New to Versus Arthritis

Jeivers
Jeivers Member Posts: 5
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:05 in Living with arthritis
Hello 😀, I'm Janet...nice to 'meet you all'.

A bit about me......Diagnoised with GCA Nov 2019, PMR Dec 2018, and a couple of other 'bits and bobs' ....thankfully, the last 10 to 15 years of feeling 'not quite right' and the onset of intermittent, alarming, 'undefinable' and odd symptoms have been given a name :)
I'm in treatment..which seems to be working, and currently shielding myself and others.
Looking forward to chatting with you all.
Huge thank you to the organisers and members for this space.
Janet

Comments

  • YvonneH
    YvonneH Member Posts: 1,075

    Hi Jeivers,

    Lovely to meet you, welcome to the forum. You nearly caught me out with GCA, I've got it now, Giant Cell Arteritis, I'm so glad you now have a name and treatment for your condition.

    Here is our factsheet on the condition

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/giant-cell-arteritis-gca/

    I'm glad you are coping well with shielding, it can be quite draining, mentally as well as physically, at least now you have somewhere to go, friends to talk to and give advice to as well

    Looking forward to seeing you posting around the discussions soon

    Take care

    Yvonne x

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 14. Apr 2020, 17:05

    I have heard of GCA, it's inflammation of blood cells or arteries, yes? My mother's neighbour had it and after a long course of steroids she got better which was lovely. PMR is (I think?) poly-myalgia rheumatica which again is treated by steroids. I had three years on steroid tablets which certainly made me feel better but did nothing for my arthritis (because they don't, they merely mask the symptoms) so I weaned myself off them, my joints were under enough stress from the disease without adding osteoporosis into the mix.

    What treatment are you having? I inject immuno-suppressant drugs and have been locked in for six weeks, when covid was beginning I knew it had to be done. I am next going out in July for a blood test, woo-hoo! DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Jeivers
    Jeivers Member Posts: 5
    Firstly, thanks for the lovely welcome Yvonne. I'll be sure to read the info in the links. Im pretty sure we'll see each other about the forum.
    Stay safe, Janet
  • Jeivers
    Jeivers Member Posts: 5
    @dreamdaisy
    I was just glad to have a diagnosis, knew steroids were only masking the flare up but was glad of the pain relief. Hopefully the GCA wont flare up again....it never goes away, theres no known cause and no known cure.
    Sensible thing shielding, no point in taking unnecessary risks, there's a ways to go yet.
    Good luck!

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