Well after much delaying and a couple of prompting emails I finally found time to do my Covid Antibody test sent by Imperial College London / Ipsos MORI on behalf of Dept for Health and Social Care. Closing date 25th May.
As i hope you can see from the attached photo it would appear my test was positive as this pic was taken a good while after I did it so the lines have faded a tad though the red line at the top next to C was more pink than red but my middle line next to G went a bold red very quickly. With a faint line next to M.
Not that I'm reassured by it because of the supposed inaccuracy of the test kit which has been mentioned previously. But I said I would post my result whatever.
I am hopeful that I might be able to persuade my Haematologist to do one in the lab which should be reliable. If not soon then maybe after the planned booster jab later in the year.
Stay Safe !!
Chris
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Hi Chris! Well that looks like good news. I presume that means you will be around 90 to 97% immune to this ghastly virus? Hope for us all then knowing what you ve been through and all the drugs you ve had. So “Soldier On dear boy “ as my father would have said, and join the throngs. Well maybe not the throngs, but at least you can go out and have a pint!
Good to hear from you Chris. Hopefully sometime soon we’ll get some clarification. It’s so frustrating to not know for sure whether or not we’re safe. My sister has elected not to have the vaccine so I may never get to be close to her again. So terribly confusing. At least we’re still here to spur each other along. Best of luck to you. xx
Hi Buddin it's lovely to hear from you how's Tennesee , not too hot just now , , I hope you are keeping and feeling well in yourself , , it's been quite tough getting to this point in the fight for freedom. Some clarification would be good but I'm not sure we will get it easily. I think we have to learn to coexist with Covid and rely on our scientists to re-engineer the vaccines to remain a step ahead. It's a pity your Sister has opted out I hope she doesn't regret her choice. Chris x
Hi Louise trust you are as well as. . , i remain immuno- suppressed so I won't be changing the habits of the past year or more in a hurry. Just carry on using a common sense (possibly !) approach. I'm quite comfortable going to my local club for a pint , I was sad they had to close last lockdown because of all the safety measures they invested in. This time they're not opening fully until June 21st assuming it remains go live. I will ease into it. Chris x
Hi Chris, the results are looking good lets hope they are correct and that you have antibodies, this is the only way to go.
Did mine on Tuesday with Oxford University, ONS, and the Government study so hoping that it will show some antibodies, as this will be every month until Apr of next year keeping my fingers crossed that at least one will show up positive. 🥴 what annoyed me was that normally I can prick myself and bleed like mad but could I extract enough this time, had to use two fingers to get barely 5ml, both ended up bruised, never known this before as I am normally free flowing, drank plenty of water, warmed my hands the lot, but NO it did not want to come out, hope it better next time.
Hi Jean , , obviously I hope I do have antibodies in case I cop for it or a variation of it. I can't think of anything worse than being hospitalised and ventilated. I hope your recent test or as you say future ones come back positive. Isn't it just typical that when you need to bleed you can't , it happened to me lots when testing my blood sugars. This time I actually couldn't stop my finger bleeding for a good 7 or 8 minutes so maybe my Platelets have dipped. They were 113 a few weeks back.
Hi SuperwomanSorry to hear you had trouble getting blood, this has been my issue with my regular blood tests usually have to drink enough water that I feel like I am rolling to my test. I would be very interested in signing up to the Oxford ONS and Gov antibodies trial, do you have the link so I can enquire please
Hi Mandy, I was invited last year to do these covid tests every month, not sure it was because I was classed as clinically extremely vulnerable not sure, think there are a few of us on here who were invited by different establishments to go on these trials for covid, you could look on the Oxford University or ONS/Government website and see if they have anything on there about testing trials.Jean
Yes you're right Carolyn I never lose sight of that , I did mean to add it's obviously better than a flat negative result regardless of the test infallibility. I'm generally a glass half guy. Chris
Yes Mary , , it or maybe they will taste all the sweeter. I like a drink of an evening at home but I much prefer a drink in a social setting , always been a club going guy ever since I started work at 17 and joined the sports and social club which had its clubhouse on site. It was open in the evenings and the hand pumped Boddington bitter was 22p a pint. But my weekly wage was only very modest around £11 a week i think. How times have changed I read that to recoup losses some London pubs / bars were charging over £7 a pint. Hope my club isn't !! Chris
As you say Phil at least some there , , I guess if I have any it may well,be a similar result. I'm not losing sleep and it changes nothing in the short to longer term in terms of my going about things.
