Flare and due COVID jab Friday

[Haz58]

Hi all. I hope you are all well or as well as can be. 🙂 I'm booked for my spring COVID booster tomorrow but I'm starting to flare, sore hands and shoulders etc and they are starting me on hydroxychloroquine next week as well as the 3g if sulfasalazine I'm already on. Have any of you had the jab whilst in a flare? I want it but just hesitant it'll make the flare worse. X

[Gottarelax]

Not sure to call it a flare as I'm still in the phase of trying to get my RA under control. I had my jab last Friday and for 2 nights (Friday/Saturday) had excruciating pain in my legs. Now I can't be 100% sure whether that was the jab or the heat and humidity or perhaps a bit of both. However, the last couple of nights I've slept better than I have in a long time so it was definitely a blip.

[Haz58 in reply to Gottarelax]

Thank you gotta. Mine still isn't under control either. Was on steroids but not for 3 weeks and fatigue and pain slowly creeping back. I think I'll just have it after what you've said. Unless tomorrow I'm worse am today which isn't good. X

[Keepinmovin]

Hello, I'm on hydroxychloroquine - one tablet per day. I was on it for 2 years and found it very helpful, then I went into remission for a long time, but just started a slight flare recently and have gone back on it. In the space of a week, it is already making a difference. I take it with food. The morning stiffness in my finger joints has just about gone. I think I would have the vaccine myself unless the rheumatologist said not to.

I looked on Google and asked the question, 'Can you have a covid vaccine when you have a rheumatoid flare?' There wasn't a reply to the specific question, but this is what came up:

Is the COVID-19 vaccine associated with increased risk of rheumatic disease flare up?

In general, current evidence doesn't support the increased risk of disease flare after COVID-19 vaccination. However, the disease flare of RDs may be triggered by COVID-19 vaccinations, especially for patients with high disease activity. Most of these flares after vaccination are mild and need no treatment escalation.4 Jul 2022

[Haz58 in reply to Keepinmovin]

Well my letter the other day said moderate activity so not as bad as I was 3 months ago, I couldn't walk or do anything myself. I had it anyway, Pfizer which last time I was ok with just a sore arm. The moderna one really wasn't good for me.

[wakeham]

Hi Haz58, I’m on Hydroxychloroquine and have been for six years, I just wanted to say that I have had all my covid jabs each with apprehension but apart from the early jabs I have coped okay apart from really aching joints. I wish you all the best.

Regards wakeham

[Haz58 in reply to wakeham]

Thanks wakeham 🙂 well I had it and it was Pfizer which I was pleased about as the last moderna really knocked me about. Time will tell as always I guess. But as my sister said this morning it's better to be covered by the jab.

[Sheila_G]

I think you are going to have to decide which you would least like to have - a flare that might last a short time or a jab that could protect you from something that could affect your life for a long time. I know it isn't easy as neither of the options are that straightforward but I hope you make the right decision.

[Haz58 in reply to Sheila_G]

Thanks Sheila. I had it and arm just aches at the mo so all good 😊