had doctors visit today | Arthritis Information

Hi everybody, I posted 6 weeks ago that following a flu shot I awoke with stiff painful hands followed in a couple days by painful shoulders and arms. I came accross PMR as one of 2 serious results from flu shots. Found your message board as well as Mayo Clinic pages on the subject. I started prednisone, 5 mg. cause I had some in the house. I also have Sjogrens. After a couple days I had an appt. w/dr. and he got blood tests and sed rate was normal so he said it must be fibro. Prednisone does not help fibro and after I upped the dose to 10 mg I felt better. Today I took all the info from Mayo to the doc and he said because of my normal sed rate he can't say definitely it was PMR. I awake after 3 hours sleep in excruciating pain in my shoulders and arms. So we will try 15 mg pred. for a short period and then decrease. It just destroys me to think I did this to myself with a flu shot. I also have osteoporosis and a lung disease that really disqualifies me from prednisone but nothing else I know of may stop this pain.

I really appreciate your input.

Jule

Jule, that's horrible! It made me think. I too, had the only flu shot I've ever had in my life right before the PMR. Can't remember exactly when. What else do you know about this, and where can I find out? Thanks

Betsy,

I remember that I went to Yahoo and also Google and typed in flu shot/ side effects and complications. There were many links so don't know exactly where but the other complication is Guilliam Barre syndrome which is a paralasis. Also type in Polymyalgia and causes and again and again you will see flu virus and the other.

Jule

It could be the flu shot was just a coincidence. I think, in my lowly opinion, that your Doc. does not know his stuff.

Under treatment that sed rate can come down and the literature I've seen says that some people do not have the elevated sed rate at all. So you must diagnose on the symptoms.

Fibro. balogny!! You need a second opinion.

I had the flu shot as well as many thousands of others that did. I also have Sjogrens Syndrome.Thanks Jule, I'll read up on that.

I am one that has a low SED rate. However, all of the other symptoms pointed to PMR. You are absolutely right - the prednisone doesn't help Fibro. My first rheumy decided I had fibro and disregarded the fact that the pred made the pain go away. When I complained about the pain when it returned, he was rather nonchalant about it. I changed rheumys and got a correct diagnosis. Maybe some just aren't very aware of it. although IMO they should be.

I hope you find something to give you some relief.