I had covid in Dec 2020. Pretty sick & hospitalized for 7 days and I survived. If my body produced the antibodies why do I need the vaccine? TIA
Had Covid, why get the vaccine: I had covid in... - CLL Support
Had Covid, why get the vaccine
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Kmc383
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I do not think anyone knows for sure how long immunity will last from getting covid compared to the immunity conferred by the vaccine. Natural immunity and vaccine immunity can be two different things, so the thinking among many experts is to be safe and do both.
How long is the immunity from the vaccine?
Half life of around eight months and suspected to be overall better than what is achieved from surviving a COVID-19 infection.
AussieNeilAdministrator
Further to Cajunjeff's reply, we don't know how long we get cover from a previous infection or vaccination, but healthy folk maintain immunity for about 8 months. So even if you didn't have CLL, your immunity would be starting to wane. A vaccination now will boost your protection.
Neil
I can add the specifics of one case to the discussion. My CLL wifey had Covid-19 in early Dec. Her blood tests about a month later showed some amount of antibodies. However, her most recent blood tests showed that her natural immunity from that infection was NOT detected anymore, but her antibodies due to the Moderna vaccine (March) were detected. So, maybe that gives you some idea of how long natural immunity lasts in CLL patients. Specifics available privately to those who need to know 
Per the bulk of the experts, they all say that the many pros of getting the vaccine, whether or not if you’ve had covid, far outweigh the cons.
Your post even stated “if” my bodies produced antibodies.... it’s sounds inconclusive. And cajunjeff makes a great point even if you do have antibodies... for how long?
Why not add to the fight against covid by getting protection from a vaccine?... plus in doing so m you’ll be helping many others around you, n in particular those with underlying conditions like us CLLers. Hoping you get the vaccine!
Hi Pin57. sorry i didnt explain properly. its hard when typing vs speaking. So my body did make the antibodies to fight the Covid 19 is what I meant. So since my body already knows and is capable, then what is the purpose for getting a vax? My lifestyle is very secluded and I would never put anyone at risk. I just wish there was more info out there. But its new and I understand we have to start somewhere. just really nervous. 😥
There are also variants of covid and they are more aggressive. More of a good reason to get vaccinated🙂.
Understand your concerns. Thanks for the clarification Kmc.
The other reply posts cover
very good points to consider towards your decision. Stay well n safe ... and do stay out of the hospital, ok? Yeah!!
in reply to Kmc383
Trust your gut.
in reply to Pin57
Depending on the “vaccine” you choose...each treatment has different characteristics. Some claim to contain antibodies, some claim to contain a live virus, some claim to contain a dead version of the virus, MRNA vaccines claim to be able to fine-tune your immune system using advanced biological compounds. If you choose one of those paths, make an informed decision.
With the new Covid variants, IMO any help you may get against them should be considered.
I didn't read your reply until I replied Sofia🙂.
Thank you everyone for the insite. I get really confused and I am very concerned about side effects. (I will add that I stay quarentined 98% of the time. When I do have to leave my house I distance, mask up and all that stuff) A medical professional simplified it to me & said to me that the vax is used to train/teach your body to make antibodies to fight off flu's such as COVID, which is what my body did when I got sick. I would NEVER intentionally put anyone at risk.... but I really, really am scare of the side effects. I understand the percentages. But something is really telling me to hold off a bit. I saw a news clip in regards to the effects on pregnanies... Its so hard to know what to believe... what the 5 year effect? I will probably get the vax, but its causing me extreme anxiety.
You asked a good question and your concern is understandable.
It’s a matter of balancing the risk of a vaccine side effect vs the extra protection a vaccine might get you from covid.
I think our doctors are in a better position than us to balance that risk and almost all top cll doctors are recommending the vaccine, even if you have had covid. You might consider asking your doctor his or her opinion.
It’s a personal decision and you are doing the right thing in gathering info and other opinions to help you make the best choice for you. Good luck with whatever you decide.
in reply to Kmc383
Aside from some rare issues, short-term side effects are temporary and mostly harmless. Long-term side effects are mostly unknown. That said, the people with the best insight have been silenced by NDA’s. I would be willing to bet drug manufacturers are already working on medications to treat potential side effects in the future. In that regard, it’s a constant cycle.
