Third covid shot or booster

As we all know we are immunosuppressed by the medicine we take to tackle this ugly disease. Now with the additional shots for the covid virus, how are people doing? Are you starting to go back out and seeing friends, going to events, etc. One of my doctors wants me to live a hermit life while another wants me to go and follow the CDC rules and enjoy life. I told the one that wants me to be a hermit there is a thing called mental health and I will be wearing a mask and going to church. I have to see people.
I thought the whole reason for these shots was to be able to live am I wrong?

The whole purpose of these shots is to ensure if you catch it, you don’t get too ill. That’s about the whole of it. I for one regardless of how many Covid shots I must have won’t be going back to normal until the numbers reduce significantly, since presently here they are rising again. That’s because they can’t tell me if I produce antibodies to the Covid vaccine either. If they could tell me that, antibody tests simply aren’t available to the general public here and anyway are still not accurate enough in my view, my behaviour might change.

In my view this disease has at least another 12 months to run before the risk tapers down significantly enough. Until then I limit my activity (you’ve simply no idea how much I want to go out for a meal which I haven’t cooked or cleaned up after now) quite severely. I’m still working full time at home. I still haven’t gone to the supermarket and any shops I do go to limit numbers inside and insist you wear a mask. And I’m afraid if I was that way inclined I wouldn’t be going to church either. Here our churches have maintained providing an online service alongside though.

I remain far more terrified of catching Covid than simply anything else.

But despite I’ve gone on three holidays, all to self catering accomodation, all with a supermarket delivery of groceries and I’ve had a wonderful time. All not requiring getting on a plane either though. So I’ve climbed mountains, walked around lakes, done shedloads of boating to include our first canal boat holiday and even stayed in a converted windmill for the first time too.

But I’m not that bothered about having to see people. I talk to those I want to talk to all the time. I had to spent a day in a hospital last week and found being around so many people for so long really wearing, far too noisy and not a pleasant experience at all. I spent too long sequestered in the bathroom trying to get a bit of peace as I really couldn’t deal with the inane chatter. So it seems my tolerance levels have further decreased, sadly.

@Rebel_mom I feel like you have the right idea. You have protected yourself with the vaccines, I’m guessing you’re still limiting what you’re doing, and you’re wearing a mask. That’s pretty much where I’m at as well. I feel like I’m living a fairly full life. I will point out that there are some things I’m still not doing, and that my full life tends to be that of an introvert to begin with. So I wasn’t going to concerts beforehand partly because of the cost, and probably because there’s too many darn people there. That’s before the pandemic. Clearly I have no intention of returning to concerts at this moment because there’s too many people and some of them are carrying disease.

Did I go to a party two weekends ago with about 100 people. I did. It was a risk I decided to take because among other things I knew that the vast majority if not all of the people were vaccinated. I won’t go to the gym cuz I can guarantee you that the vast majority of people without masks on are not vaccinated. Different populations and different locations have different risk levels for me. Pretty much whenever I’m out in public I have a mask on. unless I’m sitting outside with friends I have a mask on. If I go over to a friend’s house with everyone vaccinated, I don’t wear a mask. I’m trying to find that balance, while being quite scared of getting it again to tell you the truth. I was sick almost a year ago and it was scary, and I was quite sick but did stay home. It took me months to fully recover in terms of my heart rate and whatnot. I still can’t smell everything I used to be able to smell and I don’t think that’s coming back.

Yes I am still taking all the precautions. Same here for me as well wear mask while indoors, shop or go the gym at off hours no weekend days, church events if I know the numbers are low or I can sit by the open window or door. Went to one wedding and it was nice. I had the third full Moderna shot and it through my body for a loop. Psoriasis popped back up, had a low grade fever for four weeks, brought back brain fog. The internist wrote up a report and send it in to the company. I told him I cannot do this to myself again. It was miserable! An oncologist friend told me before I get anymore shots he will run a tilter antibody test on me to see where I am. It is one he uses for his patients to see where they are. I can tell you the mental aspect of this for me is terrible.

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Sadly you are not the only one reporting this. I’m scheduled for a 4th dose (its a half dose Booster) which was just recommended. My doc and pharmacist are recommending a different “brand” than the Moderna I had originally. As a big supporter of vaccination, I have mixed feelings. While it may not apply to everyone and extensive evidence is lacking My docs theory as to why this happened was an imbalance of med treatment. She cut back my MTX and the improvement was almost immediate.She recommends I skip my MTX entirely the week before and after I get number 4. I kind like of like the idea if for no other reasons as I have this yeare wine just ready to come out of the secondarys (I have 5) for bottling and really like to taste for acid and sweetness. Sometimes it take a lot of tasting to get it right lol

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I am not due for the 4 till the spring but to honest I am going to watch to see how everything goes and get an antibody test done before it is due. My neighbor is an oncologist and he is recommending it for his patients and said it would not be bad for me either. It is the tilter antibody test he uses.
I am also questioning on a vaccine that has to be administered so often? Well I have five months to make the decision.

