Covid booster before or after!

[Kendrew]

- My son gets married on 20th Oct...just 4wks away.

- My flu jab has been booked for several weeks now and is for the 26th Sept.

- I'd planned to have my covid booster after the wedding just in case I experienced any adverse effects.

However, I'm aware that incidences of a new strain of covid are fast becoming more prevalent and I'm now concerned that with over 80 guests at the wedding.....none of whom I've seen for several years, and most from the North.....that this could be a perfect 'event' for spreading/catching covid.

I don't want to catch covid, particularly if I've not had my booster, but now I'm in a dilemma.....

- Do I cancel my flu jab and book my covid booster for next week instead (I don't want both too close together) But if I do, would 3½wks give me enough time to recover from any side effects.

OR:-

- Do I risk leaving my covid booster till after the wedding and have my flu jab as planned!

(Never had a reaction to flu jab but did react to my last covid booster)

I know that none of you can really make this decision for me, but I'd still be interested in any thoughts you may have that might help me come to a decision.

Thanking you in advance.

[LucilleG]

Hi Kendrew! I would get the Covid booster before the wedding. I think that it takes ~ 2 weeks for the booster to be effective. If it were me, I'd also have an N95 mask or similar in my purse. You probably don't want to be wearing a mask at all during the wedding, but it would be good to have one just in case.

I'm planning on visiting my elderly mom sometime in October, but I'm waiting until I find out when I can get my Covid booster. Once I get the booster, I'll then plan to fly to see her a few weeks after that. I want to keep both of us as safe as possible, so will be masking on planes and at airports. Once I return home, I'll get the flu shot.

[Kendrew in reply to LucilleG]

Thankyou for your reply. I really appreciate your comments.

[Lclmlbls]

Could you get your flu jab at a pharmacy asap? Then if you decide to have the covid jab get it a couple of weeks later which should give you time to recover if necessary.

I had no after effects from my flu jab but haven't decided yet whether to go for the covid. I've always been pro vaccine but I'm reluctant this time - don't really know why, other than hearing about peoples problems developing after previous shots. I wonder now whether my earlier vaccines are responsible for my developing PMR.

I have a friend who had to take to his bed after his covid vaccine a few days ago.

Whatever you decide - enjoy your son's wedding - it's such a special day. Sorry I've not been much help!

[Kendrew in reply to Lclmlbls]

No......thankyou. All your comments are helpful. When I reacted to the last covid jab, I felt unwell for almost 6wks!.... hence my dilemma!

[Bcol]

Hi, It's a difficult one, which in the end can only be decided by you. Personally, I think I would be tempted to move the Flu jab and get the Covid one next week as risking Covid is probably/possibly worse than risking the Flu. Trouble is, I guess, you could make a similar case for doing it the other way around as well. Practical thought. How long did the reaction to your last Covid jab last? Would you be over a similar reaction well in time for the wedding and all that you probably have to do beforehand? If not, then I guess Flu next week and Covid later.

[Kendrew in reply to Bcol]

It was approximately 6wks before I began to really feel back to my 'normal'! I just don't want the extra fatigue and malaise over the wedding period.....particularly with the other health issues that are currently going on!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Think I’d try and get covid vaccine before wedding -and move flu one to afterwards …. If that’s possible?

Whatever -enjoy wedding 🌸

[Kendrew in reply to DorsetLady]

Thankyou.

[toniaell]

Hi Kendrew just a comment that Dr Rod Hughes made when I saw him last year about the covid vaccine. He told me not to get another vaccinaton unless there was a very different strain going as I have such severe reactions to the vaccine and he was pretty sure it had made me flare when I'd had my 3rd. I know its controversial and I've always got vaccinnes but I don't think I'll even get the flu one. I've never had one yet so may wait a few years till the pmr relapses. Enjoy the wedding whatever you decide.

[Kendrew in reply to toniaell]

Thankyou for your comments toniaell. I have a lot of respect for Dr. Rod Hughes so I'll bear his words in mind.

[Bridge31 in reply to Kendrew]

I think it is a new strain though.

[paintpots]

I would get the covid vaccine, that is more dangerous than flu. Get the flu vaccine later. I did get a flu vaccine today by walking in the chemist, I forgot to go for my one that was for early this morning. There was no one waiting so they just did it there and then.

