Good morning dear people. Ten days ago I received the new RSV vaccine. My husband is undergoing treatment for stage three cancer so we were advised to get the RSV, Flu and new Covid booster when it comes out. We both had body aches, low grade fever and fatigue for two days after getting the RSV vaccine. As the week went on I began to notice pain in both thumbs( which is usually a sign I’m headed for a flare). Yesterday I had mild shoulder pain so I added another 5mg of prednisone to my pill box for a week. I was taking 3.5mg so I will be taking 8.5mg for a week. My question is after the week of extra prednisone should I go back to 3.5mg or 3.75mg where I was controlling my PMR. Was the flare caused by the vaccine and should I do something different. We are both also due to get the flu vaccine on September 12. I’ve never had a reaction to the flu shot but would like your advice about another vaccine so soon.
Flare after vaccine : Good morning dear people. Ten... - PMRGCAuk
Flare after vaccine
After the week at 8.5mg might be sensible to opt for 3.75mg.
As it will be about 3 weeks between previous vaccine and next one that should be okay..
Thanks DorsetLady. I thought it might be safer to go back to 3.75mg. Every time I think I’ve figured this out I get thrown a curve ball.🙃
My GP would feel the 3 weeks it will be should be OK - you never know how you will react though but having one at a time reduces the risk.
The flare could well have been in response to the vaccine giving your immune system a good poke. I would certainly err on the side of caution - it is possible the flare may last a bit longer as it could be increased disease activity rather than overshooting the dose you need which does change things a bit.
Thanks PMRPro. Glad to hear it more than likely will be okay to get the flu jab. Thumbs are already feeling better. Be well!
My GP is adamant the concept of giving 2 jabs at once is evil - especially when it is the COvid one!
I’ve had a mastectomy so I have to get all my jabs in my right arm. If I ever had a reaction,I wouldn’t know which injection caused the problem if I had two at once. My 77 year old body can’t take too many things at once.😳
There was a virologist on radio the other day, and he was asked about having Covid and flu jabs at the same time… His response was -
“oh that’s fine, after all we do it all the time with children!”
Needless to say. I shouted at the radio..🤨
But he also said that the Covid jab is no good against the new strain, however how you know which strain you get?????
I think he said they hadn’t got a vaccine specific to new strain, not that existing ones weren’t any good per se. Whatever vaccine you have will offer some protection, but scientists cannot say how much.
Much as normal really…. 🤔
To confess I was driving back home from Sheffield so probably didn't get everything in contex🤷♀️
Thought he was a bit laissez-faire about things….
He sure was, possibly wanting to keep everyone calm?
Well you are likely to get the dominant strain at the time and since it will probably be a new variant the vaccine won't be targeted for it but unless there is a very big change and because of the way the vaccines are made they will still provide as much protection as their predecessors.
Have been contacted by surgery to have both jabs at once, it says no single covid jabs......I was apprehensive but have booked them for October, now I will have to be crafty and say when I get there, only covid please, it has been bothering me, only had singular before, will be easier to get flu jab at pharmacy etc, can't see them holding me down to have both!
If they did, it would be assault!
Yes,
this I’m sure is a silly question, if they state both jabs not single are both jabs in one needle or both put separately in your arm, if you know what I mean.
Separately, and should be one in each arm, though how that helps your immune system lord knows! No chance of getting the flu jab at a pharmacy first?
Possibly will try, 6 weeks before covid jab so good idea. Thanks
Just booked flu jab 2 weeks after covid jab.
Had wonderful day with 9 of the family visiting in the garden, perfect weather, food prepared by son and family, best ever! Will start lowering next week.
I’m on MTX 20mg weekly … would that affect these jabs? This is the first year on MTX. Thank you ..
Yes - that is a usual rheumatological dose and studies have found that is enough to suppress developing the immune response to the jabs. flu and Covid.
Thank you PMRpro - do I have to ‘wait’ between dose of MTX and the jabs? Sorry I should have added this in my first post.
No, the dose before isn't thought to have any effect - it takes a while for the immune process to start responding by which time the MTX effect has waned.
Thank you so much for your reply. 🙂
‘Tis the same with my surgery too I think. I’ll nip into Boots and get my flu jab done mid September and then get the Covid one at the end of the month at Surgery. Hoping that’ll be ok. Thank you for all your info about jabs! 😅
👍
Just a little warning here - the flu jab is most effective within 3 months. That's why they tend to do younger people early and do the older and immunosuppressed later in the programme. I would hold off the flu jab until late October
Oh interesting thank you… although I believe there is an epidemic of flu in Australia right now. That’s why I thought I’d get it done then.
Actually - thought about your flu post and have rebooked to have them done separately - I thought a double whammy was a bit of an armful when they booked me.. glad have been reading these posts this morning - some poor folk have really suffered 🥹..
I’ve sent you a post - but I’ve noticed it’s to myself ..!🙄 - hope you can see it!
Have got it sorted out now. Vaccine at a pharmacy on Monday then in 3 weeks the flu jab. So my surgery can go and whistle! I’m being polite….
Your GP is correct. I only gave my children one vaccine at a time. The same for my animals. If given more than one vaccine and had an adverse reaction you never know which one caused it.
I did that last year with having two vaccines at once (bivalent covid booster and flu vaccine) and was also tapering to 7 mg prednisone and within 8 days I flared. 😵💫
Oh goodness, perceptual63, that's what makes me nervous about having the autumn booster. I read so much on here about flares, following jabs but, on t'other hand, I don't fancy the possibility of getting Covid, which I appear to have avoided thus far.
As a matter of interest, my local Medical Centre has offered me 2 jabs on the same day or to go on a waiting list for separate jabs on different occasions. I've opted for the second (as I did last year). It's interesting to see how different surgeries decide on different methods.
