I’m also in Canada and in order to get the vaccine, people on immunosuppressants have extra consent forms to sign and rheumys are generally hesitant at this point. I have an appointment with mine on Monday and will update with his advice and logic.
I hope you’ll find by the time you’re invited to be vaccinated that there will be enough data from other countries who have had it to reassure your rheumys. Certainly in the UK the advice is to have it and certainly not stop your meds in order to do so. This far there have been no reports of adverse reactions. It’s hoped that by mid February in the UK those ordered to sheild by the government (which includes most of those on a DMARD plus biologic but tends to exclude those just on a DMARD or just on biologic)) will have had at least one dose of the vaccine. That’s a significant number of inflammatory disease patients to include sufferers of PsA, RA and Crohns etc. Those just on either a DMARD or a biologic are not that much further down the list either. Well ahead of most the age groups too. As they’re intending to vaccinate all those with specific underlying health conditions at the same time as they do the over 65’s.
I’ve had my first dose (Pfizer) and will have to wait 12 weeks for my second. Nothing worse than a sore arm for a few days 
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Excellent to hear you’ve at least got the first dose. On reading the news here in the UK this morning the BMA are calling on the space of the doses to be halved. So you never know your second dose might be sooner than 12 weeks. My partner’s father has had both doses and like you said, he thought it was ‘nothing’ at all. I don’t think he even got the sore arm.
So…China has a new way of Covid testing. And you thought the nasal swab was a pain in the a%& !
“More than 1,000 schoolchildren and teachers in Beijing were given anal, throat and nose swabs last week, along with a separate antibody test, after one asymptomatic virus case was detected on campus, according to local officials.” National Post Canada
AND I really disapprove with the order of the swab! What’s next?
Apparently in the news in the UK last night, they’ve come up with a ‘spit in the pot’ test which sounds infinitely nicer than any swap in any of those orifices, especially the first one. It’s still undergoing trials but looks very promising. So watch this space.
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I received the 2nd dose of Pfizer Vaccine today. Its been about 18 hours since and my arm is sore and i had a minor headache. I’ll update if anything else happens 
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I’m totally delighted to report that I received the first dose of the Covid vaccine on Saturday in the UK. I was given the Pfizer one simply because that’s what they were giving out that day at the GP surgery hub I had to go to. I had zero ill effects other than I slept very well on Satuday night. No sore arm, no headache, no feeling ill and no aching joints and no flare up of PsA either. It was for me exactly like getting the flu vaccine.Just a nothing on a physical basis.
I’m on Cosentyx 300mg which is due to be taken next Friday and I shall carry on as normal, taking that and marching on.
However the experience of getting it was simply fabulous. With the Pfizer one you have to hang about for 15 minutes given the potential allergy issues. So we were give egg timers and when they buzzed, you had to shout ‘bingo’ and then you were cheered and clapped out of the surgery, with some people literally going a jig. There was a lot of laughter and plain celebration at yet another person being vaccinated. Very, very, very special experience I can tell you. Still makes me feel happily emotional now at how simply wonderful that bit was.
And now in a couple of weeks I shall feel a lot safer going back to my normal dog walking routine which I had stopped around the beginning of December given the huge surge in cases of Covid. These places aren’t crowded by any means but I felt too vulnerable meeting anyone. As you all know in the UK they’re spacing out the second vaccine by 10 to 12 weeks now so I have to wait longer for that one. But at least I’m on my way. Just to be able to get back to a more normal dog walking routine will feel like such immense freedom I can tell you. I’ll take that for now.
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I’m on the same schedule as you, having ALSO received the Pfizer vaccine Saturday. I got it at the County Center building, which is a large building that holds large events. It was so crazy easy, and we were given a sticker with the time before we could leave.
I had a sore arm and slept extra Saturday and Sunday. That’s it. I was expecting that we might have a reaction to the first vaccine since we were sick a few months ago, but we were both fine.
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Wonderful to hear reports of getting the vaccine and surviving! I hope the second jab is as easy. My Dr friend had no problem with the first jab and broke out in the worst case of hives shortly after the second. I’ve been warned that the second shingles vaccine is much worse than the first and I was flat out from the first jab. But I had no reaction to the flu vaccine. I guess we all respond uniquely and even if there are reactions, they are worth it!
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Hello all. I hope everyone is “well” - whatever that means to us!
The next groups in the UK are being called up from today, and I was rather shocked at getting a text message at 10am this morning, and I’m having the vaccine on Friday.
I’ve scrolled down this thread and not seen anything about having to stop biologics before or after. Can anyone confirm that? I take mine on Thursday anyway, and so might just hold back this week till I’ve spoken to someone when I’m vacced, but if anyone can confirm that would be good too!
I don’t know why I’m even thinking about it - as I don’t even think twice when I have the flu or pneumonia jab! But hey, that’s the wonders of getting Covid thrown at us 24/7 on the telly!
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I wasn’t told to hold the biologic and I did have a conversation with my rheumy about it when I saw her last month
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Great. Thank you.
Apparently Bath in the UK says try and not take your biologic the same week as the vaccine but that’s for Cosentyx. I’d give your rheumy nurse a call really. I’d not take it day before personally as then you’ll have just boosted your immune manipulation if that makes sense.
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I spoke to the biologics nurse, and was told to proceed as normal. That was for benapali.
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I’ve just has my Covid vaccine yesterday, I’m also taking part in the OCTAVE study in the UK which will follow up after the vaccinations to see how well my immune system has responded to it.
So hopefully in a few months we will know how well people like us respond to the vaccines
BBC News - Covid vaccine being tested in patients with low immunity
They did take 10!! Vials of blood from me though lol, vampires!
Jag was alright (had the AstraZeneca / Oxford one). Have had a low grade headache for about 24 hours now and a bit tender in my arm and shoulder but otherwise ok
Dose number 2 in three weeks! And another 10 vials of blood lol 
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Brilliant news. And what an interesting study to be involved in too. However they always mis label us ones who start off with abnormal immune systems and then take our meds. I would say our meds help us to have normal immune systems rather than be someone walking around with low immunity as you would be after cancer treatment or something. But for certain we need to understand how the vaccine works in us lot taking our meds.
I got my first injection of Moderna vaccine January 28 and my second on February 25. I experienced only minor discomfort at injection site both times and some chills after the second shot. I am currently not taking any meds to treat my PsA. Good luck to all.
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Wow that’s great! Are you symptom free or just coping without meds? What do you think allowed to go med free?
This all good news to see so many people able to get the vaccinations. I too have received both of moderna. Slight fever and headache the firs 36 hours then all good. Now the question…how long does these vaccines last and are we free to visit family without restrictions that live in other states that do have restrictions.
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