I was diagnosed with PMR about 15 years ago. For twenty years before PMR was diagnosed I would have problems with my eyes because of uveitis. Uveitis is a serious condition too and caused pain, floaters, light sensitivity, visual disturbances and could lead to blindness if not treated.

I was also diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia about the same time when I was seeing my ophthalmologist for the treatment of uveitis. He said the temporal headaches and jolts of electricity around my eye had nothing to do with the inflammation inside my eye. My ophthalmologist referred me to a neurologist who made the diagnosis.

Uveitis and trigeminal neuralgia never really went away when PMR was diagnosed. When my rheumatologist told me the symptoms of GCA were headaches with visual disturbances and could cause blindness it made me chuckle a bit. I told my rheumatologist that I had those symptoms all the time.

I explained to my rheumatologist that I usually would take 60-100 mg of prednisone for uveitis and/or trigeminal neuralgia. I asked my rheumatologist how would I know if it was GCA or not?