gca

[piping9]

does your gca pain go awsy in the evening Heather

[Hidden]

Hi, most of the UK members with GCA will be in bed at this time but I will try and help. I looked at your profile and see you had PMR. Have you now got GCA? Or are you just still concerned about neck and head pain that gets better in the afternoon? How much pred are you on now? If you answer these questions it will allow us to try and help you more. I know PMR gets better as day goes on and if you have GCA and take pred I should imagine you will have a period of some relief but may get symptoms back each morning, then pred kicks in. As I say with more information people can help.

If you are just worried and have a headache that you think may be GCA, you need to see your doctor. If you get any vision issues please go to the ER. 🌻

[piping9 in reply to Hidden]

i did have pmr but it seems to be gone.i am not taking any meds but i ferl i have gca.but it does get better at the end of the day.my markers are not up so my dr thinks i do not have it.i just went off prednisone two months ago.

[Hidden in reply to piping9]

Are you still taking painkillers? Do they help at all? If they take the headache away then it is unlikely, but not impossible that it is GCA. I see your markers were up a while back. Did you have raised markers with PMR at diagnosis?

If you have s persistent headache for a long time that painkillers do not relieve then you should see your doctor. You need to find out what is causing them. I think you will get more replies when the UK and Europe wake up in a few hours. I hope you feel better soon.🌻

[piping9 in reply to Hidden]

yes i had raised markers with my pmr three years ago

[Hidden in reply to piping9]

I am not 100% sure but it seems illogical.that one could have raised markers for PMR and not for GCA. However, given 20% if people don't have raised markers it's possible.

This may sound silly but it's based on research. Try chewing gum. One chew each second for 3 mins. If you get jaw pain that stops when you cease chewing then it can be an indicator of GCA. You don't have to read this but it's good for doctor to see it if you do get jaw pain doing it.

medicalresearch.com/author-...

[Marijo1951 in reply to Hidden]

However it must be remembered that if the person doesn't get jaw pain, it is NOT a sign that they definitely haven't got GCA. I have the condition and have never had jaw claudication.

[Hidden in reply to Marijo1951]

Well reminded...marijo1951. My only excuse....it was the early hours. 😁

[Janstr]

When diagnosed with GCA I had had a low grade headache behind one eye that had been there for over 2 weeks; this did not go away in the evening. I also had PMR symptoms as well as a very sore neck & jaw claudication. The latter was so bad that I couldn't eat before around midday, so this did get better as the day progressed.

[Marijo1951 in reply to Janstr]

My headache was at the back and sides of the head, but not at the front. It was bad behind my left ear and my positive biopsy was taken from that area.

[SnazzyD]

GCA gave me head pain just in the mornings and it got better as the day went on but usually by breakfast time. However, a bad mattress and pillow has had the same effect in the past, as did sinusitis.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

WHY do you feel you have GCA? Tell us all the things that make you think that.

[fmkkm in reply to PMRpro]

That is the question. Headaches can be caused by many things, but what is GCA pain? Piping needs to tell us what they are considering GCA pain as.