Hi @mzamyl, my rheumatologist told me that tapering is a fine balancing act. A doctor friend explained to me that prednisone is needed - with PMR and GCA - to calm the immune system, which is attacking the blood vessels and veins. Also prednisone stops adrenal function which is why the taper has to be gradual - to let the adrenals start functioning again. I've had strange bruising and thinner skin since being on prednisone, but skin also thins as we age. I'm 71. In less than a year, I've tapered down from 40 mg (for Giant Cell Arteritis) down to 3 mg, but on 3 mg the horrible stiff neck was coming back, so I just very reluctantly went back up to 4 mg. Try not to feel hopeless, this is a process and it takes time. Eventually PMR and GCA go away. I'm grateful we have prednisone to at least reduce the inflammation and lessen the pain. Can you imagine suffering with this disease before there was a treatment? People must have just languished and wished for death.