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Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 9:55 am
by Thumps
If you're over 50 they'll be contacting you sometime before May for a vaccination anyway :)

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:15 pm
by JohnW99
I had the AZ vaccine yesterday, so far so good, no real problems.

I had to fight my GP surgery to be put into vaccine group 4 (I am 54 but have stage 5 CKD) but I won the battle. I hope no-one else has the same fight :(

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:12 pm
by morzov
Got mine last week - AZ.

Don't know if it's related but I've developed an area of shingles. Had been feeling crap for a few weeks but since the spots/blisters appeared felt fine.

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 1:03 pm
by rheaybou
Had mine nearly 2 weeks ago. Was impatient to wait for the invite from my GP so took matters into my own hands. Qualified as ECV in the 70-74 age group as a TX patient.

Had a little headache and some aches a few days later, but nothing worse than I have ever had with the flu jab. Had the Oxford jab, website booked me for the second automatically (giving time/date options)

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 3:41 pm
by MatthewC
Wife and I had ours (AZ) last Saturday - we both had a minor reaction which was slightly different. She felt very shivery for an hour or so late that evening, and then generally off colour; I woke on the Sunday feeling poorly and was off food. We both felt better late on Sunday, pretty good by Monday and totally back to normal on Tuesday. NB I did have a mild dose of Covid in late March/April and took ages to recover my stamina.

NB My brother/recipient had his AZ at the end of January - somehow his GP had overlooked his vulnerability so my brother had to ask for the vaccination. He had no noticeable reaction at all.

So if you have not had anything from NHS/GP, make the point to your GP without delay!

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 4:54 pm
by JMan
I had mine Pfizer at the beginning of March. Bit weirder and more tired than normal for a week and a tender arm. Lynn had hers on the 25th went to bed for a long snooze after lunch the same day. That was the Astra Zeneca.
Continuing o shield as per the most recent letters. The variants are strong (but thankfully haven't spread yet) but the relaxing in May is gonna lead to a 4th lockdown unless they've vaccinated around 80 percent or more. It was around 30% when that was announced!

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:02 pm
by Skm
Relaxing in May, may lead to a surge in cases but if it’s in people who dont need hospitalisation, we shouldn’t have to have a 4th lockdown. The new variants however are rather an unknown quantity on this front.

I’m keen for us all to have our second vaccinations. I hope this will reduce our risk of hospital. I’m curious as to how effective vaccines are on the immunosuppressed. There is a Zoe webinar tomorrow afternoon that I hope will throw some light on this.

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 6:10 pm
by Chris Wright
Skm wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 12:02 pm I’m curious as to how effective vaccines are on the immunosuppressed.
So are the medical profession!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56256505

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 6:43 pm
by Chris Wright
And as a follow up, there was an article in The Times today written by one of their journalists who was immunocompromised as he had blood cancer.

He had the vaccine in Jan and has not developed antibodies.

I had my first vaccine in Jan, so following that, i have booked an antibody test for myself tomorrow. Results within 48 hours post that.

Will let you know.

C

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 8:12 pm
by Skm
Chris,

I saw that article today too and was curious.
I attended the Zoe seminar on immunology and the vaccines this afternoon. So many unanswered questions. They were saying that the current antibody tests weren’t a good marker of vaccine efficiency. They are looking into new tests that may be able to measure how well a vaccine produces a response.

The gist of the seminar was that the vaccines are working we just don’t know how well for us but they are safe. They stressed we need two doses (everyone not just the immunosuppressed). Interestingly they were saying that 2 doses of the AZ vaccine gave such a good vaccine response that it is effective against the South African variant. (Again no results on the immunosuppressed). The Octave trial results, looking at vaccine effect in immunosuppressed, is going to take at least 3 months before any results.

I felt a bit depressed after the Times article this morning. I should be interested to hear your results.

Sue

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 9:34 pm
by Chris Wright
Sue,

Interesting stuff thanks.

Will let you know.

C

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2021 10:39 am
by keithmckd2
Hi,

I thought I’d offer my experience and opinion of the vaccine for transplantees.

Opinions :

1. My opinion is that it’s a good idea for transplantees to take both doses of the vaccine when offered.
2. My opinion is that it’s possible that having both doses of the vaccine means that, should a ‘vaccine passport’ become a thing, there may be benefits beyond possible antibody production.
3. My opinion on the level of antibody production post vaccine for transplantees is that it seems likely to vary based on the amount of meds (ie degree of immune suppression a person requires to protect the transplant from rejection) and it may be the case that some people produce few antibodies but 2. above still applies (in my opinion) and ‘better safe than sorry’ may also apply.

Experience :

1. I’m a 1/6 match renal transplantee with resultant relatively heavy immune suppression. I was transplanted in 2004 and my kidney function continues to be excellent (egf> 100%, creat c.70 in Feb this year).
2. I was given chemotherapy in 2019 for lymphoma which resolved completely (no take up in PET scan) and returned to ‘normal’ life (normal for a healthy active transplantee) walking 2-4 hours a day and having fun within less than 6 months post chemo.
3. I had the Astra-Zeneca vaccine 16 days ago and developed a side effect of swollen glands (which caused my right leg and foot to swell up). This is one of the known side effects of the jab and was expected to last about 14 days. Now, at 16 days post jab, the swelling has gone away, as expected.
4. Regardless of level of production of antibodies in my case I will definitely take a second vaccine jab if offered it (I assume in about 3 months time) since I think a couple of weeks of inconvenience isn’t so bad given the possible benefits.

Hope this is of some value.

Cheers
Keith

Ps I have no medical qualifications and the above are just my opinions and experience. We all need to talk to our doctors etc when forming our own opinions on matters medical and should try not to be unduly influenced by opinions of others (since we are all different and what works for one individual may not apply to another).

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 3:59 pm
by Chris Wright
So i had my antibody test and it came back saying that i had none, a bit disappointing.

However it doesn't necessarily mean i have no immunity:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 143426.htm

And this comment from an eminent immunologist:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/k.pollock

She said that "Although an antibody test may be able to tell if you have been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, it will not be able to tell if you are protected following a vaccine"

Something to do with an antibody response against the N protein. Way above my scientific knowledge.

My second dose (of the Pfizer vaccine) is on April the 13th. I'm going to wait a week after that, repeat the test and if still no antibodies, ask if i can have the Astra one because, as we know, the methodology of the two is different.

The other issue is, that if immunocompromised people are not protected, then everyone in their household should get vaccinated asap!

Hope that helps

C

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:12 pm
by Skm
Chris,

Disappointing result. My research suggested the same, that antibodies were not the best way of measuring vaccine response. Still I find it a bit unsettling. I had no reaction at all from the AZ vaccine. Not even a sore arm. I can’t help feeling it’s not done much for me. It would be nice to know if we do have any protection.

Second dose of vaccine due in April.
Will have to wait and see.
Best wishes

Sue

Re: Vaccines for Covid 19

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 3:55 pm
by Chris Wright
Sue et al,

Just spoke to my GP who is reasonably clear that this is not a matter of concern.

As much as i understand it, the current antibody tests are designed to pick up signs that you have gained immunity from having had Covid.

They won't measure if you have had a T-Cell response from the vaccine which can give you some immunisation.

Having said that, she's arranging for me to have a test 3 weeks after my second shot, so end April basically.

By then, there will be far more data about what is happening re: vaccines and immunocompromised patients and we will better know if i immunised or if not, how to proceed.

Again, hope that helps.

C