Can PMR (Polymyalgia Rheumatica) be induced by vaccine?

Thank you for commenting @mild835. It does not run in my family either, nor had I heard of it before. It took 5 months for my doctor to test me and 7 months to get an appointment with a rheumatologist. I, too, suffered for far too long. I did a lot of digging on the web for more information. I would never have taken the shingrix vaccine if I knew about this possible adverse reaction.
I am very disappointed in Merck for not declaring this as a possible adverse reaction. I would rather have had a case of shingles than acquire Polymyalgia Rheumatica. This has changed my entire life for the worse. I have so much discomfort and it’s difficult to sleep at night and go about my daily activities. I can not workout anymore. I used to work out 5 times per week. I’m so unhappy. 🥲

I'm so sorry that you're going through all of this. Do you live in Canada by any chance? It's so difficult to get a good doctor, if you can get one at all and appointments with specialists can take up to a year. I was retired and went back to work last April. Working from home. Love it, but have been off since October, when I asked for my hours to be cut in half. Was getting up at 5 to take some pain killers so they would kick in before I started working at 8AM. The pain...excruciating. So as unable to move neck, arms and hands, then hips, I'm now on EI. Sleeping and getting caught up in the sheets and comforter was impossible, so I started to sleep in the nude (eye roll). But it worked.

Are you not on Prednisone? It has helped me immensely after only a week and 4 days. Prior to that...I can't even go there right now. It indeed changed my entire life. A 180. I'm fairly active (sort of) but a young 71.9. It seems like I grew into my age over night on August 15th. Then the morning after I took my first dose of Prednisone, I reached over to my night stand to check the time and did so without having to lift my right hand with my left arm and I knew there was hope and it just kept getting better every day. Then I thought to myself "Oh, I just did that." Going from being unable to wipe one's self and using a riser seat and splints on both hands to being the way I am even today is such a miracle to me. My bloodwork CRP which was taken today is normal. Last going off it was 42.4 or 44.2. I have a few more tests to be taken, but feel very positive and the neurologist is so nice and he listens. It is a very exhausting disease. Just fighting the pain is exhausting. I would say keep moving on all levels. I live alone. My daughter has been my angel, but she lives on the other side of town.

There is NOT 1 day that I haven't gotten dressed (and it took forever, often with tears), put on a little make-up. Gotten a meal. In spite of the pain it took to do so. Mum always used to say "the better you look, the better you feel" and she was right. I would look in the mirror and tell myself "I am successful", "I am courageous", "I am strong", "I am victorious". The power of positive words is real (as is the power of negative words). I think it became my mantra for all these months. This is not being braggadocious. This is me imparting hope to you. Positive vibes only. ~ Deb

Thank you SO much for including the links medical sites that are at least considering the connection between flu shots and PMR. My doctor does not yet credit a connection but is open to reading material and this will be helpful in at least making a case for the possibility.

SO pleased you are seeing progress every day. I was heartened today to read the two medical articles John referenced earlier in the discussion - where PMR was clearly associated with the adjuvant flu shots in "rare" cases. This seems like a step in the right direction IF the medical community will give it credence and pursue more case studies. I, too, am cynical about what we are being told. Not on a one-to-one level by my doctor, who is quite transparent and honest, but by those higher up the food-chain with medical, research, and pharmaceutical profit-making biases. Denial is rife, as is misdirection-as-a-public-policy it seems. Yes indeed . . . on to our remissions!

Yes indeed. Quite a few of us developed PMR within days of a adjuvant flu shot - which my doctor says is all that is being produced these days. I didn't get the "senior" shot (which is a 4+ whammy) but I did get an adjuvant flu shot and within 2 days things got bad and then progressively worse. You asked if anyone else out there had the same experience you did and the answer is an unqualified: YES. I hope your recovery is short and you are finding the medical help you need.

Same with me four years ago!

I am starting to wonder this myself. I got flu shot end of October 2021 and symptoms slowly started mid November. 2021

I had 2 shingrix and 1 flu vaccine within few weeks of each other. shortly after receiving them I was diagnosed with PMR then eventually RA. While trying to wean off prednisone I got covid, J&j vaccine , flu vaccine, covid again and a second J&J VACCINE over 1 year time. I had a horrible relapse. I really feel like the vaccines are the common trigger but I'm not sure if not getting them is Worse🤷‍♀️Thoughts? This is so frustrating and confusing.

I think vaccines were responsible for my PMR also. I had 3 vaccines in 4 1/2 weeks in the fall of 2020- a flu, a pneumonia, and a tetanus. The flu and pneumonia were my first ones. Then, a few weeks later I started having pain. For a while I thought it was caused by repetitive motion (I'm a cellist) but eventually it became much worse every time I exercised..even yoga. I knew there was a big problem then. Eventually, I put 2 and 2 together about the vaccines as a possible cause. I understand how you feel. It's hard to know whether to get vaccines or not now. I went ahead with the COVID vaccines and boosters but didn't get a flu or the second pneumonia this fall. It sounds like you've been through a lot.

Thanks for your input.