My Prednisone reduction story

I would try going via 22.5mg and since you have had problems getting to/below 17.5mg below I wouldn't do that size of step down after 20mg. But stick where you are for a few days and be sure you feel well before trying a lower dose.

But I still think that if you can't get below 17.5mg your doctor needs to have another think about the diagnosis. Needing an unusually high starting dose and then being unable to reduce at this level is a typical finding when it isn't "just" PMR - it may be GCA or large vessel vasculitis or it could be an inflammatory arthritis. But PMR should have settled more easily even with having messed you about with too big a reduction to start with.

Hi Bella, I know we are all different, currently tapering down from 30 mg, at 8 going to 7.5mg. I used a modified DSNS method all the way down after being on 30 mg for 6 weeks to get PMR pain free, trying to never go over 10% reduction. My journey to this point has basically PMR pain free. The journey has been slow, but I have been able to live a very active normal life. The Prednisone side effects have not been pleasant, but will take them over the PMR pain. Think positive and try to smile, I believe it helps. ☺️

Have you considered splitting the dose, say, half after breakfast and half after tea?  Single dose never worked for me due to PMR pain recurring early in the evening.

I have had pmr on two separate occasions 2010 -2013   &  2017 - present. I am now on 2 mg and I have rarely had a flare-up. I believe the best reduction method is 1/2 mg every 30 days. My current experience with prednispone reductions is as follows:

 Date             dose          duration(days)      

5/6/17             10                  20

5/26/17             9                  10

6/5/17               8                  20

6/25/17             7                  30

7/26/17             6                  30

8/26/17             5                  60

10/26/17           4.5               30

11/26/17           4.0               30

12/26/17           3.5               30

1/26/18             3.0               32

2/26/18             2.5               30

3/26/18             2.0               30

4/26/18             1.5               30

5/26/18             1.0               30

6/26/18              0.5               30

7/26/18              0.0

If my future reductions are successful and I have no reason to believe they will not, I will be off prednisone end of July. I started prednisone in February of 2017. The total time will be 18 months. Last time it took 3 years. After the three years I was symptom free and no prednisone for three years. Maybe the  prednisone regime is only 18 months because it is a second time I had the disease.