Polymyalgia Rhematica and headaches

[Eveangel]

Does anybody else suffer from headaches with no Giant Cell arteritis diagnosis? I wonder if it triggers migraines!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

More details would help - but just because you weren't diagnosed with GCA at the same time as the PMR, it doesn't mean things don't change and the PMR is changing into something else.

[Excelsior80]

I get occasional headaches, and hardly ever used to, but they are not very severe. I am alert for them as a possible GCA symptom but so far they don't seem bad enough, and I have no other symptoms..... and I did wonder whether its just that watching out for headaches is making me more aware of them. If I did have severe headaches I'd go back to the doctor just in case.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Excelsior80]

Always complicated by the fact that pred itself can cause headaches ...

[Paulagcl in reply to Excelsior80]

I sometimes get headaches but not severe. Like you, I worry that it's a possible GCA symptom but my rheumatologist hasn't been concerned, and he's cautious. For me tyelenol helps, and that means they are relatively mild. Tell you dr, but don't worry! Stress can cause a headache!

[pata63]

My experiences with headaches and GCA are detailed here.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

In my case an increase in both frequency and severity of migraines and TGN turned out to be GCA in the wings. I recommend keeping a headache diary, as well as getting blood tests periodically and include CRP and ESR (generic inflammation measures). And sometimes a headache is just a headache. I'm currently back to trying to tell the difference between a symptom of GCA flaring up and "just my usual migraine/TGN". I got an utrasound based "arteries all look good" from my Rhumatologist appointment yesterday yet something was going on in the 3rd week of October in frequency of headaches. Not as bad as May/June in either magnitude or frequency. But something was happening.

My CRP has gone back up to 3, but we will see what it is on the 13th when it is next measured. For my normal range 2 or less is ok, but 3 means something is going on. But the something could be just a virus.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to pata63]

Which arteries were looked at? Just because the temporal artery looks good doesn't mean that GCA isn't active somewhere else.

[pata63 in reply to PMRpro]

I'm not sure of the proper terminology but the same 6 locations as last time: Temporal, Carotid and whatever it is under the arm pits. Left and Right. I went back to the 3rd week of October in my diary and the cause of headaches every day was fragranced relatives staying with us for the week. 😱 So that week is explained.

I started a very slow taper yesterday heading from 10mg to 9mg. Fingers crossed. I'll be keeping watch for symptoms, but as I got my interpretation so wrong in May and June my confidence isn't 100%. Fortunately the blood tests continue every 14 days, and I've got the fine people here to help.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to pata63]

Hmm, yes, fragranced relatives. I can't be doing with over-perfumed anything!!! Sharing a lift can be excruciating!!! I can't even cope with lemon-flavoured dishwasher stuff ...

[Grammy80]

You have received some good advice.....but it needs to be sorted out by a doctor and hopefully she can see one soon. A headache severe enough to be thought of as a migraine, needs and answer. My best💞

[Kiwisufferer2019]

Yes, everytime I started tapering I would get awful headaches usually in the middle of the night. But recently my GP put me on norflex which is a muscle relaxant, for treating sciatica, the headaches have stopped znd for the first time in 5 years I'm not getting the withdrawal symptoms. I have asked her if I can keep taking the norflex until I taper right down and she said yes by all means. I'm very excited as I'm now tapering to 4.5, the lowest I've been in 5 years and no withdrawal symptoms. I did Google the norflex tabs and it said they are used to prevent migraines. I'm very grateful.