Hope you’re all well, I did a Covid antibody test with Lloyds as I’ve got lots of events coming up and I really wanted to know if I had some level of protection. I had my second Pfizer jab beginning of April and although it’s come back positive my joy was short lived when I saw the antibody result was 176.0. From my preliminary research it goes up to 2,500 so 176 seems worryingly low. Anyone have any insights or have done the test as well? I’m currently on a biologic and steroids, many thanks for any info!
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Domhem
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I’m hoping I’ve understood it wrongly but I don’t think I have! I’ve got a wedding this weekend, family coming from America in two weeks and a big event in September and now I’m worried. I think I really need that booster! Maybe get the test and it might be a nice surprise
I'm definitely going to invest in some masks offering higher protection (FFP2 type) just for going out and about around my town. The very changeable weather has made socialising outdoors almost impossible for me recently so I've been stuck at hoe most of the time. It's the flight to Rome for the wedding that's worrying me more than anything - the recycled air in the cabin can't be avoided!
Yes I can understand your worry, the boosters are starting in September, could you get it before you fly in October and then will offer more protection. Maybe speak to your GP
Yes, thanks, I'm certainly going to try to get my booster jab at least three weeks before I fly. I'm seeing my rheumy consultant next week for a F2F appointment and will ask for his advice and help. 🤞Good luck to you with all your impending events. x
Hi Hope you get answers from your F2F ,can I be cheeky and ask do you mind letting us know how you get on. I'm thinking of asking advice from my RA nurse about this anti body test and the booster in September. Xxx
I will if I get any answers. In The Times today Dr Mark Porter, who has a column and is a working GP, wrote that the GPs have not had any information so far other than rollout begins in early September.
Hi Lolabridge - I have done some 'research' on masks giving ultra protection and, though they are expensive, the FFP3 model is the mask of choice for us CEV people. You are doing the right thing - keep distanced, wear the FFP3 mask and take all the precautions you took at the onset of this pandemic. Protection for the immune suppressed is generally forecaset as 30% ... The booster has also been questioned regarding efficacy. A new blood test testing for the presence of B and T cells is to be approved in the next few months which gives us more hope of accuracy. Octave is due to be presented to the Government during this month. Good luck!
I flew recently and was told the air isn’t just recycled.. it’s filtered completely to remove viruses throughout the flight. We were also told not to wipe down the seats and trays as every surface is thoroughly treated with a chemical that destroys all pathogens for 24hours and shouldn’t be removed. When coming from abroad at the moment , everyone on board will have been tested in previous two days. I hope this will help you make a decision as to whether the benefits outweighs the risk .
From what I understand the air is really highly filtered on planes, but at the same time you have the loading and unloading and the airports to contend with...along with the hanging around near so many other people. I would be feeling the way that you do, but I agree with Domhem that talking to your GP to make sure your booster jab was prioritised would be a good place to start before you make a final decision either way.
I won't have a test either. I would rather live with the hope that I have enough than be told I haven't. I think your problem is how you would feel about missing your daughter's wedding. Could you live with that? I know you are worried about the flight but it is a relatively short flight to Rome. I think it is about 2 1/2 hours. Try to reduce your risk by wearing a double mask, and gloves and face away from the person you are sat next to. Don't eat or drink. I think the air recycling units are good on planes too so that won't be as bad as you think. Have you discussed it with your daughter? How does she feel or how would she feel if you weren't there? In the end it is your decision. I really feel for you. It is a difficult one to make. x
Thank you for your suggestions Sheila. No I haven’t discussed it with my daughter yet. I’m praying for a miracle first because I do really want to go. X
I know you do and you will. Things could all have changed by then either for better or for worse. The decision may be taken out of your hands. Either way it will work out for the best. x
That would be so very sad so I really hope that by then you will have had a booster jab and be able to go to your daughter's big day. I can understand your reluctance to get a test done...it's a two way thing, isn't it...you'd be overjoyed to find you had a good level of protection but incredibly downcast to find the opposite. xx
Happy it was positive. From what I can gather noone knows what level of antibodies is needed or what type. As this test doesn't test for a T cell response it is only partial information but I'm glad I did it. Also, it is only at a point in time and it could have changed by now. We are very lucky to live in a country where we have been offered a vaccine so early and have a Government that had such forethought over its vaccine policy. We will be getting boosters before many will have had their first jab.
