Hi @marmak, I'm so glad you caught the GCA fast. I had symptoms of GCA a few months before diagnosis, and PMR maybe 9 months before that. After biopsy was positive for GCA, I started on prednisone 40 mg, tapering down by 5 mg every two weeks. It went pretty well. I only had to go back up to the previous dosage once when tapering. I've been off prednisone a few months now. I have odd pains here and there, but am much better than what I was.

My worst side effect while on the high dosage of prednisone was insomnia. My appetite returned as I'd been anorexic with PMR and GCA, but I watched what I ate. I also have osteoporosis, but that started before the prednisone.

I wish you the best. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with GCA in her 80s and lived to be nearly 100.