rosecea and temporal arteritis

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Kate23451

I have had rosecea for about 3 years. It began rather suddenly after I

took Norvasc for high blood pressure. I had never heard of rosecea;

the symptoms I presented were my facing burning and turning brightred

(no papules except afew after several months) accompanied by the same

amount of pain in both temples. I didn'tthink of going to a

dermatologist. Then came 10 months of trying to find out what was

wrong. Briefly these are docs, etc I went to:

#1 Heart specialist (after 8 months on Norvasc and flushing). He said

might be allergic

response to norvasc. took me off norvasc gradually and said symptoms

would go away. They didn't. Otherwise, he said, might be

temporalarteritis.

#2 Neurologist. Ordered an MRI. After reading MRI, told me my " brain

was fine " and I shouldgo to internist. Hesaid he thought the flushing

was probably and allergic response to Norvasc (which does causeflushing)

and that itwould go away. It didn't.

#3 Internist said he was going to use the flushing as his differential

diagnosis. I saw him

look through all hismedical books and ordered tests for some terrifying

diseases: carcinoid tumors, another kindof tumor (I forgetwhich now),

lupus, and temporal arteritis. He never mentioned rosecea which I'm

assuming he hadn't heard of. Later

wrote me a letter with lab reports which he said were normal and that I

should not drink anyalcohol for 6 or moreweeks and see what happened.

After 6 weeks, nothing had happened except that the flushingcontinued.

Saw anotherdoctor who recommended yoga. I tried that and hurt my back.

Finally I went on line and found a web site that had a short note from a

woman asking advicefor her husband. Shewrote that her husband had taken

norvasc and that he now had 'a permanent case of rosecea.'This was the

first timeI had ever seen or hear the r word.

I went to Merck manual and there it was -- and showing just what I was

experiencing -- exceptfor the temporalpain. I called my brother who is

a physician and asked him for a reference for adermatologist. I

mentioned that Ithought I had rosecea. He laughed and said he'd never

heard of it but when I mentioned thatit was in the Merckmanual, he found

a dermatologist for me and told me he thought it probably was a wild

goose chase.

Well -- dermatologist took one look at me, after listening to this long

story of ignorance

and said, " Didn't anyone mention rosecea? " She then sent me to a nose,

throat, person for pain. After CAT scan, nose throat specialist said

chronic severe sinusitus but couldn't be cause of the pain I have which

must be TMJ. Had a bite things made by dentist but didn't help.

Anyway, I tell you this long story because, in the process of learning

that I did have

rosecea, I think I managed to have every test possible and all of them

were negative, including temporal arteritis.

Noritate cream has helped the flushing somewhat -- the temporal pain

just goes on. But whenI consider all theother possibilities all the

doctors considered (except rosecea), I'm okay.

kate23451@... wrote:

> ,

> I would be very interested in learning more about the research

regarding

> temple pain. There is a condition called temporal arteritis, TA,

which is an

> inflammation of the arteries in the head and upper body. It is

considered an

> autoimmune disorder and may be associated with polymyalgia

rheumatica. We

> have talked in here about the possibility of rosacea having an

autoimmune

> link, and I am wondering if this might be a connection.

>

> Personally, I have had rosacea for about 20 or more years and left

temple

> pain, occasionally, for about 5 years. Talk about a bizarre symptom!

> Regards, Kate

>

>