I got the results of my Semi-Quantitative Covid Spike Antibody test (LabCorp). I DO NOT have CLL. I am a healthy 66 year old. I took the test 6 weeks after my second Pfizer shot. The result was >250. (Interpretation says <0.8 is negative, >0.79 is positive. I guess that means I am very positive.)
I share these results to allow others a point of comparison. The reason I took the test was to make sure I am not going to get Covid and expose my husband, who has CLL. Since the Pfizer vaccine had a 95% efficacy in the clinicals I wanted to ensure I was not one of the 5%. (However I still have the lingering question about whether the vaccine will protect me from asymptomatic infection and transmission, thus I am continuing to mask, socially distance, etc.)
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Ibru
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Definitely can still pass on virus if you get it. You got great results and if you do happen to catch covid, you should be able to avoid hospital and severe symptoms. I do have CLL and my results 2 weeks after shots was >20.0
I don't know if will increase in time but at least I have something. 🙏💕
I would think the infusion would be Better for Cll then the vaccine , that’s just my opinion . what are others thoughts ? If the vaccine only gives Cll people 20-30% protection, doesn’t the antibody infusion protect you completely please advise.
I was given the 1800# for the infusion by a member on this site. I called they were ready to set me up right then I put it on hold because I’m waiting for my specialist to give me the green light to get it done.
My concern is this. After I get both shots I find out it’s about 25 % effective. Now I’m going in for an infusion and I’ve had Covid. How much is to much. I lost faith in the Covid protection after finding out it’s barely effective for us.
The government and news channel’s have made this such a political football I just lost my trust in the directives from them. And the Dr’s are listening to the same and telling us to just get the shot. Again I trust the Drs , but have lost faith in the news and my government officials. Just my opinion
Infusions are probably most effective if one currently has COVID. If properly given to stop most variants — they are the one thing that is essentially passive immunity. But, like you, I am totally fed-up with the actions (or inaction) of our governments regarding this pandemic. Nothing can be trusted. We come up with vaccines, are not prepared to produce or administer them, and are relaxing restrictions beyond what is sane.
In California (here) our governor has announced that the state will fully open on June 15th. We are currently 25% vaccinated. What are people thinking?
Getting infusions every month is not an ideal way to prevent disease. CLL patients likely have a wide range of immunity after vaccination. On one hand that is good. On the other, it drives lots of us (including myself) crazy. How much uncertainty must we live with?
How do you know that your vaccinations are 25% effective? CLL patients vary a lot. You had COVID and were vaccinated. I would guess that your immunity would be quite good at this point. Then again, I am not an MD and not an expert.
I totally agree with you it makes no sense to open up the state without the majority of people vaccinated. It will spike again in no time.
I got the information on this site about people with CLL only being about 25% covered. There was a link explaining this. I also looked on the American Cancer Society? The same information was on there site. People with leukemia and lymphomas don’t get protection. Other cancers do on the other hand.
The jury is still out on that one. No one (or organization) should be saying anything but, “we dont know how well protected you will be vaccines — so please be careful.”
While it is likely that our immunization protection is lower than people without CLL, we really have no idea as to what will happen to us in real life.
Even if we were 25% prevented from infection, and 95% protected from severe disease — that is a good thing. We really don’t know — and the is no published data to say anything to the contrary.
I am in Minnesota and cases are rising rapidly again..Drives me crazy when I see so many fools out there, not wearing masks, or have their stupid nose hanging out, and even some that seem to like their masks as neck scarves. Guess those guys feel omnipotent and show little care for other more vulnerable folks.
Yes, that happens everywhere - especially where people have had restrictions relaxed.
In general, many people are only concerned about themselves. The younger ones are really not concerned about COVID, as it hasn't been a life challenging problem for them. I think the greatest number of people coming down with COVID these days are in the 20-50 age group. Unfortunately, with variants, a lot more of these people are ending up in the ICU.
I'll be honest. I have gotten N95 masks out on the black market. It's much easier now to separate out the fake ones. If I'm going to go out there with people wearing scarves hanging off their chin - spitting away at everyone around them - I want to be protected by an N95. Luckily I'm not around people that often, so I don't burn through them as fast.
In the US, we are so foolish. We scramble for vaccines, but many people won't wear masks. Hell, I'd be happy if I knew that my vaccine would protect me like everyone else. It may or it may not. Best to be safe than sorry!
