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Adults With ITP
Newly Diagnosed & Frequently Asked Questions
Raising platelets before covid vaccine
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Raising platelets before covid vaccine 1 year 7 months ago #71717

  • nanndom
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Has anyone raised their platelet count with steroids BEFORE taking the covid vaccine?

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Raising platelets before covid vaccine 1 year 7 months ago #71718

  • gozorakgogo
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I am not an expert but I would think that would not be a route one would want to go since steroids suppress the immune system and a suppressed immune system prevents the vaccine from providing maximum protection. People who are on high doses of steroid therapy are in fact among those being recommended a third booster dose of Pfizer and Moderna precisely because their immune systems are compromised by that steroid therapy.

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Raising platelets before covid vaccine 1 year 7 months ago #71724

  • poseymint
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Not a good idea to take steroids before the vaccine in my opinion. As was said, you do not want your immune system suppressed when getting a vaccine because the vaccine won't work. You want to get a good response so that you'll be well protected from Covid. Plus when you stopped the steroids your counts would likely drop which is what you were trying to avoid. If you wanted a higher platelet count for the vaccine, you might use another drug that does not suppressed the immune system, such as Nplate, Promacta, etc. My advice is just to get the vaccine as soon as possible. If you get Covid that could also tank your platelets and make you very very sick.

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Raising platelets before covid vaccine 1 year 7 months ago #71745

  • MelA
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nanndom why? What is your count?
I didn't check my count before or after both injections.
"Instead of wasting your time worrying about symptoms, just get it checked out" -Nieca Goldberg, MD

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Raising platelets before covid vaccine 1 year 7 months ago #71748

  • nanndom
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I’ve had ITP since 1991 but for the last ten years my count has ranged 40-80 without any drastic drops. I have not had any treatment in that time except to raise my count for heart surgery 4 years ago. I am very nervous about getting the vaccine because I fear it may trigger low counts again. I was mostly treated with steroids and IVG and don’t want to go through that and weekly monitoring again! I’m thinking that if I can get my count higher there maybe less of a drop. My hematologist agreed to raising my count prior to vaccine. He said that steroids can interfere with the effectiveness of the vaccine if taken AFTER the vaccine. I will get the vaccine but was wondering if anyone upped the count prior. That’s a decision I have to make.
The following user(s) said Thank You: MelA

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Raising platelets before covid vaccine 1 year 7 months ago #71749

  • midwest6708
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  • ~ Janet ~ Diagnosed Sept. 2008
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Not that I have the definitive answer... just my two cents. Unless you have a known history of a vaccine crashing your count, I wouldn't worry about it. I don't, and I didn't.

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Raising platelets before covid vaccine 1 year 7 months ago #71752

  • mrsb04
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  • ITP since 2014. Retired nurse. My belief is empower patients to be involved as much as possible in their care. Read, read, read & ALWAYS question medics about the evidence base they use.
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My count dropped after both Pfizer doses. If I get offered a booster I will take it but not worry about what my count is before it.

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Raising platelets before covid vaccine

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