5th Covid or seasonal flu jag

[cathie]

I promised to let people know when I heard about the next covid/flu jag. Just received an email from NHS Lothian to offer me an appointment on 31st May. So jag number 5 is on its way in Scotland.

[Sheila_G]

Good news.

[Piglet007]

I too am in Scotland and had my 5th dose on Wednesday!…. feels an awful lot but I did it!

[cathie in reply to Piglet007]

Which kind did you get?

[dippyd09 in reply to cathie]

I got mine yesterday and it was Moderna. I’ve now had Pfizer, Astra Zeneca and Moderna.

[Lolabridge in reply to dippyd09]

Full house!

[Piglet007 in reply to cathie]

Pfizer

[sylvi]

Good news and i think mine will be due around the time the flu jab is due.xxxx

[cathie]

Maybe flu will be earlier, my note said covid + flu

[dippyd09]

I also live in Scotland. I had my 5th jab yesterday! It is good news.

[silentpool]

I live in Surrey and I had my fifth jab yesterday. I booked it via the NHS website. I agree with Piglet 007 it seems like a lot but I have avoided Covid so far and will take anything that's on offer to keep it that way

[Blackberrywine in reply to silentpool]

You are lucky to have avoided covid. It appears that vast numbers of vaccinated folks are getting it. 5 jabs seems like a massive amount to me! Each to their own though.

[cathie in reply to Blackberrywine]

I’m not clear what you’re saying. I have been exceedingly careful as have the rest of my family. The meds I take do not work well with the vaccine so I’m happy to get another shot.

[Blackberrywine in reply to cathie]

That's fair enough. Each person has the right to weigh up the cost benefits for their own particular circumstances. I wouldn't suggest anything other. What I'm saying is... that I live in an area with a high rate of triple jab uptake. Some have had four. Despite this, covid has swept through the area like a dose of salts, with a few hospitalisations (mostly very elderly with a variety of ailments).

I guess I'm wondering also if this is the same jab that was given at the very start? Given that the virus mutates what would be the reasoning behind having same jab? I don't know. I'm simply pondering. Again, I'm not suggesting people don't have the jabs. I'm a firm believer in choice.

Also noticed quite few on this forum caught covid after jabs.

[Lolabridge in reply to Blackberrywine]

Some may have unfortunately caught Omicron after several jabs but will probably will have experienced milder disease and not needed hospitalisation; that’s a big positive for jabs in my book!

Now the U.K. government have reneged on buying in EVUSHELD (so far) those of us who are extremely immune suppressed have no option either to take all the jabs we are offered or lock ourselves away completely.

If you don’t want any (more) jabs that’s your choice but please don’t try to dissuade others who may be in a more vulnerable situation than you.

I’ll have my 5th jab soon - bring it on!!

[Blackberrywine in reply to Lolabridge]

Hey! Where in my post did I try and stop people from making their own decisions! Don't you dare to stop me from having an opinion. Read the post! You have no idea what situation I'm in. So don't make assumptions because you don't like what I'm questioning.

[Lolabridge in reply to Blackberrywine]

I did. And I have read your previous posts which seemed to have been in the same vein.

Some triple jabbed people have had no choice but to go to work in risky environments so have caught Covid. My teacher friend is an example and may now have Long Covid. Others after having jabs have been too blasé and taken risks as they have tried “to live with Covid” as the government have chosen to encourage us to do.

Of course you are entitled to ponder and have your own opinion. Many of us on this site are following the research data and scientific advice and our posts and replies reflect our own opinions.

[Blackberrywine in reply to Lolabridge]

Have you read the Pfizer data dump?

I am genuinely concerned. If I cannot respectfully show concern over medications then what is the point of this forum? I have not told anyone not to get the jab...ever! I wouldn't presume to do so.

There are concerns over the jabs that no one seems interested in discussing. Sir Chope brought it up in parliament recently. I'm sorry. If you don't like my posts it's very simple...don't read them. We do not have to agree with each other. I don't care how many jabs people have. It is entirely up to them, but please allow me the courtesy of expressing a view without jumping on my every word.

Thank you.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Lolabridge]

Here we go again ....

[Lolabridge in reply to Neonkittie17]

Yep!

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Lolabridge]

Friday night

[cathie in reply to Neonkittie17]

Reported xx

[Neonkittie17 in reply to cathie]

I have also. xx

[cathie in reply to Neonkittie17]

Brilliant

[Neonkittie17 in reply to cathie]

Glad you’re getting your 5th at the end of the month.

[Blackberrywine in reply to cathie]

Why have you reported me for having an opinion? I have been respectful. People have not been respectful to me. Perhaps I should report the individual who thought it necessary to send me a private message on my first post?

I was not telling you not to have the jab. I clearly said it was fair enough. I was trying to understand how a fifth jab would be any different to the four you have already had. That was all.