I share your frustration and disgust for the selfishness and stupidity on display in our country. The old gray mare snd America ain’t what she used to be. Hopefully the mindset will shift in the coming years.
I'm not getting it. I don't see the benefit. I feel it's an experiment and we are the test rats. I pray I don't see the commercials saying if you took the gene therapy for covid-19 we have a law suit pending. But then I'm not sure that can happen because no one is allowed to be held accountable. God Bless.
This article covers the history of the US Vaccine Injury Compensation Scheme, with many other countries having similar schemes. historyofvaccines.org/conte...
As you note, there are very limited number of vaccines where adults can be compensated, but look at the lives saved since the vaccine roll-out in the US!
By the way, there is no "gene therapy" with any of the COVID-19 vaccinations; that DNA is altered by any vaccines is one of many myths: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...
I understand your feelings....but where would we be without the small pox vaccine? It has practically been eradicated....also the MMR vaccine...so many children no longer get chicken pox because of that vaccine....it has to start somewhere....I for one am willing to be a pioneer taking the vaccine so others may live.
Good day Kathm. It generally takes up to 10- 15 yrs to get a vaccine ready for the FDA to approve it. This is EUA approved with the FDA gathering it's findings on how we respond to it. I understand people wanting to get it, I understand why people don't want to get it. It's not like any other type of vaccine made in the past. At this time Ive have chosen not to get it. Have a blessed day.
healthline.com › health-news › heres-how-i...Mar 11, 2021 — We break down key aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine development process and explain how the achievement was made in record time
If you read this article from healthline, it gives the rationale about how the vaccine development did not have take a decade. There are many other scholary articles that discuss this. The title of the article is:Here’s How It Was Possible to Develop COVID-19 Vaccines So Quickly
Since we cannot rely on the vaccines protecting us. I am very thankful we now have the clonal antibody infusion available to us.Because of that, I am not worried about what protection I might gain from the vaccine, if any? If I get any cold or flu symptom. I will be getting a covid test that day or the next. I wont be relying on the vaccine to save my rear. I have my plans all mapped out.
Next week I will be getting the LabCorp spike antibody test. Not because I want to find out if the vaccine will protect me. But to see what kind of condition my immune system is in?
If I dont produce enough antibodies to rate a positive. I can assume my Bcell antibody factory is pathetic. Which tells me to sanitize may hands, stay away from sick people when I have a choice.
Covid will be around a long time. I suspect us CLLers may very well need someone elses killer antibodies more than once.
Good point and strategy. The monoclonal cocktails are our best defense in case of COVID. The only reason they aren't used more is partly cost -- and mostly because infusions are cumbersome in a hospital setting.
There are lots of places within a reasonable distance of me to get an infusion, but the trick is to set it up that I can get one quickly. You have it set up already - I have not, but will in the future. I think it's something all of us should do.
The only point with which I disagree is that talking a LabCorp test will tell you much of anything. These are cheap tests made to be used in mass production. All they can do is give you a positive or negative, and that was developed to check people after infections (not vaccination). A negative may mean nothing, and a positive may mean very little. There are too many variables -- and no one has ever checked them against what can happen in real life - if they even can test that.
I think it's safe to say that there is no result that can make any of us let our guard down. Having a backup of being set up to receive a monoclonal infusion if sick is the only thing anyone can rely on. Even if you scored >2500, you may go down to undetectable in a few months. IMO, these tests give a yes/no answer even though their relevance to real life prtection is not known.
So, you have to be careful no matter what you do. We need a lot more data here.
But definitely, having it set up so that you can get an monoclonal infusion (or multiples) at will -- is the best backup. Not much else we can do right now.
At the CLL Society CLL and Vaccines webinar 2 wks ago, Susan Leclair, Ph.D. agreed with you. She said none of the antibody tests give us meaningful data at this time. Her advice was to "not bother" with them until the appropriate research is completed. Transcript and/or video is likely available on CLL Society website.
Hi Pacificview, I am 69 and was diagnosed 2/19. I am concerned about the vaccine protection and had the Spike antibody test today. I have normal blood values except for the WBC which was 59 a few weeks ago and my neutrophils and lymphocytes are way off. However, I have been lucky and haven't been sick the past few years except for the NHL. Go figure! I'm not sure if you do not achieve antibodies that it means you do not have a working immune system. Maybe, there is another reason that the antibodies are not produced for us with cll. Good luck. Gerry
Hi Gman,I am right behind you getting the spike test in an hour. My CLL Specialist said we do not yet know the level of protection our patients may receive from the vaccine. So we are recommending all the same precautions as if your not vaccinated. We are probobly in a similar boat numbers wise.
