covid/gca

[Plains]

I tested positive for covid yesterday and was started on Paxlovid. My major complaint is head and jaw pain. Could this be a GCA flair? I doubled my prednisone to 6 mg yesterday but nothing seems to help. I have been taking Tylenol every 8 hours. My recent blood tests Sed rate and CRP were excellent.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

When did the headaches/jaw pain start?.. did they come on following a reduction in Pred, and have you been diagnosed with GCA - looks from your profile you were started on 20mg, so I'm guessing not.

As you are on/have been on Actemra, your inflammations are unlikely to be raised.

Headaches are a symptom of Covid, but would have thought painkillers would have helped.

Bit more info about timelines might help to advise..

[PMRpro Ambassador]

What sort of jaw pain? I doubt 6mg pred would do much for GCA though.

[Plains in reply to PMRpro]

it’s more of the front of my face, cheek bones and right temple pain.

[SnazzyD in reply to Plains]

With my last Covid bout I had acute front sinus pain, earache, teeth/jaw pain and headache. I didn’t get the claudication jaw pain on chewing that I got with GCA, just a permanent soreness. This was also with a sore throat. My father-in-law was given the treatment but it didn’t help him feel better, it just didn’t hang about as long as with me and he was 26 years older than me. It could be that but you do need advice on whether it’s the other.

[Plains in reply to SnazzyD]

thank you. Did you have sneezing with covid? I am going to try steam to see if that helps.

[SnazzyD in reply to Plains]

My husband had sneezing relentlessly but I didn’t; just as one would expect for an upper respiratory infection. I had a merciless tickly throat cough 24 hours a day.

[Plains in reply to SnazzyD]

thank you

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Plains]

Not typically GCA then, as SnazzyD suggests sounds more like sinus issues. But you do need medical input.

[Plains in reply to DorsetLady]

thank you

[Purpleazalia]

From the information you give in your bio and ending up in hospital with your initial GCA symptoms I would suggest that you make urgent contact with your medical professional for advice. Hope you soon feel better than you do at the moment.

[Luciejc]

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

I have GCA and had COVID in October 2022. I was on 2 mg Medrol and Actemra at the time. Rheumatologist stopped Actemra and increased Medrol to 12 mg. also prescribed Paxlovid. My headaches, jaw and neck pain felt like a flare. Tested positive for a while. If you can't access the link above, just Google GGCA and COVID. Hope you feel better soon

[Bertiebeagle]

I tested positive for Covid last weekend and have to say the first day was the worst with shivers, sweats and facial pain. I felt like I had been punched in both eyes but I’m fairly convinced it was my sinuses, never occurred to me it might be anything else. Started Paxlovid on Sunday and things improved dramatically, testing negative today. I didn’t adjust any of my other meds as I was advised Paxlovid would not interact with them. Hope you feel better soon.

[Plains in reply to Bertiebeagle]

thank you. I am feeling a little better. The face, jaw temple pain finally went away. Still very stuffy in the head and a lot of congestion in my chest. My doctor told me I had to stop my satins while on Paxlovid and not to start them again five days after finishing the mediation. Hope you are doing well.

[Donna5658 in reply to Bertiebeagle]

My husband just tested positive for Covid this morning. Do you mean you started Paxlovid the day after you tested positive? What dose of prednisone were you on? Have you continued to do well post-Covid?

[Bertiebeagle in reply to Donna5658]

I tested positive on Saturday and started Paxlovid on Sunday, I was on 6 mg prednisolone (and 20 mg methotrexate, folic acid, Adcal, omeprazole). I have had dreadful catarrh on and off since Christmas so difficult to say what the impact of Covid has been in terms of general well being but on the whole have been fine. However, I did spend a day in A and E with atrial fibrillation, which can be caused by any number of things, but the thinking was it might be due to a virus and therefore probably Covid.