You shouldn't have to be suffering those "knifepoint lightning burns". You should be proactive in tapering - not reactive. But there are smart ways to do that, and the plans in that site give you lots of options to figure out what works for you - without pain. Pain is inflammation, and that's what the pred is meant to get rid of. But you should be in control of your body. Not the prednisone and not the PMR. Good luck.