Covid Jab

[FleetRose]

Like many others I guess I am in a quandary about having my Spring booster. I started taking 20mg prednisolone in November 2022, reduced to 15mg after one week, then gradually down to 10mg where I stayed for most of a year. I am now on 8.5mg.

Am I immuno-suppressed on this dose? My immune system is over-active as I understand it (hence the auto-immune conditions), so how can I be immuno-supressed at the same time?

I know this has to be my decision in the end but having had one really bad reaction to the first Astra Zeneca jabs I am very wary. My consultant has suggested I should not have the Spring booster on the basis that I had one last October and had Covid the October before that which he thought would still give me some immunity.

I hate this lack of clarity and the risks either way. It is making me incredibly anxious which I know is not good for me! Any thoughts or are you all fed up with the covid jab debate?!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Have you been invited to have one? As you are under 75 you won’t be offered one onage criteria - and at 8.5mg doubtful you will get through on the immunosuppressed ticket either.

Your system is suppressed because you are on Pred…to keep the substances shed daily by your underlying illness under control..

Just for info, the AZ vaccine is not listed for this round… and as far as I am aware, unless advice has changed the cut off date is end of June…,.

See this -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Bluemoon2023]

I have had my spring booster Moderna no side effects.My rheumatologist advice me to have as I could be ill otherwise

[Bcol]

As DL says, you might not get one offered as you you don't meet the present criteria, but that does seem to vary. I had the Moderna one in April with no problem or side effects.

[pammy_hyland]

I have had my spring Moderna booster and I had no problems at all not even a sore arm and I to reacted very badly to AZ ...xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to pammy_hyland]

At least AZ hasn't been used in the UK since 2021. It was finally stopped everywhere else n May 2024.

[Almostaweed]

Hi FleetRose, I am 81, I had my spring booster (Moderna) in May. I felt less well for about 4 weeks and had to delay my step down from 6mg to 5mg Prednisolone. Some of what I put down to the jab may have been caused by other stresses - but not all of it. I partly regretted getting the jab and partly felt more confident being out and about knowing I was protected from the real thing Covid. Some people on this chat have said that Pfizer caused them less of a problem but I think they had to pay for it as not offered to them on the NHS. On balance, after reading again how difficult Covid can be to get through, would say it was worth it. But it's a fine judgment which I will have to make every time the booster is offered.

[Pixix]

I was turned away at pharmacy where I booked as no longer fit the Govt rules. I, late 60’s & on low. Pred. My GP told me when I was on 10mg that anything below was not immune compromised & not to worry. But i paid & had my jab privately. I have Covid now, in late stages I hope, I was turned down for antivirals as not on 20mg, & am coping, no hospital,not dead. Why don’t you search this site, there’s so much info, this subject has been ongoing for four years now.

[AtopicGuy]

The immune system has to face many foes - thousands of species of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites - so it has many strands. An autoimmune disease develops when just one strand malfunctions, so only that part is "over-active".

Unfortunately, steroids suppress every part of the immune system, not just the bit we'd like to calm down; (the new 'biologic' drugs are designed to target things more specifically).

To keep things in proportion, remember: to prevent rejection, organ transplant recipients take massively more immunosuppressants than PMR/GCA patients ever do. And some autoimmune diseases require prednisolone doses of 100mg/day, not 20.

[FleetRose in reply to AtopicGuy]

Thank you, that puts things in perspective! I’m sorry to read about the struggle you have had.

[offprenisone]

i understand your question..I decided in 2020 not to get the shot...all my friends and friend who got it have gotten COVID as often as my friends who have not had it...and there are a lot of side effects with my friends that got it...big question...no answers

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to offprenisone]

It isn't about whether you get Covid or not - it is all about how BADLY you get it or how much of a legacy it leaves behind, It also reduces the risk of Long Covid.

[offprenisone in reply to PMRpro]

thank you but I disagree...but its a choice that everyone has to make..my friends and family that have had the shots are having more problems than the ones that didn't get it...but thank you