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Getting COVID, Flu etc vaccines while treating for PMR
Hi all, I'm new to this group. I'm finding alot of useful info! I self diagnosed myself with PMR when PT failed to help with what I thought was yet another weight lifting injury. Long story short, I finally got in to see a rheumatologist and was officially diagnosed. My labs were normal. But my described pain led him to put me on 10 mg/day for 1 month of prednisone with a plan to taper 1 mg/day for 9 months. I saw immediate results and the pain got less and less throughout that first month. I just started to taper yesterday. I'm nio feeling anything yet - beyond the new normal of very low stiffness in the earlier part of the day.
Looking back, my PMR started about 2 1/2 weeks, in July, 2024, after getting the 2nd jab for the COVID vax for the variant running around in 2023-2024. I've gotten 2 jabs of each variant vax since the initial 2 jab dose. I've lost count of how many there have been. I researched to see if there was a connection between either having a COVID infection or the vaccine and found 3 or 4 kind of shaky, IMO, studies concluding just that for both an infection and getting vaccinated. Before the pandemic, there were similar studies on flu vaccine and PMR. And by the way, I got Covid for the first and only, so far time, in August 2023. I took pavlovid. Also, prior to being officially diagnosed, I received this year's flu vax and my pain immediately increased 5 fold to the point that I didn't leave my house for 3 days. So I'm kind of seeing a cause effect here....
I told my rheumatologist all of this and asked about getting this year's COVID shot. He advised me not to do that. I'm 65 and asthmatic but love to work out. So I'm in the gym doing cardio, swimming laps and what passes as a lift these day, so I'm concerned about getting it, as well as the nororious, flu etc. I would like to eventually start getting these vaccines as I grow older. I also asked him if he'd seen an uptick of patients getting PMR after their 18th COVID jab. He said anecdotally yes.
So my question is: are any of you had with a similar experience with the onset or a flare of PMR after getting a virus vaccine? If so, what have you done or been advised to do relative to getting vaccinated going forward? Thanks!
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I still feel strongly that when I got the Covid vaccine it caused a flare up. So no longer and ever taking it.
Well, I am a proponent of vaccines, in general. I have read (somewhere) that it is a good idea to wait until after your flare for new vaccines so I am holding off on my pneumonia update. But cause and effect? I wonder if our auto-immune response isn't tipped by the vaccines as you suggest. I had a flu vaccine, a week later my COVID update, a week later a colonoscopy, and then I came down with a chest cold followed by holiday travel stress. My doctor thinks the virus provided the proverbial straw that activated the auto-immune response. I'm inclined to think it was the whole ball of wax that tipped the scales. We have to be kind to our aging bodies. A new concept to some of us who have strong wills and forget their age.
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4 ReactionsYep. That's been the hardest part of this ordeal - accepting new physical limitations.
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2 ReactionsI am also new to this blog. I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia rheumatica in May 2024 and have been on prednisone since that time (15 mg and now at 10 mg). In April 2024 , I got my 5th COVID vaccine, and three days later I could not walk (pain in my hips and shoulders). I am a healthy 75 year old woman, except for this new health issue. I have been trying to wean off of prednisone because I know it is not good for my bones! and the doc also put me on methotrexate 0.6 ml weekly. I have just been prescribed 12mg of Deflazacord which is also a steroid, and will replace the prednisone, but I am told is not so harsh on my system.
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1 ReactionThanks for the info about alternatives to prednisone. Hopefully, my tapering will go as planned because I, too, want very badly to get off the prednisone.
Good luck and good health going forward!
May25/2023 I had my 5th covid vaccine, 2 days later I could hardly walk with hip pain which eventually spread to my arms/shoulders/ calves and hands over 8 months. Finally got a confirmed diagnoses of PMR in December 2024. Treated effectively with prednisone, tapering monthly until I got to 2 mg and had a flare while fighting a terrible chest infection lasting 5 weeks. I had to resort to the fact that I had to go back to 10 mg ( after trying 3 mg x 10 days with little relief) and start the slow process of tapering again, now at 8 mg, feel fine but this moon face and weight gain are taking its toll on my mental health!
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