Hi Paul, For most people, on the appropriate dosage of prednisone, PMR symptoms will disappear - or be minimal. Then you will have to lower the dosage of prednisone gradually while managing symptoms. About 30% of people with PMR develop Giant Cell Arteritis, which can cause stroke or blindness, so make sure to ask your doctor what symptoms to be on the lookout for. GCA requires a higher dosage or prednisone, roughly about double the dosage for PMR. Usually if your PMR symptoms increase while you are tapering, the prednisone will be increased, then tapering will be attempted again. It's a balancing act. After taking prednisone for about a year and a half for PMR and GCA, I'm off it now for a few months, with no troubling symptoms (fingers crossed). Good luck!