That’s a good result. I had it done too, mine was 2239, my husband’s was only 574, but he’s immunocompromised, however, anything above 0.8 is a positive.
Yes moo196 don't worry i won't be dashing out with gay abandon, we've all got our part to play for a time yet and it concerns me that many folk will think it's all gone away after June 21st if that date remains in force. I'm acutely aware that if I do get Covid it's very likely to hit hard as even a simple cold floors me nowadays. I also have an elderly Father to attend and though he's had it he might nt be so lucky if he gets it again. One of the upsides to the majority wearing masks, using gel etc is there isn't the numbers going down with colds and flu. Chris
I had to go to a funeral of a dear friends husband on Wednesday. He was a very popular man so there were loads of people outside the crematorium but Stef and I were the only people wearing a mask. I couldn’t believe it. We were so concerned that we decided not to go in but wait at the exit to speak to his wife. People were just huddling in groups, no distancing, no masks. It’s scary that people actually think this pandemic is over but am just waiting for lockdown number 4.
Gosh Jill that's really worrying , , exactly what I fear might happen as we move closer to mid June. We too assess the risk attached to the things we do whether forced like appts, needing supplies or voluntary like attending a funeral, casual shopping , etc often if it's mobbed we turn away or wait to one side until it's quieter in our masks of course. There's no wiggle room for complacency just yet I feel. C x
I am so pleased that you received a positive result Chris. You go and enjoy the world but be careful. I wish I knew why I had no antibodies. I am still gutted x
You might have because as we said and the accompanying letter said that test isn't accurate at an individual level. So I might not have.I was of course being flippant about thoughts of freedom but it's a good job we're both sensible enough to keep our guard up regardless of any test outcome because it doesn't prevent you getting it or passing it on. Chris x
Glad to hear you have antibodies. To encourage others, I have PV and part of Oxford survey testing bloods every month. Test taken 8 weeks after my first vaccine and showing positive for antibodies. Hope for us all🙂
Hi Hopetohelp, , that's fantastic, , I certainly would hold much more store in your test results if they're done remotely than the home test I did. Thanks for sharing this news it does give hope and the days ahead are looking much brighter than they did this time last year. 🙌Chris
Thanks Minu68 . .,. Yes my middle line turned red very quickly much to my surprise and it does mention the lines can be very faint as my bottom one was. I just wish the test was more reliable and will seek a lab test if possible through my clinic appts. Chris
So glad to hear that, Chris. It’s a great feeling to get out in the world again and get back to some form of normalcy. My building finally has taken away the mask mandate for vaccinated people, but you are on the honor system if you haven’t been vaccinated. So we’ll see how that goes. Best of luck to you.
Yes Cindy it's a tough one where you have a mix of vax and non vax , I wouldn't like to rely on an honor system here but I think some of that depends on whether those folk have chosen to opt out or not yet been invited to the party. I may be out of line but my feeling is the anti vax folk may be less inclined to wear a mask. It's seemed that way at film I've seen of their demonstrations. As you say any steps toward normalcy are good ones.
I don’t think you’re out of line at all, although I hope the anti-vaccine people would have enough sense to wear a mask. Well not everyone has enough sense, unfortunately.
Hi Bluetop, , yes I'm hopeful that if Covid sticks around and as time moves on these type of tests may be improved and freely available also that immuno compromised peops or those with underlying conditions will be tested routinely at their clinics. Hope you are well. Chris
Well I'm sure you know I'm not given to worrying overly much, , I've been out and about food shopping for some time now but avoid busier times which works for me. I will be going to my club for a beer when it opens but it's low risk as they've put good safety measures in place. I hope you feel comfortable going out and getting on with your life.
I had a random antibody test too - and was pleased that mine was also positive: I’dhsf Pfizer jabs. I have PMF and I’m Inter2 and delighted to be back in touch with this group.
That's a result then Rachel , , I hope you're on an even keel with your MF being at Inter 2 , it seems and is a good while since I was there and hopeful that the Ruxolitinib would see me right for a few years. I'm delighted that you're back in touch with the group 😃
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Really red faced and feeling like I was going to pass out and sweating 
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