Temporal Arteritis

Question: I havae been diagnosed with Temporal Arteritis, has anyone who has had this condition got better? I have been given 60mg doses of Steroids to help the symptoms of the disease, but they are making me very lightheaded (although they have reduced the main symptons greatly). I want to talk to people who have also been diagnosed, but are further down the line with their treatment - IS THERE LIFE AFTER TEMPORAL ARTERITIS?

Answer: FLEXAMINE DOUBLE STRENGHT,FLEAXMINE TRIPLE STRENGHT,GLUCOSAMUNE TRIPLE ,FLUID JOINT all these are names of drugs that are really effective which i have tried on many of my patients&it really worked try it,i`m sure u`ll get better.

Question: Temporal Arteritis? Does this happen often with diabetics?

Answer: Supposedly not, but I do not of a person who had both. The problem was that he was treated for the arteritis with steroids, which made his diabetes very difficult to control.

Question: I have Shingles on my face, not Temporal arteritis!Can it be spread by washcloth to another part of the body? I have Shingles, not Temporal arteritis, on my face. Lots of pain and now blisters coming. Can it be spread to other parts of the body with a washcloth, etc. or does it only travel nerve paths? Also, can children get chicken pox after having the shot to prevent it? yanksgirl I already have it over my eye and a lesion or so inside. I'm on 3000 mg. of antiviral meds, a bacitracin eye ointment and also Neurontin to help the nerve endings heal. My eye is swollen almost shut and really red all over. The doctor said to expect that. they checked my cornea and everthing looked good.

Answer: No, shingles is not contagious. You can’t catch shingles from someone who has it. But you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles. So, if you’ve never had chickenpox, try to stay away from anyone who has shingles.Shingles is a disease that affects nerves and causes pain and blisters in adults. It is caused by the same varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus does not leave your body, but continues to live in some nerve cells. For reasons that aren’t totally understood, the virus can become active instead of remaining inactive. When it’s activated, it produces shingles. Just like chickenpox, people with shingles will feel sick and have a rash on their body or face. The major difference is that chickenpox is a childhood illness, while shingles targets older people. Most adults live with the virus in their body and never get shingles. But about one in five people who have had chickenpox will get shingles later in life—usually after the age of 50. When the activated virus travels along the path of a nerve to the surface of the skin, a rash will appear. It usually shows up as a band on one side of the face or body. The word “shingles� comes from the Latin word for belt or girdle because often the rash is shaped like a belt. kids who have had the chicken pox shot can break out with a mild rash but it is not as bad as it would be without the shot...

Question: How many deaths per year from Temporal Arteritis ?

Answer: Long-term survival of patients with temporal arteritis is the same as for the general population. Loss of vision is the most feared complication of misdiagnosed or untreated temporal arteritis. Temporal arteritis impairs sight in the affected eye, and as many as three fourths of patients with unilateral blindness lose vision in the contralateral eye within 3 weeks.

Question: Who has this disease called "Temporal Arteritis"? I have it. My doctor put me on 200mg of Motrin 4x a day for 10 days. If it doesnt subside he will further diagnose.

Answer: I do my doctor put me on methotrexate, salazopyrin and predisone.

Question: are biopsies for temporal arteritis always accurate or are there false positives or false negatives ? does the sed rate and crp tests always elevated with temporal arteritis? Does TA ever effect 3rd nerve causing eyelid to shut.

Answer: Biopsies are accurate for TA, sed and CRP are elevated because TA is a disease effecting the immun system and CRP and sed are elevated as a response of the system.

Question: Just diagnosed with Temporal Arteritis of the eye? I really don't agree with the diagnosis! I see a specialist on Monday, in the meantime I'm on large doses of Prednizone. This problem can cause blindness if not treated right away. It's an inflamation of the artery above the eye. I think it's all migraine related and my blood test turned out ok. The next step is a biopsy. Any one here have this happen? I need to hear your experience. thanks yanksgirl

Answer: Well pt's with arteritis are usually over 50 years of age. But the disease is detected by a biopsy of an artery. And your dr has you on large dose of prednizone, which is the same as a cortisone related med. But this is a serious disease like you said can lead to blindness and or stroke. Get a second opinion, but don't put this off. the biopsy will detect the disease. Good luck.

