Not sure if GCA flare?Input please!

[Cobalt2sister]

hi.Have call into rheumy but we're fast up to weekend so might not hear and I welcome any input.Two weeks ago I tapered from 35 to 30 mg prednisone. .Rough few days...feeling unwell,depressed fatigue etc which resolved few days.I figured typical taperingreaction.Now two weeks in,this is A a second day of continual headache right temple radiates into eye and cheek and upper teeth.Yesterday occipital pain same side.Pain is not real bad but does not respond to tylenol.First headache in ages and like my GCA headache but without my usual scalp soreness.

So do you think this is flare possibly or just more "withdrawal""stuff? Should I ride it out over weekend til I maybe hear from rheumy or go back to 35?I have no visual disturbances. No jaw complication ( but never did have jaw issues) any input most appreciated . it will also help prep me for conversation with rheumy.Many thanks.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I would go back up - that is all far too GCA-ish to be played with. It isn't a race - 5mg and a few weeks later isn;t the end of the world. Going blind would be far far worse.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Two weeks since reduction much more likely to be flare…and don’t try and “ride it out”….a lot can happen in 2-3 days..back to previous dose.

[Grammy80]

As the gals have already said....don't take chances!! The headaches are saying ' Up you go!' 💕

[pinks33]

My own experience with GCA flares is that the head pain, just like yours, was nothing like as severe as when first diagnosed. They were just persistent, sometimes alleviated by paracetamol, but always came back. I never had scalp tenderness, jaw claudication or visual disturbances, so don't rule out a possible flare because you don't have these symptoms. I recently had a recurrence of GCA after being in remission, and had a whole bunch of different symptoms this time. As the others have suggested, I would up your dose now - your rheumy will probably recommend that anyway.