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GCA, PMR and Diabetes Can GCA come back even if I am on Steroids?

Posted , 13 users are following.

gaenor38609
gaenor38609

Hi, I was diagnosed with GCA in May and was put on 60mg of Pred within 2 days my aches and pains, which I thought were arthritis, was gone I felt great. I started spring cleaning the house, then I had to slowly reduce the Pred and then the trouble started the tiredness, the sweating, feeling sick. I got down to 15mg and then was told I had Diabetes more problems, what could I eat and not eat? Today I am down to 8mg and have a very bad headache tempral pain, also behind my right eye down the side of my face and to my shoulder. My quastion is:- Can GCA recure even if I am taking 8mg of steroids. I have an appointment with my Dr this afternoon and have been told to rest until I see him. I am so on edge and stressed out worrying about going back to large doses of steroids again. My face has gone back to some form of normality after so long but I am so depressed. Don't know how much more I can take of this horrible disease. 

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  • farmers_wife
    farmers_wife gaenor38609

    Posted

    This rate of reduction has me worried. My husband went from 60 to 40 after 7days then to 30 for 7 days then to 20 for 7 and then 15 for 2 weeks and last Sat started at 12.5 for two weeks. Then he will be on 10. He has not a scrap of energy left since Monday. No pain although yesterday mentioned a slight blurring of vision for an hour which went away. He has a blood test this afternoon but I will go and email the consultant now to see if he can look at results before the appt on Tuesday and ring me if I need to up the dose.

    So is the fatigue part of a flare?

    • sue-dorset
      sue-dorset farmers_wife

      Posted

      Hi farmers wife,

      Some doctors think a short sharp course of Pred will do the trick, unfortunately it doesn't in respect of GCA or PMR. Both these illnesses run their own course, and all the Pred does is keep the inflammation under control, it does not cure the underlying problem. If the patient is not on a high enough dose, then the inflammation is still causing a problem with the blood vessels, and subsequently the flow of blood. Hence pain and fatigue. Unfortunately, a side effect of Pred is also fatigue, so sometimes it's difficult to know what's causing it. Pred suppresses the normal production of adrenaline, so when you would normal expect your body to kick in with some to help you through a stressful or physical activity it doesn't!

      So in answer to your question, it can be, but not necessarily! 

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