Headaches

[Januzzi]

Hi everyone I’m down to 2-1/2 mg of prednisone a day but I’m getting headaches now Tylenol helps but should I increase Prednisone I appreciate any advice

Thank you

[SnazzyD]

Could you describe the headaches a bit more? Headaches are many and varied and causes even more so. For example, where they are, when they happen, what kind of pain and any other odd symptoms.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

More details would help for a better reply as Snazzy says - but if tylenol helps it suggests they aren't too serious in nature. At what dose did they start to appear?

However, as you reduce the dose of pred the adrenal glands must take up the slack and start to produce more cortisol which has previously been suppressed by the pred. This takes time and is rather erratic until it reestablishes. This can underly various symptoms including headache, muscle and joint aches and pain and fatigue. Obviously increasing pred is likely to help but that will also delay the return of adrenal function. If the headaches are due to this - you need to slow down the tapering to give your body more time to adjust.

[Januzzi in reply to PMRpro]

I’ve had the headaches off and on for over a month they are in different places some along the right side of my head not on my temples and I have had an itchy scalp on top for at least 5 or 6 months as I said Tylenol helps

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Januzzi]

Really doesn't sound very GCA-ish but if they were to localise or get worse or any other symptoms appear, it needs checking out. GCA tends to be a headache like no other - but patients have GCA without headaches too.