Doctors are not all in agreement hence the hesitation. NIH and Mayo clinic write if we had the covid-19 disease we are a part of the herd immunity. Now granted they are not referring to CLL patients, but those without the obvious immunity problems.
NIH RESEARCH MATTERS
January 26, 2021
Lasting immunity found after recovery from COVID-19
At a Glance
• The immune systems of more than 95% of people who recovered from COVID-19 had durable memories of the virus up to eight months after infection.
• The results provide hope that people receiving SARS-CoV-2 vaccines will develop similar lasting immune memories after vaccination.
Just type in on your browser search. "NIH Covid herd Immunity"
I can send you the Mayo site as well if you want it.
Shepherd, here is the link: nih.gov/news-events/nih-res...
(to get the linked-effect, you have to copy and past the URL in the black address box at top of a page
The NIH article does not address the question whether people who have covid should get the vaccine as well. I did not see the Mayo article.
Natural immunity and vaccine immunity are different. I dont think it is known which provides longer immunity or which provides better immunity with potential variants.
I do not think t is unreasonable at all for someone who has had covid not to take the vaccine as well. So far as I know the recommendation is to take the vaccine even after having covid and I did not see the NIH article change that.
I agree that the NIH article did not enter into a discussion of whether one who had covid needed the vaccination also or not. My point was that they included the covid survivors in with the vaccinated as part of the herd immunity. The Mayo Clinic article did the same.
Just found it curious that many doctors think covid survivors should get the vaccination also, and yet the NIH and Mayo Clinic articles did not address this at all. This I believe causes hesitation on the part of some, though perhaps only a small part as the vaccinated may now out number the covid survivors or soon will.
"Up to 8 months" does not mean the protection quits at 8 months. That is science-speak for "We tested for 8 months and cannot comment on a longer period".
The worst reactions seem to be the second shot because the body is primed by the first shot. Get a 1 and done like the J&J. Plus, it is a more traditional technology and not a first-ever full scale roll-out of a totally new technology.
I don't know the answer to your question but I was sick with Covid in January and still booked my jab. None of us know how long the antibodies will last for and I'm not expecting my immune system to get amy better. I was terribly sick and very fortunate to recover but who knows...would my body fight through it next time in the same way? Who knows... so let's get jabbing!
A January 2021 column from BBC explains this wellbbc.com/news/health-52446965
In your case the first vaccine would be like the second shot for those who had no covid yet. A booster.
PaulaSVolunteer
Hi KMC,
I'm sorry to hear of your great anxiety re getting the jab. I understand how you wish there was more info out there. However, new info is being collected all the time, and hopefully will help to reassure you as time passes.
I've been encouraged to see that when problems do arise - like the tiny increase in clots with some vaccines, this is being openly discussed and not "covered up". (Eg the Astra-Zeneca vaccine is no longer recommended for under 30s)
I must admit that I had a very nasty reaction to my second AZ vaccine. High fevers, chills, shaking uncontrollably, extreme nausea.. But it had mostly passed after 24 hours. It was not nice, but I knew that others had suffered the same, and this sort of reaction is not life-threatening - unlike Covid infection itself.
You say your lifestyle is very secluded so you're unlikely to catch Covid. Do you know how you caught Covid the first time? However careful we may be about social distancing etc, there will be times when we have to take slight risks, even if it’s just attending medical appointments.
I think we’re all aware that as CLLers, vaccines are unlikely to give us complete protection, but as others have said, at least they boost our chances a bit if we do catch the infection.
Thinking of you,
Paula
Your body, your choice. The corporate-run medical industry is required to tell you to get the vaccine, wear a face mask, etc. Is it that different from a retail sales person told to talk you into those extra warranties for your vehicles tires, television, or cell phone? Remember it took 161 years to research, develop, & test the polio vaccine. Removing the irrational fears, mass media propaganda, and corporate doublespeak, get outside the echo chambers and make your own decision. Let others do the same.