Healthy individuals have built antibodies in response to the vaccine. So in getting the spike test today. If my results come back with wimpy or no antibody response? From my perspective it tells me my immune system is indeed impaired. Even though I am early in the disease. Yes, we dont know the extent of the hidden response our body might muster to being exposed to covid?
Maybe our memory and tcells give it the boot?
Getting the spike test for me is like getting an immune system check up. I am curious how my body will respond to the stimulous of being vaccinated. To date, the spike test is all thats readily available.
If my immune system responded to the Moderna vaccine with a robust antibody response? Testing positive with numbers similar to a non CLL patient, I will get warm fuzzies.
Yet, after the positive spike test high wears off. I will go back to being confident in sanitizing my hands, not touching my face till they are sanitized. Avoiding sick people and feeling confident in my clonal antibody cocktail plan B....
How did you get your results so fast???Congrats on finding some healthy Bcells...
Figure a healthy person such as Ibru above has 250 and yours is 17.7
The plan B is not dependent on 17.7. The
Clonal antibody cocktail infusion will probobly give you a 250 made up of the most vicious killer antibodies. Ready made covid 19 hitmen.... Not all antibodies are created equal. The cocktail contains the mightiest of them.
Thanks. I wonder what the others numbers are that have a similar clinical condition. I always wear a mask when I go into a store which is very minimal. It doesn't seem that anyone knows how much protection/antibody score one needs to have a degree of safety from the virus. Best wishes to you and your husband.
Immune compromised system rather than a not working. CLL is an immune system cancer. A certain number of our Bcells are cancerous and are not functioning properly.Thats why CLL patients are showing such low antibody response to the vaccine. Although I am reading about some acceptions....
Well in a recent study of 517 high risk patients. With mild to moderate symptoms and non hospitalized. They all received clonal antibody cocktail and none died and 2% were hospitalized.Good enough for me!
The other 517 received a placebo. 36 were hospitalized and 10 of them died.
This study was dated feb 9th, 2021
I will take the infusion!!!!!
But that said, will keep getting vaccinations as they may give some degree of benefit.
Thanks for the info. I think antibody infusion makes a lot of sense for everyone that has a commodity. I want to get it , I just want my specialist to be on board with it.
The protection from the clonal antibody cocktail is excellent. High risk patients who got it reported no deaths in a clinical trial and about 2/3 ) less hospitalization. I think I posted results of that trial somewhere around here...
Just curious about the cost through LabCorp. I sent a mychart message in advance of my telemed appt for discussion of vaccine response, tests, etc. I didn’t expect a response bc several places I added that the topics were for discussion during the telemed appt.
My heme/onc did reply and they are not doing any antibody tests, nor measures of T cells (as that was a bad way to gauge immunity, she indicated).
She did mention the LabCorp option, but also did not believe many insurance plans would cover the test.
Thanks, but I am not sure at this time about releasing all of my medical records to LLS and their Ciitizen data collection group. I will discuss with LLS, but wondered about the cost if one didn’t. I presume since the orig poster specified they are healthy, non-CLL, that they did not go through LLS.
I started the LLS application but also felt uncomfortable in giving my photo ID and access to medical records so did not complete it. I was able to find on LabCorp that you can get the test for free +$10.00 fee. I am going today. My health care organization would not order it and said they didn't recommend it after vaccination but I still want to know even if it isn't highly reliable. I still plan on taking precautions even if it shows I have antibodies.
Thank you, Srli. My doctor mentioned the $10 fee but then said the rest would be run through insurance, and if insurance didn’t cover it, then the remainder would get billed to me.
I will check with LabCorp for more specifics and what type of precautions they are taking.
I think the cost and time to take the spike test is a waste of money and time. It is not going to do anything to keep you healthy or help you if you contract covid. Regardless of test results those of us with CLL will need to practice germ warfare. Per pervious posts on this forum, 55% of CLL hospitalized with covid will die. 50% of CLLers contracting pneumonia will also die. Having the spike test is not a get out of jail free card for return to "normalcy". If you feel you need this psychological boost, so be it.
