I’m sitting here at the cardiologist. New blood work show levels at normal - but just reduced down from 40mg to 30mg. When I went below 30mg is when my symptoms reappeared. I’m hoping for the best! This might be symptom based and I will have to fight this on my own. So far all doctors want me off prednisone - but I’m scared to go back to that pain. I’m going to see if I can get an ultrasound of my cartoid arteries to rule those out and then the Rheumatologist on Friday to really dig in (but I doubt he will - he already said by phone he thinks I’m too young for GCA) then off to neurologist. I don’t know what else to do? My friends and family think I’m crazy - but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do for peace of mind and your health!
I’m reading your posts of travel and sunshine. Where I live - it’s supposed to be 102 today! 😳 have a good day everyone!
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Kern1410
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Your bloods may be okay at the moment but that may be because the Pred is keeping them artificially low - not sure if they’ve been raised in past. However if you’ve just reduced from 40mg to 30mg - too big a drop most of us would say - then it may take a week or so for your bloods to reflect that. Symptoms are the key! So if you get any return of symptoms (no matter what you bloods say) - you’ll know you’ve gone too low again.
48 is NOT too young - no-one told GCA it has to wait for a specific birthday. When the new guidelines were drawn up saying "over 50" there had been great lobbying for it to be lower.
For my blood pressure - and to keep ruling everything out. My BP was not under control very well prior - but with the prednisone - it’s pretty high. They did an EKG and sent off the ultrasound of he cartoid for insurance approval.
BP still high. All doctors still pushing migraines. I’m on my 4th day of 30mg and I started having the fluttering / light throbbing in my temple, eye a little blurry and droopy in the a.m. No way a migraine cycle could last this long buried under predisone. I guess I have more research ahead.
Of course - for a patient with arteritis in large arteries the dose does need to be high enough to reduce the symptoms. Same applies for PMR, LVV and GCA - just the dose varies.
I would be more surprised if your bloods showed markers whist you are on that much pred. I presume they will be checking everything. Hopefully you won't fall between a rock and a hard place. I am linking you the this paper, just for info. There have been a couple of people under 50 that were eventually diagnosed with Takayasu arteritis.
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Back again and on prednisone
My education continues
The too young saga continues 
Trying to reduce again 
