Should those of us with the autoimmune disease Hashimoto's Disease get the vaccine or not? My doctor in the US thinks it's okay. However, this is the same doctor that measures thyroid disease by the TSH reading.
What say you all?
Vaccine for Hashimoto's?: Should those of us with... - Thyroid UK
Vaccine for Hashimoto's?
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jersey-jazz
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Any thoughts on which vaccine manufacturer best fir us? I’m thinking the RNA. The other Our live virus vaccines
Firstly, I do not know.
Secondly, I think we need to be careful to accurately identify which vaccine we are discussing.
Which vaccine(s) do you mean?
Pfzier and Modena are RNALilly is virus based like flu vaccine. As well as others coming up
According to one site, there are 7 approved vaccines and 55 in development. I might have missed it but didn't notice a Lilly vaccine!
My doctor told me that it would be Moderna. In the feed below this line, you mentioned a USA/Europe's Moderna and a USA's Moderna? Is there really a difference between the two?
No - it was a loss of concentration while typing! Corrected now.
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK
Without definitive information, it is very difficult to know the impact, if any, of having Hashimoto's (or any other autoimmune thyroid disorder). And there now at least five vaccines in use around the world (UK's Oxford/AstraZenica, USA/Europe's Pfizer/BioNTech, USA's Moderna, Russia's Sputnik and at least one in China). There could be others as well.
I did check the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and saw no indication that it should not be used in patients with an autoimmune disorder. The concern was the possibility of anaphylaxis in those who are known to have allergy issues.
Statistically, we could expect at least some of those who received a vaccine in the clinical trials to have autoimmune thyroid disease - even if they have not actually been diagnosed with it!
In time, we can hope for more information. At present, there is little to base a decision on other than balancing your perception of the risk of Covid-19 against that of the vaccine.
[Edited to correct list of vaccines - had a couple of mistakes.]
There’s some info here: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Pfizer and moderna are not live vaccines so it’s fine for those that are immunosupressed or those with autoimmune conditions.Astra Zeneca is suitable for immunosupressed people so would be fine if you have an autoimmune condition. In the U.K. at this stage we cannot choose which vaccine to get and I can’t see that changing.
I have hashis and I will have it as soon as I can. If you’re on Instagram the British society for immunology has really good, easy to understand info.
Have searched for “ British Society for Immunology “ & can’t find them on Instagram? Is it me being silly ?
No they have a funny shortened handle! Here’s the link instagram.com/britsocimm?ig...
There’s a vaccine q&a in the story highlights and talks about autoimmune diseases
diogenesRemembering
My wife having no thyroid after Hashimoto's,for 50 years onward, takes T4 only, at about 1.8ug/kg body weight and has been reasonably well over that time. She took the Pfizer vaccine last week and got no reaction other than a sore arm. We expect booster dose on 7th January.
I have heard that is completely safe for us but I am glad I am number 8 on the list.
I am a healthcare worker with Hashimoto‘s and I had the Pfizer vaccine yesterday. Info given says it is not a live vaccine, headache and tiredness MAY be experienced for a couple of days after .. I feel fine
That is good to know ... I just hope a lot more people post about this so I feel more reassured about having this vaccine.
I am nervous that I’ll be forced to take it or face not being able to do anything or go anywhere. I don’t have an issue with vaccines and am sick to death of people with genuine questions being labelled as anti vaxxers. I don’t believe any of the rubbish being spread about them and I am so glad there is a vaccine. If my family didn’t have a history of problems after having vaccines I’d be absolutely fine. My mum got hypothyroidism (no trace whatsoever prior to this) after a pneumonia jab. My son developed type 1 diabetes within two weeks of an mmr jab and my daughter became severely anaemic and got Reynaud’s quickly after having the hpv jab. I believe Hashi’s slowly crept in after my holiday jabs years back but I can’t of course prove this. The others were clear and happened fast or major coincidences! While I don’t believe they caused these problems per se I do think they may have kick started them and there really isn’t much research about autoimmune conditions and vaccines. So for me personally I’m pretty nervous and unsure what to do. I am trying to read as much as I can to work out which vaccine I would be willing to take, if that’s possible in the future. So any reading material is so helpful 😊.
