Giant Cell Arteritis

[cassa333]

Hello everyone.

I just thought I would post a cautionary tail for those with older relatives/friends who have this combination of symptoms.  Catching the symptoms EARLY is key.

If your old person complains of these symptoms please get them to the Dr as soon as you can. And ask for them to be tested for Giant Cell Arteritis

Jaw pain that stops them eating or only able to eat soft foods. 
Cant open their mouth wide.

Veins on the forwardhead/temple are prominent.

black or dark 'splodges' or floaters in the eyes

difficulty lifting their arms up

excessive fatigue 

headaches 

slowed or limiting mobility

My mum had this and no one spotted the pattern of symptoms. She is now totally blind in one eye and on a huge amount of steroids. Which in itself has other problems but that's another story.

It is hard to diagnose but if you know what to look for it helps catch it early enough to treat.

[Buenchico]

A.k.a. 'temporal arteritis', which is what my friend was diagnosed with a few years ago.  (Fortunately, the steroid treatments seem to have worked for him).

NHS info here: 
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporal-arteritis/

[Peter Pedant]

I hope she gets better

[gingejbee]

Very interesting to me as I have had bouts of polymyalgia rheumatica...and was warned that 1 in 5 cases go on to develop temporal arteritis (aka giant cell arteritis)...which needs urgent medical intervention. So far, I've been lucky...and grateful not to be in your mum's situation.

[cassa333]

Oh Buenchico I almost reported you for something. Pure mistake as I pressed the report button thinking it was a reply button 😱

Yes it also known as temporal arteritis. 
 

So many people don't know about it and miss the symptoms. So do the Dr.

[cassa333]

Peter P.

She will always be blind in the eye now. But they pumped her so full of intravenous steriods for a week just to save the other eye. And on ever decreasing amounts for the next year.

The steriods have good and bad side effects. But that's a whole different thread lol

[ferlew]

I was diagnosed with PMR in January last year. I also had the symptoms you describe. Couldn't even get my  little finger between my teeth, headaches, aching all over, fatigue and so on. Was on steroids for about 8 months, lost over 3 stone in weight and had to endure a diet of slop.
It has been my opinion since the previous December after a severe allergic reaction to the Covid jab, that it had something to do with it all. My face swelled and the inside of my mouth etc was numb, GP wouldn't even discuss the possibility of it all being linked.