Anyone have antibodies after COVID-19 vaccine?

[anne627]

I had the antibody spike protein test and have a negative result. If that happened to you, are you out there in public, seeing people? I will have my transplant 27 years next month.

[MomofRecipient]

Hi Anne. My son is 2 years post-transplant. He received the Pfizer vaccine & his antibody test is also negative. He was very sad & apprehensive, His transplant doctor said that while he may still get the disease, they still believe the vaccine will prevent him from getting the most severe form of the disease. Yet he is to take the same precautions (masks, social distancing, vaccinated family only indoors but with masks still, etc). He lives with us so we do not go out to eat, minimal shopping, lots of outdoor activity. Stay safe.

[anne627 in reply to MomofRecipient]

MomoRecipient, thanks for your reply. I have been playing it very safe so far. I have to find out what my doctor thinks. He will probably tell me to keep doing what I have been doing. I was hoping to finally eat out. I also did my blood tests in a lab in Fl along with other blood tests and the doctor in NY has to get them all before I hear back. Good luck to your son. I hope he stays safe too.

[LisaSnow in reply to MomofRecipient]

Do you know which antibody test he took?

[MomofRecipient in reply to LisaSnow]

Coronavirus (Covid-19) PCR - serum test

[LisaSnow in reply to MomofRecipient]

That sounds like a test to see if you have the virus in the blood. It isn't an antibody test.

[MomofRecipient in reply to LisaSnow]

I am sorry Lisa. He had the SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody test. I looked at the wrong test. He was non-reactive.

[LisaSnow in reply to MomofRecipient]

IgG is one of the antibody tests that turn positive after one having had a real life COVID infection. It isn't surprising if it tested negative after immunization. The test specific to vaccine response is the spike protein antibody test.

[anne627 in reply to LisaSnow]

Lisa, My test is called SARS COV 2 AB (IGG) SPIKE, SEMI QN. Is it the right test?

[LisaSnow in reply to anne627]

The name of your test suggests it is specific for the spike protein but it is a "semi quantitative" test which indicates a "threshold" testing. For example, it can't read it as positive unless your body generated a whole bunch. The test I had is quantitative so it has a much wider range of readability. That's why experts ask people to not put much weigh in reading these results because they are not uniform across labs (yet). Every assay uses different protocol and detection formula. There is no way to know if your result will be the same if tested at another lab. Please try not to worry.

[anne627 in reply to LisaSnow]

Thanks, Lisa. I am a worrier, but there isn’t much I can do about this.

[LisaSnow in reply to anne627]

Also, timing matters. This shows you if you took the antibody test too soon after immunization your IgG antibody would not have developed yet, if too long after it may have decreased too much that became undetectable (which is why the booster vaccine is important).

[anne627 in reply to LisaSnow]

I took the test 29 days after the 2nd Moderna vaccine. I haven’t heard of a booster out yet. Are you in the US? When would one take the booster?

[LisaSnow in reply to anne627]

I don't know when or if booster will become available anywhere. If we continue to wear mask, quarantine as needed and stay diligent, there is no need to be too worried now that you have been vaccinated. Stay happy and healthy!

[LisaSnow in reply to anne627]

BTW, congratulations for your 27 years! How amazing!

[anne627 in reply to LisaSnow]

Thank you so much! Thanks for your help.

[MomofRecipient in reply to LisaSnow]

Thanks, Lisa. So do you think he should ask for that test? One would think his transplant doctor would know which test to order, but doesn't really impress me.

[MomofRecipient in reply to LisaSnow]

Lisa, his pharmacy is offering the ECO Test. They couldn't tell if it was quantitative. May I ask your thoughts on that test? Is it worth trying as only $25.

[LisaSnow in reply to MomofRecipient]

I do not know what ECO test is. But I agree with the experts in the article below that it is not worth the worries to test for antibodies at this time. Please take a read:creakyjoints.org/living-wit...

[MomofRecipient in reply to LisaSnow]

Thanks for your kind thoughts.

[LisaSnow in reply to MomofRecipient]

I know it is always a worry when virus can be deadly, but what we do know is that antibodies is only one component of many for our immune defense system, and each assay is one point in time of a response with many possible reading errors from the current technology. Even though I had a positive reading I STILL do not go out unless I have to, and always double-mask with at least two types of sanitizers (spray and gel) when I do go out. As the community getting more and more % of people vaccinated everyone is becoming relatively "safer" but we are not there yet. So don't let this piece of puzzle make you feel worried or stressed.