[Blackberrywine in reply to Neonkittie17]

There are a few very loud bullying voices on this forum who do not allow others to speak freely. Grow up for goodness sake! No where in any of my posts have I told people what to do with regards to medicine. It appears people can only post here if the current narrative is agreed with by those with the loudest voices. Well sorry, no. I have concerns. This is a forum for people to discuss treatments. If you are not interested, do me a favour...keep quiet, and stop bullying!

There have been very clear safety signals with these jabs. Sir Christopher Chope is currently in the process of getting the individuals affected some financial help. Some of these people are very young and have been seriously hurt. These people matter, and it is in everyone's interest not to have this hidden.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Blackberrywine]

That’s not true at all. I can say hand on heart I am very polite and respectful. Always have been and do not bully anyone. I think it’s true to say that NRAS promotes the vaccines on here as do the most part of people on here. That’s not bullying people if I or anyone else support or indeed encourage vaccination. Many members are highly immunosuppressed and want to protect themselves and if you’ve been reading lately you’d have seen someone promoting unproven alternatives to the vaccine. After the way you spoke to someone else on here on Friday (“Hey! Don’t you dare ... “), then your remarks to me, this is a tone I (and many others I’m sure) have not liked or seen in here in the 12 years I’ve been here. It was very rude.

You have made your own views very clear re vaccination. I’ve read several of them. That’s your choice of course. It’s the influence some views could have, as others on here have expressed concern over. I also refer you to January when I removed a “shielding” link and my own thread due to your comments when you’d just joined. Someone else had their thread frozen that same weekend. You were on that thread too. Often controversial posts happen at weekends which was what I was referring to. (I am sorry if children/people have had bad reactions to the vaccines, but I feel that this was not the thread here. I didn’t see this subject matter until you just raised it in here.) To call me a bully is so unpleasant. By the very fact you’ve done so and that I should “keep quiet“ is quite a bullying tone. Yes I said it’s Friday night ... meaning when this site isn’t monitored. I do stand up for myself though and support others when we do get a few occasional bullies on here. I have never been scared of them. Even then I’m very polite and reasonable. It’s the way I am. Very fair and supportive. I’ll not engage with you again.

[Blackberrywine in reply to Neonkittie17]

Thank you. I said don't you dare in response to being accused of something I clearly did not do.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Blackberrywine]

Thank you

[KittyJ in reply to Blackberrywine]

You didn’t say that Blackberrywine, some people just like to try and stir things up.

[Blackberrywine in reply to KittyJ]

Thank you it's very upsetting to have words put in one's mouth. I have not forgotten that I was sent a private message on my first post warning me that there were very vulnerable people! That is unacceptable. I am on biologics myself for goodness sake.

My concern is actually for those amongst us that have not faired well. Many have had massive flair ups after jabs. I'm currently taking Imraldi. If it causes me harm or is ineffective I have the right to discuss that, and make an informed decision about using it. If after a certain amount of time it's not working, I'm not going to continue taking it. I was simply trying to ascertain how having a 5th jab of the same stuff would work if there was a poor immune response to the previous 4. It makes no sense to me, but I accept I be may be wrong.

[KittyJ in reply to Blackberrywine]

I’m with you, I’m in two minds about my fourth, I keep putting it off, how many is enough? 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m definitely not going to keep getting jabs, but that’s my choice the same as it’s everyone else’s choice to get 5 or 10, doesn’t make us wrong for not wanting them. 🤗

[Blackberrywine in reply to KittyJ]

Indeed. Entirely up to the individual. No bones about that. 😁

[KittyJ in reply to silentpool]

Having 5 jabs won’t stop you getting covid silentpool just hopefully means you will get a milder dose but doesn’t guarantee that.

[cathie]

The vaccines are different and tackle the virus differently. They do reduce the impact of the virus but none will prevent 100% of people who have it catching it. It does also reduce transmission. So it is a socially responsible thing to take it when offered.

[Blackberrywine in reply to cathie]

Not according to Pfizer's own data dump recently.

[Lolabridge]

I’m glad you have your 5th jab booked Cathie.

As I have made almost negligible immune response to the first four jabs I had got my 5th jab booked for last Saturday. Unfortunately I had to cancel it so I could get a Rituximab infusion yesterday; I needed that quickly before I seized up completely despite also taking Prednisolone! Sadly Imraldi just hadn’t worked for me after 12 weeks.

I will rebook my “spring booster” but I have to wait a few weeks. Meanwhile I shall take extra care to protect myself and hope EVUSHELD will become available soon to those of us who are likely to need it.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Lolabridge]

I hope that there is a turnaround on Evusheld. 🙏 xx

[Lolabridge in reply to Neonkittie17]

Me too 🤞🏻

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Lolabridge]

I feel (and hope) something positive will happen on it. 🙏

[cathie in reply to Lolabridge]

It’s tricky isn’t it juggling the vaccine and rituximab. Looks like I’ll have to slow down as I won’t get mine til July at this rate. Hope it works well for you

[Lolabridge in reply to cathie]

Thank you. I just hope it gets to work soon!

