Can PMR (Polymyalgia Rheumatica) be induced by vaccine?

Thank you will review post.

I had the same thing happen in October 2019. Within a couple of days of receiving the flu vaccine, my hips and shoulders began to ache and I began to lose some mobility. I was unable to lift my leg into bed. I had received the vaccine at a local pharmacy and the pain began after 3 or four days. After a week or so went to my primary care physician (PCP). He ordered some hip x-rays and promptly told me I need a hip replacement due to degeneration and bone spurs. A consult with an orthopedic surgeon was scheduled. However, I persisted in complaining to my PCP telling him I felt as though I had been in an auto accident but had not broken any bones. After three visits he ordered some lab work and placed me on 10mg of prednisone. My symptoms were 100% gone the next day.
Now my PCP, who is a patient of mine (I am a dentist) told me that the relationship between the flu vaccine and PMR was tenuous at best and was hard to prove. I understand that the appearance of PMR so close to the flu vaccine may be a coincidence but there are scholarly papers available on the internet that point to a possible causal relationship.
I asked my PCP this: If you come to me for a dental exam and after X-rays, I tell you, you have a cavity that needs filling, you might tell me, "it doesn't bother me". Of course, I might say but it still needs filling. If, after filling it immediately begins to hurt, it would be reasonable to question the connection between my work and the discomfort you now feel. I would never consider the complaint to be coincidental. He paused for a moment and said, "You're right".
I also asked him how many people might have had prosthetic hip placement when they really didn't need it. He said "Some". I canceled my consult for hip replacement. I also filed a report with VAERS. That is important..

I'm suspecting the Covid shots unleased my autoimmune tendencies. I know can't prove causally but..... PMR surfaced, as did IBS, 4 months after I got my last Pfizer. Never had anything like it - PMR was a gobsmacker..but thank god Prednisone took the horrible pain away almost immediately at 40 mg. now trying to wean down to 25 after a month. AND once again caught in the middle of medical advice = traditional saying get the 3rd Booster shot asap, and integrative docs saying "maybe, but be prepared for more autoimmune reaction".

Hello @drfregeau, Welcome to Connect, an online community where patients and caregivers share their experiences, find support and exchange information with others. Sorry to hear you joined the PMR club but very happy you are an advocate for your own health and have a good doctor patient relationship with your PCP so that you could have a heart to heart discussion with them and ask the right questions.

There are a couple of other discussions you may find helpful:
-- Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR): Meet others & Share Your Story: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/polymyalgia-rheumatica-pmr-meet-others-share-your-story/
-- Tapering off of Prednisone: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prednisone/

Are you still on prednisone or trying to taper off?

I am newly diagnosed with PMR. Previously active, 73 yr old female having almost all the typical complaints. It is hateful. Struggling with not wanting to take prednisone, afraid of side affects that everyone reports getting. Any positive posts about less side affects? Or are the side affects a given? Has anyone out there tried a more natural, wholelistic approach that has made a noticeable difference in their pain and abilities to function normally? Any advice or comments are very welcome.

kspowell. Your in a flare up then AFTER the vaccine shot? Hmmmm. Sorry to hear this. Or read it..:) My PMR flare up was reduced to around half after I received my first dose of the Moderna vac. My second dose is to come Tuesday and really hoping it will reduce it a lot more. As to comparing to me with the vaccines and PMR flares, maybe the Pfizer doesn't work as well against PMR? I D K.
What I do believe from my own research and trial is that the PMR flared up in me because it was fighting off the C-19 virus and that is why the PMR flared up. Maybe since you already had your C-19 shots the Delta variant is coming into play? And your vaccine is fighting it off? I wonder if the Moderna is stronger insofar as to fighting PMR..... I do understand the flare up pain you are referring to...make's you crazy, it does. Your case is sure a confusing one to me. But, there is alot of factors that come in to play for differences of how PMR affect each one of us. We have the basic pains of it together, but each one of us has a different lifestyle and take different drugs/ supplements, different diets...etc. , so our bodies react differently than others...understand that? What works for me may not work for you, or someone else. I will try to remember your posting for future reference though. Good luck.

This 'relationship' between PMR and C-19 is really wierd. My flare up started around a year ago,( and with no meds) until I had my first C-19 vac shot...Moderna. My PMR subsided to around 50% after the first shot. This is all after I did the research to find out that the PMR was fighting off the virus in me all this time...and I was still testing negative. I was concerned about the long term negatives of the vaccine until I found that info, maybe something different in the vaccines that are making the difference? IDK. Be well and stay strong and do your own research..:)

Everyone's body chemistry is different. I have no memory of what i was doing around the time I got the PMR onset around 5 yrs ago. What happened now is that my PMR flare up recently is going away AFTER I received my first Moderna C-19 shot. Since the onset of PMR I haven't , to my memory, have been sick since then, even a common cold. Everyone is different. Good luck

Hi @suebep, Welcome to Connect. I think most of us affected by PMR can agree with everything you say about this condition I call Mr. Ugly. I struggled with it for about a month before going to a rheumatologist who started me on 20 mg daily dose of prednisone. Less than a couple of hours after taking the first dose of prednisone I was a happy camper and back to feeling my normal self. I did have a significant weight gain (30+ pounds) and it took me 3 and half years to taper off of prednisone but I would do it again in a heartbeat. It went into remission for six years and again I was started on 20 mg prednisone which really got me back to normal quickly. It was the second time around that I started looking for lifestyle and diet changes I could make to help with the condition.

It took me a year and half to taper off of prednisone the second time around and a big part of that I think were the diet and lifestyle changes I made. This also helped me control the weight gain which I was able to keep around 5 pounds. I think the changes you can make will help but I don't think it will make it go away but that's just my personal opinion. Here's some information you might find helpful - Can Diet Affect Symptoms of Polymyalgia Rheumatica?: https://www.healthline.com/health/polymyalgia-rheumatica-diet

There are a couple of other discussions you may find helpful:
— Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR): Meet others & Share Your Story: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/polymyalgia-rheumatica-pmr-meet-others-share-your-story/
— Tapering off of Prednisone: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prednisone/

From what I've read, most of the really bad side effects are from long term use of prednisone, which is why my rheumatologist encouraged me to taper off as soon as possible. The only caveat he gave me was to listen to your body, don't taper too fast. What is the side effect you worry about the most?

Weight gain, not sleeping, and bone density. Other than the weight gain, did you handle the other side effects quite well? I hate the thought of being on it so long!