It seems to depend on the doctor - some doctors don't prescribe prednisone at all, but many doctors consider it a valuable tool in managing pain and disease activity.

As has already been mentioned in another answer, all medications have side effects and it is up to you to decide which side effects are acceptable and manageable.  Keep in mind that not everybody gets the same side effects - I may have bad side effects to medication X, but you may tolerate it very well. You won't know how you will react to medication until you try it.  I always start on a very low dose to give my body time to adjust to the medication and then gradually increase -  I find that if I start on too high a dose, the side effects can get too strong, but if I do the other way, I tolerate the meds better.

If you find that your doctor is not giving you the information you need to make sound decisions, check out this post on how to become a good advocate for yourself, which may help you with a few approaches on how to get through your doctor.  however, if you continue to find it difficult to create a good working relationship with your doctor, consider finding another one..