In 2007 I had just returned from a holiday in Menorca and on the way back I started to experience some really bad pains in my back. Having had back trouble for some considerable time, I naturally thought this was the problem.
Since 1995 I have been coping with osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia but in May 2009 strange things were happening to my body. I couldn’t get warm despite being wrapped in jumpers and blankets.
Looking back nearly three years it was like a sick version of the joke about how many actors / Jewish mothers / psychiatrists etc it takes to change a light bulb. In this case, it was: How many doctors does it take to diagnose a case of Giant Cell Arteritis?
In early January 2011 I became aware of a constant quite mild ache behind my right ear and upwards, settling above my right eye. It was only upon mentioning to a cousin, who is a nurse, my intention to visit an optician for an eye test and confirming the symptoms only occurred down one side, that I was persuaded to visit our GP.
I am Scottish and live in Northern Italy. I have been diagnosed as having GCA and I would like to share my story with you as I hope it may be of help to someone as the stories of others with GCA have helped me.
My story began on 6th November 2007. I had been feeling strange for a while, and felt I had flu but nothing definite. I went to the doctor and some blood tests were taken. Later that week I hobbled into the doctor’s with gout, something I had never had before.