Is it safe to get the Corona Virus (COVID-19) vaccine with PMR?

Dam67, I second what John said. I've had PMR (for the second time) for over a year, and Crohn's (inactive, thankfuly), a recent breast cancer diagnosis and I am trying to schedule my 3rd Covid booster. So I have had a total of 4 shots to date and no disease. So after talking to the doctor, I hope he (or she) will tell him to go ahead. Best of luck to you both and I hope the pred helps him regain activity. It did me.

I was concerned about getting the COVID booster and flu vaccine due to so many with PMR having issues, but both my rheumatologist and primary wanted me to have them. I recently had both, 1 week apart, and have had no ill effects, not even a sore arm. Grateful.
Hope you are doing better.

I had both in these same arm, same day last week with no ill effects. I did not have to increase prednisone.

I am getting my 5th Covid vaccine on Monday . So far have had no reactions to any of the others. I also received my Flu vaccine a few weeks ago with no reaction. I'm presently on 3 mgs. I will be 80 in a few days and have had PMR coming up for 3 years this January. I've had one flare up since the beginning, but was able to get back down to 3 mgs without a problem. I'll let you know if I get a reaction after I get the vaccine on Monday.

I've had the five COVID shots and flu shot with no flare up of PMR or GCA. I'm off prednisone now.

Your rheumatologist may have an opinion, but that doesn’t make it right. Getting another COVID booster is ultimately up to you. It remains an untested vaccine, without studies and long term conclusions.
I believe that I got PMR from the vaccines! Many people from Northern European descent are coming down with PMR weeks or months after the vaccines. No one could pay me to get another shot.

I once thought my onset of PMR was related to my first COVID-19 vac...but since then I've a had a total of three more COVID-19 vaccinations plus a flu vac and have had zero flare ups and continue to taper 1mg/month now at 6mg/day. I now believe the onset of my PMR was caused when I had fallen like a sack of potatoes on my right side...well a least coincidentally.

Hi @novabill, I think there's truth in what you say. Cecil and Goldman's Textbook of Medicine states, "... these disorders - PMR and GCA - are propogated by antigen driven cell mediated immune mechanisms that may be associated with certain genetic markers..." I first injured my ankle, it hurt for a couple of days before my whole body from the neck down was overcome with pain and stiffness, like nothing I experienced before. My aunt's PMR, about 45 years ago, was preceded by a back injury. I think the injuries we suffer stimulate an autoimmune response, that, because of our genetic predisposition, goes into overdrive. I hope your taper continues to be successful.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. Those of us with the right (wrong) genetics become more susceptable to stress as we age and our immune systems start reacting to all kinds of things. This is what I am getting from my reading. I have read of PMR being a "senesence of the pineal-adrenal axis". I take that to mean that what used to be an healthy and automatic response to stress doesn't work correctly anymore, be it physical or emotional. And vaccinations are certainly a kind of stress that some people react to. Or hurting yourself or being very ill- you name it. So, are we going to hide away and not challenge our systems? Probably not. but we can decide to not push quite as hard as we once did, at least where we have a choice in the matter.