← Return to PMR diagnosed but now headache for almost a month.

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@artist01

@5333 and @emo
Oh my goodness! Yes!
@johnbishop is so right. You must hasten to a rheumatologist.
My GCA began with extreme fatigue and persistent and severe pain and tenderness of my scalp and the side of my face. It was so bad that I attended the hospital emergency department FIVE times before a diagnosis was made. By that time, I'd lost the vision in my right eye. Permanently. That was in 2019. I was immediately sent straight to the hospital from the doctor's office and given 3 days of prednisone by intravenous in order to stop blindness in my other eye. After about a year of prednisone I was put on Actemra (a biologic), and easier medication, by weekly injection. I've had constant Rheumatologist care, which is so very important, especially since GCA is such a rare disease that most of the medical world knows nothing about.
Only this week, my Rheumatologist newly diagnosed that I have Fibromyalgia, which he told me often goes with GCA. I've suspected it for a long time.e but I have so many other conditions I didn't want to seem like a hypochondriac and ask if I had that one too. Lol
It's been a long ride and certainly not a very nice one, but with a good Rheumatologist and your family doctor looking out for you, it can be done to your best advantage! Good luck!! Warmest wishes, Laurie

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Replies to "@5333 and @emo Oh my goodness! Yes! @johnbishop is so right. You must hasten to a..."

Thank you for sharing that, and I hope you're doing better. I think I may one day quote you with: "You must hasten to a rheumatologist" lol. I feel that captures the urgency.

Since you mentioned fibromyalgia--that was actually my last (so far) diagnosis, after diagnosis of my inflammatory arthritis and a conglomeration of other things. Ultimately, the physician who diagnosed me told me it's very common to happen with these other conditions. He said it's thought to be because being in pain for so long with these chronic conditions, especially when it can take so long to diagnose or treat effectively can alter the way the brain/body process pain...leading to fibromyalgia. So we're definitely not hypochondriacs!