Do you need a new rheumatologist. Whatever those takes away the pain and fatigue is the right dose for you for me. It was 30 and I stayed on that for a while. Reductions have to be real slow and you need to stay an introduction for a while too. The longer you have pain and you are not on the proper dose of steroids the longer it takes to get you better. I had a great doctor in New Jersey and when I move to Florida, it is taking me 10 years to find a Rheumatologist that understands GCA.

@joybannister Hello Joy - I am 66 yr old woman , living in Boston. My doctors are are part of Mass general Hospital /partners. I was bumped up to 30 mg/day by the rheumatologist after after a terrible flare up !! my PCP would NOT go above 15mg/day. Luckily i found a rheumatologist appointment within one month of first diagnosis( April 2023) . the TAPER schedule was as follows -- taper down by 2.5 mg/ week until i reached 10 mg/day ( at 15mg/day i was going on vacation so i stayed at 15mg for 2 weeks ) - then reduce by 1 mg/MONTH ( about 28 days) . To note- i have include the strategy of introducing the next lower dose throughout the month . i will attach a reference to it ( mentioned first by @johnbishop ) ; i still split teh dose. I have had NO morning pain or stiffness in either the shoulders or hip girdle since the 30 mg-MIRACLE dose ! I was going to PT in the pool for my knee and still do those exercises. i walk and garden and drive to work 3 days a week. However in mid May and all of June i took Medical Leave -fearing a relapse . hope this info is useful to you -- nyxygirl