[MomofRecipient in reply to LisaSnow]

and the great article!

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

I am 21+ years post transplant and had the Moderna vaccine. About 2 weeks after the 2nd shot of the vaccine they tested me and I am positive for antibodies.

[anne627 in reply to WYOAnne]

WYOAnne, it is great that you have antibodies. I had the second Moderna vaccine on March 11 and had the test on Fri. April 9. I had the results that my test was negative for antibodies on Sat. in the Quest Labs ap. I probably got it faster than the Transplant Clinic will. On may 8, I will have my kidney 27 years.

[FrankF]

From what I have heard, if you take Cellcept or Imuran you are going to have a blunted response to the vaccine.

[anne627 in reply to FrankF]

Yes, I heard that too. I take Celcept.

[FrankF in reply to anne627]

the same article I read said that for those patients on cellcept or Imuran a third vaccine injection might help. I am wishing all the best for you .

[anne627 in reply to FrankF]

Frank F, I didn’t know that you can get a third shot.

[FrankF in reply to anne627]

right now you can't. It was just a supposition in an article that I read as a prospective therapy to patients that are on cellcept or imuran who had blunt responses to the vaccine.

[MomofRecipient in reply to FrankF]

Hi Frank, could you post that article or give the URL if you still have it? My son's transplant doctor said a third vaccination would not help.

[FrankF in reply to MomofRecipient]

This is from facebook:

Beth Pottiger Gorman

1tl4S hpoagnstreotrmssed ·

Just got this email from my transplant team at Johns Hopkins. I had written to Dr. Kraus to ask about antibody development in transplant patients. In addition to telling me they still have no idea what the presence of antibodies means, how long they last, if they really help. He also said:

“During the last 2 weeks we have become aware of about 20 of our transplant patients who have developed a COVID infection despite being fully vaccinated. This rate appears to be far higher than for the general population. We therefore are strongly urging that you do not let your guard down and continue to mask and socially distance. We are trying to determine if our patients will need a third dose or need to receive monoclonal antibodies periodically. This is all being assessed currently with no final protocols developed.”

Just sharing info from Hopkins.

Stay mindful!!!

[MomofRecipient in reply to FrankF]

Thank you, Frank. We will remain mindful and appreciate the information. Stay safe.

[anne627 in reply to FrankF]

Doesn’t sound encouraging, Frank. Thanks for the information.

[Hidden in reply to FrankF]

Do you know when Johns Hopkins will publish immunogenicity results related to the second vaccine? The first study showed 17% of organ recipients having no antibody response to the vaccine--eager to see the next set of data?

[anne627 in reply to Hidden]

My doctor didn’t know.

[Transplant2014 in reply to FrankF]

I got my second Moderna shot on March 13th and one month later the Antibody test came with Positive result (I am participating in John Hopkins research). The same test was Negative one month after the first vaccination. I also take Celcept.

[anne627 in reply to Transplant2014]

I am glad you have antibodies.

[connecting]

I got the Pfizer vaccine. I'm 17 years post tx and take Celcept. I had a robust positive spike protein antibody response, but I'm still not going out in public and seeing people. Who knows how protective these antibodies are for immunocompromised people! I'm not taking any chances until case numbers go down where I live.

[anne627 in reply to connecting]

connecting, I don't blame you for being so cautious. Some people do get Covid even though they had both doses of the vaccine.

[sujay1991 in reply to connecting]

Did you have any side effects after the second dose ?

[anne627 in reply to sujay1991]

No, I had no side effects.

[connecting in reply to sujay1991]

I had side effects after both shots. Fatigue and headache (and sore arm) after the first shot, and for about 48 hours after the second shot I had chills, fever, and muscle aches. Don't let that put you off from getting vaccinated, though! It was totally worth it and I was 100% back to normal a couple of days later.

[May4]

I had my antibodies checked after one month after the J&J vaccine and no antibodies as part of the John's Hopkins study. Will check again at 3 month mark. I'm still being very careful, staying mostly home with occasional distanced visits to see my parents who are both vaccinated.

[anne627 in reply to May4]

I have a video visit with my dr. on Thursday. I will ask him if I should retest.

[Morello]

I am 8 years post kidney transplant, 3 months post second dose of Pfizer vaccine. Reading the recent studies on Covid Immune response in KT patients, I am re-evaluating my probable covid immune status - had airplane travel plans this week... thinking about canceling. Thoughts, anyone?

[anne627 in reply to Morello]

Ask your doctor if it is safe for you to travel by plane. I don’t want to travel in my case.