Covid 19 vaccine while suffering flare?

[icecreamlover50]

I'm still going through a flare and Pred has been lowered to 12mg since 22nd March, I am suffering with exhaustion, absolute tiredness, brain fog and memory loss which appear to be getting worse but joint and muscle pain are not as bad as they were when I was initially diagnosed.

I have an appointment for Covid jab on 2nd April and I am concerned that I may have adverse effects due to going through this flare. I had the Covid jab last autumn (when I was on 9mg of Pred) but I was not going through a flare and I just had flu type side effects for approx 48 hours.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I can't see any reason why it would be a problem to be honest. But if you have a flare and it isn't resolving, that suggests it is being mishandled. A flare is due to the pred dose being too low, increase the dose and you should feel better within a week or so,

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Agree with PMRpro, and looking at previous posts would say your PMR hasn’t been under control for some while… so more Pred required.

[icecreamlover50 in reply to DorsetLady]

As I am on 12mg Pred at moment, how much should it be increased to? The surgery want me to come off Pred asap and I think I will have a battle on my hands to get them to agree to a higher dose. I was hoping to start the DSNS when I commenced the 12mg dose but that doesn't appear to be working.

Another thought, could this exhaustion/fatigue be caused by the Pred as it does indicate in the leaflet it is one of the side effects? Also, the brain fog and memory issues? As well as hair loss, dryness and hair breakage?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to icecreamlover50]

Do you have enough Pred to try the flare protocol we suggest..see link, but general advice is to add 5mg daily for at least a week..although sometimes up to 2 weeks is required.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Fatigue, brain fog/memory issues are most likely due to having a chronic illness.. but those and most definitely the hair issues can be down to Pred -

Brain fog etc - written about another illness- but applicable to us as well -

lupus.org/resources/lupus-a...

And this brain fog and pred-

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk....

Hair issues -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to icecreamlover50]

Why on earth do doctors diagnose PMR. put patients on pred which is the only management strategy for the symptpms and immediately try to get the patients OFF the stuff? You can only come off pred without returning to the state you were in at diagnosis when the autoimmune part of the chronic illness has gone into remission.