Nobody will be forced to have this vaccine and I am finding out as much as I can about it because I have had an allergic reaction after being given an injection for a liver scan many years ago. I think it is perfectly safe but I believe I have had covid back in January so I do want to know if I have the antibodies so I really want a test. At the moment most of the country is in tier 4 so I don't really want to go anywhere to have any test so I might have to wait a while before I can get it.
At time of posting, these are links to the official information about the Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZenica Covid-19 vaccines.
Regulatory approval of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19
Information for UK recipients on Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
Updated 30 December 2020
gov.uk/government/publicati...
As a PDF:
assets.publishing.service.g...
Information for Healthcare Professionals on Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
As a PDF:
assets.publishing.service.g...
Some other links available here:
gov.uk/government/publicati...
Regulatory approval of AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19
Information for UK recipients on COVID 19 Vaccine AstraZeneca
gov.uk/government/publicati...
As a PDF:
assets.publishing.service.g...
Information for Healthcare Professionals on COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca
I fear from what I’m reading we may be forced, not by law but by insurance companies, the entertainment industry and by travel. I was reading an article, I think by Which, saying that insurance companies are looking at adding clauses about not being able to refund holidays if you decide not to have the jab and the country you’ve booked says you have to in order to enter. But I know it’s all speculation at the moment. I guess we’ll see. And by then perhaps I’ll feel more comfortable about having it. If you have an allergic reaction they won’t expect you to have it. That sounds nasty sorry to hear that. I had terrible hives from levothyroxine but I doubt that’ll count and it certainly wasn’t severe like yours.
Pretty sure Blue Horizon do the antibody test but not sure whether you need to visit a hospital for bloods. They aren’t cheap. Xx
I think you can do some of the recommended tests from home. The tricky bit is the immunity from having COVID is currently not thought to be that long (different to the vaccine which should persist a bit longer) so if you had it in January the anti bodies might not be there now. I’ve read a good article on it, I’ll try and dig it out.
Yehuda Schoenfeld has studied Auto-immunity for 30 years and has many research papers and books to his name. A few years back he did a study on vaccines and auto-immunity.
I really feel for you. I think it is wrong people with genuine questions and worries are being lumped in with anti-vaxxers. I think it’s completely understandable that people are anxious. I’m very pro-vaccine, pro-science and believe for me the risks of taking the vaccine are lower than the risk of COVID and will be taking it as soon as I can but even I have some nagging worries. So pleased you are finding out everything you can do you can make an informed decision. I do get a little frustrated at people that don’t do that!
As an aside you may have already considered this but there’s quite a high genetic component in auto immune disorders so it would be logical that your family would experience the conditions you’ve mentioned as all are auto immune related. I am the first to be diagnosed with Hashimotos (had to battle to get a diagnosis) but I suspect people in the family have had it before me, just not known about it. Other family members in my generation have other auto immune issues. But equally I think there can be environmental triggers if you have the genetic predisposition. For me I think that was stress.
I think where there is a genuine reason for not taking the jab you wouldn’t be excluded from travelling etc...
Anyway sorry I’m rambling!! Good luck with your research!
Thank you Arlie123. Appreciate your reply. And you’re not rambling at all 😊. It’s all very helpful.
I’m pro vaccines too and if it gets rid of covid all the better. I just wish we could have a sensible discussion on them. I can’t unsee what my family and I have seen, rightly or wrongly and while I don’t tell anyone my thoughts (apart for you lovely lot on here) I do feel more anxious I suppose about further vaccines. But I strongly believe if you don’t have a family history of autoimmune conditions you should absolutely have it. 100%. The rest of us just need to read, read and read even more lol and then make our own decisions like you have 😊X
It’s disingenuous to claim there are no risks at all with vaccination. I can’t blame you for being concerned given what has happened with your family. I have only felt ill with the yellow fever vaccination which I understand is not that unusual. It’s easier to feel a bit more confident to have a vaccination if your history with them is positive. I also suspect indirect pressure of the type you mention will (if it isn’t being done so already) be put on people to have a CV19 vaccination. A chemist friend considers the anti vaxers the biggest threat to society but what to do about it? I wonder what percentage of the population have evidence like yours that vaccination is indeed a risky business for them. I would think it likely to be less than 20% and I hear 80% vaccination is enough to attain herd immunity, but you can’t be sure what that really means with CV19 if they say they don’t know if it stops it spreading yet. It ought to be be accommodated without sanction in your case.
