Not another flare I hope?

[Angelsmummy]

Good morning friends.Feeling a bit paranoid regarding these symptoms I am having and not sure what to do.Night before last,a sharp pain ,in central neck( back) was enough to wake me up.Also feeling of “fullness” in left ear.Double groin pain.(physio said he can understand the left groin pain because of my disc problems but not the right side.Woke up again this morning,same pain in back of neck,same feeling of “ fullness” in left ear,and pain below left ear,like a stabbing pain.Also slight throbbing sensation in right temple.My gut feeling is a flare,but keep thinking,what if it isn’t ,just maybe I have slept wrong.Am on 7 mg. of pred after a very quick taper on “advice “ of Rheumy.(Had GCA as you know in Dec 22 with sight loss and 2 flares since) Need a bit of expert advice on this please ,before I jump up the steroid dose?Many thanks,x

[herdysheep]

This is def not expert advice (!) but I think if I were in your position, I would want medical advice. Are the pains/feeling unlike what you have had before?

[Angelsmummy in reply to herdysheep]

Hi Herdysheep,Thankyou for your reply.I would say ,yes mainly,but what is throwing me a bit was the stabbing pain in back central neck.Never had that before!I took my 7 mg of pred.straight away,and 2 paracetamol.The stabbing pain in neck gone off just left with feeling of pressure in head and right ear and side of neck quite uncomfortable.Groin pain in left side a bit easier but right side still dodgy.Perhaps I am guessing right that 7 mg is helping calm down symptoms a bit but NOT enough to do the job.Because I have severe degeneration in lower joints etc plus arthritis in neck,I always try and blame it on that!What to do eh?xx😜

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Angelsmummy]

Neck pain could be from OA... and radiating up through ear [especially if paracetamol has helped].. but ears can be affected by many things including GCA, so think you do need medical advice just to be sure.

[Angelsmummy in reply to DorsetLady]

Thankyou Dorset Lady,will phone Rheumy on Monday ( would not go to A and E of a weekend!) and see what he says.Sorry to be a pain,( excuse the pun!)Obviously if I feel eye is affected will phone 111 straight away.x😜

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Angelsmummy]

👍

[Grammy80]

I am on the "medical advice team." Don't take any chances. During my GCA journey, I often felt a fullness in my ear on my affected side. It is a pain I would keep my eye on... Before I was finally diagnosed, I used to get pain in my neck, but definitely on the side and up my skull. Just be mindful; you really aren't on much prednisone....🐈💞