Had Shingles shot and now have PMR

Initially my rheumatologist told me not to get the second shingles dose. On our last visit he said it was okay but I’m still hesitant about all vaccines. We have a phone appointment later this month and I’ll discuss it again.

I also got PMR from Shingrix

Who knows whether a PMR reaction to Shingrix is caused by a reaction to the virus or one of the other chemicals in the vaccine. With a list of chemical additives this long, there are plenty which could cause a problem for some people.

Shingrix
"...contains 50 µg of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) glycoprotein E (gE).
Nonmedicinal ingredients: dipotassium phosphate, polysorbate 80, sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate, and sucrose; Adjuvant diluent: Quillaja saponaria Molina, fraction 21 (QS-21), 3–O–desacyl–4'-monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), cholesterol, dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine, disodium phosphate anhydrous, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium chloride, and water for injection."

That is a scary list of additives but it really doesn’t matter whether PMR was triggered by the Zoster or one or more of the non medical ingredients. What matters is my/our comfort level and quality of life changed drastically. Even though the pain level is managed through prednisone I have not had one day in the past 10+ months where I felt even close to how I did prior to the onset of PMR. I’m talking about energy level, emotional stability, mental sharpness, endurance, ability to plan/organize. It doesn’t feel like ME. Is it PMR, prednisone side effects, my unrelated eye condition or something else. If I could undo one thing in my life it would have been that one day in early January when I got the Shingles and Tetanus vaccines together.
Well I got that off my chest.

I got the Shingles shot and senior flu vaccine on the same day in September 2019. Within 4 days, I could barely lift my arms, had a painful neck, and a low grade fever for a couple months until I was diagnosed with PMR in December.

I had the shingles vaccine and was very sick with it. Even my hands ached. I was in bed with it. I didn't know you shouldn't take it if you had PMR.

I have had shingles since Oct 2
I am currently on 8 mg for PMR/GCA down from 40 mg since February
Today my inflammation markers were up since my last blood test ( prior to shingles)
Does anyone think that my elevated SED rate and CRP are from the shingles?
last sed rate 17 now 35
Last CRP 0.6 now 1.6
Any thoughts if shingles might have elevated? I feel fine besides pain from shingles

Shingles is a live vaccine NOT recommended by the information on PMR/GCA website

I am interested in our shared case histories. I received the old Zoster vaccine
years before my PMR. Six months before my disease onset I had the first
new Shingrix dose. My PMR hit suddenly after return from a very physically
active trip in Europe. While on 5 mg prednisone I had a “mild” Zoster episode
in the scalp with some nuisance neuralgia remaining. Needless to say I never
went for the second Shingrix.
Of interest the old version Zostavax is still widely used in Europe and research
is now pointing to a probable protective effect of that vaccine against Alzheimer’s. It didn’t work on my Shingles!

I call this “damned if you do and damned if you don’t” I know I will never do the second dose and would give anything to have passed on getting the first dose last January.
PMR makes us immuno
compromised so vaccines are less effective at protecting us.
Sorry you had to deal with PMR from the vaccine only to get shingles.