Hey TSH110.
Anti vaxxers really don’t help matters I agree. And actually they don’t help people like me who automatically get lumped into that category when I’m far far from one. I hope at least 80% do get vaccinated. I think it’s the right thing to do and had I not experienced what I have I’d definitely have it no question. And maybe I still will.
What I struggle to understand is how the vaccine will be linked to autoimmune problems if they do appear in people. There’s no tick box down the line and it’ll inevitably be because of something else. When I’ve asked some GP’s and consultants if they think it was co-incidence for us all they pretty much said they think vaccines may have kick started our problems in the same way trauma or stress could but then dismiss it saying well they would have come out at some point anyway so it’s irrelevant. So it’s acknowledged but then disregarded. No notes are ever taken so I can’t see how evidence can ever be collected on the basis it could happen to us at any time so how do you prove it without a huge survey. And then that’ll cause its own problems of course.
I think it’s a tricky one and like you say the benefits to society by having the vaccine outweigh the devastation if we don’t. And on that basis I’d probably be more likely to have it than not and pray I don’t get something else.
Happy New Year to you 😊x
Hi Cat013, I totally understand your concerns. Myself, my mother and daughter all had severe reactions to different vaccines. The MRNA vaccine is new to us, it’s potential long term effects are unknown to us, I think that maybe we have to take our time, to not be swayed by the opinions of others and trust the choice we make. Best wishes to you
I feel that taking any vaccine is a personal decision (or should be). With ALL vaccines there is a risk. There is a whole list of what adverse effects individual vaccines can cause on pubmed (that includes causing autoimmunity). Doctors always say that they are safe, which, per se, is not true. However, usually overall the benefits seem to outweigh the risks and the majority of people who get vaccinated do just fine. For the new COVID vaccines there is no telling yet. And, like with any vaccine, any long term adverse effects can not be foreseen. Anybody who gets vaccinated within the one year period (in the EU) after which the decision is made to keep or take the vaccine off the shelf takes part in the study, in my opinion. Too little is known about the virus even now and thus about how effective the vaccine will be in the long run. There are quite a few open questions at this point. For me the question is whether to take the risk of having a severe COVID outcome or the risk of severe adverse effects from the vaccine. And the answer to that is up to the individual. I'm with Cat013 on this one.
Given what CV19 did to my sister - she did survive it...just & no health issues, not in the at risk age group etc - I’ll take my chance with vaccination, I sure as hell don’t want that thing!
buddy99 Like you say it’s no easy choice to make. I guess I’ll keep reading and learning what I can and see where it takes me. In the meantime I sincerely hope the majority of the country go for it as I would have in different circumstances. We shall see 😊.
I really like the fact we can all discuss this in a really helpful and sensible way and can hear other people’s views. It’s really great and important for such a serious problem.
Happy New Year to you x
).
Unfortunately, the issue with the vaccine and those with autoimmune diseases will not be known for some time. The testing on humans has not been a full year. I am also in the U S and my husband's Dr. is a functional medicine practicing physician...medical dr. that also uses some wholistic methods when needed. My husband has Hoshimoto's. His dr. is concerned about the long term effects on those with autoimmune diseases. He said the effects can take many months to show up. Sorry, I know this is no help in your decision as to whether to immediately get the vaccine.
Thank you! That is indeed helpful as well as concerning.
I don't think you have to be sorry for being "no help". The decision is really very personal depending on our own experiences, as we can clearly see. Cat013 having cause for concern about the vaccine in view of autoimmunity and Tsh110 looking at it from the other end having experienced the ugly side of COVID. I think both concerns are valid. That does not make a decision any easier. It really just depends on how you look at it. That will guide the decision and the future will tell whether it was right or wrong. But is that not the case so often in life? I've made decisions based on the advice of specialists in their field that turned out to be great and others that did not serve me well at all. If there is not enough solid information one just has to take a plunge and hope for the best. 
