Fibromyalgia after covid vaccine?

[Ladydi49]

Hello everyone….been away for awhile. Two weeks after first covid vaccine I got hit with dry eyes/dry mouth, brain fog, insomnia and digestive issues and widespread muscle and joint pain. I have been to a rheumatologist 4 times and all tests come back normal. I told the doctor that in 1998 and again in 2003 that I had 2 different doctors tell me I had fibromyalgia but it didn’t bother me until after the 1st covid shot. So I am wondering if anyone had a similar experience and if so how do you deal with it?

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

Fibromyalgia is tough. Two weeks after a vaccination is when you are likely to produce protective antibodies against COVID-19 - assuming your CLL permits that.

What immediately came to mind is how the symptoms of Fibromyalgia can overlap long COVID - for which we still await an agreed definition, mind. That led to this interesting study, which was published in the journal RMD Open: Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases. The study was reported by MedPage Today medpagetoday.com/rheumatolo... and some Fibromyalgia support groups, such as CreakyJoints:

Fibromyalgia Symptoms May Be Common Among People with Long-Haul COVID

PUBLISHED 09/22/21 BY Barbara Brody

In a new study, about 30 percent of people with long-haul COVID seemed to meet the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia.

creakyjoints.org/living-wit...

The MedPage Today article notes:-

The current definition of fibromyalgia requires a score of 13 or higher on the Fibromyalgia Symptom Scale, which combines scores on the Widespread Pain Index and Symptom Severity Scale.

"The pathogenesis of fibromyalgia is not completely understood. "Pain augmentation/dysperception seems associated with exquisite neuromorphological modifications and imbalance between pronociceptive and antinociceptive pathways arising from an intricate interplay between genetic predisposition, stressful life events, psychological characteristics, and emerging peripheral mechanisms, such as small fiber neuropathy or neuroinflammation," Ursini and colleagues explained.

In addition, viral triggers have been linked with the development of fibromyalgia. Therefore, to investigate the prevalence of fibromyalgia following acute COVID-19, the researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey during April 2021, in which participants completed a survey that included information on demographics, symptoms and duration of COVID-19, and comorbidities.

A total of 616 patients were included, with 189 diagnosed with fibromyalgia. More than three-quarters were women whose mean age was 45. Median duration of acute COVID-19 was 13 days, and 10.7% were hospitalized. Among the symptoms reported during the acute viral illness were anosmia/ageusia in 70.9%, myalgia in 70.4%, fever in 67.7%, and arthralgia in 64.6%."

Is there any chance that you had asymptomatic COVID-19? A COVID-19 antibody test which showed positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies would prove that. Perhaps those two doctors informing you that you had Fibromyalgia, while you were asymptomatic set you up for a Fibromyalgia flare up when exposed to the coronavirus? It does seem unlikely that exposure to just a small amount of spike protein delivered in to muscle, then transferred by white cells for processing into nearby nodes to produce immune protection would result in Fibromyalgia, compared to a complete exposure of far more of the virus from an infection, but that's just my conjecture. It will be interesting to see what other replies you receive.

I hope your Fibromyalgia goes back to being asymptomatic.

Neil

[Ladydi49 in reply to AussieNeil]

I had levels drawn recently and I took a picture of the results with my iPad but I can’t seem to attach results here. I know I have >25,000 antibodies and that nucleocapsid was negative…..thanks for your interesting response🙂

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to Ladydi49]

You've responded well to your vaccination and hadn't had COVID-19 prior to when you were tested. Thanks for sharing that

[LeoPa in reply to AussieNeil]

Neil you either have a computer sitting on your neck instead of a head or you have a good system of keeping notes. I read loads but I'm observing that I keep forgetting details faster than I absorb new ones. It's a race now between pouring more water into the bucket than leaks out at the bottom 😁

[NaturalWaze]

No, not me. But a friend had horrible muscle pain after the 2nd vaccine and was diagnosed with Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Not fibromyalgia but just mentioning it in response.

[AnneHill in reply to NaturalWaze]

Are these pains permanent? I have heard of side effects from vaccines but nothing long lasting. It wont stop me having anything going.

[AnneHill]

I have fibromyalgia and when I hear people describing long covid I have those problems all the time.I didnt notice any side effects from the vaccine. I thought that meant I hadnt got antibodies to covid. I still havent tested and I will assume I havent because I dont want to see the result in front of me. Anne uk