autumn covid booster and prednisalone

[lindyloo2018]

Hi

does anyone know if you can have the covid booster whilst taking prednisolone?

what is the lowest dose of prednisolone that the covid booster will work with ?

I am worried that prednisolone will stop the covid booster from working ..

please advise asap

many thanks

[Ruth12345]

This is not advice just my story re your question. I've never stopped taking my prednisolone when having covid vaccine. I'm on 5mg daily and had my 7th covid vaccine yesterday. Nobody has said not to take prednisolone, however that doesn't mean I should have kept taking it. I shall be interested to read what others say as maybe I've been wrong.🌻

[lindyloo2018 in reply to Ruth12345]

I think people who take 5mg daily are maybe ok as it's a minimal dose, did you ask your RA consultant ?

[Ruth12345 in reply to lindyloo2018]

No. I only see him every 6 months. I did see him last week and apparently after a blood test its now considered that due to my low cortisol level I must take prednisolone. I hope you are now well 🌻

[wilbertjellyfish]

I never stopped the pred for a vaccination. It's quite dangerous to stop taking pred if you're on it any length of time, even a lower dose.

[Runrig01]

I’m on life long prednisolone. I’ve now had my 8th booster, in the early days of the vaccine, I sent my blood off to check for antibodies. Despite being on 7.5mg prednisolone, 25mg MTX and a biologic I had produced a moderate level of antibodies. Pred is not a drug you can stop suddenly, especially when you’ve been in it more than 3 weeks. It can threaten your life if stopped suddenly. The last few COVID vaccines I’ve stopped MTX for 2 weeks, as advised by the British rheumatology society, but nothing else.

[Haz58]

I'm on 5mg 1 day and 10 mg the next at the mo. I had my autumn booster 2 weeks ago and my Rheumy said to go ahead it was fine.

[Jillyanne]

I googled it and it said ok to have have vaccination, so had mine on pred and was fine

[lindyloo2018 in reply to Jillyanne]

Hi where did you find the info on google ? please share

[Jillyanne in reply to lindyloo2018]

this what i got when I googled

Covid jab

[lindyloo2018 in reply to Jillyanne]

versus arthritis - thanks

[Gaz227]

I’m on 4.5mg , had a good immune response as I didn’t feel well for 3 days after the jab

[helenlw7]

I had my 8th Covid vaccine. I am a long term steroid user, on 7.5 mg, and would not just be able to stop it.

[Fra22-57]

Never been told to stop it.far too dangerous for that.I don't stop taking any meds I am on and it's alot.I would only stop biologic injection if on antibiotics too

[trunchalobesity]

I’ve had 8 vaccinations and have taken prednisolone throughout x

[oldtimer2]

Although you may have a lesser response to the Covid vaccination, it is definitely worth having the vaccination while you are on steroids.

[Amnesiac3637]

Been on pred for34 years. Never stopped it for anything. Won’t make any difference to your .vaccinations. Just have the vaccinations and don’t worry -much riskier to stop prednisolone.

[lindyloo2018]

thanks, I am on 15mg pred - too high I think for vaccinations ? when at a lower dose may be ok.. cannot find anywhere what dose of pred is ok with vaccinations for them to work..

[Kags1068 in reply to lindyloo2018]

I've been on varying doses of pred for 30 years. Have had the vaccine while at 15mg and 20mg. Didn't cause any problems, but can only speak for myself

[lindyloo2018 in reply to Kags1068]

Hi , did your RA consultant say the vaccine was ok and would work at 15mg/20mg of prednisolone ? many thanks

[Amnesiac3637 in reply to lindyloo2018]

No you’re not right. Please don’t take advice on here as gospel but also please don’t Google rubbish sites and get erroneous information. If you’re on Pred for any length of time it is dangerous to stop it for any reason unless specifically told to by your consultant and nobody else..

There is NO reason to stop Pred for vaccinations and you would be foolish to do so. I am a retired Practice Nurse so do have some authentication in telling you this. 15mgs of Pred is not a particularly high dose and is no reason to stop for any intervention - indeed, you are often advised to increase a dose when having surgical procedures or at times of considerable stress (i.e. bereavement etc). Good luck, have your vaccine - it will work - and stop taking Google advice - extremely risky!!

[lindyloo2018]

I only look at the professional websites. I found a 2 week rule on the Greenbook-chapter-14a-4September2023.pdf page 31 about timing of booster doses. but in the real world I guess not everyone can plan their covid jab around prednisolone or other steroids.

[Amnesiac3637]

Yep, real world tends to trump. Everyone who has ever been on steroids will tell you the same thing - they don’t stop them.

[lindyloo2018]

how about the covid and flu jab at the same time? is that a good idea or best to seperate ?