I am in the process of tapering down off prednisone. My doctor told me if I can get below 10mg daily than it’s ok to get my Covid booster and flu vaccine. She said if by November I am still not below 10mg than I should go ahead with vaccines. Is this a common directive while on prednisone?
Thank you Stephanie
I have written a lot of information up on Covid & Immunisations
I have personally have never heard this & we’ve all had our Jabs no matter the dose of Pred we are on…..
Will attach Info for you below ⬇️
MrsN
NB I see you are from America & the Rules may be different there - this is all information from GOV.U.K. & The Medicine Agency
MrsNails has replied, but not a common directive in UK - hopefully others in US will reply…
I’ve never heard of this suggestion in my doctors office. I don’t think it’s a USA standard of practice here.
it’s very strange, this came from my Rheumatologists Office.
I am thinking that all of the reactions to vaccines is individual. It also has to do with the individual doctor as well. I had my annual flu shot 2 weeks ago while my Pred dose is 15mg. No reaction whatsoever. Also, at same time I needed my 10 year Tdap booster. It was all good for me, so I'm fortunate.
It sounds as if she is saying much the same in both statements. It makes no real sense - obviously the lower the pred dose the better, but either way, you need the jabs! I can't see anyone being on a significantly lower dose between now and November so why wait? I had all my jabs last year while on 15mg and more - seem to have worked so far!!
I called my Rheumatologist’s office and asked for clarification, they said you will have the best immune response and build good antibodies to the vaccine if your prednisone is below 10mg, but some patients can’t achieve that, so it’s individual to my care plan to try and get below 10mg since I’m close.
Stephanie
As I say - the lower the better. But that applied anyway surely?
Two weeks ago, September, 2022, while on 11mg pred, I got the new booster and flu shots together. Felt poorly the next evening but that was all.
In October, 2021, I got the first booster & flu shots while at 15mg pred with no problems.
thank you I want to get them sooner rather than later!
It isn't whether you will have problems at a higher dose - but whether your immune system is able to develo an immune response to the vaccine since pred is an immunosuppressant.
Hi SLCR I was certainly above 10mg when I had both Covid and Flu vaccinations and everything was fine.
no reason not to have the jabs irrespective of the dose of pred you are own.
BTW the vaccines hardly impact on your risk of getting covid but will help keep you out of hospital and help prevent long covid. Please wear a mask and avoid crowded places....it still makes sense.
And keep taking enough pred to control PMR symptoms.
We will get through this!!!
10mg and above seems to be the decision maker for antivirals too. At or above and you get them, below 10mg you don’t. I imagine your doc was saying above 10mg your body’s response to the vaccine is sub-optimal.
I just came from my Rheumy appointment (in US) and he said to make sure I get mine as soon as possible as any amount of prednisone is immunosuppressive so the sooner the better.
Hi there,
I am also in the US - with PMR and GCA. You should absolutely get the bivalent booster and the influenza vaccine - with the knowledge that sometimes vaccines work less well for people on prednisone. On the bright side, those of us on prednisone often have less of a reaction to the vaccines. Your doctor may be thinking that if you are down to 10 the vaccine will be more effective in preventing or ameliorating disease but that if you can't get down to 10 you should still have it. I hope this was clear - my husband is a doctor so this is filtered through the lens of a very liberal artsy French teacher! Good luck - hope this helps.
thank you!
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