← Return to Can PMR (Polymyalgia Rheumatica) be induced by vaccine?

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@dsmith337

Hi, I wanted to join this conversation because I am very sure the Afluria Flu shot caused a case of PMR in my body. I had the shot on October 23, 2020 as well. The next day I had high fever and a bout of total body myalgia - had to be laying down for relief. Stiffness like i have never had before. The myalgia focused in my arms (upper body) and my back buttocks and back thighs to my knees. It eased up after a couple of days, but the aching in my arms and legs stayed at a lower level. Then within 30 days it came on with vengeance - I could not raise my arms above my shoulders (weakness and pain) and my butt to the backs of my knees were the same. When I stood, I could not move for a second and then when I did it was painful and my legs felt week even though I knew I as in good shape (daily exerciser). I finally went to my general doctor after taking lots of ibuprofen and tylenol. He put me on prednisone and within two days, I was feeling much better. I stayed on prednisone for almost 4 months ( he had to wean me off slowly). The pain and weakness are all gone now, but I was very afraid of the Covid vaccine thinking it would do the same. It didn't thankfully. I just wanted to say this happened to me and I know in my heart it was the Flu vaccine. My doctor hesitated to say it was PMR because he said I was too young (i was 56 at the time), but he said if the prednisone knocked it out, he would be more wiling to say it was a good possibility.

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Replies to "Hi, I wanted to join this conversation because I am very sure the Afluria Flu shot..."

Hello @dsmith337, Welcome to Connect. You are mostly correct from what I've read. I was 64 when my first occurrence of PMR hit but it just came on out of nowhere. 56 is on the younger side but it's not uncommon after age 50.

"Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is almost exclusively a disease of adults over the age of 50, with a prevalence that increases progressively with advancing age. The peak incidence of PMR occurs between ages 70 and 80 [1]."
-- Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-manifestations-and-diagnosis-of-polymyalgia-rheumatica/print

It's good that the pain and weakness are all gone now. 4 months is a very short time to be able to taper off of prednisone for PMR. My first occurrence took me 3 and half years to taper off and the second time it took me 1 and half years. Fortunately it went into remission for six years before it came out again. My PMR has been in remission almost 2 years now from my 2nd bout with it.

I think diet and exercise play a big part in PMR and it's good to hear you are a daily exerciser. Do you mind sharing what type of exercises you do or enjoy most?