Anyone have information or advice on GCA….Great Cell Arteritis,please?

Sorry! afraid not but I will be interested in any positive responses. Take care of yourself.

Just Google it. The NHS website has information.

i know someone with this, also known as temporal arteritis.
it is a complication of chronic severe rheumatology problems.
it is important to be aware of it as if it flares and continues to do so, it can cut off the optic nerve and cause blindness. permanent.
so she has to carry extra steroids at all times, in case she feels the symptoms flaring.
in which case she would take some extra steroids, already taking long-term, while awaiting medical attention.
she gets pain in the orbit of the eye, at the hairline above, on forehead, side of face is tender and swells.
it hurt when the doctor gently pressed, almost just touched her face and head on the affected side.
it is usually one side at a time which is affected.
rheumatologists should be aware of it and question patients.
other HCPs seem less informed ime.
when giving the history, they often write it down as arthritis, despite the giant cell prefix.

she had an attempted diagnostic biopsy performed, but this was inconclusive, as often is the case apparently, as the blood vessels affected are so tiny in diameter.
and they were inflamed of course...
so they couldn't get enough of a sample.

I had Giant Cell Arteritis, and eventually gave up explaining that it wasn’t arthritis, and just called it inflamed arteries! Blood test will usually show inflammation of some kind, and Giant Cell Arteritis is diagnosed by a biopsy of the temple.
I have had just about every anti-inflammatory known to man, and am now on a biologic injection fortnightly.
NHS website is probably your best bet for information.

Thanks everyone for your helpful info. Yes …the NHS website is definitely informative.

Try Health Unlocked. There is a dedicated community for vasculitis on there, and a few, from recollection, with GCA.

Here you go:
healthunlocked.com/vasculitis-uk