I have been reading this blog on PMR for a year. Very helpful. I MUST get off this drug due to so many side effects. I am now on Medrol 3 mg. Most recent taper. I will need to deal with pain and fatigue to get off this drug. I had a Cosyntropin stimulation test 2 weeks ago to see if my adrenals were at all functioning on their own so we can do this safely. They were "adequately functioning but not robustly functioning." It was good news. I just started the 3 mg of Medrol AMs (5 days now). I would like to do this 2 weeks then go to 2 mg. Hoping not to get withdrawal symptoms. 3 mg has me with pain in am getting up...shoulders and neck and mid back. Goes away once the Medrol kicks in. Relief lasts maybe 10 hours. Has anyone stopped the steroids even if pain and fatigue are there (not the overwhelming pain and fatigue of a year ago!)? I would like to do 2 weeks on 2 mg, then go to 1 mg two weeks later. I have to take so much insulin (less than when I was on 10 mg) and my BP med requirements have dropped drastically as I have reduced the drug. I have had several infections that put me in the hospital while on this drug. Very helpful with pain at first but the side effects of the huge increase in insulin need (and infection risk) is too much of a cost to my system. I am 78. Any comments and stories welcome.

My PMR came on with Moderna (2nd dose). I have had the first booster but my IgG and IgM are low, not slightly low, but moderately low...enough to cause concern. So, not recommended to take 2nd booster due to immune response to 2nd Moderna and the booster last December. And, due to compromised immune system NOT only due to steroids but just my immune system itself.

I am pain-free right now and recording daily doses so as not to miss one!