I'm curious how your docs are advising you on whether to get a COVID booster. (I'm interested what doctors are advising, not any personal opinions of patients.)
My oncologist has been encouraging COVID booster for "immune compromised" patients (e.g. under chemotherapy) but discouraging booster for "immune sufficient" patients. Based on his patients' experience, he thinks adverse side effects from boosters may be under-reported. My general doctor is encouraging me to get a booster (Moderna) even though I am "immune sufficient".
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I’m immunized and got my booster at 5 mo following second shot. I’m on Keytruda but it’s not a problem for immunizations. Honestly with all the toxic chemo they have injected me with, I don’t give any slight risk (if there is any) from a vaccine a second thought. My game is to stay alive- certainly not gonna let covid take me after fighting this PC dragon! Stay strong
I’d add after two rounds with chemo early in this fight my blood chemistry is still jacked up and after radiation to my ribs (lungs) I consider my self immune compromised
My husband got what appeared to be a pretty generic message from the hospital where he is being treated that “The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), in accordance with the CDC, has strongly recommended that cancer patients get the COVID vaccine 3rd dose.” He got the booster shot last week. No side effects, other than slight soreness at the site of the injection.
Kaiser reached out to me a few weeks ago to come in and get my moderna booster. It was about 6 months after my 2nd shot. The auditorium room was full of other people , mostly cancer patients , getting the booster as well. Kaiser is actively deep into the booster shot. No side effects I could detect that rose above my basic substantial everyday level of adt discomfort . I did grow a third arm sticking out of my back tho.
Kaliber, which Kaiser do you go to? I'm in Northern California (Sacramento) and they wouldn't give it to me unless I lied by saying I had a "solid mass tumor"
I’m older , 75, and prolly circling the drain a little lower too. I’m at Kaiser Fresno. They contacted me by email and the Kaiser app ….. and told me to come in about three or four weeks ago, openings were available immediately. I have more solid mass abdominal tumors than a jar of gherkins. Yayahahahaya yayahahahaya. Bumps sticking out all over the place down there. Kaiser has been very proactive about getting me in and getting the jabs. I’m generally in to Kaiser 4-5 times every month anyway.
Apologies for the slow reply. Yeah, you're def older. Like I'm older than you <ha ha> But I see why they contacted you; before the CDC approval of boosters, Kaiser was offering them to anyone with solid mass tumors. Anyway, I'm so busy dealing with sleep deprivation that I'm OK waiting for them to approve Moderna for the over-65 crowd. Thanks again!
My husband’s oncologist strongly encouraged it, but had him wait until 4 weeks post his last chemo infusion. He had it September 3, then began radiation on September 13. No side effects whatsoever.
I asked my MO this past Tuesday. He said that, being 65, I qualified, but he did not think I was immuno-compromised since I've only had Lupron and Xgeva. He didn't push it one way or the other.
My MO who has kept me going for 32 years told me to get the Moderna booster. I’ve been on quarterly Lupron for a year on got jabbed on Wednesday. So far, only soreness at the injection site when touched…
My oncologist and general doctor were more or less professionally neutral but personally supportive on the cancer treatment end. In the end, while I’m on the younger end, I’m also a public school teacher so my occupational exposure is on the higher end. I got Moderna booster and it knocked me on my butt for a full day w fever and aches the day after; but, that dissipated the next day. Makes me feel a layer safer at school. DougNola. ✌️
I got the Moderna booster back in August, had some flu like side effects for a day or two. All of my docs thought it was good that I got it. I received it a couple of weeks before receiving Provenge treatment, I wanted my immune system to be ramped up before all the visits to healthcare facilities. It was very easy to get one through the Publix pharmacy, you just check the box on a form that you’re immunosuppressed and you get stuck.
The Infectious Diseases Doctor at the VA insisted that I get the third Covid shot because he considers me to be compromised due to age (77) and prostate cancer.
No problem for me. It has been scheduled for about 2 weeks from now.
He also insisted that I receive the quadrivalent flu-shot, which I did last week.
The CDC reversed its stance a couple of months ago and said that it was OK to take them both at the same time; but the VA nursing staff was not aware of the change yet.
