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@kimh

Personally, I think I would rather deal with PMR pain, restrictions and medications with their side effects, than catch covid. I'm not sure how my body would respond to covid, but I already know how it is reacting to PMR. I'm sticking with the devil I know! As soon as I am able, I will be getting the vaccine for covid. Just my opinion.

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Replies to "Personally, I think I would rather deal with PMR pain, restrictions and medications with their side..."

I'm with you, @kimh. I spoke to my rheumatologist yesterday as to whether or not, as an immunosuppressed person, I should risk taking the Covid vaccine. I have multiple serious conditions, including a 2nd blood clot December 21st. There's so much info to say we shouldn't take it and its very confusing and worrisome.
I have GCA and was on Prednisone for one year and then coupled with Actemra since November, 2019. My WCB eventually crashed at 0.9, and neutrophils at 1.2 so was stopped both, as well as Clozapine, immediately. Brutal 6-week withdrawal but ok now. Back on only Actemra every two weeks rather than weekly, as long as my lab results remain steady. I get a weekly lab workup to monitor.
My rheumatologist yesterday decided that getting the vaccine is worth the risk for me. Better the vaccine side effects than getting Covid, she said. She's very knowledgeable on the subject, having been to seminars as well as doing her own research. I trust her implicitly. My G.P. told me I would never survive Covid, and my rheumatologist agrees.
I hope this helps you. Good luck to you with your difficult decision.

P.S. Just to clarify, my rheumatologist said the doctors just don't KNOW at this time how the Covid vaccine will affect immunosuppressed patients because no studies have yet been done on that. In the UK, they've immunized frail, older people but not immunosuppressed people, as such, with few problems. We have to make our individual decisions, with the guidance of our medical teams. I guess we're guinea pigs, but in my case I feel it's worth the risk.
Good luck and best wishes.

Hear, Hear!! I agree.