Just want to share my vaccine experience. I am still working as a Respiratory Therapist and I am on the frontline in this Covid fight. My hospital has offered the Pfizer vaccine and I am scheduled next Wednesday. My rheumatologist isn’t recommending it, but I discussed my risk with my PCP and we are going to try it. I have been inly taking pain medication for this year except a single injection of Cosentyx last June. We expect I will have an immune response to the vaccine.
I want to share my experience with it. Patients with autoimmune disorders haven’t been studied with the vaccine so I hope to help with that. My hospital will document my progress and report it so I hope it helps.
Absolutely considering the vaccine. Indeed I can’t wait to be offered it. However here in the UK, it’s far more likely I’ll be offered the Oxford one instead of the Pfizer one. It’s made slightly differently to the Pfizer or Modena one too, possibly to the benefit of those of us actually taking PsA meds too.
Best of luck, given you’re on no PsA meds - the Cosentyx being well out of your system by now - there will no interaction with our meds and your vaccine.
There have been good but small studies on people on our meds dealing with Covid 19 infections coming out of Italy which was very positive. Plus here in the UK they are on a phase 3 of trials for an alternative Covid vaccination made up of a cocktail of antibodies made by AstraZeneca which might be more suitable for the immunosuppressed of the likes of stem cell transplants etc, so not us lot.
That’s great! Yes, please do share your experience with us. I know I’m planning on getting the vaccine when it’s available to me, but I’m in no rush. My family just has covid in November.
My only concern getting the vaccine in Canada is what if they don’t have enough for the second jab? I’d rather wait for a one shot vaccine. There seems to be uncertainty if the government will try to use the first jab on as many as possible or hold on to enough to guarantee the second jab. Can a person get more than one variety? Lots of questions and little experience at this point. I feel pretty safe being very cautious and watching how it all works out. The actual odds of getting C-19 here are extremely low unless in the hospital or a senior home. But I guess the variant could spin a whole new story…
I would like to get it as soon as possible in the US, but I am on Humira and my doc hasn’t chimed in on the subject yet. I suspect it will be several months before I would even have an option of getting the vaccine.
I don’t think there will be a one shot vaccine though, not for many years. Think of it like how you vaccinate a child or a new puppy. They all need boosters a few weeks after the first. And I don’t think it will be wise to mix the vaccines.
Kuddos to you for taking the opportunity to provide more information about the vaccine and sharing it with us! I’m hoping it’s a huge success with minimal impact to you.
I’m on the fence about the vaccine, and feel there are still more questions than answers. More successful experiences will hopefully take care of that.
I received my first dose on the 28th. I didn’t have any reaction other than injection site pain similar to the flu vaccine. My Rheumy did actually suggest that if I had the opportunity I should go ahead. I work for an ambulance company and they have started to fill in with office staff if there are not enough front line workers available once they open a vial.
When I wanted to travel to Egypt a few years ago, my rheumy advised against it because they were having an outbreak of something and her point was that since I am on immune suppressants, the vaccine will not achieve the same level of protection as it does to non-autoimmune patients. So I feel safer, but still wear my mask in public and wash my hands a ton.
I am looking forward to the vaccine. But, here in the US, vaccine distribution has been marred by opacity at the federal level. States, which are responsible for distribution, do not know how many doses they are going to receive or when they are going to receive them. So far, only about 1/3 of the doses that have been reportedly distributed to the states have made it into anyone’s arms.
They do have a good priorities with medical providers (of all kinds), first responders, long term care facility residents, and so on in the first tier of injections. But, we are still a long way from getting all of them the vaccine.
I was in remission for quite a while. My MD told me that they couldn’t tell who could go off meds and who couldn’t after a period of remission. Well, it turns out that I can’t. I am back on .8 cc of methotrexate weekly but am still not back under control. I am, nevertheless, looking forward to the vaccine, but estimate that it may be June before I get it, as the USA was not prepared to distribute the vaccine and things are moving slowly.
I’m due for my second shot in 2 days. My rheumatologist supported me getting it. I have biweekly Humira injections. I’m not sure if Humira falls in this category but the cdc recommend that you don’t have any other vaccines within 14 days of Covid vaccine. Stopping Humira didn’t seem like a good option. I think the main thing that bothers me, is not knowing how effective the vaccine is for people on biologics and similar medications.
I’m a health care worker and am hoping to get the vaccine next week, not sure which one, more likely the Pfizer I think. I’ve been off all meds for 18 months, so no issue with interactions. Will be interested to see what happens too. My understanding is that first dose gives a fair bit of immunity and second dose increases that, so even just one dose better than nothing. Lots of unknowns, though. My colleague thinks she picked up COVID whilst getting her vaccine, so gonna be super careful! Stay safe everyone xx
so you are not saying that your colleague got covid from the vaccine, but rather that she was exposed to it when she went to get her vaccine? That really stinks. at this point I feel like I’m in decent shape because I was sick in November and so I can wait for the vaccine comfortably.
Yes, sorry, to be clear, she probably got it when she went to get her vaccine, not from the vaccine. Was first week of vaccines and pretty chaotic, apparently. My appointment is confirmed for next week
Hi all!
I got my first dose this morning and am very excited! My rheumatologist was very supportive of the vaccine. I have been reading that the effectiveness of the vaccine may be diminished for those of us on suppression meds, but that they do not know how much less effective. I’ve read a few studies that suggest going off of meds for a bit before and/or after vaccinations to give your immune system the ability to use it to the fullest. Any thoughts on that? I am on MTX and am supposed to inject tonight…was toying with the idea of skipping a week or two if that would make the vaccine more effective. I do have a call out to my rheumy on this, but wanted everyone’s thoughts as well!
Hi Poo_therapy, I am in the UK too. I have been told that the Oxford vaccine is a live vaccine and cannot be given to Psa patients on Dmards and Biologics. The Pfizer one is OK.
Who by @Tasha? Bath a centre of excellence in the UK, doesn’t yet appear to have any problem with either the Pfizer or the Oxford vaccine? Neither does other rheumys who treat a RA friend in Kent who also on biologics.
I had thought the problem with the Pfizer one and Moderna one (which the UK doesn’t have yet) was both of them use a teeny bit of the RNA of the virus wheras the Oxford one doesn’t, hence the Oxford one being even better for us lot on DMARDs and biologics from the off.
Given the two new biologic treatments just approved in the UK for the treatment of Covid it might all turn out to be a totally moot point at the end of the day too as to whether any of the Covid vaccines are live or not. I had thought the Pfizer vaccine was a ‘live’ though just anyway. Perhaps others can confirm?
