Blood

[JemimaPuddleduck1]

Hello all after having a diagnoses of BP a few years ago it had settled down enough and what with my daughter getting married and other things. I forgot to get repeat prescriptions.

This week i had to have a an eye test for probably new glasses, so the test began ans she suddenly said i will have to stop there you have some problem with vision and i will have to stop. she said she needed to refer me to hospital.

Told me to ring hospital in 3 days and wouldn't get a app for at least 3 weeks. But an hour later i had a phone call from the eye clinic saying as a mater of emergency i am to go to the clinic the next afternoon. after many tests i was told that I had Central Retinal Vein Occlusion most probably caused by the High Blood Pressure that was then checked [it was 254/119] i was so shocked i can tell you. i was then send to the AMU to be monitored then admitted to hospital.

I had more blood tests but will have to put that below

Send home with medication to take in the hope to get it down. BP just now was 191/110 and dont feel at all well. am having some more bloods taken on Wednesday for this other condition see below It as far as i know isn't BP related. so will have to have it checked again.

Any one else have it this high

Blood tests revealed i could have Temporal Areitritus is this BP related

[Celtic]

Just a very quick reply as about to go out. My blood pressure is always high but it soared in spite of new BP medication leading to a diagnosis of temporal Arteritis. What symptoms have you got? I had sever head pain and jaw pain when chewing plus blurred vision. I also had raised blood test markers of inflammation (CRP and ESR), was nauseous, vomiting and lost a stone in 3 weeks. Who has suggested you might have temporal Arteritis? Anyone suspected of having TA should be prescribed Prednisolone (steroids) at high dose as an emergency to protect your eyesight - once vision is lost it is irrecoverable. I don’t want to alarm you but, if it was me, I would head straight to A&E. Please let us know how you get on.

[JemimaPuddleduck1 in reply to Celtic]

I will reply later as it is a long winded story as to why i was in the hospital in the first place, then as to why i was told of the TA as well.

[JemimaPuddleduck1 in reply to Celtic]

Hello Basically it all started when i went to the opticians for a routine checkup. test was stopped as she referred me to the eye clinic as she thought she could see blood vessels in distress behind my eyes.

Eye clinic did tests on me and commented that there were no more machines to use in the department as i had used them all Scan and Photo of back of left eye.

He told me the veins behind my eye were blocked and also needed to check my blood pressure which was sky high 254/119. i was so shocked.

He said it is called Central Retina Vein Occlusion. or Giant Cell Ateritus?. Also known as Temporal Artiritus

Because of the BP i was sent to the Acute Emergency Unit and he wanted blood test taken cos of the diagnosis of the eye.

Had bloods taken and one of the ones they checked was for the inflammation in the blood which showed up the levels they test for Temporal Arteritus. (i didnt know this until i was admitted and been seen by a consultant)

Because they could get the BP down i was admitted overnight, Obs every 2 hours and more bloods taken in the morning. Consultant and Doctor came round that morning and asked me questions that i had to think if i was suffering with what he was asking me. He said from what i told him it sounded very much like TA but would like to do another blood test to confirm.

After lunch Doctor came round said the second blood test came back with raised levels and i would need to stay in and have a biopsy in the morning and start immediately on a course of steroids. No sooner had i started these a Rheumatoligist came round asked me all the questions of the things you have stated above and said that there was no way i could have this condition I was to young, (I'm 55) and that i dont have the classic symptoms and that the doctor that came round did not know what he is talking about.

She promptly told me to go home and see her at the end of May in the meantime have some more bloods taken

I have headaches on top of my scalp, pricking sensation, pain behind ear and on side of my head, aching jaw sometimes. but as far as i know no weight loss. I have this headache for bout 8 weeks and blurred vision for about 4 weeks and it got so bad i thought i needed new glasses.

Cant go to opticians again until hospital has signed me off so i still have a headache

So that how i was told of the TA. I would go to A&E, But having just left dont know what they could do.

Any suggestions

My main worry is if left i would lose the sight and worse still have a stroke.

[Celtic]

Jemima, that rheumatologist is so very wrong in saying that you are too young at 55 to have GCA/Temporal Arteritis. The blurred vision, scalp pain and pain behind your ear can all by symptoms of this very serious illness. Don't leave this any longer - either go to A&E or to your GP ASAP. You say that you have high blood test markers of inflammation - the majority of patients with GCA/TA have such high markers in a blood test called CRP (C-Reactive Protein). Yes, you need a temporal artery biopsy but the British Society of Rheumatologists Guidelines state that if GCA/TA is suspected, the Dr should not wait for the results of the biopsy but should immediately instigate a trial of high dose steroids (Prednisolone) to protect your eyesight. Thee is even a fast-track system now being put into practice across the country where if a GP suspects GCA/TA they can send their patient straight to a rheumatologist with a letter in their hand. Occasionally, the biopsy fails to diagnose GCA/TA because the tiny portion of artery removed can miss the large cells they are looking for. The biopsy should then be carried out within the next week, or two at the latest, otherwise the steroids will have reduced the large cells they are looking for. I have met people who have lost their vision due to GCA/TA not being diagnosed swiftly - please don't be one of these statistics. If I was ever again unfortunate enough to experience the symptoms I had prior to diagnosis, I would take myself straight to A&E. And, yes, a stroke is also a possibility with undiagnosed/untreated GCA. Whereabouts are you? There are a few of wonderful rheumatologists dotted around the UK who have a very special interest in GCA/TA. I found an excellent second-opinion one who monitored me throughout my illness. He is involved in research into GCA and is located in the Surrey, UK, area. Do please come back and tell me you have been investigated again, and either GCA/TA has been diagnosed and treated or you have been referred for further investigation to find out what is going on.