COVID Booster, Prednisone and PMR

Not what I encountered at Walgreens. Filled out forms and got the shot.

Just got my booster and Rheumatologist is happy I did.

I asked my primary care doc for an antibody titer to see where I am immunologically. When we have the results, we'll figure out what to do next. The rheumatologist said it would be best if I were taking 5 mg or less per day when I get the next shot but that will be 5 months from now. If only we had more data analyzed!

I’ll get the booster next Wednesday after both the GP and Rheumy said ok.

Did you ever decide? How did it go?

I got PMR before my first covid shot in Jan 2021. No serious side effects for me after 2nd and after a third booster. All my doctors say get the vaccine but they don’t know if I have any antibodies from vaccine. Has anyone on prednisone been tested for antobodies? Why don’t they test us to see? I am told take no chances in public. One Dr told me you will make antibodies on 20 mg or less.

I am male 72. I got my first Covid shot in early April 3 weeks later I came down with PMR by the time I was diagnost I was in bad shape. When I got my second shot I was on 40mg of prednisone I was advised by 2 doctors to get it. Tomorrow I am getting my boaster shot which they also recommend. I am now on 10 mg and will now continue tappering at 1 mg per month. However the reduction from 12.5 to 10 has left me more stiff in the morning than before.

Hi @skiing, Welcome to Connect. My PMR is currently in remission and I always have a little stiffness in the morning. Once I get up and moving a little it gets better and I don't have any pain. I'm scheduled to get my Pfizer booster vaccine in 2 weeks. Do you have any pain with the stiffness in the morning?

John thank you for your reply I just joined. I am stiff to varying degrees in different spots each morning usually left groin where this started and hamstrings some thickness in my head from time to time did have some head throbbing before. But not now. I take my prednisone with food at about 6 am 10 mg now and it takes about 5 hrs to remove all discomfort I believe I am on the slow release prednisone is it normal to have this amo7nt of delayed reaction each day will this change as I reduce my dosage?

I've had 2 occurrences of PMR. I was started at 20 mg prednisone for each occurrence and it took 3 and half years to taper off the first time and 1 and half years the second time around. Initially at 20 mg, my experience was all of the pain was gone but during my tapering off a little of the pain and some aches/stiffness would come back. It would normally go away after a few hours when I started moving around. I kept a daily log of my personal pain scale on a 1 to 10 rating with 10 being I can't take anymore. When I was tapering to the next lower level dose I would give it a day and see how I felt the next day. If my pain scale was a 1 or 2, I would stay at the new dose. If it was more and it felt like the pain was coming back, I either went back to the previous dose or tried splitting the difference and only bumping it up half of the amount I had previously reduced. My rheumatologist prescribed the 2.5 mg and 1 mg tablets of prednisone which made it easier to taper in smaller amounts and he encouraged me to listen to my body and my pain level. You may want to discuss it with your rheumatologist or doctor. Here's another discussion on the topic you might find helpful.

PMR Dosages and Managing Symptoms: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-dosages/
Tapering off of Prednisone: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prednisone/