← Return to Medications for Temporal Arteritis/Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)

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@leerow60

I was diagnosed October 25, 2023. I kept going to my country Dr. they couldnt figure out what was wrong. I was weak, headaches joint and muscle aches, fever, scalp and jaw hurt,swelling. Then on Oct 25,2023 i woke up blind in left eye. So weak could barely get up. My husband ran me to eye Dr. after an hour of testing he called an opthmalogist friend . he said i think I know. ai was in to the surgeon for a biopsy in a matter of hours. Then i was srushed to another hospital and admitted for 10 days. they ran tons of blood test. ct, mri's of pretty much my whole body. Began prednizone immediately. by the end of the trip i had 4 surgeries and several auto ammune diseases. mine went to far. The steroids aren't working well. I keep having flareups badly. Im losing vision in the other eye. My aorta is involved. I am severely anemic. I have GCA, PMR, Scleroderma, RA and moly something. iron infusions several times a week. live with a port.said they are going to try one more drug. Actemra. I have tried several. aaaaaaaall my labs are out wack. i hate this disease, I am so depressed.

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Replies to "I was diagnosed October 25, 2023. I kept going to my country Dr. they couldnt figure..."

Hello @leerow60, Welcome to Connect. I can't begin to imagine how difficult your journey with GCA, PMR, Scleroderma, RA and more has been for you. I'm sorry to hear that the steroids aren't working for you. You mentioned they are going to try Actemra next. There is another discussion on the medication that you might find helpful where others have shared their experience:
--- Actemra (Tocilizumab) to treat PMR??: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/actemra-tocilizumab-to-treat-pmr/

Have you started on Actemra yet?