Has anyone being classed as clinically vulnerable for COVID-19 having Hashimoto’s thyroiditis which is an autoimmune disease?

[ajb1969]

Are you supposed to be classed as clinically vulnerable for COVID-19 if you have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis which is an autoimmune disease.

Initially I was sent a letter and a text, last year from the NHS and the government stating I was classed as clinically vulnerable. And advised to shield, however I’m now not classed as a priority to have the COVID-19 injection, because one of the doctors at my clinic, has said that I’m not a priority and I’m not clinically vulnerable.

I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, my levels are up and down and all over the place. And have been like this for eight years.

I’ve had two optimal blood test results. In the last 8 years.

I also have antibodies for Antiphospholipid syndrome, I don’t actually have the syndrome but I am at risk of developing this disease and I have to take aspirin every single day for the rest of my life. I’ve also got high blood pressure.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

ajb1969

Do you have any other medical condition that would come into the clinically vulnerable category? Hashi's isn't on the list. An updated list (23 February 2021) is here:

gov.uk/government/publicati...

and the NHS page was last edited today here:

digital.nhs.uk/coronavirus/...

Latest information from ThyroidUK a month ago here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

and you could have a look through the dedicated poll/thread where people have given details of their experience of the vaccine here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[ajb1969 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

I have, which some say is a severe mental health disorder - I have BPD - borderline personality disorder.

I’m in shock, you’d think an autoimmune disease, would be in there too because lupus and rheumatoid arthritis is, and they’re autoimmune diseases.

I’ve got high blood pressure and I’ve got antibodies, which puts me at risk for antiphospholipid syndrome so I’d get very ill if I got something else wrong with me.

Also, I’ve always got high levels of inflammation, because of my chronic pain, in my lower back because I’ve also adenomyosis, fibroids and polyps, which I’m suffering, in great pain with, on a weekly basis.

I’m just in real shock because I’ve just found out by my doctors that I’m not on the list anymore.

I’m not classed as clinically vulnerable, so does that mean now I’m going to lose my shopping priority, because I’ve not been able to walk properly for years because of the this chronic pain in my lower back?

I’m really concerned 😟

[ajb1969 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi

I didn’t even see this on the government website I looked a couple of weeks ago. I actually went on to read and I just read that it said .clinically vulnerable’, I didn’t know it had been updated or changed -

: - other people who have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs. GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions

So does that mean it’s up to the judgement of the GP.

This is so annoying, so I’ve been shielding and staying in all this past year, for what, for no reason at all.

I’m absolutely fuming I’m so upset and I’m in tears. I was so looking forward to getting this flipping injection so I could get it out of the house And try and strengthen my back muscles so I can walk better.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to ajb1969]

I'm sorry I don't know enough to be able to help you.

I do know that some mistakes were made originally and some people were told they were clinically vulnerable and to shield, yet it was later discovered they were told this in error.

RA and Lupus are on the list because it says they may require long term immunosuppressive treatments, Hashi's doesn't require immunosuppressive treatment.

Can you phone your GP surgery and discuss it with someone there?

[PurpleNails Administrator]

I think some letters come from a central source, and some from a more local one.

My older teen daughter received a clinically vulnerable letter in first lock down but my younger daughter didn’t. They both have a rare heart condition, which wasn’t listed on the clinically vulnerable list. We tried to find out why, but they couldn’t clearly explain why 1 was and the other wasn’t. Although not mandatory to shield the school would not allow her to attend unless a doctor confirmed not clinically vulnerable. So while the doctor couldn’t explain exactly why she was deemed clinically vulnerable she refused to state in any way it wasn’t necessary for the school, saying she didn’t have the power to remove her from the list. They did suggest we shield our younger daughter saying school couldn’t force her to attend.

Just to complicate matters, towards the end of lockdown we received a letter saying now more is known about the virus certain groups were now deemed not clinically vulnerable. She went back to school but then another letter told her to keep shielding. This might be due to turning 16. Either way it’s all confusing and unclear.

Then last month I received a letter saying I was newly identified as clinically vulnerable due to a combination of underlying health conditions. The letter did not specify why, you are just sent a letter. I’ve now been furloughed until end on this month but apart for 6 weeks last year during lockdown 1, I worked since so I worked when In theory I should have been shielding.

Try not to feel as though you were shielding unnecessarily, it would have kept you safe.

[ajb1969 in reply to PurpleNails]

Thank you for that message that was lovely to hear and I know you’re so right, it has kept me safe by staying indoors and shielding.

But it is a shock hearing, unexpectedly, that I won’t be getting priority for the Covid injection. Which has really upset me.

I was really looking forward to getting the injection, sooner rather than later. And I’m extremely disheartened and upset.

I really wanted to go outside again, because I Don’t want my physical and mental health to deteriorate, as it has previously.

I don’t have any family support And I rely on my priority slot for shopping because I can’t carry shopping myself or walk to the shops properly without pain. If I’m now not classed as ‘not critically vulnerable’, Does that now mean I’m going to lose my shopping priority too. The Tesco’s delivery driver is the only person I see for months at a time.

I’ve spent eight years in pain And other health issues and have been unable to walk without pain. I haven’t gone outside much in those years.

And For the first time in years, Just before Covid started, I wanted to go outside and was told I couldn’t because of those constraints.

So I’m bound to be extremely upset. It’s just natural.

[Nelly1 in reply to ajb1969]

I’m afraid these aren’t on the list for clinically vulnerable.

If your on immune suppressant medication then you will qualify as a priority.

I’m on 2 different immune suppressants - methotrexate and embrel injections (Biological Therapy)

Therefore I’m on the list.

It’s not right that immune diseases are not in the list.

But I think at present it’s a postcode lottery with the vaccine. Some people in small villages aged 50 are currently getting the vaccine when we are only on 55’s and over.

[ajb1969 in reply to Nelly1]

Yes I know, it’s extremely unfair especially when I got two letters and text messages telling me to shield, which I have done and stayed indoors for the past year.

However, I’ve spoken to my doctors to complain and because I have the antibodies for antiphospholipid syndrome and I take aspirin every day because I’m at risk she has put me back to critically vulnerable, so hopefully, I’ll be able to phone and book my Covid injections tomorrow

[ajb1969 in reply to ajb1969]

I wouldn’t have found out that I wasn’t on the list, it was only because I spoke to a journalist who was asking people to come forward, who are supposed to have underlying health issues and hadn’t received their injections. He told me to go on the government website and book an appointment and not to just sit and wait, which I was doing quite happily, however, when I went onto the government website and put in my NHS number, it refused me then I rang the telephone number and they’re advised me I was ineligible, and not noted down as critically vulnerable and to go back to my doctors and have my information updated.

I’m glad I did or I would still be sitting here waiting.

Thank you for your messages. It has really helped having someone there.

It really did upset me and I was really stressing out.