Getting my 4th Covid jab tomorrow (Saturday), then bloods 4 days after on Wednesday ... consequences on ESR and CRP of recent jab ?

[Dochaz]

Should I expect a rise in ESR and CRP 4 days after my 4th dose of Moderna? Last week bloods were back down to normal levels on 22.5 mg/day for GCA/PMR 4 months into treatment. Now on 20 mg for the past week. A bit of stiffness in shoulders, but very bearable. Just adjusting I think. Has anyone found that vaccination has raised inflammation markers?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Never looked I'm afraid.

However - I found at least one reference that says it does for a short time and it is better to postpone blood tests for a week or two post vaccination.

[Dochaz in reply to PMRpro]

Good to know, thanks!

[MrsNails]

Yes it does, it happened to my son & there was a bit of a panic to get the Bloods Repeated - which were then normal again….

They also found issues with ladies who were having mammograms & enlarged lymph nodes were discovered but cause by the vaccine.

[Dochaz in reply to MrsNails]

I'm forewarned! Thanks for replying. Always good to know about others' experiences.

[Seacat30]

I was diagnosed soon after my second AstraZeneca vaccine. My symptoms had started 5 days after the first jab. My first set of blood tests were taken 4 days after jab 2. I had read an article about Covid and the vaccines against it raising ESR and CRP. I insisted on another blood test 14 days later before going to Rheumatology. Both CRP and ESR were still too high and I was diagnosed as having PMR on that basis BUT they were significantly lower than they had been just after the jab. So I think your answer could be yes. On the other hand I was tested again approximately a month after jab 3 Pfizer while on 9.5mg of pred and my results were normal. So your answer could also be no depending on the time gap and on your steroid dosage.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Seacat30]

And anything else going on - which is why they are a guide and not a confirmation of PMR.

[cycli]

everyone's different. Some may some won't. I've just had 4th. Bloods good. 15 and 5. finally down again after flare. pfizer 1st 3 zeneca 4th as no pfizer available. No reaction. Think we worry overmuch but understandable. Stressing about it probably has more effect. Try and relax.

[JanetRosslyn]

Had blood tests the day after a covid jab... felt absolutely fine, not even a sore arm... CRP and ESR had been stable for over a year. ESR stayed normal, but CRP went from 'below 5' to 15.8. Back to normal since then.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JanetRosslyn]

They probably wouldn't have had any time to rise - it idoesn't always happen in hours. I would think having blood taken the next day or waiting a couple of weeks is the best approach. And if they have risen - they should be checked in a week or so to see if there is a rising trend.

[JanetRosslyn in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, it seemed odd mine raised the following day. We put it down to the jab as I have bloods taken every 6 weeks (MTX monitoring) and that was the only time my CRP went up. Shows as mountain on my otherwise lovely flat NHS App graph 🙂

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JanetRosslyn]

I only ever had a raised CRP once - on a day when I had a really bad episode of atrial fibrillation without recognising it! Back to normal the following week.

[PastelsinArt]

I haven't had raised ESR or CRP readings after vaccinations, but I have had very low neutrophil readings twice in this situation, first time after a Covid vaccination then after a Flu jab. I would have been unaware of this as I felt fine, it was just a coincidence that I had a blood test within a few days of each jab.

[Dochaz]

Update to my last post about the effects of 4th Covid jab on bloods... so, got my results from this morning's tests 4 days after the jab. All good. No significant rise in inflammation markers and everything else in normal range. I still have a bit of stiffness in my shoulders, but I have been overdoing the knitting recently as the unbearable hot weather kept me indoors. But back to reasonable temperatures today and I can get out on my (electric 😜) bike again and do some walking. Due to taper down to 17.5mg on Saturday. I find I need at least a week to adjust to each new taper. Hope you have all coped with the heatwave. Love to everyone 🌻