When treated, symptoms quickly disappear. Typically, people with giant cell arteritis must continue taking a high dose of prednisone for 1 month. Once symptoms disappear and the sed rate is normal and there is no longer a risk of blindness, the doctor can begin to gradually reduce the dose. When treated properly, giant cell arteritis rarely recurs. People taking low doses of prednisone rarely experience side effects.
Side effects are more common among people taking higher doses.
A patient should report any side effects to the doctor. When the medication is stopped, the side effects disappear. Because prednisone and other corticosteroid drugs change the body's natural production of corticosteroid hormones, the patient should not stop taking the medication unless instructed by the doctor. The patient and doctor must work together to gradually reduce the medication. Most people with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis lead normal, active lives.