Well I got 10.9 u/mg so I guess your result is pretty good compared to mine 😃 (when I had my jabs I was on Olumiant and Leflunomide). I'm not too concerned about my result though - no one knows yet what level of antibodies is needed to for protection against severe illness from Covid. I just wanted to know whether I had antibodies at all or if I maybe needed the jabs redone.
I posted about this a few weeks ago and there were many extremely useful replies regarding antibody tests and how to interpret the results (maybe you'll find it by typing "antibody test" into the search engine).
Thank you for this, yes I had a read earlier at some other posts and it seems lots of mixed information. It does still seem I (we) have low levels and a higher result is better but there are no guarantees. The boosters are starting in September so fingers crossed! As you say though, there are still antibodies and it is positive which is great in itself!
Exactly, I was proud to have antibodies at all 😅! I think the booster is a great idea, here (I'm in Switzerland) they'll probably be offered from December onwards.
I don;t know if this is much help "At the moment we do not know what constitutes a high, low or average level of antibodies in the population. However, as a guide, NHS Blood and Transplant are targeting people who have antibody levels higher than 62 U/ml to donate plasma to help in the treatment of people who are ill with coronavirus. This doesn’t mean that if you have lower levels than this you won’t be protected against coronavirus. However we don’t know at what level of antibodies protection occurs." Anything over 0.8 means you have antibodies.
Thank you, that is very reassuring! I guess I just need to carry on being careful but also be grateful I am positive and await the booster shot. Also as time goes by and the vaccination schedule continues things will improve, thank you
They do private testing and all types of vaccinations. I have no connection to them i just found it online while looking for more info due to being immunosuppressed myself
Hi Domhem, I had zero antibodies on my Roche spike protein test and would be delighted with anything over 0.8. That’s Rituximab doing that suppression as my B cells take an age to repopulate. I left 6 months between prior Rtx infusion and first Pfizer too.
As we don’t know what is the threshold for protection as yet the numbers are rather bewildering, but I say better to have some antibodies at 176 than none at at all. I’m going to wait till my B cells reappear in enough numbers to repeat both vaccines.
with lots of links to the research- too many articles to include in a post, thought it easier to send the general link- if you cant find the articles I can post the links separately.
Thank you. Yes my rheumy is aware. I’m writing to my doctor. I did think it would be negative with Rtx being my med and my slow repopulation of B cells but it’s a waiting game for those to return sufficiently so I can repeat the vaccines which should be October/ December. Not a lot I can do but keep shielding and take B cell blood tests at intervals.
I was just reading the following, that basically France has authorised a preventative treatment for immune suppressed who have contact with covid positive people. Worth asking your doctor about it?
Les personnes immunodéprimées, qui courent un risque important de développer une forme grave de Covid et chez qui les vaccins ne fonctionnent pas bien, pourront recevoir préventivement un traitement par anticorps monoclonaux, notamment si elles sont cas contact, ont annoncé les autorités sanitaires ce vendredi 6 août.
« La HAS rend une décision accordant une autorisation d’accès précoce » au traitement Ronapreve (casirivimab et imdevimab) « en prophylaxie pré-exposition ou post-exposition au Sars-CoV-2 chez des patients immunodéprimés qui ne sont pas protégés malgré une vaccination complète », a expliqué la Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) dans un communiqué.
« On estime qu’en France, 130 000 patients immunodéprimés sont non-répondeurs à un schéma vaccinal complet et ainsi concernés par ce traitement », précise-t-elle.
Thank you for this HH. (I read French!) I am awaiting an appointment with an immunologist and that is one of my questions re monoclonal antibodies. A friend of mine in Pasadena who got Covid after one Moderna vaccine was advised by his doc to have MA’s and that helped him recover well. He had to wait 3 months to have his second Moderna though. I know they aren't readily available here just yet for Covid in the U.K. but hopefully soon. 🙏🏻
What is weird is that at the beginning of the year UK was streets ahead of France in vaccine campaign (and sadly in number of deaths), but France has now caught up for vaccination. Third doses are now available here.
I’ve noticed that as I get regular updates from my French friend in Paris. She tells me there is still reluctance with vaccines from the younger end though in Paris.
I had one with a private GP as I wanted someone to explain the results to me and as I run business meetings with around 50 people I needed something to ease my concerns,. He spoke to the lead virologist at UCL who said it’s such a new test that globally, they’re still deliberating about the results.
Anything over 0.8 is positive. They think around 250 is a very robust response. I’m on mtx and biologics.
