Duncan woman warning of little-known disease

Duncan woman warning of little-known disease

Published 5:45 am Saturday, January 31, 2026

There are many serious conditions to which people are blind to, but Giant Cell Arteritis can literally cause blindness.

An inflammatory autoimmune disease of the arteries causing swelling in large blood vessels, especially arteries in the head, neck, and arms leading to severe headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw pain, fatigue, and fever, it affects several Vancouver Island residents over the age of 50, including Cowichan’s Enise Olding.

It can cause sudden and permanent blindness if not caught in time as once these blood vessels swell and narrow, they can cut off blood supply to the eyes, robbing people of their sight.

Despite its severity, GCA remains one of the most under-recognized health threats which is why Olding feels compelled to share her lived experience. Diagnosed in early 2017, she was uninformed about this condition until her eyesight gave way.

For Olding, who is a former competitive swimmer, sailor, and journalist, living with GCA has been part physical battle, and part emotional marathon. She believes if more people understood GCA in clear, relatable terms, they would better grasp how debilitating and isolating it can be while being informed about a disease that piggybacks on old age.

“General awareness about GCA is far better than learning about it by suddenly losing your eyesight,” said Olding. “I was an enthusiastic member of an intense fitness class, so when I had stiff, aching hips I thought I’d overdone it. As things didn’t improve in a reasonable amount of time I went to the doctor. Several tests revealed Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) often a forerunner to Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) which was confirmed by way of temporal biopsy. I was fortunate in that my vision was not impacted, and along with the immediate taking of medications I received an ophthalmologist’s attention. I have adjusted to my physical energy limitations, built up endurance and flexibility very slowly and steadily so that now I have completely accepted what is my ‘new normal’ and get on with what life has to offer now.”

Most common in people of Northern European descent, specifically women, GCA is considered a medical emergency due to the risk of sudden, permanent vision loss, requiring immediate high-dose steroid treatment. In some cases, the first sign of GCA is a stroke and often experienced clinicians can mistake it for more routine conditions.

“I’ve learned through years of research into my ailment that it can affect both women and men, at younger ages, and perhaps people aren’t aware of their ethnic origins so might not readily associate themselves being a typical sufferer,” said Olding. “At this point in time there appears to be no way to prevent it.”

Early symptoms of GCA are vague and can also include unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, flu-like symptoms and pain and stiffness in the shoulders, hips, and neck. It can impact the eyes with blurred, double vision, or sudden permanent vision loss. GCA completely changes one’s life.

“The biggest challenge was when it finally dawned on me that my life, as I knew and lived it, would never be the same again,” said Olding. “From being a very active person I went to one with little or no energy, spending many hours on the couch. From taking for granted I could go or do whatever I wanted to strategizing how I’d tackle a typical event like getting groceries. Not being spontaneous and committing to meet someone for a walk or coffee because of not knowing how my energy level would be.”

Olding said that other physical considerations include aching all over, weakness, hair loss, skin flaking, puffiness, tiredness, and not sleeping. She said medications contributed to both helping her get better and feeling awful at the same time.

It is common for GCA warning signs to be misdiagnosed. Typically patients are given a physical exam that includes blood tests such as ESR and CRP and often a temporal artery biopsy. Early treatment is crucial. The current treatment involves high-dose corticosteroids much like prednisone, sometimes with IL-6 inhibitors to prevent vision loss.

Olding is still on medications and her condition is monitored on a monthly basis, which she doesn’t expect to change.

“The treatment I received was prompt and appropriate, the medical professionals were aware of what my physical ailments could be and took the right actions, referring me to the necessary specialists,” said Olding. “Their quick and thorough actions along with the medications best suited to me made all the difference. Because I was taken so unawares by this disease and the way it manifested itself in me initially, it is important that others know about it. I’ve met and know people who have lost all or partial sight as their first indicator that there was a problem. Others had unrelenting headaches, ear and neck aches and some like me, have stiff hips or shoulders. All these symptoms could mean GCA and they are definitely worth having checked out immediately.”