Mine was moderna from Walgreens. Detail: Walgreens papers say booster is for immune compromised patients. One must sign a paper that one is a member of one of the compromised groups. Left side of page is a listing of compromising conditions. Right side of paper is white space with a MUCH larger font YES and single box to check. ALL of right side of page is YES and check box. Quite the nudge, eh?
My oncologist was very pro-booster. He & I agreed, however, that I should time it for early in the 3rd week following cabazitaxel so that my immune system had time to recover from the previous cabazitaxel dosing.
My oncologist said to get the booster "when ever and where ever" I can get it. My family doc said my physical condition is "messed up enough without intentionally adding another challenge." Then, believe it or not, he gave me a recommendation to take a list of 5 OTC supplements including quercetin for which some published research indicates an ability to bind the covid spike protein. I am taking some of the supplements, but plan to get the booster after 6 months have passed from my 2nd Pfizer shot. I'm 68, Stage IV B and had the I initial shots during the third week of the interval between infusions of docetaxel. No side effects to those shots of which I was aware. Good luck to you in whatever you decide.
About the end of August, the Mayp Clinic in PHX emailed me to get the booster ASAP. Had my last Moderna shot mid February. It was the easiest of the 3 shots. You can get your flu shot at the same time.
My doctor asked me if I died from the booster would he still be reimbursed for the procedure. I said I don't think so, so he said forget about the booster.....
I wonder if they can test me for antibodies instead of just lumping us all in to one group. Had the Moderna shots in April I think. I was immuno-compromised before I had cancer. Thus far all that I've read says Moderna effective for 9 months and still counting.
I had the same thought process, so I got an antibody test. The Quest lab result included several paragraphs of caveats that (when boiled down) indicated the test result should not be used to make any decisions about diagnosis or treatment or vaccination. Still many unanswered questions about COVID-19.
I have a sister with crohns. She was on a medication for years but her doctor wanted her off due to long lasting SE. She started taking some medical Marijuana prescription and it was working fo over a year. She received the covid vaccination back in Jan but now needs to go back on the medication. Her doctor believes the covid vaccine has something to do with the crohns flare. The vaccine is not for everyone.
Some vaccinated are regretting being vaccinated. I'm not sure what your point is...I was relaying an actual case of a probable SE of getting vaccinated. My sister will not be getting a booster.
Why do you say “probable”? It sounded like speculation. Maybe I’m missing something.
My doctor at a medical school run clinic is fine with me getting a third Moderna shot but hasn't done anything to facilitate getting it. I guess everything is 'by the book' at a Med school clinic; she suggested going to Walgreens or CVS. I'm not receiving chemo so I don't fit the strict 'immuno-compromised' definition. I am planning to go to the World Series of Poker in three weeks so I definitely want a booster shot. BTW, they do require proof of vaccination to play. So, do I lie and say that I am immuno-compromised? If I had had the Pfizer vaccine I'd be OK to get the booster, just being age 71. I expect the Moderna booster OK to come too late for my WSOP trip. I'm thinking of just lying to get the Moderna booster. If I had no ill effects from the first 2 shots why would I be concerned about a 3rd shot?
I lied about being immuno-compromised and got my booster shot this morning. Hey, I'm a poker player. My bluff about being compromised got through. Seriously, they'll approve Moderna boosters for 65+ in three weeks. That will be too late for me. I'll already be at the WSOP with thousands of people in three weeks. I'll never understand how they can OK boosters for one type of vaccine and not the other at the same time.
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1 day after booster. No side effects to speak of. Shoulder injection site not all that sore either. Seems like more immediate threat locally is the W Nile virus. Dang mosquitoes.
I am 80 years old, 26 years of fighting PCA. Currently on Zytiga, Prednisone and Lupron with extensive mets in and on my left lung. 3 years off chemo for small cell ca. I did not bother asking MO about booster. I found a Walgreens willing to do it a month ago with Moderna vaccine(and my 80 year old spouse as my "caregiver"). I see little downside risk and I am not willing to wait for my local Kaiser program to figure out when and how to give the boosters. It was a fiasco with the initial immunizations and it will be the same with boosters. Friends, older than I am got their initial shots 5 months after my January ones. Having been through chemo, provenge, and other assaults in my 26 year cancer journey I am not risking Covid now. Way too many careless unmasked and unvaccinated people out there right now. I am even giving up going to NFL games since it involves 69000 screaming, unmasked fans. Will watch on HDTV and let my kids go on our tickets.
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