If we stayed with the technology we had back when the first vaccines were developed, very few of us would live much beyond our first treatment, IF we survived through the infections in watch and wait. In the last 50 years, not only has our understanding of microbiology grown immensely, so has our ability to perform computer simulations to speed vaccine development. The computing power in the cell phone you mentioned would have required a warehouse and a small power station to house and power it, a maintenance team to support it and scientists and engineers to run it.
Neil
👏 great response referring to medical research advanced capabilities. Sandra
HopeME in reply to
The “corporate run-run medical industry” has eased so much pain and suffering in this world I am truly baffled by those who attack it. Compare what is happening India with respect to Covid to what is happening in the US and you tell me where you would rather be. Compare CLL pre novel agents to CLL today and tell me which era you would rather live in. We are talking night and day.
It’s a very personal decision and you shouldn’t let anyone, including doctors, pressure you into it. They would like you to believe there’s no choice but you have to the right to refuse it. The only way I am going to consider it as a CLL patient is when I am fully convinced that it’s safe and effective for me, and that hasn’t happened yet.
And it probably never will so I hope that your making the right choice for you. I had the vaccine and am fine. It may or may not be effective for CLL but I still tried and hope for a tamer course with the virus should I come in contact with it.
Mountainhiker:
How will you ever have the knowledge to understand the science behind vaccines? These are incredibly complex issues that require MD and PHD educations coupled with years of subsequent experience. You need to trust the professionals.
Best,
Mark
Because variants.
Ditto what everyone says. Your immunity will wear off eventually plus a vaccination will only strengthen the immunity you do now have. The question is “Why not?”
I don't believe health comes from an injection,my immune system is my best defense against viruses.You still have to wear a mask if you get the shot,you still can get the virus or terrible effects...many people in my state took the shot and still caught COV,there is an article about someone in my state that took it and now he is in a coma,this is not rare as the media like to put it...My friend brother in-law use to visit the coffee shop all the time until he got the shot,today is his funeral...My son's never caught it even though they have been around people that had COV...We are doing things naturally to protect ourself...be safe
Justasheet1 in reply to
Your immune system is the best defense but sadly CLL is a cancer of the immune system.
Sorry about your friends brother in law.
Foodheals, it’s not clear whether you’re someone with CLL/SLL or the carer of a CLL’er and generalised, unconnected advice may not be applicable to immune compromised people on this site who cannot rely on their immune system as you say you do.
Newdawn
I'm glad your questioning it. I would say You have more antibodies from surviving covid-19 then any vaccine will provide. I have read on here of people who did get c-19 survived it and have antibodies from it. My question is who is seeing the same results from this vaccine. ? You won't find many on here that say wait to get the vaccine. I've always Been a person to get my vaccines and my childrens. This is not a run of the mill vaccine. I would have your antibodies tested, and make a decision then . I'm sure I will be shamed for saying this on here or removed. Praise God for you are a survivor. God bless.
What has already said but from a different view.You have a unique experance/view point ,,, having had Covid... I'm assumeing it is something you would not like to go through again? So ,the experts say there is no reson NOT to get the vaccune even if you have had covid. So, maybe the real Q is why not get he vaccine, and the answer seems to be,,,, ( from the experts ) is,you should. At least that is my understanding.
Have you asked your hematologist?
Good luck and good health ,,,m
Blunt & funny; two minutes & fifty five seconds.
A message for people who don't want the COVID vaccine:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0sg9...
Jus to be clear: The above Youtube video, for all who may not know the source, Jimmy Kimmel is a comedian late night US talk show host and this is one of his farcical presentations.
The "Drs." are not real Drs., they are actors note that there are no credentials, just claims in regard to long times of study and working in the field of medicine.
Where is your evidence that they are not "real" doctors? I have no reason to think they are actors.
They give no credentials and it is a signature presentation by Jimmy Kimmel in which he is making the point to GET THE Vaccination. I watch Jimmy Kimmel and his presentations of farce are done with a straight face with a twinkle in the eye.
He does say they are actual Drs. I admit, but even so, the presentation is Jimmy's and he isn't a reliable truth teller when getting across his ideas of humor. And then, a couple of them claim to be medical workers, but not Drs.--at least one nurse.
