suspected GCA

[blackstone1]

I wrote previously that the eye specialist was fairly certain that I do not have GCA but asked that I stay on 25mgpreds for a week and then do bloods again.This I did but had developed a bad chest infection by then so crp was up to over 50 I am finally feeling a bit human as the 2nd lot of antibiotics have just kicked in and I have tapered preds to 15mg with only 1 repercussion. The very strange scalp sensation is back. I do not know if is the scalp sensation described asa GCA symptom.

This starts just before my hairline in the centre of my forehead and goes bask about 2 inches in somewhat a circle. It is irritatingly painful rather than very painful. It disappeared 2 days after upping the pred dose and has reappeared again now on the lower dose.

Should I be concerned? Or could this also be a symptom of PMR?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I had it for a while and my dx is officially PMR - but it is more likely to be due to something more akin to GCA. GCA doesn't have to affect the temporal artery - it can affect other cranial arteries. If it went at a higher dose and is now back - I would mention it to your doctor.

[blackstone1 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you I will

[blackstone1]

In hospital having IVAntiobiotics for this chest infection the 2oral doses failed. I know that we are susceptible to infection but is it pos that preds interfere with the workings of antibiotics or am I attributing too much to preds? Just had mt 2nd cannula inserted as the 1st one failed after only 24 hours attributed to the thinning of the veins by preds, there seems no end to these side effects

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to blackstone1]

Difficult to say - pred does suppress the immune system but you would expect the antibiotics to work, they are often combined in chest infections so they can't be that worried about an interaction. Are the i.v. abx the same as the oral one was?

My veins haven't suffered due to pred - but it is all too easy for a cannula to tissue quickly and fail - whatever the state of veins! And your average operator won't admit to making a mess...

[blackstone1]

Stronger and different, oral iv combination. I have never had a problem with a cannula before but it is so easy to blame everything on preds. Thanks for the feedback