Headache

[bumpermac]

Happy Easter all !  Looking for help....I'm on holiday with my daughter for a few days, and have had a niggling headache around my left eye . I've always had this kind of headache but this one is not settling after week  . It sometimes spreads to my temple and today my teeth(not my jaws) are achy. I'm on 5 mg pred at moment and I know  in m heart it could be GCA  .i took 10 mg yesterday which made no dfference and only relief was from a 35 mg Tramadol.  No access to doc or a&e . Should I up my pred to 20 or so for couple days and see what happens . I feel a bit miserable and don't want to spoil last few days with my family ' HELP PLEASE 😫

[PMRpro Ambassador]

No access to A&E or a doctor? Heavens - are you on an island!

You could try taking 20mg - I'm not RECOMMENDING that mind - and see if it helps you survive the last few days. You will be able to drop straight back to your usual dose if it doesn't turn out to be GCA. However, if Tramadol helps I'd be surprised if it were GCA - like PMR I don't think it responds to ordinary pain killers. The jaw pain in GCA is definitely related to using your jaw to chew, especially harder foods. 

[Wispa123]

please get the headache checked, I was misdiagnosed for 6 months and when finally saw consultant he was horrified as it can potentialy be serious for vision. and he said was was very lucky. ( I kept thinking i had something wrong with my back affecting the head ! (I know i know!!))

[Whittlesey]

Hi Bumpermac, I was diagnosed with GCA through artery biopsy and a high c- reactive protein. I hhd headaches, some over the eye. For four months, was told it was a migraine that had "mutated". Migraine medication made it feel better, but as soon as the medication wore off came back and it was a different kind of headache .

Finally a neurosurgeon offered to doa temple artery biopsy and yes, I had GCA.

GCA can cause blindness. I have some peripheral vision loss due to the four month wait. Some have lost more vision.

Would advise getting it checked. As many have said, including my ear, nose and throat specialist, GCA is nothing to fool around with, it's serious. 

Yes it can start with a headache and in my situation the headache was responding to traditional pain relief, but it was returning.

Good luck, Whittlesey

[bumpermac in reply to Whittlesey]

Hi Whittlesey, thanks for reply . I had biopsy done at start of this journey 2 years ago and it was clear . My  bloods have never been raised ......I'm one of the atypical ones ! The headache has gone now , just a mild ache around the eye . Had app with ophthalmologist yesterday and eyes and blood vessels are fine . He doesn't think it's GCA but I'm going to rheumy next week so we'll see. It's such a bummer of an illness.....1 step forward  5 steps back . Take care 😩