I am going to jump in here. The clinical trial science does not support a relationship of some type between a vaccination and the onset of PMR. However, there are individual case studies in the NIH database that do support it. I personally had my PMR initially diagnosed following my second Shringrix vaccination. I also happen to have pre and post lab results that support clinically the argument that the vaccination was the triggering event. Currently there are no clinical studies listed at the NIH being conducted on PMR and thus most data and knowledge is based on individual experience and happenstance. Doctors don't like happenstance. They prescribe based on clinical double blind work and simply have to ignore a great deal of what the lay person supposes. Fortunately I have a couple of doctors who understand the limits of the clinical knowledge on PMR and are willing to be open minded and realistic given the lack of clinical data.

All this said, I recently spoke to an Infectious Disease doctor who says there is limited data on the 2nd booster and that the decision to get it should be based on your health risk levels as well as your life style risks you assume daily. Meaning what other health issues do you have and how much to do you expose yourself? I for one have no desire to die from Covid and will probably get my 2nd booster before the summer is out. I also have no desire to have a PRM setback so it is indeed a balancing act. Every vaccination I get since my Shringrix vaccination scares me. I feel like I deserve a "You are brave!" sticker every time I get another vaccination.

No doubt there is a relationship between Covid antibodies and your medication regiment. Common sense tells us that. However I doubt there are any clinical studies going on relative to Covid antibodies and steroids since the infectious disease doctor I spoke to indicated that there is little hard data on a great deal of Covid related issues. Quantifying what seems to be an obvious question is evasive. I have to keep remembering that PMR is a rare disease and the demographic is the geriatric population. There is precious little data on us for main stream medical problems. It can be discouraging, which is why this chat room is so helpful.

Jump to this post