Viruses change. You take your flu shot annually, Reality is you should take it twice as it is reformulated about halfway through the season in response to what is happening. (Looks like Type A is the leading type so far this year) keep in mind the “boosters” are only for those who by age or disease have trouble producing antibodies…

I’m with the theory that the meds we are on have normalized our systems and I don’t see myself as immunosuppressed but normalized. Even since being on MTX I haven’t had so much as a cold or virus related illness and my allergies in spring and fall are completely gone. I think we need to remember that society was careless with public hygiene but since covid, we wash hands far more, and thank goodness, people finally have the brains to stay home when sick! Going out in public places while having a respiratory illness is no longer seen as “tough”. It’s just rude. So with this new behaviour, the chances of getting sick are way down and I for one am encouraged and cautiously gaining confidence in being with people.

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Good to know about the booster I guess that is why he suggested the antibody test to see if I have any left. He probably is doing some research project and wants to put me in it. Haha

Up until now I have been super cautious. Then last week my mother took very ill so I started taking more risks to try to support my father and sisters. Sadly, she passed away last night and today I have not just been struggling with soaring pain levels and fatigue. But I am finding people are throwing caution to the wind, calling in numbers, hugging and shaking hands. I escaped for a while today but the funeral has still to come on Monday.
Our Covid death rates are high in this area so I still feel like I want to hide from it all. None of this risk will bring my mother back. If only it could…

I am sorry to hear about mother.

I’m so sorry to hear, always tough and even tougher with everything else going on, my thoughts are with you.

Oh I’m so so very, very sorry. Irish funerals happen fast so you’re sort of taken off in a wave of emotion that just continues at the highest level for those few days. I can just imagine the Covid fear too and the lack of precautions in those situations. The hugest of cyber hugs, losing your Mum is one of the toughest. I’m Irish too. xx

Thanks everyone for your kind words which are a great comfort.
I suppose any woman who produces 7 children and by extension 12 grandchildren is going to have a big following. She managed somehow to have a close relationship with all of us.
If I am honest though, I am not one of life’s huggers. I am from an earlier generation where a firm handshake was considered an intimate form of expression. Not that anyone seems to notice. And I have a premonition of grabbing arms and slobbering kisses descending on me as I write this. This would make me uncomfortable at the best of times but now.
The only protective measure I can think of is to wear gloves, so I hope it is cold.

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I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s never easy, but everything is just more challenging these days.

Jim, I’m so sad to hear about your mother. I hope the funeral brings you safe contact with some friends and family who can help you remember the good times. Yes, I can imagine that you want to hide, I’d feel the same. But I’d also know that being there is a good thing. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable! Wear a mask, wear gloves if that helps. And hope for nice weather so that you can spend time outside.

Thinking of you. :blue_heart:

Welcome back! Emotional stress is still stress and that is hard on our goofy systems. I know the fear you are experiencing and many are rude enough to assume that you want close contact. Perhaps a close friend could stay near and intervene in a kind but firm way. “Back off, please”! I hope all goes well and please, allow your grieving to be done in your way and time.

These numbers might have been calculated before people were getting third shots, but I think it’s still a good idea to be careful.

One reason for this recommendation is high hospitalization rates among immunocompromised people who are vaccinated. As of July 2021, nearly half of the vaccinated people hospitalized with breakthrough COVID-19 infections were immunocompromised – despite making up only 2.7% of the U.S. adult population. In comparison, the rate of breakthrough cases among vaccinated people who are not immunocompromised was less than 1%.

I deal with it by only meeting people outdoors and with masks. When the cases drop more, then I’ll probably take the mask off (outside).

You might have had good luck so far, but I don’t think it’s safe to generalize for everyone. Methotrexate is also different than biologics.

I still don’t have a problem with colds, but I’ve been to the emergency room for infections. Immunocompromised doesn’t necessarily mean “sick all the time” but we tend to be vulnerable to complications when pathogens do get through. I’d be careful.

The interesting thing is that PsA (and RA) patients who have their disease under control are less likely to get sick IF they are taking their meds and generally have their disease under control. In short we are not considered truly immunosuppressed but should act like we are. The only true known bad guy is Predi. Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), and Tocilizumab (Actemra) are all under study as being HELPFUL MTX is the mystery drug. Several published studies indicate that methotrexate has certain protective effects on SARS-CoV-2 infection via downregulating ACE2. But also that it has a mitigating effect on the vaccine although with booster the amount of antibodies balloon

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Do you have a source on that? It seems dangerous to tell people who are on biologics that their immune systems aren’t suppressed. I definitely have an increased number of infections, and I’m very careful.

This is from John Hopkins.

A main side effect of biologic medications is serious infection. Most likely, these infections are not because of the medications themselves, however, biologic medications change the way your immune works. Biologic medications help to control your inflammatory disease but also affect your natural ability to fight off an infection. If you get an infection while taking a biologic medication, you should let your doctor know right away so it can be treated. While on an antibiotic, you will likely pause your biologic medication until your doctor says you are able to resume your treatment.

I’m pretty sure it’s on the medication labels too.