I am being treated for the past four years for GCA/PMR in addition I’v

Posted by carlarosie @carlarosie, Aug 31 6:41am

After over a year of consistent headaches on the right side and by my eye after seeing many many doctors and neurologist, finally I was diagnosed with GCA/P.M. I’ve also been diagnosed with Sjogren’s disease unfortunately for me I don’t believe the doctors are serious enough because my blood work never shows the inflammation. After taking prednisone for over a year, I was switched to Actemra, which seemed to help, but my blood counts were very low and the hematologist suggested I go off the hammer. After seven weeks of taking no medication, the headaches came back. I was put back on prednisone and now seem to be suffering from depression as anyone else experience this?

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tuckerp | @tuckerp | Aug 31 7:30am

I would get an MRI. We dismissed my wife's headaches as part of uveitis that she was diagnosed with. Turns out she had a tumor. its easy to have a love / hate relationship with prednisone.

janb62 | @janb62 | Sep 1 11:38am

Yes, depression and changes in mood are possible side effects of prednisone. I, too, have GCA and was on prednisone for a year. It took several months for the side effects to kick in and it's no fun. Thankfully, Actemra worked for me and allowed me to get off prednisone. I hope your doctor's can find an alternative so you can go into remission and ditch the prednisone. Hang in and believe this is temporary.