Can PMR (Polymyalgia Rheumatica) be induced by vaccine?

Mine started a week after my Covid vax. Not a coincidence! It caused it.

I had a flare after my covid booster!

My primary care doc said I should get the 2nd shot of Covid vaccine and to change the manufacturer. My first dose was Pfizer and within a couple of days I was in misery. That was over a year ago. I just got my prednisone dose down to 4.5 mg and had the 2nd shot today. I got Moderna this time. Fingers crossed! Next I get to start on letrosole after having had a lumpectomy. Side effect? Joint pain. I'm just going slow and observing and keeping my fingers crossed - and the prednisone handy.

Hopefully it will just be a mild reaction (sore arm) and not worsen the PMR. My PMR developed right after my 2nd Shingrix shot and took 20 months of prednisone taper to get under control. I was able to tolerate the COVID 19 vaccines (I had Pfizer) and wonder if being on prednisone during the vaccine series helped prevent a PMR flare. Good luck and stay strong!

Yep! The vaccine caused a flare. I went to bed last night feeling fine and woke up hurting. The good news is I've got prednisone so I took the prednisone and some acetaminophen and after a couple of hours I felt somewhat better. And, it's not as bad as when I got the first shot. I'd like to keep my prednisone dose fairly low so I don't go backwards in tapering.

I got my second shot and the day after was miserable. The PMR flared, my whole body hurt and I could hardly move or stay awake. I had an upset stomach and no appetite. Today, the second day, all of that is gone and I'm back to normal. Pretty amazing. I think I probably have prednisone to thank for that.

I had the old persons flu vaccine last October and immediately became sick with "polymyalgia rheumatica" but it took me months and months to figure out what was happening to me. I lived on advil until I got into see an orthopedic surgeon as my knees were so swollen I could hardly walk. He said I had systemic inflammation ie "poly myalgia rheumatica" as it was everywhere in my body. Could hardly put a shirt on over my head and walking in the morning was so painful. There is no doubt in my mind it was the old persons flu shot! I have been trying to get off prednisone for months but would get down around 3 mg and then go back up because of pain. I recently just stopped taking prednisone as I wanted to see if the swollen glands under my arms were related to prednisone and because I didn't want to start taking the prescription bone loss drugs my doctor prescribed. And, the pain visits me every night! During the day I'm fine and can golf, walk 10 miles in a day, or bike ride. But during the night and in the morning it is torture. Covid vaccines did nothing it was the old persons flu vaccine and/or the way it was administered. Does anyone else have arm pit issues? I also get pain on the right side of my rib cage but X-ray showed nothing out of the ordinary. I am so angry. Only got the stupid old persons flu shot to protect my sister who has serious medical issues.

Welcome @barbwhitmore, Sorry to hear that the flu vaccine may have caused the polymyalgia rheumatica as a side effect. Prednisone is the magic sauce that makes the inflammation and pain go away but it can take awhile for you to taper off of the drug and you really have to take is slow and listen to your body, ie not overdo physical activity. I've had 2 occurrences and it took 3 and a half years to taper off the first time around and a year and half the second time.

There are a couple of other discussions you might find helpful.
-- Prednisone tapering and remission: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prednisone-tapering-and-remission/
-- PMR Dosages and Managing Symptoms: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-dosages/

Have you discussed the symptoms and treatment with a rheumatologist?

Mine first began (although I did not put 2+2 together) back in May 2021 about a month after my first Covid-19 vaccine. Sore neck, so shoulders, etc. Then in August 2021 about 10 days after my second vaccine, the caca hit the fan and I was all the way down with pain, but could not get my GP (who has since retired) to admit that it was not just simply "old age". Finally in December, he referred me for blood work at my request because I was getting worse. My CRP was in the 40's. Just before he retired, he got me referred to a Neurologist and at beginning of January, 2022 I was diagnosed with PMR (never had heard of it). So in answer to your question, yes....although my Rheumatologist (not for long), asked me if I didn't think I was just supposed to get PMR. This is NOT something which runs in my family at all. Lots of other illnesses, but nothing related to PMR, RA, etc.

I got the senior flu vaccine and shingles vaccine the same day in September 2019. The next day I noticed I was very sluggish on the tennis court; 3 days later I couldn’t lift my arms, couldn’t roll over in bed - pain and low grade fever for 3 months until I was diagnosed properly. Didn’t know which vaccine to blame, so I blamed the combination. Weaned successfully off prednisone in about 18 months; then had the second Moderna vaccine, and all the PMR symptoms came back. I’m on a much slower reduction (about 3 years I hope) this time. I’ve had the regular flu vaccine in the fall of 2020 and 2021 with no problems. Also no problems with two COVID boosters. I think that some very powerful vaccines cause a very powerful reaction, as in my immune response went overboard. Tough choice to make when presented with life saving vaccines…..