Hello, I have suffered from GCA (temporal arteritis) for most of the last 4 years. I am now back in remission for the second time.

[maisie5]

Has any diabetic member been able to beat this dreadful disease? High prednisone dose is a nightmare as I am diabetic. Should my symptoms return I dread dealing with the diabetic consequences.

Has any diabetic member beaten vasculitis?

[PatriciaAnn]

Hello Maisie

You ask if any diabetic member has been able to beat this dreadful disease. I don't have diabetes so I can't answer that from a personal point of view. The truth is, however, that not many of us manage to "beat" vasculitis. I am in remission, and have been for a number of years, but this is only achieved because of the medication I still have to take. Some vasculitis patients manage to get to a point where they don't need medication. Unfortunately that doesn't mean, in most cases, that the vasculitis is beaten, it just means the disease in abeyance so that we can live a near normal life.

The thought of the vasculitis rearing its head again is worrying, and must be especially so if you are diabetic. Try not to worry about it - easier said than done I do appreciate. Just ensure you are kept under review by your medical team, that you have your bloods done periodically and at the first sign of anything going amiss get back in touch with your consultant asap.

Take care and best wishes.

PatriciaAnn

[John_Mills Volunteer]

Hi Maisie,

As Pat has said, you can't beat the disease completely, but you can beat it into submission.

In many types of vasculitis this is done using prednisolone, as is usually the case with GCA, but in some other types of vasculitis it needs the addition of more poweful drugs such as cyclophosphamide.

This is then followed by maintenance drugs to keep it under control and prevent relapse, taken sometimes for many years. In the case of GCA, methotrexate has been used for this purpose. So if you don't take any maintenance drugs, it might be worth discussing with your consultant, bearing in mind your history of diabetes.

There are also other techniques for minimising the damage done by the prednisolone - too complex to talk about here!

John