I think the outcomes are better now, since we know more than early in the pandemic. Not that that is any reason to quit our preventative measures. I mention it because any tiny bit of inaccuracy is something the vaccine hesitant like to pounce on.
Spike Test is interesting info but as Big Dee says it wont save us.If we in US test positive for covid? The monoclonal antibody cocktail quickly given can save us.
Great info. about the monoclonal antibody cocktail.
Just remember that the high effective rate is on SYMPTOMATIC INFECTION. You could have asymptomatic infection and spread it. I'd still wear high quality masks for his sake.
Oh I do! I wear an N95 mask and goggles when I go to a doctor's appt. That is the only place I have been in 13 months, except I did have to travel by air to my 88 y o mother who broke her hip. When I came home I lived in the basement for 5 days then got a negative covid test before I entered the house to live with my husband again. I have not gotten my teeth cleaned nor gotten a hair cut.
This lifestyle is becoming quite difficult, as I am a healthy spouse, who is 13 years younger than my 78 year old husband, I am starting to feel like my life is over, and that there is no end in sight. Haven't been to church, can't see my family since they are a plane ride away, and can't see friends who are starting to go out to eat at outdoor restaurants, etc. I am an extrovert and zoom only helps a little. My husband has always been an introvert, so things are not much different at all for him with Covid. All he misses is going to Home Depot, and he does this occasionally when it is not busy and he wears an N 95.
Everyone with CLL has by very deepest sympathy for how Covid has impacted their lives, not to mention how CLL has impacted their lives.
I feel you loud and clear. My lovely wife was exposed 3 times. So we lived in seperate areas of the house for 10 days each. We did all the staying away from everything you did.Fast forward to today. We both have had full vaccination by Moderna. We started having dinner with friends. Went back to Church and I feel free to resume pre covid life.
The reason mainly is my back up plan to get infused with a monoclonal antibody cocktail should my body fail to respond to the vaccine in a meaningful way. I feel quite confident in the clonal antibodies ability. I do nit have confidence in my bodies response to the vaccine based on what i am reading being a CLL patient. That back up plan brings freedom of the fear of covid.
I would highly recommend studying up on it.
I still santitize my hands, wear a mask where mandated and avoid known sick people. But other than that I dont worry and live my life.
Always being aware I can go to an emergency at a hospital who stocks antibodies for a quick infusion.
One can only hope there will be a steady supply of these monoclonal antibodies, and if there is not..... Like you, I plan to access them should I get infected. In the meantime I will be very cautious and vigilant awaiting the research that informs us about our degree of protection from the vaccines.
Did you see the post from the dimwit who isn't getting vaccinated and noted that "there weren't vaccines around for the bubonic plague, and that eventually went away"....which is also wrong, there are still incidents of Yersinia Pestis problems to this day.
My husband has had his vax, but is not going to do the antibody test since most people with CLL have very low results, and his IgG has been very low for years.
Well that just does not make sense to me. I would get the vax AND the test a month later to see the results so that I would KNOW whether or not I was one of the lucky 25% who did get a positive result.
Agree with you. It sure seems like more than 25% based on results here. My husband with CLL was >250 as well. Thankful for the LLS study and free and easy testing.
I am happily stunned by my >250 results four weeks after 2nd Moderna vaccine. I was diagnosed in 2002, have had 5+ treatments including FCR, Imbruvica, and various Monoclonals. My IgG is in lower 300s. I did have a strong reaction (fever, body aches) to the second shot.
I am in the LLS study and my antibodies spike test was 106.60 4 wks after 2nd vaccine and I was happy with that since it was positive. I had Modena and huge swollen nodes after 2nd vaccine. I am watch and wait... no treatments yet. I am going back to living but still taking precautions when in public places. I am grateful there are good treatments for us if we get Covid. I pray that virus goes away but until then.... going to get back to some living.
My husband (CLL 9 years, on ibrutinib for 8 years as first and only treatment) just got results of the semi- quantitave Covid spike antibody test (LabCorp). He had 4.25. Pretty poor results compared to my >250 (I do not have CLL.)
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COVID antibody test
No Antibodies after Vaccine
Covid 19 Vaccine antibody results
*IMPORTANT* ALL COVID-19 Vaccines are thought to be safe for CLL Patients- they are NOT live vaccines and cannot cause illness
