Swollen red cheek andslight jaw pain on one side.

[BleatingsheepMAA]

My friend was diagnosed 6 weeks ago with PMR and GCA. Great improvement on steroids. Yesterday she had slight jaw pain and this morning her face is red and swollen. Could this be a flare. She is on 20mg per day of prednisolone.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

hi,

If she was only diagnosed 6 weeks ago with GCA and is already down to 20mg then that’s very quick… so the slight jaw pain may be that - but exactly what sort of pain need to be clarified… for example if she tries the test linked here what’s her response -

sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/...

Doubt the red and swollen face is GCA - more likely an allergic reaction or a virus.. if so, then she needs medical advice. .. or it could be related to a tooth issue - so dentist input [good luck with that!] She may need antibiotics..

[SnazzyD]

Is it just one side? Pain type? How are they feeling generally? Need to make sure that a minor dental issue hasn’t got going due to the immunosuppressant effect of Pred.

It’s worth noting that by now the puffier cheeks may well be setting in generally.

[BleatingsheepMAA in reply to SnazzyD]

Yes, it's just one side. No puffy cheeks so far. She is extremely slender, and still losing a little weight. Still short on energy and stamina

[SnazzyD in reply to BleatingsheepMAA]

It doesn’t shout flare to me but really a dentist and/or a doctor needs to have a look and a prod as there are a number of possible causes.

[piglette]

Have they confirmed GCA? If so she should be seeing a rheumatologist and as DorsetLady says she has reduced very fast.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

We HOPE she reduced fast - maybe GCA was diagnosed and she was STARTED on 20mg. I do hope not.

[BleatingsheepMAA in reply to PMRpro]

Started on 8x5mg for 3 weeks, then 6x5 for 3 weeks, now down to 4x5 for a few weeks, to be decided as she goes on.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to BleatingsheepMAA]

Oh good - still awful fast but when it works, that's all good.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to BleatingsheepMAA]

to be decided as she goes on.

Hopefully a lot slower from now on…

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

I hope so too ...

[BleatingsheepMAA in reply to piglette]

Yes, confirmed by Rheumatologist with temporal biopsy.

[piglette in reply to BleatingsheepMAA]

That sounds that you should be in good hands.