When it rains it pours

[Hunter134]

I finally got home from the hotel and I got sick yesterday.Took a covid test that read negative but not sure how accurate they are?How many mgs should I increase?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

How unwell are you? And what dose of pred are you on? The Sick Day Rules usually apply for being ill enough to stay in bed or if you are on antibiotics. They aren't a blanket increase pred if you are slightly unwell.

My daughter took 3 or 4 attempts to get a positive last time.

[Hunter134 in reply to PMRpro]

Yes I was worried about that I have a bad cough and fever of 37.8 now.

[Hunter134 in reply to Hunter134]

On 10 mgs

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hunter134]

If it were me I wouldn't increase unless it was laying me low. I'm sure others will reply.

[Hunter134 in reply to PMRpro]

Ok I don't want to increase.I haven't been sick in four years so I wasn't sure what to do.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hunter134]

See how you go.

[Hunter134 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for replying.

[SnazzyD]

I’d see how it goes rather than a knee jerk reaction increase as you are up at 10mg. Keep testing too as it can take a few days to show positive.

[Hunter134 in reply to SnazzyD]

Ok thank you

[Bcol]

As already advised, hang fire for now and keep testing. Even if it does show up positive you still may not feel ill enough to need extra.

[diana1998]

I had covid quite badly before Christmas with very painful throat, heavy cold and bad cough. Stayed at home resting but didn't increase my pred. Felt fine after 9 days. I was on 3mg.

[Hunter134 in reply to diana1998]

Glad you re better.Iam resting but the cough is really bad.Wakes me up.Ive had many bronchial colds so I hope I get thru this too!

[diana1998 in reply to Hunter134]

You will, give it time

[Hunter134 in reply to diana1998]

Thank you for responding.I will rest and drink fluids.

[Ann1A]

It definitely takes a while to show positive. As I understand it, the sick day rules run on how ill you are, ie if you're so poorly you have to take to your bed. Good luck !

[Hunter134 in reply to Ann1A]

Thank you for your reply.I do feel pretty sick at night.Going to the doctor today.

[PRL1957]

Hi, Hunter134,

Obviously, you are worried about the possibility of having covid. This is my recent experience - so it is only anecdotal and not statistically meaningful, but you might find it useful.

I also became ill recently (12/2/2023), with mild 'flu-like symptoms and slightly raised temperature (generally up around 1°C and only briefly around 2°C above my normal). Like you, I was on 10 mg/day prednisolone at that time (but have tapered my dose to 8 mg/day since then, without any obvious adverse effects).

On the first day, I tested negative for Covid (but our rapid antigen test kits are a year old and may not be completely reliable for the current versions of the virus). I thought about 'sick-day rules' but didn't feel ill enough to implement them - or even to significantly reduce may usual routines. After all, it appeared I just had a cold (a.k.a. man-'flu). After about 4 days, I was feeling pretty well back to normal.

Three days after me, my wife (not on steroids) came down with the same thing (she could only have caught it from me) and was considerably more unwell. She was very tired and remained essentially bedridden for three days, with a high temperature (around 2°C above normal). She also lost her sense of taste and smell, which seem to be far more common with covid than the 'flu or colds. (Official statistics also suggested covid was about 3-times more prevalent than 'flu, at the time.) And it took her more than 8 days to get back to anything like normal.

We have both received two doses of the (Pfizer) covid vaccine (2nd in April 2021), but have avoided boosters, since the vaccine triggered my PMR. And this is the first time we think we've had covid. We are both in our mid 60's and I have been on prednisolone for PMR, for 16 months.

So, at the start, we were worried whether prednisolone had trashed my immune system, and ended ondering whether it actually helped in some way.

I hope you don't have covid - or become too ill with anything else, for that matter. But, if it is covid, I hope your experience is similar to mine.

[Hunter134 in reply to PRL1957]

Thank you for the response.You re right I am worried about covid.At the moment its like a flu.Cough,fever and chills.I do need to lay down but I would with a flu.Ive had pneumonia twice so iam a bit scared about that.I guess I just have to ride it out Iam glad you both came thru it.

[Hunter134 in reply to PRL1957]

I tested positive this morning Ugh.I do hope it's like yours.lol

[PRL1957]

I am sorry to hear that you have tested positive and that you are feeling so unwell. I hope you are better soon!