I’m extremely lucky and am in contact with a super head of the vaccination clinic at my hospital. She has pushed me in for an early second vaccine next week instead of end of April. Will this make any difference? Research seems to say that we should be having a second Pfizer three weeks after the first, which is as it was originally scheduled when the vaccine was first released.
If you are concerned, don’t sit back and let the doctors tell you what to do. Beat the drums. It isn’t they who have a blood cancer - it’s you.
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Loubprv
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Well done you Louise.Iam treated in France as you probably know,I had my Pfizer vacs some time ago 3 weeks apart at the hospital I call my 'maison secondaire',hubby too...in spite of the negative press re vacs here ,they are looking after those who need it. It seems in U K you must be as assertive as you are to push for the second one.Hope all else is well with you and family ,the grand child giving you great pleasure and a ' raison d' etre'.Very Best to you.Sally
Hi Sally,Lovely to hear from you and all well here. The boys are two now, Claire phoned on Christmas Eve and said “ mum, you’re in tier two, we’re in tier two, we thought we might come up for Christmas for a few days”
They did, and stayed for a month!
I have to say I was a bit relieved to see them go, but it was great to have them for so long and we bubbled so didn’t see anyone else.
James is a captain with easy jet and has been furloughed for almost a year, which has been wonderful for all of them. He does however have regular SIM tests so they’re being tested ready to go again.
We probably won’t see them now until they’ve both had their vaccines as well.
I’ve offered to be a guinea pig at my hospital ( 3rd vaccine and antibody test)which also does teaching and research so we’ll see.
You really have to stick up yourself over here. I managed to wiggle my way in by emailing the ceo of the trust. The problem with a lot of doctors is that they just don’t get how worrying it can be. I find it irritating that those who inflict harm on themselves by smoking, overeating and drinking too much are treated pronto and are being pushed in ahead of those who really need help.
France I reckon has always had an excellent health care system, we have friends in the south and Oliver had a knee transplant years ago - he said the speed of the operation and the care were outstanding.
Fingers crossed for us all, and chins up! All will be well.
Thanks Louise for your very interesting mail back to me. Ithought there was just one baby ,I must have missed posts.How great to have family with you for a month,we haven't seen our daughter & son in law for a year,our Covid rules here have been very strict,we are still a 6 am to 6 pm curfew,everyone obeys as the fines for not complying are huge.I did remember your son was an airline captain,hopefully he will be back soon & we can have our daughter fly in as in normal times she does often.
Yes ,health care here is very good,a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer in Dec,straight into hospital,now recovering.Another friend had replacement knee op two weeks ago.I have just had cataract ops.
You are tested of course before ops even if you are vaccinated, the hospitals are immaculate ,your own room & bathroom .....I know it's
excellent.I have a great nurse who comes to the house for my monthly blood tests,same consultant now for nearly 12 yrs,we are practically
related !!!!
But !!I miss my daughter and getting back home as we always have done.
Let's hope the vaccination programme chases away this ghastly Covid.
Good Luck to you for the testing .
We are South West,fortunately hardly any infections ,tho there were some last Summer after the tourists piled in.
Have to add how MPN Voice is a great help to me & my consultant is always interested in what is said at the forums.
Thanks again Louise ,so many new people on the site, good to hear from a 'Longtimer',Keep safe and well....Xxx
Thanks Sally,What a wonderful part of France! Lucky you. I must admit the longer we’re in Blighty the more I keep thinking, where can we go to get away from all this madness - that horrid completely staged interview with Mr and Mrs Harry Wales, football fans in their hundreds ignoring Covid advice and marauding in the streets, raves, idiots who don’t know how to wear masks properly.......it goes on!
Even though we live in a lovely quiet area, I and friends often say “ crikey, where can we go?”
I’ve had my consultant who’s an mpn specialist and completely wonderful for 8 years after I decamped from a local madman who I’d put up with for four years.
I said “ how about first names Tim, you’re going to be growing with me and seeing me more frequently than I see my family!”
I should think it’s jolly sight warmer with you than it is here.
One degree and hail in sunny Cumbria......
Maz has my email address if you’d like it, we can chunner on occasionally without filling up this space, and I know we’re not supposed to put our email addresses here.
Or chat maybe...Lovely Leslie,Sandancer,lost to us last year,kept me going with chat as we both progressed to M F..I miss her mails on chat ,cannot even delete them yet.Have not seen the Ginge & Winge interview...how dare they insult the Queen and what she stands for.
A lot of English friends have returned to U K because of Brexit,now sorry they left. We love England or rather what it used to be..like you we lived in North Yorks,on fairly isolated farms ,beautiful as the Lake District in a different way. We began to feel that the rural life was changing with the city people moving in,,,,Here too there is respect for older people.....I think the city life is as hectic as U K.......,Our area is peaceful ,beautiful,lovely Bastide villages but Bordeaux & Toulouse in easy reach,Pyrenees
a couple of hours away ,Spain too.