Question: Temporal arteritis. What is the worst thing that can happen if untreated?

Answer: Giant cell arteritis involves predominantly the thoracic aorta, large arteries emerging from the aorta in the neck, and extracranial branches of the carotid arteries. Simultaneous polymyalgia rheumatica is common. Focal symptoms and signs may include headaches, visual disturbances, temporal artery tenderness, and pain in the jaw muscles during chewing. Fever, weight loss, malaise, and fatigue are also common. ESR and C-reactive protein are typically elevated. Diagnosis is clinical and confirmed by temporal artery biopsy. Treatment with high-dose corticosteroids and aspirin is usually effective and prevents visual loss. Possible complications, especially if not treated properly or promptly, include: * Sudden vision loss or eye muscle weakness * Damage to other blood vessels in the body * TIA or stroke

Question: Have you ever had Temporal Arteritis? What were the symptoms?

Answer: No I havent. Symptoms are: fever headache tenderness and sensitivity on the scalp jaw claudication (pain in jaw when chewing) tongue claudication (pain in tongue when chewing) reduced visual acuity (blurred vision) acute visual loss (sudden blindness)

Question: Temporal Arteritis ?.I thought it was just an ear infection .? But my doc. thinks its this temporal arteritis,never been on prednisne bbefore there are lots of sideeffscts but it's what does the trick.Wish me luck.

Answer: I'm not really clear on what you are asking ...I am assuming you want to know about temporal arteritis and not the side effects of prednisone. Below find the information on temporal arteritis. If you need the side effects of prednisone...then do a search you'll be able to find it easily. Temporal arteritis Arteritis - temporal; Cranial arteritis; Giant cell arteritis Temporal arteritis is a disorder involving inflammation and damage to blood vessels, particularly the large or medium arteries that branch from the external carotid artery of the neck. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Giant cell, cranial, or temporal arteritis occurs when there is inflammation and necrosis (death of the tissues) of one or more arteries. It most commonly occurs in the head, especially in the temporal arteries that branch from the carotid artery of the neck. However, it can be systemic, affecting multiple medium-to-large sized arteries anywhere in the body. The cause is unknown but is assumed to be, at least in part, an effect of the immune response. The disorder has been associated with severe infections and high doses of antibiotics. The symptoms occur because of inflammation. The disorder may exist independently or may coexist with or follow polymyalgia rheumatica (a disorder characterized by abrupt development of pain and stiffness in the pelvis and shoulder muscles). About 25% of people with giant cell arteritis also experience polymyalgia rheumatica. Giant cell arteritis is seen almost exclusively in those over 50 years old, but may occasionally occur in younger people. It is rare in people of African descent. There is some evidence that it runs in families. Symptoms fever a throbbing headache on one side of the head or the back of the head scalp sensitivity, tenderness when touching the scalp jaw pain, intermittent or when chewing vision difficulties blurred vision, double vision reduced vision, blindness in one or both eyes weakness, excessive tiredness a general ill feeling a loss of appetite weight loss (more than 5% of total body weight) muscle aches excessive sweating Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease: mouth sores joint stiffness joint pain hearing loss bleeding gums face pain Signs and tests When the doctor feels (palpates) the head, the scalp is sensitive and often shows a tender, thick artery on one side of the head. The affected artery may have a weakened pulse or no pulse. About 40% of people will have other nonspecific symptoms such as respiratory complaints (most frequently dry cough) or mononeuritis multiplex (weakness and/or pain of multiple individual nerve groups). Rarely, paralysis of eye muscles) may occur. A persistent fever may be the only symptom. Blood tests are nonspecific. A sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein are almost always very high. A hemoglobin or hematocrit may be normal or low. Liver function tests may be abnormal, including elevated alkaline phosphatase, if the disorder is systemic. A biopsy and analysis of tissue from the affected artery show changes that confirm the diagnosis of temporal vasculitis in most cases. Treatment The goal of treatment is to minimize irreversible tissue damage that may occur because of lack of blood flow (ischemia). Corticosteroids such as Prednisone are commonly prescribed to reduce inflammation.Corticosteroid treatment may be started even before a biopsy confirms the diagnosis (to reduce the risk of complications). Aspirin may be recommended in addition to corticosteroids. Medications that suppress the immune system (such as cyclophosphamide or methotrexate) are occasionally prescribed to try to minimize the dose of steroids needed. Expectations (prognosis) Most people make a full recovery, but prolonged treatment, for 1 to 2 years, may be necessary. Recurrence is possible for several years. Complications Possible complications, especially if not treated properly or promptly, include: obstruction of the arteries of the eye, leading to blindness or ophthalmoplegia (weakness or paralysis of one or more eye muscles) TIA or stroke damage to other blood vessels in the body side effects of therapy Calling your health care provider Call your health care provider if persistent throbbing headache and other symptoms that indicate giant cell arteritis occur. Prevention There is no known prevention.

