4 days after my first covid jab PMR symptoms affected me. Now on 15mg pred. Should I have the second jab Will speak to GP but wondered

[sail26]

PMR and Covid vaccination

[MrsNails]

My Jab was unremarkable so l don’t know how l’d feel if the opposite was true.....

What dose were you on before your Vaccination & how badly did your PMR Flare? Did you complete the Online ‘Yellow Form’?

[sail26 in reply to MrsNails]

Thank you for your reply. I had a bad shoulder before the jab but thought it might have been moving some furniture. I had the fsier jab and as i said 3-4 days later I was walking around like a crab. So went to GP who diag. PMR. I should have completed the yellow form but I hadn't felt well for 2 months and had lost weight so was seeing the GP for that. Prior to all this I was a very fit 76yrs with no health issues. It seems everything comes at once.

[MrsNails in reply to sail26]

The vaccine was probably the final insult to your immune system which was already under great stress so it’s hard to say for sure that the Vaccine caused PMR it may have just given it that final nudge over.

PMRPRO will give you a better reply than me, you need to discuss this with your GP about the next dose but by then you should be feeling better than you do now......

[Rosbud]

Yes , in my opinion you should , I sailed through my first jab but my friend was really poorly after hers and had GP visit etc but they’ve told her to have her 2nd jab , she had the Pfizer jab x

[jinasc]

I am a bit confused, do you mean you had PMR and been diagnosed and treated with pred, if so when and what dose.

or

Was the PMR diagnosed after the vaccination.

A little more details, ie diagnosed, date started etc in your profile would help. You just add it after your name.

[sail26 in reply to jinasc]

My jab was on 31st Jan. 2021 Checking my diary it was later than I thought. It was on 11th Feb when the symptoms kicked in. I couldn't lift my arms and everything hurt turning in bed. Saw my GP on 15th. Feb and he immediately diagnosed PMR. Put me on pred and almost back to normal.

[Rache]

I had the Astra Zeneca jab and had only very mild symptoms, a mild headache and slightly tender arm. It is thought that the second jab has less risk of side effects than the first for the Astra Zeneca. Don’t know about the Pfizer. Chose to have the jab because risk of having Covid is much worse!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I think MrsNails has hit the nail on the head - it was already there and the vaccine just woke it up properly. If it hadn't been that it might have been the flu jab, or having the flu, or some other thing that put stress onto the immune system. Your GP was already aware of weight loss and symptoms of something - after the vaccine it was showing up in a more typical way, lots of good doctors recognise the possibility from how patients are walking. Even a dose of stress will make PMR get worse.

And let's face it - if that is what the vaccine did, just think what catching Covid could do? With a deranged immune system and pred you almost certainly need the booster shot to have a good level of protection.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

As others have said, maybe vaccine was finally straw to nudge full blown PMR which was already “lurking” - and most definitely take second one.

[sail26 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you i will.

[Rache]

‘Your GP was already aware of weight loss and symptoms of something - after the vaccine it was showing up in a more typical way’

Before my eventual diagnosis of PMR, food seemed tasteless and I lost weight. It sounds like you may have been developing PMR before your jab.

[bussell]

My situation is very similar to yours - developed PMR shortly after first (Pfizer) jab, but probably brewing anyway as I'd been having shoulder trouble for while. I should have had had the second shot 3 weeks later but my GP suggested postponing it as I was feeling so terrible. After 12 weeks have had the second jab with no reaction whatsoever - happy bunny (well, within reason) and hopefully well protected. Good luck!

[sail26 in reply to bussell]

Thank you thats encouraging. I definitely will have the second