Temporal Arteritis

Hello James

If your Dr suspects temporal arteritis, s/he should be referring you as a medical emergency. If you have any symptoms of eye pain or blurring vision, then you would be wise not to wait for the appointment but to go immediately to A&E telling them of your GP's suspicion. Temporal Arteritis needs immediate treatment with high dose steroids to protect your eyesight, which once lost rarely returns. If it turns out that you don't have Temporal Arteritis then the steroids can easily be stopped at this early stage.

The biopsy is usually carried out under local anaesthetic - if as you say you are feeling squeamish then I'm sure some sort of sedation would be possible.

One thing to bear in mind though is that if the biopsy proves negative that doesn't mean that you definitely don't have temporal arteritis. A friend had three negative biopsies but she eventually went on to be diagnosed with Temporal Arteritis.

As for going back to work the same day, that will depend very much on how you feel.

Good luck and I hope it doesn't turn out to be temporal arteritis after all but, if it does, then those of us who have experienced TA will be around and happy to support you along the way.

MrsO

Hi James,

I have had two biopsies for expected TA. There is really nothing to it as it is done through local sedation and the cut is only less than ½ inch. I was retired when I had the biopsies but would say I could have gone back to work if I had a job then. I got a small bandage to cover my scar after the biopsy and after the first biopsy, I flew the next day from Sweden to a class reunion of a high school class that I had attended 1954-55 in a small toen in Minnesota. At the class reunion, my wife helped me to cover the bandage (or gauze) with surgical tape that was skin-colored as I knew we would have a class photo. Nothing could be noticed on the class picture! After a week, my wife helped me to cut the stiches. >On the Atlantic flight we receved several small bottles and we saved a small bottle with gin (5cl). My wife had a Swiss srmy knife with several tools including ascissors and dipped the scissors in the gin for disinfection. Then she cut the stiches abd all was over. We still have a big laugh about using her army knife to help me rather than going to a medical centre. As you understand, there is nothing to it! Good luck!

Many thanks for your responses. You have set my mind at rest a little now. My doctor does suspect Temporal Arteitis and has put me on a 50mg dose of Prednesolone ? daily. She also told me to go back and see a doctor immediately should the pain get worse and to go straight to the casualty unit if I have any worsening of vision at all. I do have to wait up to a fortnight to find out when my biopsy will be taken though and that does seem rather a long time and a bit of a worry.

Hiya James. I have Temporal Arteritis and was on 60mg Pred for 2months then reduced to 50mg. I am now down to 30mg. I had an arterial biopsy last Oct and it was painless. You can't see anything that goes on. You honestly have no need to worry but if you are really anxious then as MrsO said you will probably be able to have sedation. I am also under the care of a Rheumatologist. I waited 2weeks for my biopsy too so don't worry ok. Good luck.

Oh and RDSwede I can't believe your wife had to take your stitches out!! Mine were dissolvable so it was fine thank goodness.

Best wishes

Mary

Many thanks for that Mary, you have made me feel a lot better about the biopsy. Fortunately I have private medical care as part of the package from my employer so things should move along quite quickly. My doctor has started me om 50mg of pred and I will have to see where I go from there.

Thanks again for taking the time to reassure me, I am very grateful.

Regards

James

Hiya James. Glad I could be of help. That's what we are here for, to help each other. Hope things do move quickly for you.

best wishes

Mary x

i have just had the temporal biopsy and it wasnt too bad, you cant feel any pain, and the nurse holds your hand all the way through. i felt fine afterwards, but i would imagine you would need a couple of days off work.

hope this helps

best of luck

gladys xx