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CRP/ESR and pain in right temple

Posted , 10 users are following.

margaret22251
margaret22251

SInce July of this year my CRP has been 5 and ESR 5

my query is that i am having pain in my right temple on a daily basis. Sometimes earache as well, I have mentioned this to my doctor and rhymatologist but both don't seem bothered, should I be?

i know steroids can cause this, but not sure regarding mtx.

i had my eye test done six months ago, and was told my eyes had altered due to my age which I accept.

i wear glasses for long distance, and ones for reading.

i suppose I am worrying about nothing, but it's nice to be able to talk about it to people who understand. Thanks for listening.🤔

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • celia14153
    celia14153 margaret22251

    Posted

    Nobody worries about nothing on this Forum! If we’re not worried about the illness we’re worried about Pred and side effects! And now the ‘normal’ effects of aging on top of that...

    Have your medics suggested what might be the causes of your unpleasant symptoms and how to give you relief? Can you see a different doctor in your practice? I don’t know where you’re based but you could try a pharmacist. Others will come along with their own experiences and suggestions. Hang in there!

  • r.d.s26296
    r.d.s26296 margaret22251

    Posted

    Hi there

    It's worrying when you feel that there could possibly be a problem and doctors are stone walling  you.   

    Don't give up nudging your rheumatologist . Remind her/him that you are very worried that you have a few symptoms of GCA , which  are usually associated with PMR ...( and that you would be grateful if those symptoms  could be recorded in your medical file for future reference.  wink 

    I know how worrying having a few symptoms of a disease and one feels neglected by the medical profession ,but worrying won't help your headaches. Maybe you ask for referral to an ENT specialist and get your ears checked.

    I hope your worrying is nothing and you get back on the road to feeling less under stress. 

     

  • EileenH
    EileenH margaret22251

    Posted

    What was your original diagnosis? GCA or PMR? Have you tried taking ordinary pain killers to see if that helps the pain? If they do I'd not worry too much as PMR and GCA pain don't usually respond to anything but pred - but if they don't, I would want to know what is causing it.

    Have you any other symptoms? Jaw pain when chewing for example. 

    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 EileenH

      Posted

      Just found my mail, thank you at the moment no jaw pain, and it was PMR I was diagnosed with at the start. I have another blood test due next Tuesday I will mention this. I will try pain killers as you say and see what happens
  • cindy828
    cindy828 margaret22251

    Posted

    I had pain on the right side of my head and my rheumatologist ordered a vessel biopsy to determine whether I had GCA.  I didn't.  Now the area where the biopsy was done is super sensitive and this was done 9 months ago.  Wish I never would have had it done.

     

  • missmagwumps
    missmagwumps margaret22251

    Posted

    Hi Margaret - you don't say if you are on any other medication...I was blaming every ill feeling on the steroids as they get such bad press but my consultant also put me on Omeprazole at same time as Prednisolone but when I queried the side effects of Omeprazole that included headaches - I stopped taking the Omep and my headaches and some other symptoms dissapeared too...not sure I should have stopped them as have nothing for gastric protection but the headaches dissapeared....will check it out when I next see my GP.....just a thought!

    BUT do check out your headaches with you consultant/GP to make absolutely sure - I read that sometimes you need to increase your dose to alleviate the headaches and start the redcution again... so make appointment with your GP to be safe...x

    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 missmagwumps

      Posted

      thank you, I take methotrexate for RA will check to see if this causes pains in temple, I must admit I'm not one for reading side effects after reading what pred can do.

    • EileenH
      EileenH missmagwumps

      Posted

      Many people on the forums have found that yoghurt - preferably natural and unsweetened - has been enough to protect their stomach while on pred. An alternative to the PPIs which have these unpleasant side effects is ranitidine, sold as Zantac. It does the same by a different mechanism so has different (and generally fewer) side effects. Omeprazole is the worst - other newer PPIs aren't quite so bad I'm told.

    • missmagwumps
      missmagwumps EileenH

      Posted

      That's useful Eileen.....amazing what we earn on this forum....I so wished consultants/GP's would look at it - they could learn a thing or two I think....ha !

    • missmagwumps
      missmagwumps margaret22251

      Posted

      I like to read as much as I can...forewarned is forearmed in my book...or I wouldn't have known I was blaming the Pred instead of the antacid! But I do understand what you mean.....best wishes...x

    • EileenH
      EileenH margaret22251

      Posted

      Pred has 82 listed side effects and we at PMRGCA decided we'd found a couple more! However - no-one gets all of them and many of us have next to none of them. I can't identify anything that I would say was due to pred and pred alone.

    • celia14153
      celia14153 EileenH

      Posted

      Moonface, eye sensitivity, increased fatigue and a degree of wakefulness at night I do attribute to Pred, but take the point that it can become too easy to think Pred first and underlying symptoms that need checking second! 
    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 EileenH

      Posted

      i took some painkillers, and it seemed to ease off after about an hour, had some pain today but not as bad, so maybe you was right, but will keep an eye on it. Many thanks
    • EileenH
      EileenH celia14153

      Posted

      I had sensitive eyes at one point with PMR - definitely not pred. By increased fatigue I assume you mean even worse than with PMR? And I also found it difficult to sleep with PMR - pain and stiffness probably. Pred has never bothered me as much - at least once I was asleep I didn't wake up because I couldn't turn over in my sleep!!!

    • celia14153
      celia14153 EileenH

      Posted

      I thought the eyes were down to Pred not PMR. Useful to know they are a symptom of PMR as that can become a mini barometer of health - when eyes improve then perhaps the symptoms are improving. Sad though as I had hoped they would improve with tapering. Hey ho!! 😄

    • missmagwumps
      missmagwumps celia14153

      Posted

      I didn't know that about eyes with PMR either - thought it was caused by Pred but that eyes be affected by GCA .....there's something every day eh !

    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 EileenH

      Posted

      I get pain in my right eye when I get the pains in my temple, it feels as if I have been poked in the eye .then other times just really bad pain, but I have had it on and off for four years my doctor said its the steroids, little she knows
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