effects would go away when Prednisone was stopped. My strength and stamina took time to recover.

I'm still being seen by an endocrinolgist for metabolic side effects and hormone imbalances. I thought the symptoms of those medical problems were my new normal except for being told that they aren't normal.