Hot dry summers ,mild short winters. It's a Rugby area which suits hubby........Agree with your remarks of the crazy football fans etc ,etc.Yes taking up space .I think I saw your e mail somewhere,will try chat. Thanks again for today's chat ,cheered me had some down days lately. XxxSally
Hi Inca. I’m glad you have had your vaccines. Unfortunately not all parts of France are good! I live near Tarbes and although I have letter from my consultant stating my risk I cannot get the vaccine. There are no appointments at any vaccination centres for another 28 days, pharmacies don’t know if and when they will be getting supplies so won’t offer appointments. I applied to join health system in November and again in January (first application got lost) and still no social security number so can’t register with GP and therefore can’t get one that way either. Very worried and disappointed.
Oh I am so sorry you are so worried about your vac. I was not aware there are problems in other areas.We are on the Fr Health System ,have been since U K Ministry of whatever refused to pay my M P N care here.Try not get to get too down,it's hard to cope with life at the moment.
Brexit has caused a lot of problems for Brits living here,Health care being one of them.I really hope you soon get your vacs & carte vitale soon.
French officialdom for anything is terribly slow,have you been here long ?
Will keep fingers X for you ,keep safe and strong ,sure you will soon get your vac.....actually had mine at my usual hospital in Agen...next month they are starting vacs at our Drs surgery in the small village 10 minutes from us ,so don't give up hope,things are getting going.Ver Best to you Elliepops.Pensees Chaleureuse.Sally
That's a relief for you ,just spoken to some friends in Dordogne who are waiting for their vacs....so seems some places are slower than others.Keep safe &wwell.Sally
Hi Louise, this was based on very small perhaps 1 person with an MPN in this cohort.The clinical staff are following government advice. Best wishes, Maz
Its a difficult one, and for me I would be concerned about second guessing what is currently in place.
The very limited survey was on the Pfizer vaccine so understand concerns, but for the AZ vaccine there is evidence that the 12 week gap improves protection over an earlier second jab.
My concern on the AZ one would be pushing for an early second dose off the back of a very limited survey might be detrimental in the long run.
Because of the pace of the vaccination program, its inevtible the 12 week gap isnt going to work for everyone, but there is growing evidence for the population as a whole this is the way forward and many countries who questioned the approach are now following suit.
Lets not forget its not just how much we are protected but the protection of others too as real world data is showing after just one jab prevents transmission to others by about 66%, which is very significant.
So the more people with those levels of protection its better for all of us, even if our own level of protection is diminished due to our medical condition.
I was referring in my post only to the Pfizer vaccine and not the Oxford vaccine.
News reports yesterday remember, related to the Pfizer vaccine - and not as yet to the Oxford vaccine.
I wholeheartedly agree that we shouldn’t panic or put the wind up everyone.
However I have always been very proactive re my health. No one will look after you like you do, as my consultant says.
I must stipulate that the teaching hospital I attend actually contacted me last night, to offer an earlier vaccine than the proposed 12 weeks.
I didn’t contact them.
When the Pfizer vaccine was developed and released it was recommend that there was a second vaccine administered after three weeks, as Sally above, says happened in France.
So, let’s all sit back, wait, and take the advice that the doctors may or may not give you.
My understanding of the research is that it's actually more beneficial to have a longer interval between the two vaccinations. I wouldn't necessarily think it's a good idea to get a second one too early.
You can go to the clinical trial data published by Pfizer as a starting point. Then Oxford where later stage studies showed the time interval increased efficacy. John Campbell is also a great source - daily videos highlighting the specific research studies. Or just look beyond the UK - other countries are following the exact clinical trial time intervals from Pfizer/Moderna/etc.
Hi I had the Pfizer jab 6 weeks ago and emailed my GP yesterday morning following the research announcement, asking if it was possible to bring 2nd jab forward when supplies allow. Just as I was about to sit down to dinner last night the clinic called to say they had one spare dose if I could get there in 30 minutes - I was there in 20!
As they say "the squeaky wheel gets the oil"
I feel very relieved and lucky, but sometimes you have to make your own luck.
Good for you! Here in the states we get our 2nd shot of Pfizer after 3 weeks.. I get my 2nd this Monday & I am nervous but so relieved. I had a very hard time getting our appts.
Wow! Lucky you. You really have to stick up for yourself these days. What we need now is specific research into the immunity of all different types of blood cancers and immunity. I have volunteered to have a third vaccine if necessary - - 3 weeks after the second - with antibody tests in between. Fortunately I attend a teaching hospital so we ll see. I have a feeling a third vaccine won’t be sanctioned.
Of course when gps and even ordinary folk look at this, in many cases they don’t grasp exactly how worried many patients are Louise
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