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Possible GCA in 27 year old

Posted , 9 users are following.

marisa71239
marisa71239

hello all,

been reading a bit through the forums just to get a better sense of the possibility that this is what i might have and to see if i can get any other information or advice seeing as i've only been to an urgent care and still don't have a official diagnosis yet.

i understand i am pretty young to have gca, and that the likelihood is that i might have takayasu instead if anything even at all, but i seem to have most if not all of the cranial symptoms of gca so i'm not quite sure what to make of everything just yet.

CRP is 3.7 and ESR is 6 so i believe those are normal results for the blood tests. however my symptoms have been pretty alarming and i have been put on 60mg of prednisone immediately and got a referral for an appointment at a vascular surgeon tomorrow for further evaluation and possible biopsy if needed.

about 2 weeks ago i was chewing on a taffy like candy and my temples and jaw were painful. on touch i noticed they seemed a bit swollen and i ran up to a mirror and was frightened by how swollen they were.

every day since then i have been getting painful and swollen temples as well as moderate to severe headache around the sinus area and temples after almost all of my meals.

there doesn't seem to be too many other options for this particular and severe of a symptom besides possibly TMD. however after researching GCA and Takayusa's some more i realized several other of the symptoms also fit but were vague enough to be other issues but tied together with the temporal swelling seemed to indicate GCA.

i have been having general flu-like, fatigue, and soreness symptoms as well as shortness of breath and vertigo for a few months, but myself and other doctors chalked most of that up to the winter season and not being in the best shape.

now a little concerned where it ties into the possibility of Takayusa's because i've had minor pain in my chest by my left clavicle and pain/numbness down my left arm for a few months as well.

not entirely sure what to make of all this or what to expect going forward in the pursuit of further evaluation and diagnosis, but i would appreciate any questions or advice that might help me navigate a bit for the next few days and weeks to come.

thanks in advance,

-marisa

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH marisa71239

    Posted

    I'm afraid I don't think anyone here can really help you a lot - IF what you have does show positive you will be almost certainly diagnosed with Takayashu's simply because of your age. One lady on one of the forums had had a diagnosis of Takayashu's as long as she had been ill but noticed one day at the rheumatologist that it now said GCA. When she asked she was told because she was now over 50! And all of us with GCA here come under that age group.

    However, if you are seeing a vascular surgeon tomorrow he will probably do a temporal artery biopsy - taking a short piece of that artery (you don't need it) and examining it for the giant cells that are typical of GCA. They are not usually found in the temporal artery in Takayashu's but angiography will show the inflamed arteries in the rest of the body.

    These are two articles that may help - although the second is aimed at healthcare professionals so is a bit complex.

    https://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/mcm_faq/what-is-the-difference-between-takayasus-and-giant-cell-arteritis/

    https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/332378-overview

    But you are on high dose pred which will help reduce the inflammation quickly and reduce any risks as well as making you feel a bit better though it may take a few days. The only advice I can give you is maybe take your phone and record discussions so you can check back what was said - you won't take it all in, none of us do. If you have someone sensible who will go with you that is also helpful afterwards - but they need to not interfere unless there is a good reason. Otherwise - take a pen and paper and make notes.

    Do let us know how you get on tomorrow - and all the very best.

  • exie61964
    exie61964 marisa71239

    Posted

    i cant help you with any of your problems I have PMR, sorry. However i want to tell you about my experience with the temple biopsy. It certainly is painless, and mine took at least an hour. Heres the kicker. during the procedure the surgeon said to me, " I dont know why doctors send me patients for this procedure, they always come back negative".

    mine was negative.

    My PCP said results didnt matter, because regardless if biopsy the treatment is the same. duh!

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