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No RA until 4th Covid-19 vaccination
On 4/2/22 I received my 4th Covid-19 injection. One week later I started experiencing arthritic symptoms in both of my hands and wrists. Quite painful for someone with NO RA symptoms prior. The odd thing is the pain would resolve move to my elbows, then resolve in my wrists and hands. Then it would move to my knees and then resolve in my elbows. This would continue for months, with occasional breaks in the pain where it would all disappear then reappear at intervals. In the fall of 2022 it started to affect my hands and wrists, all the time. Occasionally it would pull in my elbows and knees to give me the trifecta of pain to the point I found it very painful to rise from a seated position or to put on or remove my clothing. I thought perhaps it was a food allergy, so I completed a 9 day "water only" fast just to see if it was causing the issue. The pain resolved most of my joints, however the pain in my hands did not resolve but lessened to some degree. Refeeding with juice after the fast blew up the AR symptom tremendously. This is when I sought medical care. My RA doctor dismissed my Covid-19 vaccine theory of when my RA started. At this point I was having pain in my hips, knees, elbows, hands and wrists daily. He put me on 7.5 mg Prednisone and 15 mg Methotrexate(once every 7 days). The pain subsided except my hands and wrists. After 2 weeks he dropped the Prednisone to 10 mg and continued the 15 mg Methotrexate. At 30 days the Rheumatoid factor, nephelometry dropped from 2.4 to 1.8 mg/dL. At this point he dropped the Prednisone to 2.5 mg and upped the Methotrexate to 20 mg. One week in the pain still persists in my hands and wrists. I'm considering going to True North to complete as much as a 40 water only fast to resolve this. I'm at my wits end. I seriously believe this was brought on by the vaccine but there is no way to prove it. I'm hoping someone else has dealt with this. If it was not brought on by the vaccine it is a very, very strange coincidence. I have other test results but all where normal except one which has not been repeated since starting meds but he didn't seemed concerned. Rheumatoid factor, nephelometry 43 IU/mL. I'm going on Medicare Nov 1 and hope to find someone with expertise who can resolve this situation.
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You will find lots of post on here saying their disease started after the Covid vaccinations. I had moving joint pain rhe day after the booster that went away but it all came back about 7 months later, affecting different joints at different times. After your water fast(you’re a stronger person than I am) try the autoimmune protocol diet. I also had a food sensitivity test done. It helped my symptoms tremendously .
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1 ReactionI did try the diet in a way re-feeding after my 9 day water only fast (4 juices) but the symptoms blew up in 24 hours. I might try a plain potato only diet (no seasonings of any kind) for 2 weeks just to see if there is any improvement as a test. Then go from there.
Taking 5mg Prednisone. 400 mg. Plaquenil. 2.5mgx3 methotrexate once a week. 1mg folic acid. Daily. Hands swollen in morning tingly fingers. Have carpal tunnel in both wrists
Shoulders knees elbows ache. Ganglion cysts on top of hands and wrist spongy. Caused by tears underneath. Ligaments ok. Can wiggle fingers. How to get rid of lumps on top of hands? Do you know? Spongy from tears. ANA neg. RA factor neg.
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1 ReactionI also had two covid boosters. My rheumatologist is treating swelling because my blood is negative for RA and ANA. I really want the ganglion cysts spongy on top of hands caused by tears. No trauma. To go away. Do you know how to get rid of. The swelling in hands every morning before meds is stiff and painful. Wearing braces for carpal tunnel. Caused by swelling.
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2 Reactions@patrick80132
Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!
I’m glad to see that other members posted already.
You will see a lot of members posting about the Covid vaccine possibly being connected with the onset or reactivation of an autoimmune illness.
However, I don’t think there is any scientific proof yet.
There are also people reporting similar reaction to the Shingles vaccine.
Personally, I suspect this happened to me too. First reactivation of an autoimmune GI illness, then flare ups after each booster. I don’t have proof of course.
In your case you have to make sure that you are getting optimal treatment. You could also seek a second opinion.
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2 ReactionsProof. Is it the chicken or the egg. Can’t wind the clock back unfortunately to see.
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2 ReactionsCoincidence. Period.
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1 ReactionI was in perfect health before my Covid vaccines. I am convinced that the vaccine caused my PMR. Wish someone would study this correlation.
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2 ReactionsI fully agree with you. Somebody somewhere must see the connection.
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1 ReactionI’m curious Dr. why do you say that?