HiI have. Even worrying about antibodies and vaccinations and effects of biological. I would be glad if I have 176. I spoke to my consultant last week about the same thing and he assured me that I am still co Reed. He urged me to have the booster when it’s offered and suggested that it would not have to be the same one. I have been under his care for many years and he has always looked after my condition of RA really well.
I think the info from government is so patchy but I am glad to hear you have more than 50% .
Hi not had the test but had my 2nd AZ vaccine in April caught Covid in July.Was quite ill for 3 days in bed but vaccine definitely worked. I've still no smell and very fatigued. On biologics so thankful .
Dear DomhemI'm so sorry to hear that your antibody test was not as good as you had hoped. There is so much that we all don't know about how the antibodies work, how long they last and even if our medication might 'take them away' over time.
I had been umming and arring about whether to take a test and last week after some chat here, I did a Lloyds antibody test just like you. I am on 20mg MTX and nothing else and my second vaccination was at the end of April, so 3 months ago. I was relieved to discover a strong positive result (+2500.0). But who knows how long that will last. Someone else, who is in the ONS trial had a positive result and then sometime later no antibodies at all!
Let's hope that all our experiences can be gathered together and used to inform research and future vaccination policy. (Just a thought NRAS!) We are living through such an uncertain time but at least with places like this we can support each other and we are not alone.
I wanted to do a Lloyds antibody test for some peace of mind but on their website it says not to take the test if ….“You’re immunocompromised (your immune system's defences are low due to certain medication or medical conditions). “
I spoke to a Lloyd's pharmacist in store and explained why I wanted to do the test - cos I wanted to know whether the MTX had stopped me getting antibodies. He said he completely understood.
I'm only guessing but I suspect they say that cos it could lead to a low result.
You are very kind. I am sad that yours is not so good. But you have some cover. And who knows whether mine will last. I shall still look forward to a booster when it's offered.
Hi. All I can offer is that the air filtration on planes is said to be at hospital standard. I flew in July and honestly felt really safe. But I did know that going to aSpain everyone on the flight was either double jabbed or they had to provide a negative PCR test 48 before.
I did an antibody test last week. I am on Rituximab. I have NO immunity at all having had two Pfizer vax. I knew I would b less than ‘normal’ people but wasnt expecting that 😖. Cross with Rheumatology that they didnt warn me. I have uncontrolled asthma at mo so having to be soooo careful. If I stop Ritux I will b in a wheelchair🥴.
I had covid September then had both vaccinations post and had antibodies from Dec till April and now have none I know this as I'm part of a trial. They are not sure still how the antibodies will work when your on immunosupression therapy which I am as am on benepali. They think we will still have some protection but not as well as someone not on immunosuppression. I think this will be the same for lots of cancer people too and is all part of the concern about compromised patients. Fingers crossed and think we should all maintain our own care standards. Yes still live but try to take care if at all possible. We are at the mercy of people who don't have issues.
Please don't wear gloves they make you lax in and can actually transfer infection. Better to touch as little as possible and wash your hands more frequently.
HiI had a covid 19 antibody test done. The test was supposedly for the spike protein antibody. This was what I thought was to check for how well the vaccine worked for me. It showed negative and normal was negative meaning I had not had covid , which I knew that. Also explained some what on the vaccine. Still not sure if the right test was done. It’s all very disappointing. On orencia and a very small dose of prednisone on first vaccine. Orencia only on the second vaccine. Followed the guidelines on how long to stop taking orencia before and after for the vaccines.
Wondering what tests others get to find out if vaccine took ? How is it that it showed numbers for you?
I asked my consultant about antibody testing, he said he wasn’t sure how useful the results would be. He said research was showing that being in MTX was having a greater negative impact on AB production after the jab than some other immunosuppressant treatments but that it wasn’t impacting on the overall efficacy of the vaccine. I asked him to explain and he said that vaccines work in other ways, it wasn’t all about antibody production.
Had covid at the begging, I've been on vitamin D for over 7 years so had it very mild.Must admit was glad to get off out of the way as i can see how worried people have been made by the announcements and the media.
Looking after your health and immune system brings benifits even without a threat of flu / viruses.
I'm bed ridden a lot of the time so exercise is not easy. One of the main things is keeping a positive mind set.
With covid keeping to sensible precautions is important, and as much as possible not worrying about it is a great way of keeping your mind healthy.
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