To accept flu and covid jabs invite?

[Phoebenooby]

Always had all my flu and covid jabs with no issue. Actually had both the same day in September 23 whilst suffering with PMR but not diagnosed or medicated. Had my first shingles vaccination March this year after being on prednisolone for 2 months (on 10mg I think ) I had read so many posts about PMR being induced by jabs or illnesses …… just can’t decide what to do? Just the flu one? Both? Neither? I’m down to 7mg pred, actually 6.75 mg today! I know it’s my decision, just wanted to know what others are deciding ? Thanks

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

It’s true that PMR may be triggered by any vaccine … but it usually because the immune system is already under stress - and it’s final straw.

If you haven’t had issues in the past, why assume you will this time. All I would say is leave at least a week between them, two weeks is probably better.

As you say, it’s your choice.. but flu and covid can do a lot of harm.

[Phoebenooby in reply to DorsetLady]

I had both the same day last time(I wasn’t aware I had PMR) my GPs invite is for both together or just flu…… so if I just had the flu and want the covid I would have to source it from another place…. Where as if I could have just covid the flu jab is available for chemists? Or Covid also?

Fine

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Phoebenooby]

Your choice. Some had both together last autumn with no issues, so if you’re happy to do that, then go for it.

[Charlie1boy]

I had both done at the same time last year with no repercussions. My wife wasn’t too happy about that, but, in all honesty, the only thing I would say in retrospect is that it made it a bit uncomfortable to sleep as both arms were sore on the night of the vaccination - only for one night though.

But, I’m only a man , so a bit of a wimp!!!!

[Phoebenooby in reply to Charlie1boy]

I had mine done in the same arm last year. Will you be having them both together again? I wonder if it’s worth taking a bit more pred on the day?

[Charlie1boy]

I’ve only been offered the flu jab for the moment. Nothing said about covid, though I did have yet another covid jab in the spring.

[Koalajane]

if I am offered them both together I will take that as I did last year and both in the same arm

[Floridafan]

I’ve been told I can have mine together or separately. Last year I had them separately so shall do the same this year with a week in between them. No special reason for doing this, just my choice.

[camshall]

I have a shingles and pneumonia jab next week and then 3 weeks later the flu and covid jab. Hopefully it will be fine, going to test the immune system though.

[Greensleeves]

i have to have them separately , but we’re all different.

I react to both.

[79andCounting]

In the US they're recommending people get the COVID shot now but wait a few weeks before getting the flu shot. Not because of any interaction between the two but because the flu shot lasts about 4 months and our flu season doesn't usually start until October.

[ChrisBeeLoop]

I too blamed my PMR on the COVID jab but now understand it was just a trigger that finally unleashed all that built up inflammation in my system. I'm a great believer in the protective powers of vaccines but would deffo advise you to have them on separate days, then at least you can identify the culprit if you do have an adverse reaction. I am just about to phone the surgery for the new RSV vaccine.

[CovidHelper]

I can add a little info for anyone seeing this question and interpreting it to mean should I have a covid vaccine generally.

This is very much a personal choice, but choices can be helped with knowledge.

So if you’re in that group, and want to establish some evidence of your own immunity level, you actually can.

I recently used the Covid-19 BioCard and was surprised to see my immunity had gone up. (Without a booster).

Given the tests very high accuracy (99.5-100%), this increase means I was recently exposed to the virus. Hardly a shock, it literally went viral over the summer following all the festivals.

On a scale of 0-10, my level is now 8. If I was offered a booster now, I’d personally leave it a little while until a time when I needed it more. Put another way, if my level was 4, and I had a booster which resulted an immunity at level 8, I’d consider the booster was successful.

Given that’s where I am currently - without using my one allocated booster to get me through the winter without a more symptomatic infection.

I know my immunity will wane over time, so giving it a boost when it dips makes more sense to me, especially when I have just seen a strong level 7+ kick a recent exposure to whatever the current variant is, into touch.

So I’ll test every few weeks, and when it dips I’ll increase my immunity with a booster, so that exposure either doesn’t result in infection at all, or if the viral load at exposure is overwhelming, hopefully have very minimal symptoms from a maintained very strong immunity.

[Phoebenooby in reply to CovidHelper]

That makes sense, a lot of people titre test their dogs immunity levels instead of vaccinating yearly.

[Harrywogan]

Hi Pheobenooby, I get them a month apart xx