High white blood cell count on prednisone

[PMRgo]

Just a little question. Is it normal to have a very high count of white blood cells with Prednisone? My rheumatologist says it's normal, but I thought I'd check with all you experts out there!

Also, I've been told you shouldn't have vaccinations while taking Prednisone. I'm going to India and the travel advice is to have a typhoid jab. Anybody know anything about this? My rheumatologist said I could have tetanos, diptheria and polio as they are not "live" vaccines, but not typhoid.

Thank you for any info or advice.

[HeronNS]

I looked up typhoid vaccination and this US site says there are two types of vaccination for typhoid, one live, one not:

cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vi...

There is a little paragraph saying who should not get the vaccine, including people who are "moderately" or "severely" ill. But I don't know if a chronic ailment as PMR counts as moderately ill?

[PMRgo in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you for your quick reply, very helpful. I'll try to get the inactive vaccine.

[SnazzyD]

Hello, yes Pred does stimulate the production of Neutrophils a type of white cell. Also, you can get non live Typhoid vaccines.

[PMRgo in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you for such a quick reply. Does have having high neutrophils matter?

[SnazzyD in reply to PMRgo]

No but if it goes really high or you have other symptoms then the docs perhaps need to rule out other causes as well before blaming Pred.

[Maisie1958]

Hi I think an increase in WBC while on prednisolone is to be expected to some degree. I had typhoid vaccine (inactivated) with no problems last year before visiting India-have a great time ! X

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Yes, raised white count is normal with pred.

And we shouldn't have any live vaccines - because they could actually cause the illness, i.e. you could develop typhoid because of your suppressed immune system (the action of the pred) if you had the live version.

[KellyInTexas in reply to PMRpro]

?!?

🙁

I’m wrapping up failed Rituximab and about to start IVIG!

And on solumedrol. Eeeek!

[KellyInTexas]

My eosinophils shot up to 10, but my total WBC ( White blood count/ full white blood count) remains low none the less at 3.5

I have a form of lupus, so we ,” Lupies” tend to run low.

I take gluco steroids in the form of IM shots- at high doses. ( between 80-120 mg.)

Every 10-21 days.

[gifford7]

re: white blood cell increase with pred:

ebmconsult.com/articles/glu...

" Glucocorticoids (e.g., dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, prednisone) are known to increase the white blood cell (WBC) count upon their initiation. The increase in WBC count is primarily contributed from neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes; PMN). "