Immune/ NK cells - Pred threat 27

[LaurenAB94]

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I am on 20mg of pred and wondered if any of you have been really hungry on it or gotten moon face and roughly when...

@Unicorn9 I have put on nearly a stone already and I'm 9+5, so you could say my appetite has increased! I've been really cutting down on sugar too and still managed to put that much on already. Face is definitely more round too.

Thanks for you're reply @Wheresmyrainbow

@Finleysmom84 I did worry about that too, but I read somewhere that because it’s a drug for auto immune conditions, like lupus, maybe some side effects are issues related to those particular illnesses. That could be absolute nonsense but made me feel better.

How long are you going to be in it for? I’ve been told I’ll need to stay on until after giving birth (and I’m not even pregnant yet so who knows when that will be!)

I started late cos I couldn’t get any but will be on 20mg for 5 weeks and then wean off over two weeks

Is anyone still working while pregnant ?
Or are you working from home/ on furlough?
Thanks in advance

@Tinpo

I think I’ll only be on a low dose 200mg I should start ASAP and carry on til 20 weeks ( if I ever get that far🙄) x

@LaurenAB94 I've been wfh since March. The whole office has so it's not just because I'm preg, but I'm not complaining!

@Daffodil21 ah right better to be off though. My work says it's fine still to work I'm a veterinary nurse so see quite a few clients daily xx

@LaurenAB94 I think I would feel uncomfortable with that, how do you feel about it? Are you on pred or anything else you have to be careful with?

@Daffodil21 I'm on hydroxychloroquine. I'm a bit worried and it's a pain having to use holiday for Dr S appointments as they won't class them as mat leave appointments because they take a full day with travel xx

@LaurenAB94 ah I don't know anything about that. Does it put you more at risk for covid? What has Dr S said about you being in work? That does sound unfair, it's not exactly your choice to have to go through all this

@Daffodil21 yes I know, sometimes a bit of empathy would be nice. He didn't say anything at my results appointment haven't seen him since I found out I'm pregnant due back on 27/1 for 6week scan x

@Daffodil21 this is what RCOG says

The following recommendations apply for women less than 28 weeks pregnant with no underlying health conditions that place them at a greater risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19)
You must first have a workplace risk assessment with your employer and occupational health team.
Then, you should only continue working if the risk assessment advises that it is safe to do so.
This means that your employer should remove or manage any risks. If this cannot be done, you should be offered suitable alternative work or working arrangements (including working from home) or be suspended on your normal pay.
Your employer should ensure they are able to adhere to any active national guidance on social distancing.
Some higher risk occupations such as those with greater public contact or in healthcare may carry a higher risk of exposure to the virus. In healthcare settings this may include working in specific higher risk areas or higher risk procedures as summarised in the Public Health England publication Guidance on Infection Prevention and Controll_.
You should be supported by your employer with appropriate risk mitigation in line with recommendations to staff arising from workplace risk assessment.
If alternative work cannot be found, advice on suspension and pay can be found in HSE guidancee_.

@LaurenAB94 if the hydroxy puts you at higher risk of covid then it seems pretty clear that your employers need to be taking some action

@Daffodil21 yes I thought so just not sure how to find information saying it does x

@LaurenAB94 I would have thought you could get any info/advice/a note if needed from the dr who prescribed it to you? As I say, I'm not with dr S so I don't know his protocol

@LaurenAB94 I don’t think you would need to shield with Hydroxy as it’s an immune modulator rather than suppressant, but you definitely do with steroids and also with intralipids too I think.

I can’t remember who asked about the Hydroxy side effects but I felt a bit sick and dizzy for a couple of days and then completely fine from then on. It can mask pregnancy symptoms btw - some people don’t realise that and then panic when they aren’t having any symptoms.

@Tinpo I’m on 25mg Prednisolone steroids and have major moon face! Apparently it goes once you come off of the meds though. I think I’ve definitely put on weight even though I can’t eat much due to pregnancy nausea.

@NICK7nick7 thank you that's helpful I'm on intralipids but I could email the nurses to check they haven't mentioned about shielding only place I go out is work xx

@LaurenAB94 I was on hydroxychloroquine since the summer until last week when I reached 20 weeks. I am a teacher and commute into London, so was in full time last term except a few weeks here and there when we went remote because of cases in school. It is a bit nerve wracking and I'm quite glad I can now work from home now schools are closed but I was reassured that hydroxy doesn't put you at higher risk. My head did do a pregnancy risk assessment and made a few small changes (like putting me in the rooms with better ventilation) but there is no requirement to let us work from home (at least before 28 weeks - I've not quite worked out what will happen then!). xx

@Hippo20 aww that's good then. I hope all goes well for you. I'll just continue to work wearing full PPE and I'm sure I'll be fine xx

I was also told no need to shield while on hydroxy. I had no side effects at all either. Interesting it's meant to hide symptoms, thought only pred did that. X

I was also told no need to shield with Hydroxy and was on it from June last year and had intrilipids from September and again told no need to shield. I had itchy skin and few bad headaches when I first started Hydroxy but they settled after couple weeks.
@Hippo20 glad is all ok with you xx

What is hydroxy? Is it used instead of pred?

I think is can be taken as well as pred in some case personally I was only on Hydroxy and I think a lot of others where the same as due to covid you didn’t need to shield so he seems to be recommending that more atm,
It’s an immune moderator rather then a suppressant. X

I’ve been told by Amanda tozer it doesn’t suppress the immune system .x