Sounds like the combination worked for you - great! I think the result really varies person to person. My rheumy added hydroxychloroquine to my treatment with prednisone about 8 months into my first year of PMR. I had an immediate massive flare up and that was the end of that. I'm at 6+ years of PMR now but am down to 1.5 mg of prednisone and holding. I'm sure that part of the reason I've been on pred so long is because I have continued to work throughout my treatment. That makes it tougher to try any kind of faster reduction with prednisone. Patience has been required lol.