covid vaccine pfizer-biotech

[Vayne]

was off prednisone Feb 2021 had the vaccine mar 2021 within a month couldn't open my hand felt like glass crystals. Shoulders not to bad but calves of my legs acked. Back on prednisone any one else had similar issues with the covid vaccine. New to the site. had pmr multiple times over the last 20 years.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I had the Moderna vaccine with no problems with the first jab but the second triggered a flare of the PMR symptoms, especially fatigue,

You say you have had PMR multiple times - how long between episodes?

[Vayne in reply to PMRpro]

4-5 years

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Vayne]

So what - 4 or 5 episodes too? That's not fair!!!

[Piano247]

I have been off Prednisolone since September 2020. Had my second Pfizer jab at the end of April and my PMR symptoms started to return soon after. I am now back on Prednisolone and starting over. Could be a coincidence but who knows.

[Vayne in reply to Piano247]

my same scenario!

[GrandmaPirate]

Mu PMR flared up after first AstraZeneca shot just when I was going down from 2mg prednisolone to 1 mg. Couldn't take anything anymore out of my kitchen cupboards. Was allowed to go up to 6mg pred for 23 days I.e. until 4 days after 2nd AZ shot on 5 July. This time no more flare up. Tomorrow I will start a 4 mg dose for 9 days and then 3 mg. Hope PMR will remain under control. Immune reaction to AZ is usually strongest after first injection. In case of Pfizer it is the second injection that is usyally causing more reaction.

[Karendeena]

Hi Vayne, I had the pfzir vaccine and after the 2nd dose developed PMR with blood inflammation levels of 67! Was this coincidence? Not sure, neither is my GP but was told to report it through the yellow card. I am now on pred, started 15mg, went to 12.5, now on 10. Some neck pain but want to be off this medication 💊

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Karendeena]

Everyone wants to be off pred - but the choice with PMR tends to be pred or PMR pain. I find pred infinitely preferable.

[Karendeena in reply to PMRpro]

PMRpro, I have now been told by my doctor to come off pred (slowly of course) down to 3mg some neck and upper back discomfort but nothing more than I have had for a number of years. Worse in the night and first thing in the morning. The problem I have is with the side effects, it's affected my mental health really badly and I am not in a good place right now. You will probably have seen by one of my posts that bowel problems were also significant and we are not sure if it's the pred or the lansoprazole which i have stopped. Curiously I am on 3mg pred but if I up it to 4 the diarrhoea and upset starts up again 🥺

[Vayne in reply to Karendeena]

same thing started on 15 went to 10 after 2 weeks now down to 7.5 dr said 4-6wks

[Susan1705]

Had mild flair of PMR after 1st Pfizer and worse flair after 2nd and triggered GCA!! In hospital on mega pred (1000mg) for 3 days, now tapering down and on 40mg + methotrexate. Possibly a coincidence, though none of the doctors I saw argued when I said I had a reaction to the Pfizer!!

[Flivoless]

I developed "probable" (the Jury is still out?) PMR shortly after my first dose of AZ. Impossible to know whether this was merely coincidental or not.

[bBarnabus]

I had a bad flare ten days after 2nd Pfizer jab it lasted two weeks and still feeling fatigue and ache stiffness two weeks later despite being on 15 mgs pred. Only a mild blip after first jab lasted Two days of being incapacitated

[Noosat]

I was taking prednisone when I ha the 2 Pfizer shote and had no adverse consequences

[LCHRISTOP10 in reply to Noosat]

Insidious onset of moderate flare couple weeks after 2nd Moderna vaccine. Hurt pelvic girdle, quads, discomfort hands(new symptom for me). Next routine CRP blood draw 10.58 up from my normal of 2-4. Also liver enzymes up. Rheumy increased pred from 7.75 to 10 for a week. Currently at 9.5. Felt good last 2 days which is surprising as 3 grandchildren 5 and under visiting for 10 days. Wait a few more days before I drop pred by 0.25. If I require booster, I plan to ask rheumy to up pred for a few days a couple weeks after injection to prevent flare but allow vaccine to work. Any thoughts?

[Noosat in reply to LCHRISTOP10]

No extra thoughts, when I received my first shot it was on the day the blizzard started in Texas. I was preoccupied with staying warm , and getting water and food for the following week, so maybe was too busy just surviving to examine if I had any special aches and pains. Am now slow tapering from 5mg to 4.5mg. I had a recent flare due to peptic ulcer not behaving well

[HeronNS]

As we seem to be starting an informal poll on vaccine causing or exacerbating PMR - I was already having a flare before first vaccine so impossible to tell if vaccine had any effect on that. However I was not aware of any side effect from second (two weeks ago yesterday) other than mildly tender upper arm for two or three days.