When your cortisol level is low, the body loses the ability to regulate inflammation. It seems to happen frequently to PMR patients treated with long term prednisone. People with PMR frequently have flares at or near the 7 mg dose of prednisone. I understand why you would increase your prednisone dose. Did you have a flare because your cortisol level was low? It's hard to know the answer to this question.

It seems to me, the biologic I took (Actemra) kept my inflammation regulated and under control while I tapered my prednisone dose lower. A lower prednisone dose allowed my adrenals some time to recover. This gave my adrenals time to start producing cortisol again. When my cortisol level was adequate, I was able to reduce my prednisone dose to zero.

Have you decided to try Kevzara? Maybe Kevzara will work the same as Actemra worked for me.