If you only flare a couple of times a year, then short course of steroids do seem like a rational idea. At the moment short courses of steroids are my only treatment option (not eligible for biologics and can't take NSAIDs) but its just my GP who prescribes them, and it doesn't seem a big deal to her to give me up to 14 days at a time, maximum starting dose 20 mg (usually do 15 mg a day for 7-10 days then a fast taper of just one or two days at 10 and 5 mg). GP will do this up to four times a year for me.
If you have had this before and its worked, then I'd just try asking your GP.
