Hi, just an update from last week. I had appt with GP bloods taken and pred upped to 40mg as suspects GCA. Referred to Consultant who said no point in doing biopsy as I have been on pred already for a year but have an appt for Monday. Not had blood results back yet but feel better already having 2 days at 40mgs. Is it normal to feel better so quickly?
Input from the site has kept me positive for the last year and have just recommended a friend who has just been diagnosed with PMR 😊
Hi Highlandcat,
Glad you saw GP after last week’s post, and yes many people get an almost immediate reaction like you.
Be interesting to know what comes from next week’s appointment, please let us know.
Will do. Thanks again for reply 😊. It really does help knowing others have been and are going through the same. I have been really struggling as was very fit and healthy until last year and I have only just had my 51st Birthday and have a very active job with NHS where I cover the whole of the Highlands.
Yes, fortunately I was retired when GCA hit, but I have the utmost regard and sympathy for those of you still working with either GCA or PMR.
Yup - only PMR but I went from unable to move to near normal in under 6 hours after a 15mg dose!
Hi. GCA head/ear pain relief within hours of taking 40mg for myself. Other painkillers didn't touch it. Big lift mentally too. All the best.
Hi Cat, I am so glad you went to the doctor even though the diagnosis is a blow. A biopsy would only have told your doctor that GCA was present or not in that particular artery. The treatment you are on would be the same. I am so glad that you are feeling better already, whew! That was all a bit close for comfort! We'll all be with you as you row slowly back from this setback. You know the drill pace and taper and sleep!
Your angel was definitely looking out for you.
Thanks for the kind words Sheffieldjane I will definitely be slow and may even consider hibernation as woke up to a completely frosty white garden brrr. x
I bet it looks stunning Cat, from the cosy warmth of your home. You are going to have to explore a career break of some kind. You have to be the priority right now. Let us know what happens.
So pleased that you followed this up and have now been referred to a Consultant, very quickly by the look of it- which is how it should work! Also pleased that your increase in dose has made you feel so much better. I think it is a shock when you are dealing with one thing I.e PMR and then up pops something else I.e GCA . That is what happened to me too after a year of "just" PMR. Let us know how you get on. May have to review working arrangements? Been a few posts on this recently . Best wishes Jackie x
Many thanks for your reply Jackie it was a real shock as I thought I was doing well getting down to 7mg....but hey ho...onwards and upwards x
We learn that this illness has a mind of it’s own. Flexibility must be the lesson in all this. Went from being the energizer bunny to falling asleep in the dentist’s chair, a frenetic dater to being too tired to return phone calls in the evening, and on and on from fast to slow.
So glad your feeling better. Do keep us informed.
From 5mg of pred to 40mg 🙄
So what has the last year done for me!
Has 3 years on Prednisolone caused all these problems? 
Feeling down
