Ok to resume weight train when symptoms are controlled by meds?

Do you live in the US? If so, there should be financial assistance to help you buy prednisone. There are programs like GoodRx and also government programs (state and federal) that can help. Let me know if I can help.

I had undiagnosed PMR for almost a year, and undiagnosed GCA for the last 5 months of that time. I kept lifting weights and walking 4 miles a day during that time. Once I started treatment at 60 mg of prednisone a day, plus Actemra a few months later, I was able to continue walking, jogging, and lifting weights. I had a couple of months as I was tapering from about 17.5 mg down to 10 where I had some mild to moderate muscle strains in my quads and calves. So I stopped jogging during that time, and I also stopped doing pushups because of tight chest muscles. I was able to continue the other weights and exercises. At 10 mg, I eased back into jogging, and since then I haven't had any more problems and weight gain.

So I would say you can keep exercising if you're careful and pay close attention to your body. You should start with lighter weights and easier effort if you're doing cardio, in order to find out what you can do comfortably. You should also take lots of rest. It was easy for me to overdo exercise, and it would take an extra day or two to recover. It takes time to figure out what you can handle. Exercise is recommended for people with PMR and GCA. It helps offset some of the bad side effects of prednisone, like bone problems and weight gain. Plus it's good for your mood.

I think exercise is important with PMR. Walking, stretching, swimming or pool walking, light gardening are all recommended “as tolerated “.
You will always be able to afford generic prednisone but will need a
clinic connection to guide your therapy. Work exertion level needs personalized recommendations from your therapist.

Maybe get a free consultation with a disability lawyer. Perhaps pmr can qualify you for some FMLA or ADA assistance in the meantime.
I would think doing your existing training regimen is a stretch.

My PMR symptoms began June 2025 ith diagnosis following in October. PMR resulted in my not tolerating my weight training and yoga programs that Id been doing 29+ years. I hired an online personal trainer and changed my routines. The changes helped me tolerate the pain and stiffness until I figured out what was going on in my body. Less than a week after I began 10mg pred in early October, I was able to resume all my prior exercise programs without any issues. As if I'd never had this inflammatory disease. I developed GCA in January, but this did not affect my exercise programs.
As some others mentioned, and I echo their words, each person's response is different and requires trials to figure out what you can tolerate and when-and may require modification from time to time.
God speed on your journey. This forum has greatly educated and supported me. Hopefully you will find it helpful, too.

@afeldman
I know that exercise moves medicated, oxygenated, nutritional blood to cells and removes waste and toxins from the cells faster than without exercise.
Cardio exercise especially speeds up circulation (that’s a good thing) to do that.

Resistance (weights, bands, etc.) targets specific areas which increases that positive blood flow cycle to those areas.
Bones also benefit from same.
Heart and lungs too.

You know your body best.
Start/continue with medium resistance to specific areas and overall body after cardio, while your blood is circulating rapidly for optimum results.

Hydrate, drink lots of water to help the delivery and removal.
(Nutrients, oxygen, meds vs toxins and waste.

Sleep is when healing happens. Get 8 hours of sleep each 24 hrs.

But, I suspect you already know this.

This is how I am handling my PMR. I should add food.

I eat food like it is ammunition. It is a change that wasn’t easy at first, but in short time became easy. Now, it’s my normal. Mediterranean diet, lots of vegetable protein and fish.
(I rarely eat red meat anymore and only healthy dairy choices.))

Best of wishes and keep us informed.

I just wanted to add that getting an ADA accommodation is possible. I was 70 when this all started and had a part-time job with a large retail company. With the help of my rheumatologist, the company ADA representative put restrictions on my starting time and the number of hours I could work. I started a little later in the morning and could only be scheduled 6 hours.
It took away a lot of stress and worry that I might have to give up my job.

According to a quick Internet search, prednisone is highly affordable and can cost as little as four dollars for a supply, depending upon length of time and dose rate.

Also had first bout of PMR at 54. Now on second round at 63.

"Yes" to exercise and high-protein diet. But be cautious with weights -- my experience is to focus on aerobic activities and work your way back into anaerobic as you ween yourself from prednisone.

Problem is of course that prednisone affects muscles and tendons, causing muscle wasting and tendon degradation. So exercise MODERATION is important, particularly at doses over 10mg, because prednisone masks all inflammation, not just PMR, and you simply won't know if your body is hurt as a result of heavy weight training. And simply upping your protein and collagen is not going to stop the damage prednisone is doing to your muscles and tendons.

You'll definitely feel great working out on high doses of prednisone. Doesn't mean you aren't hurting your body.

In my case, I had three of my quad tendons detach after coming off prednisone as a result of tendon degradation. You want to talk about a long, painful recovery with an ambulance ride and immediate surgery to have your knee drilled and muscles wired back in place, then this is it. Not fun.

See a physical therapist if you can to advise you.

And if you can't work, perhaps see an SSDI lawyer to get on social security disability. Won't have to be forever, since this disease often runs its course in a couple years. But that help is available.