Question: Temporal Arteritis or Not? My mother went to the ER two months ago with pain on the right side of her temple. At the time my mother had a cold and the ER doctor told her she had influenza B and Temporal Arteritis and put her on a steriod. She was advised to go back to her primary health care provider. He put her on a higher dosage of the steriod. He then sent her to another doctor. They took a sample of her temple and later said that she DOES NOT HAVE temporal arteritis. Now her head hurts more. If she doesn't have temporal arteritis then what else could it be? Is it possible that it could be a cluster headache of some sort? Or could it be an infection that was brought on by the flu? My mom is 65 years old and her sid rate was 50. She was put on steriods and her dosage was cut down to the very lowest dosage. They are trying to wean her off since they did a biopsy and found out it was not temporal arteritis. Plus the steroid didn't really work. She had all the signs and symptoms of TA but they say she doesn't have it. She is in the process of getting an MRI but that wont be for another month or so. We NEED answers now but the doctors don't seem to have any and they really don't seem to care. It's making me really mad! Wish some doctor cared more.

Answer: to diagnose temporal arteritis she should be more than 50 years of age, her esr should be more than 50 and proven biopsy. if there is dramatic response to steroids this is also supportive. can you provide me the following information and also yu are right there could be some other cause of headache which should be investigated good luck for your mom

Question: has anyone got any advice for me i have been told that I may have temporal arteritis? the main worry is that steroids are the only thing available I am already overweight and cannot bear the thought of putting on more weight and feeling so uncomfortable. Any advice at all?

Answer: The diagnosis is usually pretty clear cut. I assume you had temporal pain a tender artery and a raised ESR. Sometimes biopsy is done for absolute confirmation. This condition can result in blindness, it is almost invariably treated with oral prednisolone, the dose being titrated down to the minimum needed to keep the ESR down to normal. This may be needed for a moderate length of time. I gather one can use cytotoxic drugs as an alternative, but I have not personally seen them used.

Question: does taking steroids for temporal arteritis increase the eye pressure? My father is taking predmet 8 mg and has been advised regular eye pressure check up.

Answer: Absolutely, steroids can cause a pressure increase in patients as early as one week after starting the medicine although most steroid responders show an increase in the 3-4 week time period. That said, temporal arteritis is a serious business and steroids are absolutely crucial since this condition can cause serious vision loss if untreated. Your doctors will take care of him and if the steroids do cause a pressure spike, eye drops can be given to lower the pressure. In this case the steroids will do much, much more good than harm. Best of Luck.

Question: What is temporal arteritis?

Answer: inflammation of the temporal artery

Question: Anyone heard of Temporal Arteritis?

Answer: Also called giant cell arteritis, classic symptoms include blindness, bulging temporal artery (side of forehead), scalp tenderness, and jaw pain. It is an autoimmune disease of the large vessels, part of a larger group of vessel disorders called vasculitis. Prompt diagnosis is essential as blindness can be permanent. A patient with these symptoms needs to be started on high dose steroids right away. Some physicians will also biopsy the artery to get a diagnosis.

Question: Can multivitamins keep you from absorbing other medications? I am taking mega doses of prednisone right now. I have a condition called 'temporal arteritis" which has left me with no vision in my left eye. The prednisone has so far kept the swelling down so that I have retained the vision in my right eye. I don't want to take anything that will interfere with the absorption. Appreciate any advice. My Dr. wasn't available today.

Answer: The pharmacist is the person to speak to.