Flu and Covid jabs

Angienpf

Hi, I wondered if anyone could advise me regarding stopping methotrexate when I have my flu and Covid jabs. I have been advised to stop taking it for 2 weeks after the jabs but also advised to just stop taking it on either side of the jabs. Ie jabs are on a Saturday and I take MTX on Wednesdays. So do I just not take MTX the Wednesday before and the Wednesday after? Or do I stop taking it for the 2 Wednesdays after the jabs?

annabanana

Hi @Angienpf , Thank you for posting to the online community, and we're happy to have you here!
I would recommend asking your rheumatology department and/or your GP for advice relating to this as it will vary from person to person. E.g. I have never been instructed to withhold my MTX before vaccinations so what is the case for one person may not be the case for you.

Wishing you the best of luck 😁!

JenHB

Still get advice but I also take my MTX on a Wednesday. I had my flu/covid jab last Saturday and other times I was basically told it was up to me which way I wanted to do it

jamieA

Hi @Angienpf @annabanana @JenHB

I'd certainly agree that you need consult your rheumatology department but the VROOM study in 2022 showed that by stopping MTX for 2 weeks after the vaccination there was a doubling in the efficacy of the covid vaccination. In my case when I spoke to my rheumatology nurse she said that since my disease was stable I should follow the 2 week halt of MTX.

This is a quote from the Lancet on the conclusions of the VROOM study.

In conclusion, we observed a sustained increase that was more than two-fold in S1-RBD antibody binding on interruption of methotrexate treatment for 2 weeks immediately after vaccination against COVID-19, with a short-term increase in risk of disease flare-ups that were mostly self-managed and without any adverse impact on quality of life.