Two days ago I arrived at my rheumatology clinic in good time for my appointment. Waiting for my name to be called I became increasingly concerned when people coming in after me were being called by the two consultants on duty. More than half an hour passed while I observed patients coming and going. At this point I asked at the front desk who I would be seeing and I have to admit my heart sank when I was told my appointment was with a locum. Heart rate raised and a sinking feeling of deja vous due to a ‘disturbing’ review with a locum a little over a year ago.
I shouldn’t have worried. The doctor had obviously read my notes and we discussed my latest blood test results-all fine- and the findings of PET-CT carried out at the end of 2022 which read as follows:
“I [my consultant] have taken the opportunity to discuss this scan at our Radiology MDT and the areas of concern in the aorta particularly seem to correlate to areas of atherosclerosis. Reassuringly the areas of thickening on ultrasound at the axillary arteries do not appear active on PET-CT, suggesting this is vascular damage/remodelling from previous inflammation. There has been no increase in any aortic dilation and indeed your subsequent echocardiogram shows that the aortic root is of normal size and the arch and ascending aorta appear to have normal dimensions.”
As a result, the locum suggested I will be able to reduce my current low 4 day - cycle dose of pred ( 1.5mg/1mg/1mg/1mg ) by half a mg. (I’ve yet to work out the best way of doing this) and stay on 1mg as a maintainance dose 😃. Also, I am to continue with 10mg daily Leflunomide.
The locum will be writing to me to confirm the way forward. Sighs of relief!
How do I get a free six-monthly eye test on the NHS if I have GCA?
On going investigation 
GCA - reaction to Pred reduction?
