GCA on 10mg..tingling pains

[Temoral]

Does anyone else experience tingling or pain around the biopsy site ? Does this count as a flare, or symptom of pred reduction...it happens for about an hour in the evenings..whatever I say to Rheumy, his reaction is..'normal'....🥴

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

As you only had biopsy 3 months ago, would agree with Rheumy. Just the area around the site getting back to normal…and no, not a flare.

[Temoral in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks for your reassurance...it does feel like the blood supply is 'looking for another route' through. I have a phone appt in 10 days, so will bring it up then...a phone call with your Rheumy on Valentine's evening...ha...could never have imagined this a year ago.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Temoral]

Okay, but obviously if it gets any worse then seek advice…just as a matter if interest have you tried ordinary painkillers ?

[123-go]

It may well be that the symptoms you are experiencing are normal but wouldn't it be appreciated to have this explained in a sentence rather than just one word? We are all different and while some don't need an explanation, others do. I'm in the latter group and probably considered a pain in the neck 😏.Take care. I hope this clears up soon.

[Temoral in reply to 123-go]

Indeed...I'm the same. Thank you

[SnazzyD]

Sounds normal. The biopsy is a minor op, the incision goes through a couple of layers, all of which are stitched. Wounds take months to heal and about a year to mature. They have also cut through nerves as well as blood vessels so there is a lot going on. Even if the skin looks healed over, the is still activity underneath. The nerves may or may not grow back to normal again; they are not very good at that. You may always have rogue sensations and numbness. Mine took about 18 months to stop reminding me it was there on a frequent basis and even now if I’m ill with anything, particularly with a fever, it’ll feel a bit tender. Take notice of increasing pain, persistent pain, redness or swelling.

[Temoral in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you...that sounds very similar, and a very clear explanation...I hope yours settles eventually too. Why don't the medics take a little extra time to explain? Very grateful for this forum and all the support it offers to us relative newbies. X

[123-go in reply to SnazzyD]

An excellent explanation!👏👏

[prunus in reply to SnazzyD]

I found your explanation of what happens very interesting to read. Thank you very much for that. It is eight years now since I had mine and at the time for some time after was "seeing" things at times which weren't there on that side of my head. It left me wishing I had never had it and am all for non invasive scans. They seems so much better.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Even the relatively small intervention for a TAB means that nerves in the surrounding area are cut or damaged. Damaged nerves are painful and it can take months to settle down. Sometimes it never does entirely as nerves aren't good at healing. I still have skin sensations around an op scar from 27 years ago!

I don't think it occurs to them that not everyone did biology at school, never mind anatomy and physiology!

[Temoral in reply to PMRpro]

So true...they assume too much, possibly because to them it's 'routine' , but to us it's unique and undiscovered territory. I hadn't considered nerve damage...but obvious when i think about it and it has been pointed out on here.

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

I found when I went for cataract operations as a direct result of my GCA that noone explained that it took twelve months for the eyes to recover. I assumed that because the insertions were man made that I could go on as usual and my eyes have deterioriated as a result. Hindsight!