ESR up 29 points in 29 days

[Nap1]

Last month my ESR was 1 and CRp 0.60 all normal. So I reduced from 11 1/2 to 10 1/2 but alternating for the first week. In the past two weeks I have had very bad cold and bronchitis, planter fasciitis , And a root canal. I am wondering if all this could influence the ESR? I am reducing slowly and an ESR of 1 is certainly an indication of the GCA being under control. This is very discouraging because I am scheduled for eye surgery on February 9 and need to be at 10. I have been putting off Eye surgery for a year and have been reducing slowly. The eye surgery is for conjunctivochalssis. If this increase in my ESR is not from GCA perhaps I do not have to increase the prednisone. On the other hand I could increase it to 11 from 10.5 and take another blood test in a week. My root canal is not finished and I have to go back on Monday. I am also on antibiotics. I do not have GCA symptoms. I just have my usual prednisone headache and fatigue. What to do. Thank you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Yes - the cold and bronchitis will almost certainly have raised the ESR. It is a very non-specific test and only shows SOMETHING is awry. You need to to get it checked again anyway - a single raised value is meaningless in the context of PMR/GCA and it is a trend, a continuing increase over time, that is important so a knee jerk increase in dose would be wrong for the moment. Was the CRP also raised? It will also go up with pulmonary problems.

And both ESR and CRP could be raised with root canal problems.

[Nap1 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PRO. I will get the CRP number today. The ESR is done within four hours as you know so the results I get the same day; and the root canal will be finished on Monday. I will take another blood test next week and see where the numbers are. I was going to go up to 11 but that might not be necessary. My body feels out of sorts...could be my usual arthritis. Thank you very much for your quick response.

[Nap1 in reply to PMRpro]

Hi pro. The CRP is also elevated to 0.94 from 0,60. I will wait a few days and take another blood test. My internist also said a root canal absolutely can mess up the numbers. I hope I don't have to increase. I am so careful with the reductions. Thanks again for your quick response.