[Knip]

Cathie, when did you have your fourth? Just wondering. I had mine in early February. xx

[cathie in reply to Knip]

About the same Jan/Feb. It’ll mean my rituximab will be delayed a bit so will have to live accordingly

[Lolabridge in reply to Knip]

You may already know that if you are immune suppressed you will only need to wait 91 days from fourth jab to get the fifth.

[Knip]

Thank you Cathie and Lolabridge...I'm not sure how immune suppressed I am at present with only 3mg Budesonide equivalent to 13mg of Prednisone and the lowered dose of 10 of MTX. My RA consltant said he wasn't sure about antivirals for me because, as he said, I have two active conditions, ie, Chron's Disease and Rhuematoid. At the time of my 4th jab I was on 9g of Budesonide, ie, 39 of Prednisone. The two drugs work for both illnesses and the steroid worked magic on my RA even with the drop in MTX, when I was on the high dose after being prexcribe it in hospital at Christmas with the Chron's. He has recommended that I ring the helpline if I contract Covid. Perhaps I should do that re the jabs. It all gets so complicated sometimes. Take care both of you...this site is such a help to fellow patients...and often more helpful than the Rheumatology helpline. God Bless, K

[cathie in reply to Knip]

I have no idea how good my immunity is ! I just assume its not great, so am isolating as much as possible and meet people outside at a bit of a distance. I'm working on my retirement project - a degree in painting so I have quite a lot to keep me busy. I hope you have something similar for equilibrium. Drawing and painting if you can is a very nice way of doing something calm. X

[Lolabridge in reply to Knip]

Thank you Knip.

[Knip]

Dear Cathy, like you I'm still mostly sheltering, but do see my brother and his wife (they are still sheltering) and my immediate famiily, who all do LFRs before visit because they are NHS. What a great thing to do...a degree in paining! I should get my 'kit' out from the back of the wardrobe and start doing some again. I'm not great and it might be a tad difficult with my hands and wrist nowadays but I could certainly lose myself in doing it even if I cheat and copy a photograph or postcard. To have got to your level you must be incredibly good...a uni place to do a degree in art isn't something that many people achieve. Take care, K. x

[cathie in reply to Knip]

I’m doing it with the open college of the arts so it’s part time. I use an iPad app called brushes which saves me a lot of preparation and messiness. Otherwise acrylic or watercolour are my usuals. But with iPad you can work small and print out BIG!

[Knip]

Well done Cathie, I think it's absolutely great that you are doing this. Well done. xx

[cathie in reply to Knip]

Thanks. I’m planning an online degree show - in about 2 years and will flag it upc

[Knip in reply to cathie]

Looking forward to seeing it, Cathie, xx

[Neonkittie17]

Having a creative outlet is so important. 💗I’m getting back seriously into my art at the moment and would love to do more printmaking, but can’t go in a studio due to shielding just now. I can do some small printing at home but limited. (Messy too at home!) I’ve got art software on my iPad I haven’t used for years so want to get to that too. I’m primarily a (graphics) printmaker but have used most media especially when studying at college over the years. It hasn’t been for therapy I’ve done it but it does focus your mind. I’m taking my art things out to sketch (I love Derwent Graphitint pencils which are water soluble) and my aqua brush for easy sketching and my watercolour pans set) and paint this afternoon on a car ride somewhere remote with a lovely view. (That’s part of my shield as we don’t meet anyone.) I also did a lot of solar photography in the garden last year onto coated linen/cotton and made some great botanical imagery. I’m going to mount six of them in one large frame. xx

[cathie in reply to Neonkittie17]

That all sounds lovely. The iPad app I use is Brushes and can recommend it. Also used by David Hockney!!

[Neonkittie17 in reply to cathie]

Thank you. Not sure if that’s mine! Must look. I had one recommended by Keith Lemon/Leigh Francis who is an excellent artist.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Neonkittie17]

I’ve got Coreldraw (but not Coreldraw) I used at previous jobs and I subscribe to Adoebe’s latest art software and have something else ..... as well as Brushes. (ProCreate?) I must resurrect those.

[cathie in reply to Neonkittie17]

I tried Procreate and abandoned it as less controllable than Brushes. My tutor thought I was using special effects on procreate - which I wasn't. I dont know Coreldraw so will check this, thanks. I think these apps etc are very useful for people with things like RA. It reduces the amount of setting up and clearing up afterwards which is more of an incentive to make work.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to cathie]

Yes Procreate isn’t an easy one which is probably why I haven’t been back to it!! Coreldraw is quite an old one. Similar to Adobe. My Coreldraw is French as my French friend gave me hers! I used it first in 1994. There’s Corelpaint as well. I love actual art media and equipment and just as well the amount here at home, and using it but also digital can be fast and you can do it on your knee. I don’t mind the prep and clearing up.

[Green230461]

Lucky you! Protect yourself any way you can 💐👍🏻