My mum has been on pred for PMR (with two occurrences of GCA 5 yrs apart) for about 40 years. She had a break of 2 years in remission after being on pred for 3 years. Then it all started again and since then has never been able to go completely off the steroids. From her second start about 30 years she's been up and down on the steroids but never referred back to a consultant until moving surgery this year. Anyhow, the consultant seemed pretty good and is suggesting that she try to reduce from her current 7mg dose slowly to 5 mg. He says that since she's been on so long, he doubts that she'd ever get lower.
Interestingly though, he said that 5 mg is a dose that is well tolerated because it's in line with the natural quantity of corticosteroid so the body could regulate it's own production to prevent harm to the body. Therefore he isn't concerned if she can keep at that dose. If symptoms return as she reduces he is considering a supplemental immunosuppressant such as methotrexate to counterbalance the reduction in pred. That sounds quite reassuring to me...but what do the experts think?