PMR and the shingles vaccination

Diagnosed with PMR in January this year having had symptoms from last October 2018. On 30th August 2018 I had the Zostavax shingles vaccination. Having looked on line I have found a Safety information for Zostavax from Merck vaccines who produce the vaccine. It states 'serious vaccine- related adverse reactions that have occurred following vaccination with Zostavax include polymyalgia rheumatica'. Therefore convinced that this is the cause of my PMR. Has anyone else found this to be the case?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Not personally, and not sure where you live, but this subject has been discussed many times.

The newer Shringrix vaccine is recommended and approved in many countries.

You can find plenty of posts on the subject - see right of screen and/or type in “shingles vaccine” in search box

[OutdoorsyGal]

Hmmm. Is it possible that the age group that is most likely to develop PMR is also the demographic that gets the shingles vaccine? (Similar to the timing of autism development and childhood vaccinations?)

I have received 3 shingles vaccines, before and during my PMR outbreak and treatment.

I did mention the prednisone dosage (3mg) to the pharmacist who administered the October 31st shot, but he wasn’t concerned.

Now I need to go back and check my vaccine records...

[clieder]

I cannot relate shingles vaccine (the first one, live) to my PMR. I had the live vaccine in May of 2013 and did not develop PMR until March of 2015. However, I have had shingles four times to date, approximately at ages 30, 50, 74 and 77, all mild thankfully. So, do I think there is a relationship between my housing that virus and PMR, yes. They clearly do not recommend the live vaccine for people who already have PMR, but didn't know they were now warning about it as a serious side effect. You clearly confirm that concern. Have since had the first of two Shingrix vaccines, at my rheumatologist's recommendation, without incident. The lesser of two evils, I guess.

As for PMR onset, I am also suspicious of Forteo, the two year daily injection of parathyroid hormone for osteoporosis, that I just finished two weeks before first symptoms of PMR/possible GCA. Way too coincidental for my money. I am following that and see no relationship yet in literature.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to clieder]

I think few of us on here will have had Forteo before PMR/GCA - possibly after because of loss of bone density but Forteo would be well down the list of possible drugs for that purpose. It is an unlikely cause I think.

There is no single cause of PMR/GCA, it is most likely a cumulation of various insults to the immune system and finally one is too much, the straw that breaks the camel's back, and the immune system breaks down and goes haywire. It can be anything - illness, accident, environmental/chemical, emotional, stress of any sort is bad for the immune system.

[clieder in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, it probably has more to do with multiple issues. Just looking for the straw that kicked it into gear and that one is so handy!

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

Very interested in what you say about cause of PMR/GCA. On my Italian holiday just previously I had been bitten by a hornet on my finger. I mentioned this to my rheumatologist but she pooh-poohed it.

[OutdoorsyGal]

I received the earlier shingles vaccine (I presume Zostavax) in autumn of 2014 and developed PMR in early 2018. No connection.

Received both doses of Shingrix WHILE being treated for PMR, the first one at 5mg pred, and the 2nd at 3mg. No ill effects. Dr. and pharmacist both in agreement that it wasn’t a problem.

[Hidden in reply to OutdoorsyGal]

Thanks for info. Obviously the majority of those who have the Zostavax injection will not get PMR but I must have been one of the unlucky ones. When the company that produces the vaccine itself warns that a serious adverse reaction Is PMR they must have evidence of that. When I first told my doctor he said it was coincidence but when I showed him the warning from the company he took it on board.

[OutdoorsyGal in reply to Hidden]

That certainly is a scary connection. Fortunately there’s a new better shingles vaccine and hopefully others will be spared this unfortunate side-effect.