Kmc383,
Aside from the challenge of politicized choosing to participate in slowing or stopping the spread of covid in a hypertensive media charged environment, We recognize that we have a disease of the immune system which puts us at risk.
It is not just about covid, it is about practicing behavior relative to our individual circumstances to protect us from "all immune compromise" while at the same time we do not compromise each other. E.g, replace the term "covid" above with any immune invader related term and consider the possibilities.
Consider -
From a personal conversation with an Nih director - "The term pandemic does not define the individuals measure of severity for a contraction, rather it depicts being widespread and highly contagious."
Comparatively in contrast it is suggested for example that the individual contraction death ratio for another highly contagious virus like ebola could be as high as 90% overall while covid is currently measured at 1%. Although ebola has a higher individual contraction death ratio, it produces severe symptoms and death in a more expeditious manner so far causing it to remain more local in nature producing less overall deaths.
In a nutshell - The possibility of severe illness or death due to covid instead of another deadly virus is presently much higher not because of the severity, but rather due to the probability from it continuing to be spread quickly abroad and the related medical shortcomings.
Although there may be exceptions in some cases, the reason for precaution in our case is weighted in the direction of caution. It appears currently that the vaccine benefit data is overwhelmingly positive in addition to being given at no charge in much of the U.S.
"If" successful outcome probability is a measure for consideration given the example above, then it is reasonable to be vaccinated for covid.
It is my view that each of us should follow the pattern of behavior supported by our individually chosen specialists. I also believe that it is important to have the highest quality of life possible without being fearful or promoting fear.
With regard to ("If" my body produced the antibodies) - The tools of measure are still in the engineering dept.
Be well,
JM
AussieNeilAdministrator
"OpenVAERS is a project developed by a small team of people with vaccine injuries or have children with vaccine injuries." So this is not independent reporting.
Debunked: reuters.com/article/uk-fact...
As we have seen previously, particularly when you have mass vaccination programs where you are vaccinating billions of individuals, there is the challenge of differentiating correlation with causation. There is a background incidence of symptoms which are reportable to VAERS, of which a proportion happen independently of a vaccination. This is why there are control arms in vaccination clinical trials - so you can look for statistical evidence beyond random chance that there is a difference in risk of specific events between the control and vaccinated arms. Incidentally that risk can be higher or lower. If there appears to be a correlation, that triggers research into finding a causative link.
Probably the most well known example of this type of investigation is the purported link between childhood vaccination and the incidence of autism. Now indications of possible autism begins to become apparent in children concurrently with when children are given life saving vaccinations. So there's a correlation between vaccination timewise, but is there a causative link? See: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...
Brief overview of autism scandal
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Wikipedia article
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/And...
If anyone doubts that childhood vaccinations save lives, then I encourage them to do as I have done - walk through cemeteries going back to the at least the early 1900s and observe the huge difference in childhood deaths then and now from diseases we just don't hear about any more. Sadly, we only recently had further measles outbreaks causing entirely preventable deaths, due to continuing and totally unwarranted concerns over MMR vaccinations and autism, as many studies have totally debunked the purported link.
Deer, the journalist who uncovered the autism fraud, writes: “Courage in science isn’t proving yourself right. It’s in your efforts to prove yourself wrong.”
Neil
you don’t need any vaccine. You already had the covid.
I’m not sure if you realise you’ve replied to a post that’s been inactive for a year.
A previous Covid-19 infection is no guarantee against getting infected again. That’s why people are advised to get whatever Covid-19 vaccine they are due, even if they’ve been infected, provided at least three months has passed since their most recent infection. This is especially important for the immunocompromised.
Further information about the timing of Covid-19 vaccines can be found in our pinned post: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...
We've had this discussion before, but hybrid immunity; infection plus vaccination, gives you the best immunity. I posted more evidence of this just a few days ago:
healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...
Just look at the antibody titres obtained in the right hand results. Perhaps some felt ill for a while as you've mentioned previously, but they are now much better equipped to fend off another COVID-19 infection.
Neil
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