Spike Protein Antibody Test (UK)

[RobertCLL]

Can anyone recommend a UK company that performs the Spike Protein Antibody (testing for vaccination antibodies)?

[bennevisplace]

TestingforAll testingforall.org/product/c... which other members have used, and Monitormyhealth monitormyhealth.org.uk/covi... which I have used and saves you £6.

These two provide the same kit, the well regarded Roche Elecsys test.

[RogerPinner]

Robert, you may find that as you are I suspect immune suppressed, your hospital are happy to include a spike protein test along with your regular blood tests. Roger

[IWVC in reply to RogerPinner]

Roger, Robert, Not all hospitals / Haematology teams will provide spike protein / antibody testing. I've been refused (again) one to be added to my yearly blood tests due the end of this month.

Ian C

[RogerPinner in reply to IWVC]

Ian, did they give you a reason, eg they don't have the facility, or were they just being awkward? It seems to me that if they know that you are immune -suppressed, they should be as interested as you to know if you've made antibodies! Roger

[mrsjsmith in reply to RogerPinner]

Roger and Ian,

I have also been refused twice and just told its not something the hospital offers ! And I don’t think being awkward and definitely have the facilities.

Colette

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to mrsjsmith]

My hospital won’t offer it due to other testing pressures. The reason I chose ‘Monitor my Health’ for private testing is because it directly funds the NHS being conducted at a NHS hospital elsewhere. Clearly they do have the additional resources in that area to conduct them.

Newdawn

[mrsjsmith in reply to Newdawn]

Thank you,

Yes I have thought about using them, and then I wonder if I really want to know, or is ‘ignorance bliss’.

Colette

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to mrsjsmith]

I wonder to what extent we can be sure the result correlates with outcomes in the event of contracting Covid to be honest Colette. I had a nil antibody response and have severely depleted immunoglobulins plus I was on treatment. However, when I became infected with Covid, I had a pretty easy time compared to some infections I’ve had. Granted I had a Sotrovimab infusion on the 4th day but even up to that point, the impact thankfully wasn’t that severe.

Newdawn

[mrsjsmith in reply to Newdawn]

Agreed ! There are so many other issues to throw into the mix. So although I am being reasonably careful I am going out and seeing a small number of people, but mask always in shops, hospitals and public transport. I am worried that I mustn’t turn into those annoying old ladies you dread standing behind at the checkout who want to talk.

Colette 🤔

[IWVC in reply to mrsjsmith]

I don't think it is lack of testing capacity, the haematology dept have a policy that no one gets offered tests regardless of their medical situation. I agree that there are a LOT of issues to consider, but now there are several studies to determine the rate of decline of antibodies, so the next dose of vaccine can be optimally timed. In my view, this negates the argument that "we don't know what a necessary level of antibodies for protection is", the initial excuse I was given 2 years ago. Omicron seems to be less dangerous (to the majority of sufferers, at least) and one argument is that "most" people have now been vaccinated, developed antibodies and consequently sped up a response to it. (However, another biological explanation is that it is of no benefit to a virus to kill its host; a variant which allows its host to live and therefore allow the virus to spread is better for the survival of the virus. Take your choice ) My wife recently visited her family in Sri Lanka and the whole family contracted COVID. 3 generations with an age range of 80+ to young teens. All had been vaccinated to some degree - my wife and another sister from the UK 3 times, and the others 1 (the two kids), 2 or three times. No one suffered badly from COVID. I do not want to go out partying every week or anything, and will not reduce the precautions I currently take significantly. But it would be less stressful for me if I knew that I had some reasonable protection and could take the occasional calculated risk. Being on W&W I still feel that a significant proportion of the medical profession do not consider me significantly vulnerable and if I contracted COVID the route to the promised antivirals may not be as straightforward as the NHS letter implies. Consequently, I stay at home unless absolutely necessary - and I'm fed up!

Ian C

[mrsjsmith in reply to IWVC]

Totally agree Ian,

I tried citing various consultants I had heard on webinars saying they were offering testing but my consultant wasn’t interested. I am on Ibrutinib and have low IG levels but because I live on my own I need to go out for my own sanity, otherwise I will be talking to the furniture 🙄

Colette