@mikeshell Hmmm -- that is interesting tapering protocol - again i am curious - did your rheumatologist and you come up with this ? I have had some luck contacting some of the first authors of these papers -- i will send an email to ask if there has been more data from the study i posted above - these patients' Prednisone dose after 24 months was *only* {my emphasis] 4.8 mg (s.d. 3.4). I personally am always wondering now what exactly would trigger a flare up of the pain/stiffness -_ Have you seen this or other figures such as this ,before . I really liked this review article that had this figure. On another personal note - my cousin had PMR about 10 years ago -- he only had trouble trying to go below about 2mg and at that point he reduced by. 0.5mg !! he was astonished that was what made all the difference for him ! All these years later - no relapses ! so stay positive MIKE !!!