hi. I tested positive on Sat night and rang 111 . They told me to take Paxclovid for 5 days but not to take any steroids during that time. Now slightly panicked as I'm feeling pretty rough anyway. I'm on 4 mgs currently and decreasing slowly to 3.5.
Should I take the meds and cut out steroids? Seems rather drastic. Thanks
sounds like very bad advice to me. I would definitely continue your steroids alongside the antiviral. Was that a doctor saying that? You might even need to increase the pred. Sounds utterly bonkers.
could someone answer my question please?
Sounds dodgy to me. How are you getting the paxclovid? Can you ring your GP surgery or a pharmacist to find out if the drugs are incompatible. (The HU feed did not come through this morning.)
In my opinion you should never just stop taking pred. Get a second opinion from a doctor.
You shouldn’t just stop Pred -and the person who gave you advice probably didn’t realise you were on long term steroids -and may have though it just a short term course where it might have been appropriate.
But can’t recall anyone else on this forum being given same advice.
There is a moderate interaction between both drugs so if you are concerned speak to pharmacist and/or GP
When I was prescribed paxlovid about two weeks ago, the pharmacist advised me that it "increases" the effective strength ("area under the curve" was the technical term used) of prednisone by between 25% and 49%. I was planning at the time to reduce from 6mg of prednisone to 5mg in about a week's time. I therefore accelerated the reduction the day that I started the paxlovid. The math would not be exact (I perhaps should have gone to 4 mg during the five days of taking paxlovid). However, I figured that it was close enough, particularly given that I was presumably also undergoing some "stress" from the Covid. I emailed my rheumatologist just to make sure that my file would be complete. She's pretty attentive, and I am sure would have gotten back to me if there had been any issues.
Should you adjust your dosage in some minor manner? That's obviously for you to decide. However, any suggestion to completely stop your prednisolone does not sound right to me! Good luck with any decision you make.
I took Paxlovid along with Prednisone and Actemra. No one said not to. I was fine. In fact I recovered from Covid pretty quickly.
I took paxlovid along with 5mg prednisolone when I had covid, no advice to stop the prednisolone but did stop the weekly Methotrexate until I had recovered.
If you stop your steroids you risk adrenal crisis because you have been on them long term and especially because you are ill and your body under stress. I don’t know why you were told this. Not had anyone here that I’ve seen who has been given then same advice with Paxlovid.
Who are ‘they’? Sounds like bad advise to me from someone who does not know about long term steroids.
It was some random doctor on 111
Needs a complaint made - you can't stop long term pred overnight, nor if it is the only medication that controls your illness!
I had some really bad advice from a doctor on 111 that caused me to be really ill.
No - DON'T stop the pred for 5 days, if anything you should take more under Sick Day Rules. I hope the person who said it was unaware you are a longterm corticosteroid patient - because to just stop for that long , especially when ill, would put you at risk of an adrenal crisis.
Sorry I didn't reply earlier - I have had no notifications of posts for several hours and now I am working through the backlog.
I have had none most of today and suddenly a load are coming through!
Tell me about it!! And obviously mine went "off" before others! I did come to the site to look but Alerts weren't working either and My Feed which also worked sometimes has gone. Luckily DL and I had a whinge pretty early and they did something quickly for a change.
Join the clan!
Ladies, well done for sorting it. I had thought things were quiet and whilst out for a walky my phone suddenly started pinging to tell me I had emails ( all from Health Unlicked)
Health unlicked 😂😂😂 love it
Thank you! That's exactly what I thought so I rang my GP and he went to find out and said apparel STATINS shouldn't be taken with Paxclovid but deffo to continue with Pred. I'm fairly sure I told the first doc I was a long term user. Does make one extremely suspicious of the medical profession. I'm supposed to be in remission but still struggling with reducing. Thank you for responding!
Not sure how you can be in remission if you are still on steroids or is it wishful thinking,
I've been on them for 7 years so it's harder to cover of them
I have been on them nearly 7 years and know I am not in remission
I'm supposed to be in remission but still struggling with reducing.
Who says so ? Obviously not your PMR….oh don’t tell me, a doctors who’s got a crystal ball 🤦🏻♀️
Rheumy!! Say no more. But actually I don't think I'm still full of PMR. Time will tell!
You might not be “full of PMR” -but you won’t know for sure it’s gone into remission until you’ve been off the Pred for a number of months -and no return of symptoms.. Fingers crossed it’s sooner rather than later…
And WHO thinks they have special knowledge? If you are struggling with reducing then it casts doubt in that idea!
I though you can have steroids withdrawal?? I don't feel unwell when I step down. I think I'm just being over cautious
Not everyone gets steroid withdrawal..,
You CAN - but you don't HAVE to. Lots of people don't notice a change in dose and if the step is small enough, you are less likely to feel it.
Goodluck with the Paxlovid. I had it in April and was told not to take the Statins by the hospital pharmacist.
I had COVID and had the meds for it. Doctor didn't tell me to stop taking my steroids. I think it's bad advice. Get another opinion.
I had Paxlovid in September. I was on about 10mg of prednisolone plus Tocilizumab . They (111) grilled me at length about my meds, then I was called by a Pharmacist who grilled me again. Then , having looked at recent blood test results, they called me back. Very thorough, and no mention of stopping pred. Get well soon!
