Update: After 3 wks at 12.5 mg (following initial 6 wks at 15), I dropped to 11.25 today. My thoughts, about these 3 wks in order of relevance. I hope people will jump in where I have asked questions.

1. Physical exertion significantly above my daily norm (which is low) results in almost immediate head-to-toe pain--what I used to call "being on fire." This has happened twice in the past 3 weeks. The first time it laid me low, and although it was gone the next day, the effects lingers for another two days. The second time, I lay down, took a couple of Ibuprofens, did my gentle PT, and was okay again in a couple of hours. What is this?

2. I had a couple of low-energy days, where the nice prednisone drive seemed gone, but the rest of the time, no matter how I rated my pain levels, the fatigue and lack of drive that have plagued me previously remain an unhappy memory.

3. A couple of physical issues that I do not identify with the PMR were more obvious at 12.5 than at 15: lower back; left leg. My hips were also stiff most mornings (not sure if that is PMR related or not). I've decided to use my shoulders as a good measure of flares (for now), as I am 100 percent sure that my shoulder issues were PMR. Happily, I had next to zero shoulder pain for this 3 weeks. In fact, the ongoing rehabbing of my left shoulder, damaged by a prolapsed biceps tendon and who knows what else, has shown excellent progress (it's 90% recovered and feeling STRONG).

4. It didn't rain much, so I have no idea if the weather did or did not previously cause aches/stiffness.

5. No matter how I feel during the morning, I always feel my best starting around 4 PM. This is a red-hued flag for me, as this phenomenon was one of the first hints that I might have PMR several years ago. I read it as a sign that the PMR is still lurking. Yes / No?

6. Things I've settled on to log daily: morning stiffness, shoulder status, pain level and location, steps walked, my own rating of 1 to 10 of how I feel. Any suggestions for other trackable?

7. I've checked with my docs and tweaked my supplements to try to minimize prednisone side effects. I'm going with Magnesium, Calcium, K3, D3, C, and chromium picolinate.

So is that "symptom free?" for two or three weeks? Hard to tell; I have a lot of other stuff going on. If I judge by my shoulders, yes, definitely. If I judge by energy levels, yes, definitely. If I judge by my hips, meh, it comes and goes--but I have SI issues and muscle damage from nerve damage, so I'll note the stiffness but not use it as my measure of "symptom free" at this time.

FTR, I have been on a Mediterranean diet for 10 weeks, and am doing extremely well. Obesity has been a life-long issue for me, and the PMR + L4-L5 nerve problem sent me soaring towards 300 lb. The thing I bless the prednisone most for is that I have had the drive to do weight management. Blood sugar had been dropping, BP is stable (with meds). I'm on Mounjaro, which I find a useful tool. I don't weigh, but I'm at the nice stage where clothes that were too tight are falling off. Strategizing to continue weight-management through whatever the taper brings is high on my agenda.

I'm going to be especially watching hip stiffness, reaction to exertion/stress, and energy levels this first week at 11.25.

So that's me, 9 weeks after "official" diagnosis.