[Kendrew in reply to paintpots]

Thankyou

[TheMoaningViolet]

Hi, I am with the others who recommend Covid vaccine as soon as possible. I don't know how long you took to recover from it, but my symptoms (which were adverse with Moderna and Astra Zeneca, but not with Pfizer) only lasted 24 hours and then I was fine, but needed to sleep it off for one more day. After that, I was completely fine. Catching flu is not fun either, so if you could get both done as soon as possible that would be ideal. I suspect you could walk into most pharmacies and get the flu jab that day. Whatever you decide, I would relax on the day of the wedding and enjoy it. I hope it all goes well.

[Kendrew in reply to TheMoaningViolet]

Thankyou. Really appreciate your comments.

[Koalajane]

I am having both on Saturday prior to flying to Australia 12 days later. It is the earliest I can get it and my nurse is squeezing it in for us both. I had the Shingrix jab last Wednesday and felt a bit rough the following day. I am hoping I will feel okay after having them both together as I haven’t had problems before but feel I have 12 days to get over it and if I am rough on the plane I will just relax!

A hard decision but with a new strain coming into play and more hospital admissions I felt I wanted them as soon as possible

[Kendrew in reply to Koalajane]

Thankyou. You sound very happy and confident in your decision. I'm still struggling to weigh up all the pros & cons, and absorb and process the comments people have kindly shared on here.

Really appreciate you taking the time to comment.

[Koalajane in reply to Kendrew]

I think it is a case if possible thinking (something I am not usually good at).

Good luck in making your decision and I will let you know how it goes

[darkred]

Interesting that I found your post just moments after I emailed my daughter the following (found online):

While you are being treated with prednisone, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Prednisone may lower your body's resistance and the vaccine may not work as well or you might get the infection the vaccine is meant to prevent. In addition, you should not be around other persons living in your household who receive live virus vaccines because there is a chance they could pass the virus on to you. Some examples of live vaccines include measles, mumps, influenza (nasal flu vaccine), poliovirus (oral form), rotavirus, and rubella. Do not get close to them and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor.

This medicine may cause changes in mood or behavior for some patients. Tell your doctor right away if you have depression, mood swings, a false or unusual sense of well-being, trouble with sleeping, or personality changes while taking this medicine.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to darkred]

That is to be sure you aren't having LIVE vaccines, assuming no doubt that we can't work oout which is which for ourselves. Zostavax was live. Shingrix is not and none of the Covid vaccines used in the west are live. The non-live vaccines CANNOT cause an illness,

[darkred in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro for giving us much needed correct information.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to darkred]

My pleasure

[GrannyJane]

Dear Kendrew how exciting that your son’s wedding is fast approaching and I do understand your concern about the 2 jabs. I would definitely have the COVID one before the wedding and leave the ‘flu one until after.There is a new strain, three of my girlfriends who flew back from Portugal recently caught it and certainly one of them was quite ill. She felt nauseous, dizzy and very weak. 10 days later she is still feeling exhausted.

I am booked in for my COVID and flu together this Friday at my surgery and they know my health condition( down to 4.5 mg and touch wood feeling ok)

I will let you know the outcome but so far haven’t reacted to any jabs and this is my 8th.

Whatever decision you make have a wonderful day at the wedding, such a special time and such treasured memories.🙏😘

[Kendrew in reply to GrannyJane]

Thankyou for responding.... and for your kind wishes.So many different things to consider but all the different comments from yourself and others are helping me to explore all the many aspects involved before I make my decision.

[Lclmlbls in reply to Kendrew]

I really feel for you Kendrew. The decision whether to have jabs or not is enough without the added pressure of a wedding. Hope it all works well for you whatever you decide. All the best

[Kendrew in reply to Lclmlbls]

Thankyou ❤

[Meggs01]

after a long weekend away on a Warners holiday my husband went down with Covid and 2 days later (last Saturday) I had it. I thought the fatigue with PMR was bad but this is a different level. I will test again tomorrow but it has totally wiped me out. I am in 5 1/2 mg pred and was told they only give anti virals if you are on 10 mg or more.

