Does Covid or the vaccine facilitate PMR?

[LBM1953]

Hi I have just been diagnosed with PMR and have started 15mg Pred in morning after breakfast. My symptoms and issues are almost identical to Grannyasbo and I intend to ask my GP to up my dosage to 20mg. However I do have a question. I had Covid in January (not too seriously) then had my first jab on 5th March. Had my second jab on 21st May. After my first jab began to get the odd twinge and sensation but nothing painful. I was playing three rounds of golf a week plus a gym session until the end of the second week in May, then bang, absolutely floored, particularly after my second jab. I an wondering whether my second jab may have anything to do with my diagnosis and whether it makes it worse (or better)? Anyone else out there with similar experience? Thanks in advance. LMB1953

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

See PMRpro response to this morning post - she explains PMR and what may trigger it -healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[SnazzyD]

Both Covid and the vaccine send the immune system into overdrive. Why that overdrive ends up turning the immune system in on itself in some people and causing autoimmune symptoms is anyone’s guess. Sometimes a person can be well on the way to developing it before though and all it needs is the final insult and boom. That final insult can be illness, emotional trauma, high or protracted stress, vaccines, infection. Most on this forum will point to one or more of these things. Also, Pred is one powerful drug that also affects muscles, ligaments and tendons. Sounds like you have had the ultimate cocktail.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

"...there is no single cause of PMR, it is most likely the culmination to a series of insults to the immune system over years and eventually one is too much and the immune system flips out. The insults can be due to trauma, illness, environmental and chemical things, life events and stress - with a dollop of genetics that make it more likely it will happen. It isn't a hereditary disorder though.

Yes, there have been some new diagnoses and flares after having had the jab - but the chances are that if the jab hadn't done it something else would have. Or some people would have experienced nothing with the jab - but having an accident, operation or extreme stress in a few months time might do it."

Some people say it happened after the flu jab or the shingles one - but many of us had never had a flu or shingles jab before PMR. I hadn't. Surgery is often blamed - I'd had no surgery for 10 years prior to PMR appearing. I had moved house in the previous year or two - but I'd had far harder moves prior to that. There is no single common history to be identified amongst patients.

I just googled "what causes polymyalgia rheumatica" and the top ten or so all said the same sort of thing as I did above, ranging from the NHS to versusarthritis. If you do that - ignore all the ads and claims that appear saying you can cure it by omitting "this" or not eating "these 5 things" or doing "this programme" - because someone here has probably tried them at some point. They are rubbish and just seeking to transfer cash from your account to theirs!!"

Probably the link DL gave - but it bears saying again and again ...

What you are complaining of is the same as loads of us could describe - working, exercising, cycling miles a week, climbing mountains and in the space of a few weeks, so disabled we just couldn't do it any more. Perhaps the most extreme case is Skinnyjonny:

healthunlocked.com/user/Ski...

Half marathons and mountains to wheelchair - and back.

But nothing like Covid to blame. It could be any virus, no identifiable virus, any stress, no identifiable stress - there are no identifiable specific factors except, maybe, a few Scandinavian genes that make it more likely you will succumb to the lurgy.

[LBM1953]

Thanks for your responses. It's great to know that there are others out there who are in the same boat....

[asoth]

I had no problems prior to first jab, no problems AFTER first jab but - BANG! - really bad muscle burning and weakness in both thighs and general debility after second Astra -Z jab. 6 weeks on with this Doc thinks it could be PMR and I have had the blood test ; await results. But Doc adamant that vaccine has nothing to do with it.

[cycli]

A sad welcome to our club LBM1953. Noone wanted this. We get it. Lots of good advice and support here. We all still hope and are working at what we can do with this disease. With both I'm still on higher dose than you but now reducing . Looks like we started pred. at similar time. Different issues and symptoms appear daily to confuse us but we consult and figure it out mostly. Wishing you well on your taper.