Muscle weakness in arms and shoulders

YES, MUSCLE WEAKNESS IN SHOULDERS AND ARMS.  For what it's worth, like you I have been on Pred for 3.5 years finally down to 1.5 but if I go down to 1 mg I lose it, awful neck pain.  I am desperate to come off Pred.  I have a new Rheumy who has put me on 7.5 mgs of MOBIC (Meloxicam generic) which is a NSAID like Advil, only by prescription - it supposedly has less side effects that Advil.  He thinks that I can wean myself off Prednisone this way.  My hair is thin, my blood sugar is slightly elevated, I am cranky, my skin is bruised and thin, sleep problems and I have neuropathy so of course I want to come off it!  I have been taking MOBIC for a week, one 7.5 mgs per day and will hold at 1.5 on Pred for another 4 weeks and then try for 1mg.  So far so good, some days better than others..... BTW I am 74 years old lead a hiking group in Laguna Beach, up hill and down dale, 3 x per week, about 3-5 miles each time.  Pain in my neck, shoulders and arms continues but Dr tells me that my blood results show I DO NOT HAVE PMR any more, but a lot arthritis... So I have decided to give this a chance.  My goal is to come off Prednisone.  Oh and I do take a massage once per week to relax me which helps for the day...Pred is a wonder drug but if you do not have PMR then you should think again about being on it....My Rheumy says they are seeing patients who have been on steroids for a long time have residual pain even without inflammation, they call it a pain syndrome which can be worse than the real thing.  Next week I go to a pain clinic to be evaluated in a class... Deep Breathing, Yoga, and other stuff...  BTW I have had acupuncture for a year and done yoga to no avail...Good luck I know how you feel and please do consider coming v slowly down from 8 mgs.  Thanks,