Good morning ladies xx
Iam have carbo & Caelyx at the moment and have been offered the covid vaccine but Iam really unsure . I’ve rung my consultant twice but still waiting for a reply. Iam working from home so isolating because of chemo. Just really unsure what to do . I know it’s an individual choice but any feed back from our teal family would be great . Thank you Gill xx
Covid
I asked my oncologist, I’m not on treatment at the moment 🤞🙏. He said , not yet . Wanted to know more about the science. So I am going to wait for his advise
I wonder if we are offered and refuse while on treatment we will get dropped off the list ?
Wouldn’t have thought so ,
I thought that it doesn’t work as well in immuno compromised people? I think I heard that... which would mean that it might be better to wait until after chemo. So getting some informed advice is going to be key. I may be back on chemo in new year so particularly interested! x
Personal view - I think it’s better to wait - such an unknown quantity.Especially when we as OC patients know how long drug trials usually take, up to 5 years...
The timeline for the vaccine has been shortened as they have run elements alongside one another at great expense to get it to the world sooner
Hi Gill, please share what your consultant's reply is.... Warm wishes, Lesley
Thanks I am wondering the same thing about to start paclitaxel and carbo for the 2nd time in 3 years I am not sure either whether we get offered one or not or whether to have or not if I do get offered...we'll have to see what the nurse specialists say?
If I am offered I think I will take because at moment my life is so restricted and if my life span is reduced I want to at least be able to be with my family and friends as much as I can. I personally can't imagine it would be offered if they hadn't risk assessed and my view is that the risks of getting covid are greater than the risks of the vaccine. It would be great to see the research though and I think it's really important everyone makes their own decisions based on their situation and advise from their drs. Hope all goes well with whatever you decide xxx
Thank you ladies 🥰
I will have it as soon as I can. In fact I messaged my GP yesterday and asked whether those that are terminally ill would be higher on the list. Like someone below said no point being a virtual prisoner at home isolating & not being able to see anyone. I’m likely to be back on chemo within the next 6 months so want to get it done as soon as possible.
Well it depends on if it is compatible w your protocol and if it is i wd do it
Hello
Hope u r keeping well. I spoke to my consultant about it this week he said he wouldnt recommend it and is waiting for nice guidlines about people who are immuno compromised having the vaccine. He said that is was only tested on generally healthy people so they dont know. This week they realised that people who have severe allergies were also not suitable. I think we will just have to wait and see.
Love Nus
Such a great question! Please share what your consultant says, I will do the same when I have a reply. I am on the same chemotherapy as you, 3rd session on Christmas Eve 🙃
You really need professional advice ld say , and like you lm not sure if l get offered it what to do.Good luck, stay safe & hopefully get the right advice. Love & hugs to everyone stay positive 🙏xx
I asked my oncologist last week about the vaccines - he just said you can't have a live vaccine (I'm on niraparib, same would be true if you're on chemo) but the mRNA type aren't live so should be okay. I assume they've offered you the Pfizer one, which is mRNA, but he did say he wasn't sure how effective it would be because of the immune system being compromised by cancer drugs. Certainly if you're on chemo, it would seem sensible to at least wait till 6 weeks (3 months if possible) after the chemo has finished, then you'd have a better immune response to a vaccine anyway. And that's all he said, but then I've not been offered it yet. You do need to speak to your oncologist really, though I know it can be difficult to get hold of them. Healthcare workers are all being given it, so I imagine the oncologists will be too.
As for the allergy thing, two people who usually carry Epipens because they frequently suffer allergic reactions then having an allergic response to a vaccine is not at all unusual for any vaccine (or even a new to-them-drug), there's always a small percentage of people who will react. For my own choice, I'd really like to try one of the new vaccines like the Pfizer one anyway, as a sort of test - I have had severe allergic reactions to two antibiotics in the past, but I haven't had any such response to any of the plethora of drugs I've been stuffed with since I got cancer -I've taken or been given more novel (to me) drugs than I've ever had in my life in the last 3 years, and haven't had an allergic reaction to a single one. I think its an exciting new way of creating vaccines with strong possibilities the same technology can be used for cancer treatments; I am also sick to death of shielding and of being on my own all the time,but I don't think I'll be offered it till about April, looking at the timetable for distribution. I think waiting for a chat with your oncologist is definitely the way to go...
