Covid vaccine and PMR

[bakingD]

Just wanted to say I had the Pfizer vaccine 17 days ago and felt out of sorts until yesterday - sore arm for a few days, many more aches and felt generally not very well.Yesterday sudddnly felt back to how I normally feel- am on 3 mg Pred now starting 2.5mg.Sometimes I think it’s good to sit it out when you have increased symptoms,take some Paracetamol and if that helps it may let you ride the flare and further reduce going forwards

Just a thought from how I’ve managed my symptoms-a Rheumy also told me at doses of 5mg and below it’s unlikely to be enough to prevent GCA if it was to occur so have stopped worrying about it

[piglette]

It seems the Pfizer vaccine has worse side effects than the Astra Zeneca one. Having said that a friend had the Astra Zeneca one yesterday and was hit for six.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

As far as I've heard there isn't much to choose.

OTOH, a greater immune response will cause more side effects...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I will tell my friend, that will cheer her up.

[maria40 in reply to piglette]

Cheers me up too, as I was flattened for a couple of days after AZ jab.

[piglette in reply to maria40]

I saw the nurse today at our medical centre. She was not going to have the vaccine but did have it yesterday as she likes flying about the place. She spent five minutes telling me about her symptoms from the Astra Zeneca vaccine!!

[123-go in reply to PMRpro]

I wonder where that leaves me? I didn't even have soreness at the injection site.

[Bcol in reply to 123-go]

I didn't either, perhaps we are "special" I don't get any reaction or soreness from the flu jab either, no idea whether that's good or bad, but I've not had flu since having the jabs so fingers crossed.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

Same for me - even when OH got it having missed his flu jab because he wasn't well. He didn't bother to go back and got flu and then pneumonia - which took 6 months to clear!

[SheffieldJane]

Glad to hear it, I think you are right, ride it out and think of it creating a good immune response.

[headgirl]

I had the Pfizer vaccine on Monday and felt very unwell onTuesday - sore arm, cold and shivery and slept most of the day. Only lasted 24 hours and felt much better yeesterday.

[Golfbarmie]

My experience is very similar to bakingD. Moderna 16 days ago and constant elevated PMR ever since. Normally 3mg Pred. but after 11 days bumped up to 10mg. But dropping back to 5mg and I have still pains.Not sure what's going on but I know another parallel tale nearby.

Rheumatologists must be busy. The big question of course is, do we have Covid protection? Do we have antibodies? Clearly it is a new situation and we are guinea pigs. Even Reuters and Washington Post have recent articles on this very thing. Please keep stories coming. Not wee "oh my arm hurt for a day" stories. We have a thousand of those.