Will anyone who believs they got polymialgia after having a flue injection, please advise me which injection they had ?
You might be interested to know that this was discussed some months ago (although I can't remember if it was on this forum or the other UK PMR and GCA forum). There were a few patients who had developed PMR who had had flu jabs at some point - but really there were more of us who had not, many younger ones (i.e. under 65) had never been eligible for a flu jab. One or two people with pre-existing PMR have had increased symptoms after having a travel vaccination (there are some we are not meant to have because of now being on steroids but this hadn't applied there).
PMR does sometimes appear at some time after various events people could identfy, a vaccination, another illness and so on, and that has lead to suggestions that this or that can cause it. There are many autoimmune-related illnesses (PMR is just one) and at various times people have blamed all sorts of things as the cause. It does often appear after a period of stress - and stress can upset your immune system - but that could be illness, an accident, bereavement, emotional upheaval. There has been no common trigger that could be identified so far.
Eileen
Hi Eileen,
many thanks for your reply.Yes I guess what you say makes sense.
regards
Esudam
Re Poly Myalgia
I was diagnosed with PM May 2011, after being ill with flu like symtoms for 6 months. I was prescribed steroids plus alendrated acid and omeprazole. I already had blood pressure problems so the steroid agravated that. I am now thinking about stopping the alendrated acid because it makes me feel tired and lethargic on the days I take it plus most of the time as well. Hopefully I can pack the lot in after the 18 months are up which is Christmas 2012
Welcome to the forum (I don't remember seeing your name before at least!)
I do hope you aren't setting your hopes on the PMR being gone after 18 months wardy - the majority of people I've come across on this and the other forum have had it rather longer than that and I know some of the support group leaders find it a problem. The doctors tell people it will be gone in 2 years - and they appear at the support groups desperately disappointed that it hasn't. I've had it nearly 8 years, 5 years without it being diagnosed or treated. About a quarter of patients get off pred in under 2 years but are at a higher risk of relapsing later. About half are on pred for anything from 2 to 6 years but do eventually manage to get off pred and don't relapse anything like as often. The other quarter take much longer or remain on pred at a low dose for life.
And it isn't your fault so you haven't failed if that happens to you - it is the nature of the beast. PMR is not the disease, it is the medical Latin name for the symptoms: many painful muscles. It is probably caused by an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack itself, leading to inflammation and swelling and the pressure causes the pain and stiffness.
Eileen
hi and welcome please dont worry about stopping alendronic acid few people tolerate them and the jury is out on there use ,try and take your adcal .keep asking questions you will learn a lot some things you wont want to hear but we are are all in the same boat and there is a mass of info here and on other forums ,once you get your head around its a long haul you can start managing it rather than it managing you good luck we are here for you carolk
I agree with carolk, forget the alendronic acid, and take calcium/magnesium/vitamin D supplements instead!
I didn't have a flu shot prior to getting PMR, but I did have a shingles vaccination about 7 months before I started feeling weird, then it was a year after that I was diagnosed with PMR. I always wondered if the shingles vaccine somehow induced this condition, but I'll never know since I did take several other medications (if indeed PMR was brought on by medications.). I think stress has a lot to do with it, too.
freesia
I am a 48 year old RN and work at a hospital with children, They made it mandatory to receive the new DTAP vaccine because of a new strand of purtussis. Within 6 months I started having problems standing up from a sitting position. Within the next six months I started getting incredible joint pain in my shoulders. I had elevated sed rates, creactive protein and positive ANA. I was sent to a rheumotologist who diagnosed me with PMR. I have been on Prednisone for almost a year and still have pain. I believe it was the mercury in the DTAP vaccine. It is the conjunct that makes the vaccine work. It turns on your immune system. What I have read is that if you already have a altered immunity system it can turn the autoimmune on and it goes in to overdrive and doesn't no how to turn itself off like in normal people. I had mononucliosis as a teenager and ever since then my immunity system has not been right. I would like to be able to prove this in a court of law because I told them when they gave it to me that I did not want to take it but they gave me no choice in that matter. Good luck on your journey.
Actually, sorry the adjunct used in the DTAP vaccine was aluminium not mercury but either way it was the additive that I believe caused it.
That's odd, shells, I also had mononucleosis, but I was in my mid-thirties when I had it. I felt like I was never quite the same afterward. I'm almost 65 now. I had flu shots and other vaccinations over the years which never seemed to bother me. But I had stopped having flu shots for years before being diagnosed with PMR. I had a shingles vaccination seven months before my body started to "break down" (for lack of a better word) and go into PMR,. The vaccination site hurt for more than 2 weeks afterward and some other things happened that I feel were related to the shot. I've always been suspicious of that shot but will never know if it actually triggered the PMR.
Like you, I also wonder if the mononucleosis had anything to do with being more susceptible to PMR, and I wonder how many others with PMR have also had it.
Take care and good luck to you.
freesia
As I understand it, ANA is not normally taken as significant in a PMR diagnosis, rarely being positive in such patients. Are your doctors sure you have PMR? Especially since you say you are still in pain on steroids. So are most of us, it must be said, but if we have pain it should still be within an acceptable level and at doses well below 15-20mg/day. Otherwise the dx needs to be queried and investigated further, particularly since you are quite young (I'm not saying too young, that is a battle that is fought often enough!)
Eileen
Hi folks I am in a quandary as to how much vitamin D is enough and what is too much. I have always taken the calcium etc that I was prescribed but never taken any other supplements. How much Vit D and magnesium is enough.
Wendy
Hello Wendy
I believe I've just answered you on another forum! But for anyone with the same question in mind here, a simple Vit D blood test will determine whether or not you are deficient and whether you need a course of high dose Vit D3 (Colecalciferol). I requested the blood test which showed a reading of 36. I was prescribed a 3-month course of Vit D3 at the end of which the reading improved to 89. If anyone is particularly low, then the usual calcium plus Vit D will not be sufficient to return levels to normal - a big boost will do so and then either a maintenance dose continued or the test repeated and another course prescribed if necessary.
I meant to add that normal levels of Vit D are considered to be anywhere between 75 and 150/200 depending on your area Trust.
i have same question, because the med, for pmr, that is prednisone, brings down your immune system, not sure , would like to ask dr, but i know they want everyone to get shot
Sorry - this is a very old thread. I dont see how your question fits with the original one here. I assume you have read all ther esponses.
If you want to know is it safe and recommended to have the flu jab - the answer is yes. The injection is a killed vaccine so you cannot develop flu from it. Because your immune system is lowered with the pred it is a good idea to have the flu jab.