I was diagnosed with GCA in 2017 and had managed to get down to 3 mg a day.
Recently I experienced a very stressful period due to non-related health issues.
I seem to be experiencing a flare with a number of my previous symptoms, resurfacing. In truth, I was probably slow in recognising the symptoms that have probably been going on for a number of weeks.
I decided at the beginning of this week to up my dose to 8 mg, but as of today, after seven days, I’m not feeling any improvement.
I haven’t had a recent blood test for ESR and CRP but in the past these haven’t always been raised when tested at the time of a flare although they were raised when first diagnosed.
I would really appreciate any views you might have
Written by
MichaelW
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I started to get a very red face in the morning, buzzing in the ears, numb lips, acid reflux and discomfort across my chest muscles. These are all symptoms I have not experienced since some while ago so I’m confident that these are related to a flare.
I’m convinced that my initial diagnosis in 2017 was initiated by a traumatic spell in A&E a few months previously and unfortunately I got very stressed at end of March of this year when a recurrence of the original medical emergency seem likely to be repeated (thankfully it didn’t)
Were those part of your original symptoms before diagnosis?
They don’t sound typically GCA flare like to me -so I think I’d want further investigation especially as the increased dose doesn’t seem to have kicked in yet.
My original symptoms were severe headache, stiff neck and tender scalp which improved significantly after 1 week of 40mg Prednisolone. As time has gone on the some or all of symptoms I’m now experiencing have developed as indicators to me of a flare. Previously they have cleared up by increasing dose by 5mg but it may be that I have been slow to react allowing the inflammation to develop. Will keep at 8mg for another week and then take stock
Sounds exactly like the flare i had recently with GCA. You ca.n get a special mopping up steroid injection which works wonderfully for 3 months. Not sure what its called, something like Depametone. 120mg. Have had it twice when i had a bad flare. Like you brought on by stress and just doing too much. Get well soon.
Thanks for your reply and good wishes. I think the injection is called Depo-Medrone. I will keep this in mind as a possible course of action if higher tablet dose doesn’t work out.
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