[Kendrew in reply to Meggs01]

Hope you begin to feel better soon.

[Tiggy70]

Hi Kendrew, A difficult one but I would say have your Covid booster as soon as you can. Where I live it seems like people are booking up the available Covid jab slots at pharmacies very quickly. I have my flu shot this Saturday and the Covid booster 6 days later. I wanted to delay the Covid booster and have them two weeks apart but on the NHS website it seems they are only releasing dates about a week in advance. It’s a bit of a lottery.

Try not to worry too much. Focus on your son’s wedding and how wonderful that will be🤗🤗 🌸🌸

[Kendrew in reply to Tiggy70]

Thankyou.

[cranberryt]

Definitely a hard decision. On the one hand you want to be protected at the wedding. On the other hand, having the vaccine does come with the risk of a flare. It will have to come down to what you are comfortable with.

[Kendrew in reply to cranberryt]

I actually don't know what I'm comfortable with yet. Still trying to figure it all out.

Completely unexpectedly, my pharmacist said to not have either vaccination before the wedding but to keep handwashing and sanitising regularly.

He said that the new strain was not showing signs of being dangerous and that although some people were indeed being hospitalised they were not requiring ICU.

I'm not sure his advice is necessarily the most sensible way forward but gives me another angle to consider!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kendrew]

Dunno - who was it who arranged a big surprise wedding and half the guests ended up with Covid as one person had it ...

[Kendrew in reply to PMRpro]

Oh heck! Mmmmm!🙄

[Lclmlbls in reply to PMRpro]

That happened at my sons wedding in December 2021!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

This year has been a rather different situation from 2021, And the reason is that the vaccines have reduced the impact. It is quite clear that natural immunity won't work because the virus keeps mutating and escapes any acquired immunity to some extent. The vaccines work on the spike protein which hasn't mutated as yet. If that is to happen, we could be back where we were in 2020.

[YogaG in reply to PMRpro]

It will be interesting to see how many people accept copious numbers of shots. I for one won’t be. Thx.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to YogaG]

That's fine, it is your choice. But if you are going to present arguments against - they must be accurate.

[Viveka]

As you have had a 6 week reaction I would be in the camp to delay both vaccines until after the wedding. The risk is between potentially not being so well at son's wedding vs risk of getting covid. (I haven't read your full history but from memory you are not on high steroids and don't think you've got anything like asthma that would leave you particularly vulnerable?) October is not yet in winter infection season. You don't know what the reaction to vaccine would be this time. Could be none - could be worse...

My GCA was triggered by vaccine and flared after third. Also spoke with Rod H and won't be getting any more.

Have a lovely time. Share the hat with us.

[Kendrew in reply to Viveka]

Thankyou Viveka.

[bonio]

i had my flu jab at Boots pharmacy last week, no charge all done on NHS as was going away and would have missed dates offered by local Surgery. Was told by Pharmacist best to have flu first and leave at least a week between that and covid jab. Had no reaction to flu jab except a slightly sore arm. In your case i'd definately get that covid jab done, the new strain is by far the most infectious and easily spread. Then if you're ok in a week or 10 days pop to a Boots pharmacy. Enjoy that wedding and yes, i'd also take a N95 mask but then i'm still wearing them, personal choice that one. Whatever you decide, hope you'll enjoy a fabulous day.

[Kendrew in reply to bonio]

Thankyou Bonio,Really appreciate you responding with your thoughts and suggestions.

[Sillydogsmum]

I have just been to a funeral in the UK. I wore a mask which very much discouraged the kissy kissyness that naturally happens at family events. The problem was the sitting at table, which decided to forgo and found myself a quiet spot on my own. Obviously as mother of the groom your situation is very different, so I dont envy your decision.

[Kendrew in reply to Sillydogsmum]

I'm worrying about my own vulnerability but of course my son, DIL and hubby could all potentially catch it too....hopefully not before the wedding though!!

[Sillydogsmum]

Have you run your concerns about vulnerability past them; would it be helpful or not as the case may be.

[Kendrew in reply to Sillydogsmum]

I have, yes. They're all really vigilant with hygiene and sanitising everything and are aware of the concerns I have.