vascular arteritis (not arthritis)

[maywing]

So I have been put on steroids because I have been getting headaches and I had some swelling on my forehead. The Dr had first said that it would be unlikely for me to have this vascular thing which is basically when the arteries

swell due to inflammation. So I was a bit surprised when he rang to say that I needed the steroids because of it. Have taken two days worth and my general RA symptoms have totally calmed down but I still have this headache but no swelling. I think I may call the Dr tomorrow about it. I feel quite scared about this head thing, it just is scary

having RA and what it can do. So glad to be able to speak to people on this site.

[hamble99b]

I get a lot of cramp in my forehead, anything like that?

[allanah]

I have heard of temporal arteritis which is inflammation in the temples, also you get sore scalp and can get sore eyes, jaw etc. this is also an immune disorder and often starts after a bad infection. The treatment for that too is steroids and it nearly always clears up quickly with steroid therapy, sound similar to yours? Hope you continue to improve and make sure you rest to let the drugs work, xxxxx

[lorann]

40 years or more ago, before I had anything like I have now, I had an inflammation of the pericardiem, was treated with steroid then. Couple years later I had Temperal arrteritis, had arterial biopsies and treated with steroids. Was then in the throes of huge patches of Psoriasis, yet no one mentioned auto-immune diseases, or Rheumatic diseases. The temperal arteritis is gone away, no doubt due to the anti-inflammatory chemicals I take. So, it can go away, just another form of inflammatory disease. But should be followed up.

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear that you've still got the headache, Maywing - hope that it soon goes. It is scary when our RA morphs into other presentations, I know that I felt scared when my RA first appeared in my lungs. We think that we know what we're dealing with and then it springs another surprise Nowadays, having had a myriad of strange reactions and additional symptoms I kind of expect the unexpected.

Keep posting and get the support that you need:-}

Cece x

[nottsexsportfanatic]

I have vasculitis secondary to ra and they just say the methotrexate will work for both. But if im having an attack of vasculitis I take a day or so of prednisolone at a low dose and it clears.

Hope u get some answers that help reassure you. Ur def not alone with having secondary illnesses due to ra and they can b really worrying.

[Elphabafromcornwall]

This is such an interesting thread. I have been diagnosed with RA and take MTX in tablet form with folic acid 6/7 days. About 18 months ago (prior to my RA diagnosis - although I had been ill since 2008 and living with a diagnosis of Fibro from one of the GP's at my surgery - which as it turned out was incorrect) - I was on a weekend away and suddenly collapsed and had violent pain in the back of my head. I said to my husband - (prior to passing out with pain) call an ambulance I have had a bleed in my brain. I was taken to the local hospital who where super lovely to me and after some morphine and a saline drip - they discharged me saying I had been dehydrated. So, I went home. The next day the same thing happened at home - sudden violent pain - in the back of my head - worse than any headache I had ever had - called an ambulance and taken to my local hospital. Lumber puncture, brain scan and three days in hospital inconclusive. I suffered every day for about 12 days and was honestly ready to throw myself in the lake - GP was fab - prescribed a selection of medication to be taken on onset of pain, tablets to empty my stomach, pain killers, meds to open up the blood vessels in my head to relieve the pain. But, although these did not really seem to work, suddenly the pains stopped. I returned to work with instructions that if it came on at work I was to get my colleagues to dial 999 and get me to hospital. Now, I do get tightness in the back of my head still, I get pain in my jaw and very bad inflammation in the whites of my eyes which the eye hospital puts down to the inflammation factor of my RA. My inflammation markers have not really lowered in the 15 or so months that I have been using MTX and I now wonder if I had an episode of this as well?