I am not sure how bad 2 mg of prednisone can be. I have been on 2.5 mg for 5 to 10 years. The side effects I see are easy brusing and thin skin which bleeds easily if I get scraped. I have posted on this site two scientific, published medical articles that show that long-term prednisone is not bad. Here is one of the studies that I can easily find: "Low-Dose Prednisone Therapy of the Patient with Early Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: Clinical Efficiency, Disease-Modifying Properties, and Side Effects" A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. The other study that I cannot find right now was a Rheumatologist who followed his patients for, I think, 25 years and noted no problems with under 5 mg of prednisone. The complete reference is Ann Intern Med 2002; 136: 1-12