Please skip / ignore if you don't want to read about medical episodes relating to a parent, however, my reason for posting is that it could be informative and possibly sight-saving if anyone ever encounters similar symptoms.
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My Dad has presented for the past 20 days with severe muscle pain, exhaustion, blinding headaches, eye sensitivity, dizziness, vomiting, dull jaw pain and significant weight loss (largely due to only having eaten one meal in said 20 days) His CRP levels were off the scale at 136 and rising - anything above 10 is considered high if you know anything about inflammation - He has also slept for full days to the point of barely being able to wake him.
The hospital terrified him by convincing him that the only possible reason for such high inflammation was seriously advanced and / or secondary disease. They were thorough, but also, I think, a little over zealous. I appreciate that it's a tricky balancing act.
I kept asking about a possible serious infection or autoimmune disease as an answer to the inflammation.
As I have previously said, he's had a brain scan and CT. He was told these were clear. I had to take him back today for 'more tests and another scan' Now, the problem here is that he doesn't like to be accompanied. He's also rather deaf. Me? I think four ears are better than two, and I absorb the detail. I am also a ferocious advocate. Anyway, I waited in the hospital car park today for 3 and a half hours for him to come out with news. He eventually emerged saying he hadn't had the scan, but had more bloods and had been referred to see to see a Neurologist tomorrow for another brain scan and biopsies. He couldn't understand this as he was told his brain scan at the weekend was clear. He assumed they had had a further look in more detail.
With his permission, I went through his medical record and discharge notes. I noted he's been referred to Rheumatology tomorrow not Neurology.
The hospital did start him on 12 steroid tablets a day two days ago as a precaution. He feels better already and they said today that the bloods shower his CRP levels are finally falling.
In short, this appears to be Giant Cell Ateritis. An auto immune disease whereby the arteries in the temples become inflamed as the body attacks them. The biopsy tomorrow is not to look for tumours, but to confirm this condition. It is treatable. In the first instance, with steroids, and then longer term, with biologicals. This is something I know plenty about, from my own experience of having been treated with both.
One more day of his severe symptoms without steroids and he may have lost his sight due to the severe pressure building up in his temporal arteries.