1. < Transplants

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? That is the question.

Posted by silverwoman @silverwoman, Jan 4, 2021

<p>I know I am not the only post-transplant patient who is thinking about getting the coVID vaccination. My nurse coordinator has told me that the transplant team at Jacksonville has not approved vaccination yet because of the lack of experience with it for our group. One of the Infectious Disease doctors has indicated in a Mayo communication that transplants should be getting vaccinated. The nurse coordinator has said that if we choose to get vaccinated then we should do our laboratories once a week. I'm frustrated and confused by the lack of clear guidance and seemingly conflicting opinions. Is anybody else feeling like this? Have you made any decisions about when and if you will get vaccinated?</p>

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ess77 - Elizabeth | @ess77 | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @ca426 "I'm just going to give my opinion, I will not be getting the vaccine, I have..." + (show)
@ca426

I'm just going to give my opinion, I will not be getting the vaccine, I have had COVID, all I had was a cough....it could have been worse I agree. However, since I'm producing antibodies I think its a mute point to take it, and also the too vaccine's are Mrna vaccine a d have never been widely used in the public, everyone has to deiced for their self, weigh the pro's and cons and make their own decisions , but right now I'm worried about where the virus came from and the limited information that we have been able to see, and to one of your points, it was not near as deadly as the said and would even go so far as to say, that the numbers are wrong......mind you this is my opinion.

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Charlie, a question or two. Have you or do you plan to have antibody testing? Have you had any advice from you providers? I may have missed previous messages that told us those things. If so, I apologize for the repetition. Also, what treatment did you have for covid? Were you hospitalized? The cough was the only symptom? Oh, and your age, if not too personal....blessings, Elizabeth

REPLY
1 reply
zon | @zon | Jan 7, 2021

I will definitely be getting the vaccine. I was accepted into the John Hopkins study for transplant patients that will receive the vaccine. I’ve let my pcp know that as soon as able I’m ready. Sounds like I will be doing blood work to measure effects over the next year. I really value the advice I get from my team of Mayo docs and Dr. Poland. I fully put my trust in their judgment. Most of these people have spent their lives dedicated to understanding the science and out of interest of being educated I’ve done my own research into RNA or mRNA. One positive from this is how super exciting it is to see the advancements made with mRNA and vaccines!!

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1 reply
JK | @contentandwell | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @merpreb "@ess77- This certainly makes sense. Any chance of finding the source for this?" + (show)
@merpreb

@ess77- This certainly makes sense. Any chance of finding the source for this?

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@merpreb I'm kicking myself that I didn't keep the source. I just tried some googling and could not find the article. I do only rely on opinions and information from reputable sources though.
JK

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Charlie | @ca426 | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @ess77 "Charlie, a question or two. Have you or do you plan to have antibody testing? Have..." + (show)
@ess77

Charlie, a question or two. Have you or do you plan to have antibody testing? Have you had any advice from you providers? I may have missed previous messages that told us those things. If so, I apologize for the repetition. Also, what treatment did you have for covid? Were you hospitalized? The cough was the only symptom? Oh, and your age, if not too personal....blessings, Elizabeth

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I had antibody testing when I was hospital later in the year, it showed that I was producing antibodies, my kidney doctor recommended that I take the vaccine, but i declined, no treatment for covid, just had a cough......I'm 56.

REPLY
1 reply
ess77 - Elizabeth | @ess77 | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @ca426 "I had antibody testing when I was hospital later in the year, it showed that I..." + (show)
@ca426

I had antibody testing when I was hospital later in the year, it showed that I was producing antibodies, my kidney doctor recommended that I take the vaccine, but i declined, no treatment for covid, just had a cough......I'm 56.

Jump to this post

Wow! You really did well! What a blessing you didn't have the other symptoms. Are you completely recovered? No kidney issues, either. Congratulations, Charlie. Blessings, Elizabeth

REPLY
ess77 - Elizabeth | @ess77 | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @ca426 "I'm just going to give my opinion, I will not be getting the vaccine, I have..." + (show)
@ca426

I'm just going to give my opinion, I will not be getting the vaccine, I have had COVID, all I had was a cough....it could have been worse I agree. However, since I'm producing antibodies I think its a mute point to take it, and also the too vaccine's are Mrna vaccine a d have never been widely used in the public, everyone has to deiced for their self, weigh the pro's and cons and make their own decisions , but right now I'm worried about where the virus came from and the limited information that we have been able to see, and to one of your points, it was not near as deadly as the said and would even go so far as to say, that the numbers are wrong......mind you this is my opinion.

Jump to this post

Hi, Charlie. I've had a couple of friends, in their 70's, who have died from covid. Another friend is about 47 and was in ICU for a couple of weeks, almost put on a ventilator, but a medication they gave him at that time, don't know what, with additional oxygen pulled him through.

