HOW LONG DO FLAIRS LAST

[Oztrax]

Since I am new to this, how long do these flairs last ? or is it a variable thing.

[PMRpro]

Flares of what? And why? Is it due to reducing medication too far, as with tapering pred in GCA/PMR for example, or is it an increase in disease activity having been stable at a dose for some time? In the first case, the medication dose would be increased back to the required level and then the flare is over quite quickly. In other illnesses, it would depend. But usually it is a case of changing medication in some way. Otherwise - if you just wait and see, how long is a piece of string?

[gooseflight in reply to PMRpro]

@Oztrax’s other post mentions GPA

[gooseflight]

Difficult to say as it depends on severity, symptoms and the effectiveness of your treatment. A [GPA] flare may not necessarily follow the same disease course as at diagnosis. Flares do, though, need to be dealt with promptly and by a vasculitis specialist as things can escalate quickly.

[Oztrax in reply to gooseflight]

seeing a vascular surgeon, my rheumatologist, hospital diagnostic doctor and my diabetes doctor over the next 4. -5 weeks hopefully with a new Doppler MRI scan and these latest blood test they can sort this out. Am prepared to get a scalp biopsy but it wouldn’t be in temporal area more like on top.

[gooseflight in reply to Oztrax]

OK. From your other post I thought you’d had a GPA diagnosis.

[DorsetLady]

In GCA and PMR this explains how we deal with flares - not sure about your illness -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Oztrax]

thanks DL that link was great, so I was trying to ask if a Vasculitis flare last weeks or months

[DorsetLady in reply to Oztrax]

Cannot answer that - we tend not to leave it intreated.

Not sure if it’s not acted upon with an increase of meds how long it would take to burn out on it’s own.

In GCA it’s not something we would risk - because it could lead irreversible sight loss.

Have no knowledge of GPA if that’s what you have.

[Oztrax]

am trying to plan financial situation with large time off work initially and then a 25 -50 % return to work at reduced hours.

[Oztrax]

DL the arteries on my scalp that are still inflamed are on the top and feel like the thickness of thin cooked spaghetti

[Oztrax]

DL with GCA are the headaches located where the inflamed arteries are ?

[DorsetLady in reply to Oztrax]

Well they can be all over head - but they can vary from person to person. One thing I would say is they are not helped by any type of normal painkillers that would resolve a ‘normal’ headache.

[ZiggyDiego]

my GPA grumbles, flares and has relapsed twice. The grumbles are fleeting: a few hours or days. The flares are usually days but it depends where they are. My eyes started flaring and I got treatment straight away, whereas my mouth flare went on for months. It’s very difficult sometimes to tell the difference between all these things and permanent damage. I have neuropathic pain in my temples and lower legs, which I always have.