Hi, hfoster,
I guess my first question is, is your doctor a rheumatologist? I've been researching this wonderful disease since Sep. 2021. I don't recall ever having heard of a doctor making that kind of prediction for a patient - ever. Unless, of course, the patient was already a "longtimer". I believe they say the average case lasts 5.9 years, now. Of course, some are shorter cases, and some are longer. I think I would recommend you get a second opinion. Further, your drop from 15mg to 10 mg of Pred in one week was pretty fast and pretty big drop. Most of us stay on the initial dose longer. Like a month or so. Then drop in smaller amounts over time. Most of us feel "miraculously" without pain within at least a week. Further, when I saw my opthalmologist, he warned me that if I were to be put on Plaquenil (aka hydroxychloroquin) he would need to keep a close watch on my eyes.