The past few months I've been on prednisone. The pain went away unless I got pretty active, my RA dr has done a couple. Taper ones and few days when they were done the really bad pain was back, seemed more intense. I'm on a higher dose taper now 2 times in a row so don't know what will happen at end of taper. I just know the prednisone helps me function again. Hoping all goes well with you for sure.

I have had RA for about a year and a half, and I have done 3 prednisone tapers in that time. The shortest I have been on it was 14 days, and I am in the middle of a month-long taper right now. I have always found that my doctor has designed the taper so that I the reduction in the dose corresponds to reduced inflammation, so that by the time I stop taking it my inflammation is gone. So I have never experienced pain while still on prednisone or just after stopping a taper. But it affects everyone differently, so you will want to talk to your doctor and let them know if you start having pain before the taper is done.

Predisone is a good drug to help with Inflammation. I do a 60 taper and am on 5 X2 day plus orencia and lefudmine. Predisone taper helps me for a week or so. Hope that helps. Wishing you luck in finding your right medicine for you.

@ Tonda I didn't mean to imply that I expect the prednisone to cure the RA. I understand that it is chronic and there is no magic pill. I just was trying to get an idea of what I can expect since this is new territory for me.

Well, I don't think you can just take a few days and then stop and expect your RA to be cured. Generally, you need to be on meds on a regular basis. Steroids aren't good for the long haul, but are good in the beginning to help get you under control and then occasionally when you need them (i.e. winter time). Another RA med is usually added so that you can get off of the steroids. (such as methotrexate) It might take awhile for you and your doc to come up with the right "cocktail" for you to keep you out of pain and functional. It took me over 8 months.