....totally by chance! I had an appointment with my GP (lovely man) and this was for a steroid injection in my knee. My bloods had just arrived from the main hospital and one of my scores was 120 where historically it had been 2. I am not sure what test this was. I also just received my CT head scan results which were normal. So it being 5.30pm my GP frantically paged and called hospital consultants and couldn't get me an appointment right then so prescribed 75mg Aspirin and (not 100% sure without out me getting up) a massive dose of prednisolone - even the pharmacist questioned this.
So after a night flying around the room and bouncing off walls I am now waiting on a call for a biopsy and whatever else comes my way.
I have to give a huge credit to my GP for flagging this up so quickly... from PMR to possible GCA in minutes, if not seconds. All he did was ask if I had headaches and when I said "yes little ones here..." he then gently touched my forehead and temples and here I am waiting on the call!
It must have been rather scary, but honestly I wish all GPs (including mine) were as alert and aware of the dangers of GCA as yours. I first got GCA symptoms in March 2017 and went to my GP who said the problem was in my neck and I needed physiotherapy. The following month I got PMR symptoms and he gave me some painkillers that didn't work. When I went back, he sent me for blood tests and, when the results came back, said maybe I should see a rheumatologist. By this time it was mid-May and the first appointment available at one of four North London hospitals was 31st July at the Royal Free. I attended that appointment and saw the rheumy go very tight-lipped when she learned that I had complained of symptoms three months previously. When I got home and read up about the illness and saw many of the stories on this forum, I realised that I could have lost my sight during that time if I'd been unlucky. And I've heard of other GPs who were even more ill-informed and lackadaisical than mine.
I missed this yesterday David, so l hope by now you have some more news/update?
MrsN
In a and e and diagnosed with GCA as my GP did yesterday. Waiting for possible visit to eye infirmary now. Thank you for your kind words. Amazing really I have only been in this group for a very short while and thought it was just PMR and I had never heard of GCA
We’re all here for you David, getting PMR was one thing but GCA following on so quickly must have really been a shock for you.
When you get home & have had a Cuppa Tea write a New Post using GCA/PMR in the title then you’ll get more response as sometimes the Threads can become too long.
Hope your not there too long but at least your in the right place.
Kind Regards
MrsN
I'm hope now. Knackered! Back at you folks later. D
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