Depends whether the covid vaccines are being done by surgery or in a hub. Ours have been done in a couple of local hospitals with one of the outpatients department taken over on a couple of occasions - at other times it’s been done in the GP surgery. I guess if done in surgery, then it’s probably a staffing issue.
Makes sense, DorsetLady, plus in my particular village there are a lot or retirees and I think last year quite a lot of them asked for jabs on separate occasions, which in due course the surgery agreed to do. We weren't given the option at first last year so this year they appear to have jumped the gun (or whatever the phrase is)!
We also seem to have a surplus of nurses/ancillary staff, but only one doctor. That may make a difference, as you say.😀
I would agree with him! My third primary COVID vaccine was given with the flu that year. Floored me for about 10 days. GP and pharmacist advised me to do a 'yellow card'. GP said to never do that again. Rheumatologist actually apologised and said that they were aware that some people would have an adverse reaction to receiving the jabs together, but that they knew they didn't have enough time to get the vaccinations done before flu season, if they did everyone separately. Lives would have been lost if flu started early. If it's of interest, it was the flu arm which had a really bad reaction, so I'm blaming the flu 😁
Interesting discussion, as I was wondering what to do about the jabs myself. I am suspecting that my flares are when I get a viral infection, so I think I need the jabs, but on the other hand, I have wondered if the vaccines would also cause a flare too. I don't think having the flu and covid jabs together caused a flare last Autumn, but I do remember feeling really rough for about a week afterwards and so I refused the spring covid booster. I'm going on holiday for 3 weeks mid October and I don't want to be ill when I am away.
I always flare after vaccination. Usually 3 days is the limit. I don't want the actual diseases, if I can prevent them. Increasing pred for 5 days can be really helpful. I think PMRPro knows how much you can take, but I'm sure Dr told me 15mg for 5 days was ok and then back to usual dose.
my GP says it is possible that in some people mRNA type vaccines (like Pfizer and Moderna) could overstimulate the immune system
Hi Blackcatlover, I lost my black cat Daisey 5 months ago. She was the most intelligent of my fur babies. Used to cross one front paw over the other and when I was most ill and was going up the stairs on hands and knees she would go up 2 steps at a time and wait for me.
So sorry to hear that. It’s so hard to lose a kitty. They take a piece of your heart with them. My black cat Mario is the smartest cat I ever had. He taps me gently on the back if I don’t see him and he’s always bringing me his favorite toy as a gift. He too can sense when I need his purrs and attention. Be well🐈⬛🐾🐾❤️
Thank you, they do take a piece of your heart with them.! I think Daisey also had a sense of humour. When I was in quite a lot of pain I bought a special neck support pillow .Daisey was on the end of the bed and I moved the pillow into place and very gradually lowered my head down onto the neck support. I noticed however that it felt strangely furry. Whilst I was painfully lowering myself into position Daisey had run round behind me and made herself comfy on the pillow.! Be well. x
And I think black cats are certainly the most affectionate which really helps, they don't need words.
Daisey sounds/ed like a lovely, and very understanding, cat🦝
Btw, completely off subject, but a friend of mine told me this morning that they've now got robot penguins in Milton Keynes hospital. Apparently they've helped a lot with getting rid of hospital pharmacy waiting times, collecting meds etc🤗
I saw a programme with jane McDonald in Japan with robots taking orders at restaurant tables. Penguins sound more cute! LOL
That won't last long if they are penguin sized - anything that small and not tied down will disappear ...
Actually, PMRpro, the robot penguins look quite large🤣 Can't imagine someone walking out of the hospital, with one of those tucked under the arm, but who knows, anything CAN happen nowadays!
You would be amazed the things that have disappeared! An entire computerised diagnostic set up on a trolley vanished into thin air. You can get away with a lot wearing a set of scrubs and walking purposefully as if you belong there ... "Just taking it for repair guv"
Well, yes, that's true! Come to think of it, some of the Scandi-noir stuff I watch on the Beeb have shown people dressed as nurses, when they are anything but😱
I had the Covid and Flu vaccine together for the first time last year. Never again ! I felt dreadful and had to stop taper and increase Pred for couple of weeks. I've never had a reaction to either vaccine previously when given separately.
I had a 3-month flare from the covid vaccine. Personally I would only get the flu jab if you are 100% recovered from the flare from the last vaccine. And even then I might not at all. It’s a hard call though since you would be doing it to protect your husband.
I cannot speak to the taper, but I definitely can state the vaccine was the most likely culprit for my dx of PMR. So, like PMPRO stated, it's a poke to the immune system.
As far as choosing to take the Covid and flu vaccine at the same time, you can. Just not in the same arm. If you are going to react, you want to know which vaccine caused it. Than expect you may feel double crummy. They have a synergistic effect.
This was the instructions I gave my patients when I was responsible for administering the vaccine.
My rheumatologist advised I not get any vaccines. Am I putting myself at risk by not getting any of these? I wear a mask when in public. He is concerned about a bad flair if I get a vaccine.
He is concerned about a bad flair if I get a vaccine.
So is he not concerned if you get the virus?
I had Covid in December of 22. He prescribed an antiviral, but my symptoms were so light we decided I not take them. Side effects were a little concerning. I got over it well, but afterward it really messed with my blood pressure. Still trying to stabilize it. The disease did not flair the PMR very badly. Hard to know what to do.
Well, that’s a decision you have to make, but don’t think Covid is going away any time soon.
I certainly agree with that. It appears to be here to stay. I will just mask up as he feels the initial vaccine triggered the PMR. So, a booster may do the same. He will prescribe an antiviral if I get Covid. Anyone have any experience with one of the antivirals?
There are plenty -but may you need to ask the question in a new post -or search.
This is a recent post though - which will bring up loads more related ones -
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