Covid and prednisone

[perceptual63]

Hi,

Covid finally got me 10 days ago for the first time and today I'm still testing positive and I'm still isolating from everyone else in the house.

Prior to getting Covid, I've been on DL's 5 week taper with me being at the 5 week mark of 12 mg's that began two weeks ago Sunday. By Thursday of that week I was clearly getting sick and then two days later I tested positive. So I decided to just stay at 12 mg for the time being until I get over Covid but on the 6th day of Covid symptoms I started to feel really bad and then that same day I flaired with neck and shoulder pain on my left side.

Having experienced a flair once before I upped my prednisone to 15 mg and have been at that dosage since last week Wednesday. My flair resolved quickly but I'm still testing positive with Covid and am still experiencing chest and sinus congestion with intermittent coughing and daily mid-day fatigue.

Although I'm vaccinated with the current Covid vaccine, I think being on prednisone is why I am sick with Covid as no one else is sick in the house (I have 2 housemates) but I also think that being on prednisone has helped me not have severe chest congestion since prednisone tamps down inflammation and view prednisone as a double-edged sword. It is what it is.

According to sick day rules I should drop back to 12 mg's of prednisone this coming Friday (10 days) but I'm not sure if I should if I'm still testing Covid positive and still exhibiting symptoms.

Advice on how I should proceed with prednisone?

Thanks in advance. 🙂

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

You can stay on the increased dose for 14days without impacting on drop back down to previous dose - so I’d be inclined to do that.

Then stay at 12 mg for a few more weeks before you consider tapering again.

Hope you soon feel better.

[perceptual63 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you,. DorsetLady.

I will take your recommendation wholeheartedly. 🙏

[Heron82 in reply to perceptual63]

Very timely post thank you. I too have COVID and am on in the midst of the 5 week taper. PMR symptoms ok so far but have decided to abandon the reduction until my covid symptoms abate. This is my second covid infection in 3 yrs and is much worse this time. My vaccinations are up to date as per nhs recommendations for immunocompromised persons. This strain of covid also seems to be very infectious, I got it from my neighbour who popped in for coffee on Thursday, symptoms began on Saturday. I’ve not been out since Xmas due to being on crutches.

I hope you feel better soon.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Heron82]

Sorry to hear you’ve succumbed again… and yes leave tapering until you feel much better….

[perceptual63 in reply to Heron82]

Sorry to hear you are also dealing with Covid too. 😞

I never thought myself as immunocompromised. At the very least, not until I was the only one in the house of 3 to be the only one to get Covid and taking prednisone into account. But I guess we all are being that we are all on prednisone for lengths of time.

I hope that you too feel better soon. 🙂

And I also hope that soon you'll be off crutches as well. 🙂

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to perceptual63]

I never thought myself as immunocompromised. At the very least, not until I was the only one in the house of 3 to be the only one to get Covid and taking prednisone into account. But I guess we all are being that we are all on prednisone for lengths of time

Being on Pred makes you immunesuppressed - that's what Pred does....😊

[perceptual63 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you, DL, although it's still kinda depressing to acknowledge. 😞

[Bluey-1]

Good advice from DL, leave tapering until you feel better. I got Covid over Christmas/New Year. Seems to be an infectious strain. I was lucky to receive an antibody infusion and recovered quickly bar fatigue. I delayed a pre-booked FBC test as I was positive at the time. Bloods done last week and all in normal range. CRP/ESR raised (2.9; 13) but I put that down to possible inflammation post covid and a current ingrown toenail infection at the time of testing. It’s never ending on the health front in this house.

[perceptual63 in reply to Bluey-1]

I'm glad you were given an antibody infusion to help you recover from Covid. 🙂

I have been told numerous times that I have really good health insurance here in the US. So they say, but with my really good insurance it would cost me about $400 out of pocket for the Paxlovid Covid antiviral (and that's only for a 5 day course of 20 pills). So no Paxlovid for me and am just waiting for my body to finally clear this infection, whenever that may be.

[Bluey-1 in reply to perceptual63]

I couldn’t have the anti viral tablets because of contradictions with other medication. The doc who authorised it told me the infusion was very expensive. Our health service may have its faults and be a bit of a postcode lottery but it has many pluses and I’ve been fortunate so far in the treatment I’ve had which has not cost me a penny.

[perceptual63 in reply to Bluey-1]

Healthcare costs here in the US can literally be ridiculous to the point of either bankrupting you or killing you because you can't afford the care.

We have good healthcare here ... if you can afford it.

[Bluey-1 in reply to perceptual63]

…and I guess the stress and worry of not being able to afford it doesn’t help with any ailments. Not much fun getting older as the conditions pile up. A friend’s father is receiving excellent care age 89 while my friend literally spent 24 hours in A & E this year before being treated.

[perceptual63 in reply to Bluey-1]

I guess for where you are and depending where you go for healthcare it can be a hit or miss.

I know it can be like that here.

[S4ndy]

I took 15 days to test negative. I too had all the vaccinations. I didn't consider my COVID to be really bad. I had sore throat, temperature and snuffly nose but no cough. Like you I think being on prednisolone might have stopped me getting a chest infection. One month on and I am almost fully recovered but still have the tiredness which may or may not be COVID as I have that with the PMR too. As far as I know I didn't infect anyone else even though before I tested positive I had been in contact with other people for the few days. I hope you get well soon and your relatives escape unscathed.

[perceptual63 in reply to S4ndy]

Days prior to when I started getting sick I was literally stressing over an upcoming orthopedic appointment with the possibility of needing more corrective surgery.

Thankfully, at that appointment it was agreed no surgery for now and just a cortisone shot to alleviate pain but it still left me extremely frazzled and later that day is when I started to experience symptoms. Although I tested negative that day, 2 days later I retested positive. I think stressing as well as being on prednisone just made it easier for me to get sick.

We have a neighbor here where she has had Covid twice and she says I shouldn't be contagious after 10 days even though I'm still testing positive. 🙄

[S4ndy]

My understanding is that if you are still shedding virus enough to get a positive test then you are still able to infect others.

[perceptual63 in reply to S4ndy]

Totally agree! 👍

I asked my housemate if he wanted to test our neighbor's theory (that I'm no longer contagious even though I'm still testing positive) by me not wearing a mask to see if he gets infected.

He flat out said no, lol.

I then asked if he believes our neighbor that I'm no longer contagious or does he believe a positive Covid test.

He said he believes the test.

Unfortunately, my housemate is a bit gullible so I'm always having to put things in perspective for him.

[HeronNS]

So sorry to hear this. I've kind of made it my business to keep learning about SARS-CoV-2. One of the best things you can do for yourself right now is, in fact, to do as little as possible. My daughter who has a somewhat closer link to medical information having worked for Public Health says one should, if possible, lie still like a stone while in the acute phase. And whatever your level of fitness and whatever you think you can do, do even less while you are recovering. That latter advice seems counterintuitive to me as we are all led to believe that activity is best. But in this case taking it very easy is supposed to lower the risk of developing long term effects, aka Long Covid. I also think that the increased use of an anti-inflammatory is beneficial. People who aren't on pred are encouraged to use anti-inflammatories and anti-histamines among other things. So no worries about an increased dose of pred. I venture to say that caring for yourself at this point by managing the covid and its potential effects is more important than delaying or interrupting your taper, which you can resume when you're fully recovered. Like with PMR, patience....

Best wishes for full recovery. 🌺🍀

[perceptual63 in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks, HeronNS.

Still feeling crappy going on day 13 and still testing positive 3 days ago. Retesting this coming Friday which will be day 15 since symptoms first began. I'm hoping the next test result comes back negative. 👍🙏