Co-vid booster yes or no on MTX & pred

[Gaz227]

I posted this on NRAS pages but thought it would be good to get the opinion of PMR peeps as I also have or had PMR on top of RA and other immune issues .

I had an op 6 weeks ago , prior to stopping MTX before the op I also cancelled my Co-vid booster as I was advised not to have it a week or so before the op , now I’m back on MTX 10mg injections and a small amount of pred 4mg, after reading some research on the affects of co-vid on people taking MTX it appears that the way MTX & Pred reduce the inflammation in your body the Likelihood of getting a bad case of co-vid are greatly reduced in your favour . What’s the general feeling on this point . I’m sitting on the fence whether to have the booster or not .

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I don't think the pred and MTX would make the Covid less serious. In terms of having a vaccine, it is advised that MTX should be stopped for 2 weeks after the vaccination is administered as that allows a much better immune reaction to develop.

[Gaz227 in reply to PMRpro]

This is also my issue I have just started back on MTX after feeling my symptoms slowly coming back and before I have it properly under control I will have to take another short break from it interfering with the drugs affect on my body . The only side effect I got from MTX was tiredness/ fatigue the day after my injection , but this time after the 7 weeks break I got a nasty headache the day after also, the thought of maybe adding more side affects possibly due to the break in medication doesn’t appeal to me at all .

[SnazzyD]

I’m not sure it’s as simple as just reducing inflammation to make Covid less severe. There seem to be other mechanisms at work like the clotting issue for one.

For me the decision is made around how the vaccine affected me and how much protection it will give me against the latest variants.

[Bennej30]

I thought pred and mtx made you more vulnerable to Covid hence being put in the shielding category so surely that means you should get the vaccine?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bennej30]

It depends on a lot of factors including current dose and concomitant illnesses. The letters sent out were a blanket notification but in the case of illness each case is assessed individually.