Anyone diagnosed with PMR after the Covid vaccine?

Same here. I was very active till PMR in Feb 2024. I had COVID shot Oct 2023 and PMR 4 months later. I took prednisone for a year. Finally tapered off and taking Hydroxychloroquine200 Mg Tablet for the residual pain. It took 2 months to diagnose me from March to May 2024. Primary care doctor blamed COVID for the pain, depression and being very tired. Yes, I had covid and had the Shot. NOT getting another one. Anyway i started this at 74 and now just Turned 76 and feel i will never be as good as i was. Doctor will blame my age.

I associated vaccines with my first relapse after a 10-year hiatus, but I got another relapse a year later with no associated vaccine (and had shots in the interim with no flare)—so I’ve just set that correlation aside. So many stress factors on a body and not enough evidence to sort it all out. I am taking the advice of focusing less on cause and more on living with the propensity to flip the PMR switch when stressors of any kind intrude. Also building up my home health tool box (a raised toilet seat, a walker) to help me get by when the switch is flipped.

I happened to contract PMR wintin a week following my second mRNA Covid vaccincation in 2021 and have chosen not to ever have another one, especially of the mRNA variety. (BTW, I've had COVID twice and the second bout was much easier than the first, despite not having a vaccination in years) That said, there is apparently little causal evidence that links the two, according to my new medical advisor, ChatGPT. 😉

I experienced a sudden onset of PMR, in less than 2 weeks of my second covid booster- Pfizer. First my Primary Care diagnosed me with Lupus with my sudden symptoms of hardly being able to pull myself out of bed or get up from a chair.
I was 70 years at the time and had to wait 8months to see a Rheumatologist which was a disappointing experience. I waited so long to see this Rheumatologist and she was always gaslighting me, as my tests were on the borderline. I was on Steroids for 18 months, they thought I had GCA and a temporal biopsy was performed which was negative but traumatic to go through. I lost confidence in my Rheumatologist and aldo might primary care Dr as well. I developed high blood pressure and cataracts from the steroids. Got off the steroids and had cataracts removed. Now at 73 I felling much better!!! I am doing well on my own- forget the specialists, I do my own research and that has been my best medicine.❤️💯🎄. To me it was an invisible disease that people could not empathize or recognize, in my experience.

@smj did you keep tapering at 1 mg per month till you got to 0?

I am 69 years old. My GP/Family doctor actually diagnosed me after living with the excruciating shoulder and hip pains for about a month. This was exactly one year ago. Able to walk without too much pain but when finished couldn’t bend down to pet cat or reach shoes. Had to struggle to get up from couch or chair and getting out of bed was a chore . This all began about two or so weeks after 3rd booster. My doctor prescribed 20mg of prednisone and relief was almost immediate. After some bumps in the road with tapering too fast now at 5mg with the hopes of being at 0 in a month or so. Any way just saw rheumatologist a few days ago and point blank asked about Covid and/or flu vaccine and PMR. Told her I was a believer but have NO thoughts of Covid vaccine again and not sure about flu vaccine. Her answer was she couldn’t argue with me (diplomat) regarding Covid but strongly suggested flu. We’ll see but will definitely wait it out and hope until after Christmas.

@nativeoregirl I can relate to your experience. Mine occured after my 2nd Pfizer vaccine and it took 4 months to diagnose because I did not have any elevated markers. I had a mild case and only hurt while laying in bed! Once I got to see the rheumatologist, he knew what it was right away and put me on 10 g. Prednisone. I manange to taper off in about a year. I also saw another rheumy after that and she doubted that I had had PMR at all! My first rheumy was older than the second one I saw--I do think that experience makes a difference!

@vjm0223
Yes, I tapered off at 1 mg per month till I was completely off. Thankfully I have not had another episode of PMR. All good.

@smj that’s good to hear. I hope I don’t have any issues tapering at 1 mg per month while going down from 8 mgs.

@vjm0223