Answer Summary

Members shared mixed experiences and concerns about receiving the COVID vaccine while managing rheumatoid arthritis, with most reporting mild... Read more

Members shared mixed experiences and concerns about receiving the COVID vaccine while managing rheumatoid arthritis, with most reporting mild side effects like a sore arm, though one member described a 24-hour period of fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, and their worst joint flare yet after the second dose. Several members expressed anxiety about reduced vaccine effectiveness due to immunosuppressant medications and biologics like Embrel, noting that people with RA were not included in initial trials, though their rheumatologists generally encouraged vaccination. A recurring theme was the supportive community reassurance that temporary discomfort was worth the protection, with members promising to stand by each other through any vaccine-related flares or side effects.