I must have had the weekend medic who clearly knows zero! I'm glad you had better care
That doesn’t sound right , I was told to increase steroids,
I couldn’t take Paxlclovid because I’d taken diazepam and had a 30 minute antiviral IV infusion instead .
You are absolutely fine taking steroids, you need them.
I did a drug interaction check myself and asked the hospital pharmacist why pred showed as an interaction, she was very thorough, saying Prednisilone is okay but diazepam isn’t.
Please don’t panic you’ll be okay . I’d ring your GP but otherwise continue your steroids.
Thank you, Greensleeves. I have continued steroids after talking to my GP and all the very interesting advice here. I stopped statins but now unclear about Amlodopine which I take for blood pressure. May have to ring and ask about that now!! That article does state clearly we shouldn't take it with Paxovid. Why on earth don't these medical people ask what drugs we're taking.
They do here!!! Even when it is in front of them on the computer!
See this -
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...
Not good DL , honestly why don’t they check thoroughly. x
Because they aren’t doing the job properly -and are only interested in dishing out the antivirals without checking interactions.
As you say, not good.
I’m just being driven home from the doctors DL , had a good moan about doctors in general to the doctor.
It’s a poor show when simple patient safety isn’t checked. xx
Because it doesn't occur to them ... It isn't good enough, they could end up doing someone a mischief.
Very true PMRpro , unfortunately they do occasionally cause harm from not checking potential interactions.
I now check everything , the trust has gone. xx
Me too - the GP gave me a quinolone antibiotic for a UTI, wrong on 2 counts: not supposed to be used for banal infections and I was already on methyl pred. There is a major interaction which increases the risk of developing achilles tendonitis. And I did, Never had it before, had it a couple of times since. Real pain and very inconvenient. Her comment "Oh, I've heard about that - never seen it though". My rejoinder: "you have now!"
So sorry, no care , thought or sympathy. Awful thing to happen to you due to her negligence and laziness, for want of a better word.
They’re too quick to prescribe and not check the interactions.
Bless you Pro , as if you hadn’t got more than enough.
I do despair.
Hugs to you xx
It was probably 10 years ago - but it hangs on. Last time it was achilles tendinitis in the right ankle and peroneal tendinitis in the left!!! Falling apart ...
It’s caused you damage and harm , it’s very upsetting and unfair due to someone not doing their job .
How can you forget it ?
Hugs xx
No point bearing a grudge - that is what makes you bitter.
You’re so welcome lovely, I’m glad you’ve spoken to the GP . I think you definitely have to stop the blood pressure until you’re recovered.
I don’t understand why they’re so blasé about potential drug interactions.
111 COVID doctors were quite happy for me to take Paxlovid , it was only the dispensing hospital pharmacist who rang telling me there were interactions and would I like the IV antiviral instead .
I hope you’re not feeling too bad , I think once the fevers went it was the fatigue afterwards.
We’re used to that from the Prednisilone and PMR .
Rest up , plenty of fluids and soups .
You might have an unpleasant taste after the paxlovid . At least you’re covered now with antibodies for the festive season.
Sending hugs xx
I took it last year, still took my steroids as doctor ordered. Absolutely fine.
I took it and was told not to reduce my steroids until I had fully recovered and definately not to stop taking them.
When I had Covid in July 2022 I was put on a half dose of Paxlovid as I have kidney issues. I continued with my steroids and statins as usual. 🌸
I have had to take placovid twice this year. Both times I continued my steroids without any issues or warning by my doctor. The only thing you should stop while on it is a satin drug.
had paxlovid in October, no covid before, did not stop Pred, at 3mg then,and no adverse effects as I could determine but then my symptoms were very strong and took a month to subside with fever and chills, doctor said the pred had lowered my immune system response so much I was lucky not to have caught covid before then. a useful website, i think, is
covid19treatmentguidelines....
Considering I was at 15mg and above for almost the entire pandemic how does he account for me never knowingly having had Covid? I've had fewer infections since I have been on pred - everyone is different. My daughters were ill for 3 or 4 weeks when they had Covid - not on pred!
I'm not well familiar with prednisone impact on immune system functioning but my doc is cautious about anything she thinks may increase vulnerability to illness in the over 60 folks. Your point is well taken and concurs with my experience of few other infections while I was on slow taper over 3 years, thnx for feedback.
I thought Paxlovid interacted with Amlodipine I take 5mg daily for blood pressure? I also thought you had to go up on the steroid dose but never off the steroids. Am I right about Paxlovid and Amlodipine? Maybe useful to know. An interesting thread.
thanks DorsetLady seems i'll have to be careful if the need arises 😊 which I hope it doesn't. Am now back to 6.5 again after a glitch trying to get to 6mg. Slowly, slowly.
I as well contacted Covid and the pharmacist said reduce my daily prednisone by 1mg for the 5 days on Plaxovid then go back up 1mg when I completed the 5 days. Worked fine for me. Best wished
Oh gosh now I'm confused again! No sick day rules? Or is that just while on Paxlovid? No one said anything about lowering steroids while on it except that daft 111 doc who said to go off them! I give up
I just reduced while on plaxovid. After the 5 days I went back up to my dosage of pred immediately preceding testing positive for Covid. Good luck!
Alendronic Acid 70 mg
How can I help my mum get another vaccination?
Does anyone have complications due to high blood pressure.
Confused & frustrated!
Wound healing and Steroid Use