Miriam
I remember my mother's oncologist told her not to get any vaccine when she just finished her chemotherapy, maybe because she's immunocompromised when patients are receiving chemotherapy. I'm not sure if it applies to your vaccine as well though.
I'm on active chemo and my onc has told me to get the vaccine at the first possible opportunity
I asked my Onc as I am on Olaparib and he advised to contact him if I was offered any vaccine before going ahead as they had not yet had guidance from the Government. I can't see me being offered it anytime soon anyway my GP does not have me on their high risk list and does even acknowledge I am a cancer patient.
I too am on chemo Paclitaxel, 18 weeks, so am thinking twice about having vaccine!!! My GP & Onco are having meetings but nothing conclusive so far. My husband will have it but for me, juries out.Cheers IsideX
There's an interesting article in Nature (nature.com/articles/s41416-... which suggests that because the mRNA vaccines are encapsulated into lipid carriers, such as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, that some of the dose may preferentially make its way to solid cancer tumours.
The effect this has on the tumour environment needs to be evaluated and also the possibility that too low a dose may then be available to offer adequate protection. It goes onto say that until data is available, it may be better for cancer patients with sold tumours to receive alternative vaccines.
I've paraphrased the article considerably, but I think that's the gist of what it is saying. Doubtless more data will become available while we are waiting to be called.
Helen
Interesting reading and a good precis, thanks for that. Bit disheartening though because how long will it take for further research and studies of the mRNA vaccine and its effect on solid tumours to be done - probably not terribly quickly. So if the Oxford Astrazenica one isn't live and is not encapsulated in lipids (no idea if it is or not) that would seem to be the one for cancer patients. I find the whole 'solid tumour' thing a bit confusing too - yes I had solid tumours, but now its mostly confined in the lymph nodes, does that mean its still 'solid tumour'... I guess it does, but I don't know.
Miriam
From what I've read, the AstraZenica one isn't live and only the two mRNA vaccines are discussed as being encapsulated in lipids. I have a clinic appointment on 27th December to discuss the results of a scan I am due to have on Christmas Eve (yes, you read that correctly, Christmas Eve I have to travel to London ) and I will take with me the Nature print out and anything I find in the interim, and seek an opinion from my trial team.
Like you, I was rather hoping to access the new mRNA vaccine if possible, partly, because the technique was initially developed with cancer cells in mind and partly because the efficacy is higher.
My cancer is also all in the lymph nodes, apart from now a small deposit on the sigmoid colon. It is the blood cancers such as leukemias which are classified as non-solid tumours.
Given that it is possible we may have to face yearly vaccinations, I'm hoping that the best scientific minds on the planet are working to resolve the many questions still requiring answers.
Helen
I’m in Massachusetts and the earliest I’d be eligible is February if they have vaccine then. I can’t wait to get it. I haven’t seen my children or grandchildren in a year. I’m on Olaparib. Considering an uncertain future I’m less worried about the vaccine than I am about 1) dying of Covid, 2) experiencing life. I hope no new side effects come to light.
Ooh I hate these achy joints and topsy turvy tummy the first week of chemo second time round is coming up to and end and it's the first time i've been able to sit up and at a pc rather than laying on couch, I don't remember it being this bad the first time round (3 years ago) I can't believe I have another 5 to go, and I'm struggling with faith this time as I am bleeding now despite the addition of radiotherapy this time round, I feel like I am dying now 
Rising CA125 while on chemo. 
Supplements while on chemo
antibiotics while on chemo?
Anyone else had Anxiety attacks long after chemo?
Had my first chemo ❤️
