Shingles after GCA

[pugrescue]

I was dx with GCA in March/19, tapered off pred in Dec/20. July21 dx with vitiligo, yer another autoimmune. Dec/22 dx with shingles, which affected my left eye.

Now I am pretty much over the shingles, but having terrible headaches esp overnight. Blood pressure which has always been low (100/60) even with all the pred, is now spiking above 200. Drs don't have a clue. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Is this yet another autoimmune problem?

Thks for any advice in advance.

[piglette]

I suppose it could be a high blood pressure headache rather than caused by GCA. On the other hand if the medics don’t have a clue, I am pretty unlikely to as well!!

[Longtimer in reply to piglette]

I don’t know about that, we seem to know more than them some days!

[piglette in reply to Longtimer]

😄😄😄

[pugrescue in reply to Longtimer]

I agree completely. I would never have got thru the GCA without this group!

[Tahiri]

I wonder if you had Covid before the sharp rise in your blood pressure, as mine which was slightly high , but well controlled spiked after the virus. I’ve had GCA since October’19 and believe Covid caused that, although not many people mentioned the virus in 2019. It was when I caught it a second time that the blood pressure soared plus dizziness. Unfortunately the Dr could not prescribe further BP meds because of awful heartburn. I tried 3 different meds and each time the heartburn was unbearable. I’m on about half a mg of Prednisolone now, but have not found the last 3 yrs+ easy. I just wondered if our cases were similar …..