Hello @paddington -- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for the private message and allowing me to post it in this discussion. I believe your experience will help other members with similar symptoms.

@paddington message:
I was diagnosed with GCA/TA in January 2020. At a January 9th office visit, I told my PCP (Dr. A.) about my symptoms: sudden increase in severity of what had been a chronic headache, now affecting my entire head and jaw claudication (pain when chewing or even opening my mouth). She very wisely immediately suspected TA because of my age (79) and ordered immediate tests at the LabCorp in her office. My sed rate was 117; my C-Reactive Protein was 4.2. She immediately referred me to a Rheumatologist (Dr. M.) who saw me on January 14 and started me on 40 mg. prednisone. I took my first dose after breakfast 1/15/20. By bedtime, I had major relief, not only of the severe headache but also of my spinal stenosis pain of many years duration. Brain fog that I'd had for almost 18 years of coping with intractable pain disappeared. I now call Prednisone a Magic Bullet. I'm so happy to have my Mensa brain back that I'm willing to put up with a lot of physical symptoms.

I had bilateral temporal biopsies done 1/21/20 by Dr. U. By my second visit to the Rheumatologist on 2/13/20, my sed rate had lowered to 61, not enough, so she increased the Prednisone to 60 mg. She prescribed a biologic steroid-sparing agent Actemra because I am a type II diabetic and my elevated glucose levels – caused by the Prednisone – are worrying. We requested that my insurance company approve this very expensive med. My insurance company approved the Actemra; I began taking in 3/6/20.

By my third vist to her on 3/12/20, my sed rate had lowered to 35, normal for my age, so she decreased the Prednisone to 50 mg. and plans to decrease it to 40 mg after 3 weeks if all goes well. I have begun having symptoms of steroid myopathy now – weakness and tiredness in the pelvic girdle area when I stand or walk. Dr. M. thinks physical therapy will help me get back to normal, but just slowly and safely increasing my activity level, for now, is best. I had been sedentary for years and using a walker much of the time because of the spinal stenosis pain.

I hope this info helps others. I have wonderful doctors (here in Surprise, AZ) who fast-tracked me to getting Prednisone quickly to prevent blindness – one of my greatest fears.

I am an avid researcher – retired Lawyer here! Would you like me to provide some of the links that have been very informative and helpful?
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Would love to see the links that you found informative and helpful! Can you Click the View & Reply button and share the links with us?

John