1. < Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Medications for Temporal Arteritis/Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)

Posted by charann2000 @charann2000, Apr 25, 2018

Anyone out there who has been diagnosed with Temperol Arteritis (Giant Cell Arteritis). I am undergoing testing and most likely have it. Would like to know how anyone is doing with it and what type of medications they use and any side effects, etc.

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lioness | @lioness | Aug 26, 2018
In reply to @tinkerbell "@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when..." + (show)
@tinkerbell

@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when the surgeon pushed on it really hard as he examined me before the biopsy. I sure hope you don’t have GCA and it sounds like the medicine you are taking right now has helped. Keep us posted when you see the RA.

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@charann2000 your place sounds beautiful my hubby and I had a camp in N.Pa nature is great isn't it

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lioness | @lioness | Aug 26, 2018
In reply to @elderdiana "Fighting this thing for three years. On 60 mg of prednisone for 3 months with methotrexate..." + (show)
@elderdiana

Fighting this thing for three years. On 60 mg of prednisone for 3 months with methotrexate added after first 6 weeks. Slowly reducing prednisone, got down to 4 mg by last spring. Then c reactive protein test and sed rate started climbing. I feel fine. My Doc wants me to start monthly infusions ofActemra (toncilizumab for life??? I would prefer to add more prednisone if necessary. Any thoughts, any one.

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@elderdiana be careful of prednisone or any cortisone it will effect your kidneys be sure to have your labs done frequently .

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charann2000 | @charann2000 | Aug 26, 2018
In reply to @tinkerbell "@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when..." + (show)
@tinkerbell

@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when the surgeon pushed on it really hard as he examined me before the biopsy. I sure hope you don’t have GCA and it sounds like the medicine you are taking right now has helped. Keep us posted when you see the RA.

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Nature is beautiful....as you become older you appreciate it more it seems.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Aug 27, 2018
In reply to @tinkerbell "@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when..." + (show)
@tinkerbell

@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when the surgeon pushed on it really hard as he examined me before the biopsy. I sure hope you don’t have GCA and it sounds like the medicine you are taking right now has helped. Keep us posted when you see the RA.

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@crhp194

Thank you for the information regarding your diagnosis in spite of being symptom-free. You said this was discovered during heart surgery. Could you explain a bit more about how this was discovered?

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crhp194 | @crhp194 | Aug 27, 2018
In reply to @tinkerbell "@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when..." + (show)
@tinkerbell

@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when the surgeon pushed on it really hard as he examined me before the biopsy. I sure hope you don’t have GCA and it sounds like the medicine you are taking right now has helped. Keep us posted when you see the RA.

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The doctors suspected it when they saw the large cells during the open heart surgery. They then sent a sample to be biopsied to the lab. The lab confirmed their suspicions. As I said, I had no symptoms. Then I had a course of prednisone and am still taking methotrexate as there is still some inflammation.

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tinkerbell | @tinkerbell | Aug 27, 2018
In reply to @tinkerbell "@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when..." + (show)
@tinkerbell

@charann2000 - The only time I had any pain when my temple was touched was when the surgeon pushed on it really hard as he examined me before the biopsy. I sure hope you don’t have GCA and it sounds like the medicine you are taking right now has helped. Keep us posted when you see the RA.

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@charann2000 - It sounds like you had good care in the rural area where you have your place. You really had a bad cut. Take care and keep us posted if anything changes in your life.

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tinkerbell | @tinkerbell | Aug 27, 2018

@654321 - The HPA is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. I have not had this test. Any of this type of test you would need would be ordered by an endocrinologist. My husband does medical research and he is the reason that I had the ACTH Stimulation Test. The doctors never suggested the test. They draw blood first which is a baseline and then give you an injection to stimulate the adrenal gland (adrenocorticotropic). They draw blood again at 30 minutes and then at 1 hour. I was at 12 when they drew the blood and then 16 at 30 min and 18 at an hour. The Endocrinologist said the results were great. Now just hoping all goes well with the tapering. These test normally have to be ordered and interpreted by an Endocrinologist. Mayo sent me to the in-house Endocrinologist and she said she would do any tests requested by Neurology.

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1 reply
654321 | @654321 | Aug 27, 2018

Thank you so much. I go to the Texas Arthiris clinic which I have been with 2015. I am now on 5 mg. Of predizone . Blood work today and praying I get to stay there or go down.

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654321 | @654321 | Aug 30, 2018
In reply to @tinkerbell "@654321 - The HPA is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. I have not had this test. Any of..." + (show)
@tinkerbell

@654321 - The HPA is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. I have not had this test. Any of this type of test you would need would be ordered by an endocrinologist. My husband does medical research and he is the reason that I had the ACTH Stimulation Test. The doctors never suggested the test. They draw blood first which is a baseline and then give you an injection to stimulate the adrenal gland (adrenocorticotropic). They draw blood again at 30 minutes and then at 1 hour. I was at 12 when they drew the blood and then 16 at 30 min and 18 at an hour. The Endocrinologist said the results were great. Now just hoping all goes well with the tapering. These test normally have to be ordered and interpreted by an Endocrinologist. Mayo sent me to the in-house Endocrinologist and she said she would do any tests requested by Neurology.

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My dr wants me to start taking methatextrate because I have been in predizone so long . Got down to five mg and the sed rate and crp went back up. Your thoughts ?

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1 reply
charann2000 | @charann2000 | Aug 30, 2018
In reply to @654321 "My dr wants me to start taking methatextrate because I have been in predizone so long..." + (show)
@654321

My dr wants me to start taking methatextrate because I have been in predizone so long . Got down to five mg and the sed rate and crp went back up. Your thoughts ?

Jump to this post

What is your present SED Rate and what was the highest it ever way?

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