Sheralee
Prednisone holds off the immediate pain of PMR disease. My rheumatologist is taking me off prednisone gradually as she increases my methotrexate. Methotrexate takes 3 to 6 months to start working in our systems. When I achieve my max of MXT dosage I should be off the prednisone. This offers the least pain sufferage in tapering off the prednisone, not to mention the immediate pain relief you get from prednisone. Then she will address dropping my MTX dose as my disease declines. Also, with MTX, there is no tapering off of it. Don't like it you can just quit.