Does the flu jab cause polymyalgea

[Dubonnet]

My husband has Polymyalgea and is now on steroids. He has suffered quite severely but the steroids are definately helping. He is insistent that the problem was caused by having the flu jab. Has anyone had this theory suggested before ?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Many times - the flu vaccine, the shingles vaccine, COVID vaccine. ….It may not be the single reason PMR surfaced, but probably the last straw that made hubby’s immune system go into melt down…

System may well have been struggling and he didn’t realise - and the vaccine tipped it over the edge.

For others it can be an accident, an operation or stress of any kind.

[Dubonnet in reply to DorsetLady]

Thankyou

[Swdai]

I had my flu jab in October 2019 and within six weeks started suffering with severe aches in my hips/ thighs and knees - had total replacement knee joints 18 & 15 yrs ago. Thinking this was just down to old age / osteoarthritis I struggled through Xmas and in January 2020 I was at the point where my upper arms were giving me pain also and I struggled in getting up out of chairs . I eventually went to GP as my Co-dydromol pain killers just were not touching the pain I was in .. My GP - thank goodness , recognised PMR symtoms and sent me for blood tests the same day - the following day I was on steroids and within a week the pain subsided. I have now learnt to live with this and accept there are flare ups - particularly when I try and reduce below 8mgs .

I have no doubt at all my PMR was triggered from the flu vaccine as up until then I was fit and healthy. I had never heard of PMR but thank goodness my GP was on the ball .

Hopefully your husband will find the preds help him but it is a case of taking each day as it comes ,

[Dubonnet in reply to Swdai]

Thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The autoimmune disorder that causes the symptoms we call PMR is almost certainly the immune system going into freefall after years of insults that irritate it mounting up. There is no single cause. They may be environmental, chemical, illness, injury, emotional or physical stress - all can have an effect on the immune system. Eventually one thing is the final straw that tips it off the edge. It might be a flu jab - or the flu it would have prevented, the shingles or any other jab - or not having them and getting the illness. It might be an illness, or surgery. Many of us may have had the flu jab shortly before PMR appeared - equally, many of us had never had the flu - or any other jab - so they can't be blamed.

Had it not been the flu jab - it would have been something else sooner or later.

[Dubonnet in reply to PMRpro]

Thank yiu

[Dubonnet in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you

[Ana-16 in reply to PMRpro]

Such a wise balanced response. We all feel the need to explain but sometimes the best thing is to accept rather than search for cause and effect!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Ana-16]

Certainly saves a lot of time and heartache!!!

[Ana-16 in reply to PMRpro]

Absolutely. Have a good day

[SnazzyD]

Various things crop up as being seen to be the cause of PMR, the regulars being, acute upset or unrelenting stress, illness, infection, vaccines, accidents. Some here have felt the Covid vaccine had made their autoimmune condition flare up. Apart from the vaccine it may also be interesting to look back at what the last years or months have brought as well. I say this, not because I think the good name of vaccines must not be brought down (I haven’t done well with them myself) but because of the regularly occurring testimonies that suggest if it wasn’t that, it’s likely something else would have done it too. I know that doesn’t make it easier for him for next time a vaccine is offered. Having had a bad time with vaccines in the past that lasted weeks or months afterwards I was really worried about the Covid vaccine. Yes, I certainly felt my body go into a state of inflammation, but it didn’t go further and I was ok after 2 weeks. Perhaps it was because 4.5 years from diagnosis and autoimmune activity was low as opposed to the previous years it may have been an undercurrent (with hindsight) that never fully showed until 2017. So I may have been in a better start this time round.

[Dubonnet in reply to SnazzyD]

Unfortunately he blames the vaccine, saying he was healthy until he had the jab and that he was persuaded against his will etc etc. Persuaded not by me, thank goodness. I let him make the decision . But this illness is a struggle for him.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Dubonnet]

Then perhaps get him to read this, and you to understand what he’s going through.It does come as a shock to all of us, but honestly there are a lot worse illnesses to have - once he “accepts” it, and learns to live with it, it’s not all doom and gloom.,,

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Dubonnet in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks. It seems I do all the research and relay the info back to him! But this site has been so helpful as some of the symptoms, like extreme exhaustion that suddenly hits, gritty sore eyes, sleep problems, all covered in topics on this site. It helps him when I reassure that his symptoms are all a part of the illness and not something else going wrong!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Dubonnet]

Good that’s he’s got you….and yes it brings a lot with it that the docs don’t tell you about - or even know!!Stick with us, we’ll get you both through it 😊

[Dubonnet in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks. That's such a kind response.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Dubonnet]

Have you seen this post about fatigue? If you have that's great and excuse me banging on but it is a good one I think for that:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk......

[Dubonnet in reply to PMRpro]

He has that Sudden Fatigue and Rebound fatigue. I shall relay all this info. It helps to know its part of the syndrome and not some other ailment to taunt!

[piglette in reply to Dubonnet]

I found the gritty sore eyes and sensitive teeth went away quite quickly, although other side effects did seem to hang on longer.

[SnazzyD in reply to Dubonnet]

It may well have been the vaccine but nobody can say if something else would have done it eventually or what. Before GCA i thought I was fighting fit because none of the easy to shrug off niggles could be attributable to anything serious and they weren’t permanent. With hindsight lots of tangos fall into place. If he sees a direct cause and effect with the vaccine I doubt anything will change his mind. However, coming from someone who has had really bad reactions (not allergy) to vaccines in the past, I know not all are the same.

[piglette]

They are looking into whether COVID-19 may cause long-term autoimmune complications, so it does seem that some vaccines may be linked with auto immune diseases like PMR somehow.

[Dubonnet in reply to piglette]

thank you