He kept a journal of his experience. Amazingly frightening for him. I do not trust, not necessarily the numbers, as they can be manipulated to say what you want, but I do trust the facts of the % of deaths and serious illness for those over 65. And, the lasting effects. He seems to be ok, although there are some issues re his heart he didn't have before covid. So, watching and praying with him.

I don't plan and will do everything in my power to keep from getting covid! As will I suspect most of us. I have too many other things going on in this body at the moment that I don't think I would have the same experience as you.

Got the Maderno vaccine Tuesday at Mayo. So far, no side effects. Not one. I'm amazed. But, the 2nd shot in a few weeks might be a real bugger. Stay tuned.
Blessings. Elizabeth

REPLY
4 replies
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Jan 7, 2021

@ess77, My husband had Covid in November with mild cough and cold like symptoms. I did not get it, and I am the immunosuppressed transplant recipient. We will both get the vaccine when our group is eligible here. They are saying probably February. Expecting an update time estimate next week. Our son who is a firefighter got it couple weeks ago. I am jealous that you got yours already.😉
As a transplant patient who is immunocompromised, I can expect a lower degree of protection. I will accept any additional protection for me and for my family.
Hope to hear from you in a couple weeks when you get your 2nd dose.

REPLY
2 replies
jolinda | @jolinda | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @ess77 "Hi, Charlie. I've had a couple of friends, in their 70's, who have died from covid...." + (show)
@ess77

Hi, Charlie. I've had a couple of friends, in their 70's, who have died from covid. Another friend is about 47 and was in ICU for a couple of weeks, almost put on a ventilator, but a medication they gave him at that time, don't know what, with additional oxygen pulled him through.

He kept a journal of his experience. Amazingly frightening for him. I do not trust, not necessarily the numbers, as they can be manipulated to say what you want, but I do trust the facts of the % of deaths and serious illness for those over 65. And, the lasting effects. He seems to be ok, although there are some issues re his heart he didn't have before covid. So, watching and praying with him.

I don't plan and will do everything in my power to keep from getting covid! As will I suspect most of us. I have too many other things going on in this body at the moment that I don't think I would have the same experience as you.

Got the Maderno vaccine Tuesday at Mayo. So far, no side effects. Not one. I'm amazed. But, the 2nd shot in a few weeks might be a real bugger. Stay tuned.
Blessings. Elizabeth

Jump to this post

@ess77 How did you get the vaccine? Did you sign up for it? How did you find out you could get the vaccine?

REPLY
2 replies
jerrynord | @jerrynord | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @rosemarya "@ess77, My husband had Covid in November with mild cough and cold like symptoms. I did..." + (show)
@rosemarya

@ess77, My husband had Covid in November with mild cough and cold like symptoms. I did not get it, and I am the immunosuppressed transplant recipient. We will both get the vaccine when our group is eligible here. They are saying probably February. Expecting an update time estimate next week. Our son who is a firefighter got it couple weeks ago. I am jealous that you got yours already.😉
As a transplant patient who is immunocompromised, I can expect a lower degree of protection. I will accept any additional protection for me and for my family.
Hope to hear from you in a couple weeks when you get your 2nd dose.

Jump to this post

I am as also a liver transplant patient who was tested positive on Dec 29th with mild symptoms such as mild chest cough and hard to get an entire breath. My local doctor immediately got me an appointment the next day for an an intravenous of an anti-viral experimental drug similar to what President Trump had. I went home after 4 hours and am finishing up my 14 day quarantine with all symptoms gone.

REPLY
1 reply
mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Jan 7, 2021
In reply to @ess77 "Hi, Charlie. I've had a couple of friends, in their 70's, who have died from covid...." + (show)
@ess77

Hi, Charlie. I've had a couple of friends, in their 70's, who have died from covid. Another friend is about 47 and was in ICU for a couple of weeks, almost put on a ventilator, but a medication they gave him at that time, don't know what, with additional oxygen pulled him through.

He kept a journal of his experience. Amazingly frightening for him. I do not trust, not necessarily the numbers, as they can be manipulated to say what you want, but I do trust the facts of the % of deaths and serious illness for those over 65. And, the lasting effects. He seems to be ok, although there are some issues re his heart he didn't have before covid. So, watching and praying with him.

I don't plan and will do everything in my power to keep from getting covid! As will I suspect most of us. I have too many other things going on in this body at the moment that I don't think I would have the same experience as you.

Got the Maderno vaccine Tuesday at Mayo. So far, no side effects. Not one. I'm amazed. But, the 2nd shot in a few weeks might be a real bugger. Stay tuned.
Blessings. Elizabeth

Jump to this post

@ess77. Wonderful Elizabeth! May I ask how/where you got the vaccine?

REPLY
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