Hello, like you I am very reluctant to get the vaccine. There are a number of opinions that vaccines may cause autoimmunity. Of course this is not based on facts and is really hard to prove or debunk. The only sensible argument is that vaccines in the past 20 years are packed with fillers (not sure if this is true) and the autoimmune have greatly increased in these 20 years. there may be a connection, and these 2 things can be completely unrelated.As an example, a colleague of mine got the flue jab. 2 weeks after, his lymph nodes were greatly enlarged and was diagnosed with lymphoma. Even though it was very soon for the vaccine to cause it (and thus it must have been underlying) he is sure that the vaccine triggered it.
Of course these claims have veeeeeeery large gaps of deduction. And based on history, every statement with such gaps is eventually debunked as bulls**t. But still since the medical science has so little knowledge of autoimmunity, it is very hard to evaluate the vaccine-autoimmune connection, and thus actually decide if it's safe or not. I believe that the only certain thing is that no one knows. And I won't believe anyone who says otherwise as I don't believe the endos that tell us "you are fine", "it's all in your head" etc.
Me personally I will try to delay the jab for as long as possible, ideally a year, so that any such autoimmune incidence (if any) comes to light.
Hashimoto123 I agree maybe for some of us it’s a wait and see situation for sure like you say.
Both my children and my mum started to have problems within a couple of weeks of vaccines. Like you say how do you unequivocally prove it was the vaccines that caused it. We can’t. I think at this point in time I think they can kick it off in the same way as illness and trauma etc. So I think it may be inevitable we’d have got something anyway. However if it means it could have been delayed for thirty years like mine I’d obviously have preferred that. Then again maybe an illness down the line would have kicked it off any way sooner rather than later. It all leads to further questions and I doubt we’ll ever know the answer.
Being comfortable with our own well thought through decision is the best way to do it because then we can at least be content with our choice 😊.
Happy New Year to you. X
Two mice leaning on a stone wall having a chat - 1st mouse to 2nd mouse, 'have you had your covid vaccine yet?' - 2nd mouse replies 'are you kidding me, they haven't finished testing it on humans yet!
🐀Very good 🐀
I needed that chuckle that arose in reading your post
Hi interesting article on this topic-
Soriano A, Nesher G, Shoenfeld Y. Predicting post-vaccination autoimmunity: who might be at risk? Pharmacol Res. 2015 Feb;92:18-22. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2014.08.002. Epub 2014 Sep 30. PMID: 25277820.
May be worth a read. I agree it’s a very personal decision. I have MS ...I’m adopting a ‘wait n see’ approach! Good luck & happy New Year!
Link to the abstract of that paper:
sciencedirect.com/science/a...
helvella. Thank you for that link with science direct. That is most helpful. The more we know, the more confident we feel about our decisions. However, I am wavering, leaning one way one day and the other way the next. Meanwhile, I think that I agreed with the GP that I would have the vaccine, never having had a flu vaccine or a vaccine for pneumonia on the advice of my doctor in Scotland, years ago, because of my autoimmune disease. I have no date so am hoping that I get more info the longer it takes.Thank you to all on you that have added to this controversial subject on this string. I feel good with all of us giving each other this kind of support. I gives us power.
Thank Peetzil who posted - I only got a link!
Mind, glad it helped.
Please read my thank you to helvella who corrected me. I is you who I must thank for the science direct abstract. What a really good link. Thank you!
You’re very welcome☺️
Janey. I deliberated long and hard about possible side effects to me with the autoimmune disease Hashimots and the fact that I carry an epipen, Then, one day, very recently, I realized that my desire to go out of my door without fear far outlays any concerns I might have about side effects. Life is for living!. I will have the vaccine as soon as I can.
Thank you for the caution. A friend of mine has lupus and I know it is no insignificant disease. I am sorry if you suffer from it. Mine is treatable and when so, does not have such serious symptoms.
Except for being vaccinated when I was 5 years old, have never had any other vaccinations, be it for flu, pneumonia or anything else. Instead of jabs, I had the diseases. I had measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough and scarlet fever. I feel that I survived all those childhood diseases so my immune system could withstand anything. That, idea has gone out the window now that I have metastasized breast cancer and have a lousy immune system thanks to the drugs I have to take.I hope we survive this.
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