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shingle shot

Posted , 10 users are following.

karen81902
karen81902

Are any of you getting the 2nd shingles shot?  Is it right for us? i have heard different opinions about this

Thanks

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • patricia38799
    patricia38799 karen81902

    Posted

    Hi Karen . My doctor said because of the prednisone, I could not have the shingles injection. I have had shingles about 5years ago but didn't have PMR at that stage. I am on 5mg at the moment.

     

  • ricky23486
    ricky23486 karen81902

    Posted

    My rheumy said I could have the live vaccine Zostavax... I am on 8 mg prednisone. And am very nervous about it... Probably won't...

  • peggy_56092
    peggy_56092 karen81902

    Posted

    I had the Zostavax shot over two years before diagnosed with PMR.  Not planning on another.
  • gil40966
    gil40966 karen81902

    Posted

    Hello all, first post here.   I am from the US and came down with mysterious symptoms of pain in shoulders, butt, quads, hip flexors and hammies a little over a month ago.  Also intermittent lower backache and headache.  Pain got so bad I went to urgent care on a weekend and was given a one week course of Prednisone to be tapered over the week.  Starting with 40 mg, then 20 mg, then 10 then 5.  Miracle!  All symptoms went away UNTIL the Prednisone stopped.  Then they came roaring back.

    The interesting thing that relates to this thread is that these symptoms began a few weeks after the second Shingrix shot in a course of two, just a couple (maybe 3) weeks prior.  I went to the original urgent care doc thinking that this was some kind of reaction to Shingrix and he was baffled also.

    My Family Care doctor came up with a diagnosis of PMR based on symptoms and the fact that the first course of Prednisone made them go away.  I am now on 10 mg Prednisone and going back to doc today to talk about upping it.  I am having a real hard time keeping the symptoms at bay 24/7 (they never totally go away during the day and are unbearable at night).  We have a shortage of Rheumys in this area and the soonest I could make an appointment to see one is two months from now!!!

    They say auto-immune diseases like PMR lurk in your system and can be activated by infections and or viruses.  I am left thinking whether the Shingrix vaccine was what did the trick to kick it in for me.

    I am a 63 year old male triathlete who, needless to say, is very bummed at this point.

    • EileenH
      EileenH gil40966

      Posted

      You need to start on a higher dose - 15-25mg/day is the sort of range until the symptoms are minimised. Then you reduce to find the lowest dose that gives the same result. But you really do need enough to start with to clear the accumulated inflammation  - creeping up doesn;t work as well.

      When at night is the pain worst? If it is PMR splitting your dose will probably get you to a better place. However, is your doctor sure it isn't anklylosing spondylitis? It may present like PMR - but its back pain is worst about midnight to 3am, PMR gets worse about 4am. AS pain also improves as you get moving. It is just a thought.

    • gil40966
      gil40966 EileenH

      Posted

      I feel better during the day...pain does not completely go away.  As night time approaches, the pain comes on stronger.  My upper left arm aches so bad there is no relief and sleep is an impossibility.  Upper right arm is sore too, just not as bad.  Every day I have been taking the Prednisone earlier and earlier just so I can calm the pain to a dull roar and get some sleep.  Was taking it in the a.m. say 6 or so.  Then went to 3 a.m, then midnight.  Last night felt the pain train coming and dosed at 10 pm.  Still got up once during middle of night hurting too much to sleep.  Going to the doctor this afternoon to see about raising the dose on the Prednisone as I think 10 mg just isn't cutting it.

    • EileenH
      EileenH gil40966

      Posted

      10mg is very unlikely to cut it and the 2015 recommendations say the starting dose should never be so low. I just don't understand why doctors try to use too little - if it is ignorance they can always look it up.The only thing you can have is a relief of symptoms to be able to live a better quality of life. So that means you need enough - if you don't take enough you have all the downsides with none of the benefits.

    • gil40966
      gil40966 EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks.  I am giving the doctor a pass as he is a general practitioner (family medicine MD) and not a rheumatologist.  The earliest I could book - and did book - with the Rheumy is end of November.  My doctor doubled down on the Prednisone so I am now taking 20mg / day.  I asked him whether I could take it in split doses and he said it didn't matter.  So I am taking 10mg two times a day.  We will see what happens.

    • EileenH
      EileenH gil40966

      Posted

      Generally the recommendation is as a single dose as early in the morning as possible to give the inflammation the biggest hit. Splits are often taken as 2/3 and 1/3 taken about 1-2 hours before you would expect the pain to return if it does so earlier than 24 hours. 
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