GCA / Migraines

Hi chickentkerr

I have a question for you. Will you please tell me what are the typical symptoms of PMR and in what age they are more common? I am 38 years old and have been suffering from the left side pain for years. I think mine is more nerve related than anything else because whenever I am nervous or stressed I get this tension pain. But I have doubts as well because the pain that I’ve been suffering from its like GCA or PMR as well. So, I don’t know which one I have because my symptoms are close to those who suffers from GCA and PMR. My left side of face, head, upper jaw, left eye, my neck, left shoulder, left hand, left breast, then goes down to my left leg and toe. When this pain comes I have to massage my left shoulder and my neck constantly. To relive the scull pain in the left side I pull and hold on to my hair then I feel the pain gets better. Recently, when I have this pain I see a black round shadow in my left eye that when I sit up it goes away slowly. This scared me so much that I ran to optometrist and told her to check my eyes. She ran full tests. Such as eye scan, eye pressure, eye picture and dilated my eyes. She looked through my eyes for few seconds and checked them very well. Then she sat back and told me that she could not find anything wrong with them. I told her than what about that black shadow she said it might be eye migraine. I asked her about GCA she said I don’t see anything alarming. So, I left her office confused. Then I asked my GP dr. to order special blood test to check on GCA and PMR he wasn’t going to do it but I insists on it. Then he ordered ESR, ANA, Celiac, Lupus, and most of the inflammation tests. Everything came back normal thanks God. Then he told me that I worry to much. I even went to cardiologist and ask to do ultrasound on my carotid vain and heart to see if there is any blockage but there were none. Thank God again. But here I am with the same pain and questions I don’t know what I am dealing with and I am afraid if doctors are missing something. I'm confused.

Thanks for helping.

If your pain is only on one side it is very unlikely to be PMR and you are also very young to be considered for it, it is more common in over 50s. It sounds much more likely to be a muscular problem since you describe relief from massage and the hair pulling. PMR is typically bilateral, involving hip and shoulder stiffness which is often worse in the mornings but which can return after sitting for any length of time. Turning over in bed, getting out of bed, getting out of a chair without using your hands to push you up are all often experienced.

There are no "special tests for GCA and PMR" - in 80% of patients the inflammatory markers are raised - that is ESR and CRP but they can be raised in many other things.

Hi fellow migraine sufferer. I'm sorry to hear your story as it sounds similar to mine. I stared on 60 mg and am currently on 25 mg of Prednisone. I saw my rheumy yesterday and he is actually sending me to a pain management doctor rather than increasing the Prednisone dose. My neuro blames all my head pain on the GCA, but my blood work came back with low levels of inflammatory markers, so now there is a conflict between the docs. Yes, I agree that it is a real rollercoaster and some days have to be spent in bed with many ice packs just to make it thru to the next day. I look forward to the day when I can get off the poisonous Prednisone. Good luck to you, Chickentkerr.  Feel free to write back and I'll do the same.  Btw, are you on any successful migraine meds? I'm currently tapering off Topomax...again... has not helped. I also get Botox injections every three months, but I am beginning to think that makes my migraines worse.  It's just so hard to tell some times. 😔