@maryft It is confusing so you need to do your own research and then of course listen to your body. According to Mayo the average duration of PMR is 5.9 years. Prednisone (or some form) is the only medication that is effective at treating PMR. So, many people are on prednisone for many years. I've been on it for three years. I don't want to be on it, but without it I'd be incapacitated with pain and lack of mobility. If your starting dose provided relief, you stay at that dose for awhile (I think usually 4-6 weeks) and then try to reduce your dosage very slowly. If the pain returns you've gone too low. The objective is to get as low as you can while controlling pain. Everyone is different. I started at 15 mgs. and three years later I'm still at 11 mgs. A few months ago I tried to rapidly decrease (to prepare for a surgery I have yet to have). I was so excited when I got to 7.5 mgs. I was okay for a few weeks and then it was like I was hit by a truck. So I followed the flare protocol and went up to 12.5 for 10 days and now I'm slowly trying to reduce. Unfortunately your body will dictate how low you can go. If you try to go too fast, the inflamation will accumulate and you'll have a flare. You don't want to yo-yo. Take it nice and easy.