Covid vaccins and WG

[Alysia]

Hi, how are you doing out there ?

I suggest we will collect here all the questions and medical info we can find on this subject, like professional articles or if someone has the chance to discuss it with his docs. Please don't post here "conspiracy" theories of any kind.

To be honest, the vaccins make me worried not less then the virus, for few reasons, so those are my questions:

1. Are we allowed to get them and which vaccin ? The Israeli one is made from dead virus so it is not for us. What do we know about the others ?

2. Can it cause us a flare ?

3. Rtx is deleting part of the immune system memory. So how useful a vaccin is for those on rtx ?
I had to do a tetanus vaccin a year ago after injury. I asked my wg dr. If it will still be valid after rtx and he said that he isn't sure and that in case of another injury I will need to do blood test to see if I need another tetanus vaccin or not.

4. My Igg and Igm are below the normal now due to many years on rtx. It means that my immune system is under functioning. What does it mean to get a vaccin in this case ?

5. I am worried about my kids getting the vaccin. If someone has a genetic tendency to develop AI disease, can the vaccin be the triger ?

We have enough time to make some research before we will need to make a decision.

Stay safe, my friends.

[gunnyl]

Any vaccine that utilizes T Cells to manufacture antibodies is not going to be good for anyone taking RTX as it depletes our T and B cells.
The Moderna and Phizer Vaccines are utilizing mRNA to administer the antibodies and from my perspective seems to be the most promising for those of us on RTX.
I plan to have a conversation with my Rheumatologist as the vaccines get closer to being released.

You can read up on mRNA here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339677/

https://www.modernatx.com/pipeline/t...tious-diseases

[drz]

Any vaccine that utilizes T Cells to manufacture antibodies is not going to be good for anyone taking RTX as it depletes our T and B cells.
The Moderna and Phizer Vaccines are utilizing mRNA to administer the antibodies and from my perspective seems to be the most promising for those of us on RTX.
I plan to have a conversation with my Rheumatologist as the vaccines get closer to being released.

You can read up on mRNA here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339677/

https://www.modernatx.com/pipeline/t...tious-diseases

My GPA doctor said same thing. Too early to tell but by the time they are available in a few months there should be more info on what is safe and what is likely to be most effective for us suppressed immune people. I will probably follow the recommendations from Mayo on this vaccine issue.

Even if we don't get the vaccine or can't take it, we will benefit from lower risk of contagion if most other people do get the vaccine.

[crowneagle]

There are a couple of things that give me pause. No mRNA vaccine has been approved for human use. From what I understand, all autoimmune subjects actively on immune suppression drugs are excluded from the vaccine trials. There has been talk that mRNA vaccines may lead to autoimmunity via molecular mimicry, epitope spreading or bystander activation. I'm in the beginning stages of researching these. Genetic susceptibility may be a predisposing factor. I believe it will be a while before weggies participate. I'm not sure whether RTX weggies would develop B cell antibodies, even though we might get some shorter term protection from our T cells. Any RTX weggie receiving most traditional vaccines should get them a few weeks before their scheduled infusions. This gives them the best chance of developing antibodies. Personally, I can never take any vaccine ever again. The last three triggered major relapses in my disease.


Could COVID-19 mRNA vaccines cause autoimmune diseases?

https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj....6v5FmavdlGoAvg

[Masha]

I had the two shingles vaccines two years ago. The second one knocked my socks off. On any vaccine those of us on Rituxin are to receive either six months after infusion or several weeks before. We can have no live vaccines. My next infusion is scheduled for Feb 1, which means I cannot take the vaccine before Aug. 1. I will not postpone infusion, because I know from experience that is a bad thing. Waiting until August might not be so bad. Sheltering for a few more months may pay off, when I learn how the vaccine effects others.
I heard one doctor on TV say his 20 year old daughter can get it, but the 17 year old must wait until she turns 18. Just based on what I read and hear, I want more documented information.

[me2]

I have been tested to see if I currently had Covid and then also tested to see if I had Covid in the past. I asked my doctor if the test is reliable for someone who has VERY low antibodies like myself. He said he did not know- he didn't bother to try and find out either.
Since the test uses replication of antibodies I suspect my antibodies are too low to be detected. I have been sick twice with a flu-like illness since Covid showed up and it hit me very hard.
Prior to this I have gone many years without any flu-like illness. It makes me very suspicious that I am catching something during extreme (but not complete) isolation and personal protection procedures. Whatever it is I have caught must be super contagious.

[mishb]

I have been tested to see if I currently had Covid and then also tested to see if I had Covid in the past. I asked my doctor if the test is reliable for someone who has VERY low antibodies like myself. He said he did not know- he didn't bother to try and find out either.
Since the test uses replication of antibodies I suspect my antibodies are too low to be detected. I have been sick twice with a flu-like illness since Covid showed up and it hit me very hard.
Prior to this I have gone many years without any flu-like illness. It makes me very suspicious that I am catching something during extreme (but not complete) isolation and personal protection procedures. Whatever it is I have caught must be super contagious.

Oh Kirk, I'm sorry to hear that you have been knocked about - by something.
I certainly hope that it is not Covid.

I was wondering myself, about how they would be able to test correctly if your antibodies were already too low. Interesting.
The way they speak about Covid, it appears to me that with very low antibodies, you would probably be in an even worse way.
Let's hope and pray that it is just a rotten flu bug and not Covid - or worst still, a flare

Take care Kirk, (and everyone)

[NatriceRomeo]

I was diagnosed with Covid on the 6th. It has not been kind to me. I have had bilateral pneumonia, nausea and vomiting-still. That being said, I am worried about an mRNA vaccine. It just does not seem like a good idea to me to have a vaccine mess around with the inside of your cells. I would feel more comfortable with a dead virus.
Anyway, hope you are all healthy and happy
Natty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gunnyl]

I was diagnosed with Covid on the 6th. It has not been kind to me. I have had bilateral pneumonia, nausea and vomiting-still. That being said, I am worried about an mRNA vaccine. It just does not seem like a good idea to me to have a vaccine mess around with the inside of your cells. I would feel more comfortable with a dead virus.
Anyway, hope you are all healthy and happy
Natty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Natty,

Wishing you a complete and speedy recovery.

Ted

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk

[Ljj]

I had my first shingles vaccine 3 weeks after Rituximab as my pharmacist suggested. Does that mean it won't work? My rheumatologist said to get the second dose 2-3 weeks before my next Ritux infusion which is more in line with what you said. Just wondering how to fit in vaccines when my Ritux is every 6 months for the next 2 years?