I had 2 different eras of prednisone use. The first 20 years were characterized by 60-100 mg of prednisone rapidly tapered to zero in a 1-2 months. That wasn't to treat PMR. I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis with uveitis at the age of 32. I never had any problems tapering off prednisone quickly when those conditions were being treated. Remission would last about a year until things flared up again. I did the high dose ... fast taper routine repeatedly with great success for the conditions being treated.

At the age of 52, I was diagnosed with PMR in addition to all the rest. Then I could never taper off prednisone for more than 12 years. I tried but I just couldn't taper off. Progress was literally painstakingly slow.

I was in the 30-40 mg range for the first 5 years of PMR. Then I managed to get into the 20-30 mg range for the next 5 years. The lowest I could get was 10 mg after 12 years. Any dose lower than 10 mg was short-lived.

My treatment was complicated by secondary adrenal insufficiency caused by long term prednisone use. I was never sure about having PMR for 12 years but my inflammation markers were always elevated.

My rheumatologist decided I was "too young" to take prednisone for the rest of my life. I was 64 years old at the time. It was decided that a promising biologic used to treat GCA might work for PMR except I was never diagnosed with GCA.

My rheumatologist sought approval to treat PMR with the biologic called Actemra (tocilizumab) that had recently been FDA approved for GCA at the time.

There was a committee of doctors who reviewed my medical records and granted approval. The recommendation was to treat PMR as if it was GCA.

After Actemra was tried, I went from 10 mg to zero prednisone in less than a year the first time.