1. < Transplants

Omicron and monoclonal antibodies experience?

Posted by athenalee @athenalee, Jan 17, 2022

Hello fellow transplant recipient Connect friends. I’m here to report that not going anywhere except the office and the food coop, and, being masked 😷 is apparently not enough against Omicron. I’ve been sick since Wednesday. Started with a wicked sore throat and headache, then morphing into the worse sore throat ever, bigger headache, fatigue, muscle ache, a ton of bricks 🧱 on my chest, cough, and did I mention the sore throat?!

Took a PCR test on Thursday and an antigen test. The antigen test was negative. So as I continued to suffer, I got a call this morning that I have Covid. After I had a meltdown, I called my PCP to find out about monoclonal antibodies. I also called my transplant team and informed them. There are three hospitals in S. Vermont which do the monoclonal antibodies, but they are all waiting on more supplies! At least a day or two for delivery.

So, I'm wondering if anyone one has suffered through Omicron, a.k.a. Voldemort. And, if anyone has had monoclonal antibody treatment and can share their experience.

Thanks, Athena

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Jan 18, 2022

Athenalee, it is morning, and I just woke up to your message. I hope with all my being that you are going to show relief and improvement soon. I see that you have already contacted your PCP and transplant center and I’m confident that they will be able to be on top of your care.
These are tough times and I am especially concerned for you. ❤️

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jan 18, 2022

Oh, Athena, when I read this happened in spite of all the care you take, I felt terrible.
Monoclonal antibodies seem in short supply everywhere now, so it is great you have made contact. The only extra suggestion I have is that there is a "registry" in many states, where you or your doctors enroll you, with your medical conditions listed, and a team does triage to prioritize who gets the available doses first. Can you find out if Vermont offers this?
Sue

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1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 18, 2022

Hi @athenalee, omicron is relentless. What a punch in the gut this must be when you take such extra care and preventative precautions. You may be interested in reading this discussion in the Post-COVID Recovery group about others experiences with monoclonal antibody treatments. It’s not transplant specific, but real life examples none-the-less.

- Has anyone had monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID infection? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/monoclonal-antibodies/

This of course does not address your immediate concern of supply. As @sueinmn says, supply issues are everywhere. Did your transplant team suggest anything else?

REPLY
1 reply
edb1123 | @edb1123 | Jan 18, 2022

I got COVID on Dec. 28th from someone who hadn’t been vaccinated but had COVID in Sept. Six of us got it after exposure on Christmas Eve. Luckily, I had very mild symptoms - headache, low grade fever, congestion, and an occasional cough - and they didn’t last long. However, I decided to get the monoclonal antibodies 3 days after diagnosis. I didn’t have any side effects from the treatment and I hope it has given me even more protection against the virus.

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1 reply
athenalee | @athenalee | Jan 18, 2022
In reply to @edb1123 "I got COVID on Dec. 28th from someone who hadn’t been vaccinated but had COVID in..." + (show)
@edb1123

I got COVID on Dec. 28th from someone who hadn’t been vaccinated but had COVID in Sept. Six of us got it after exposure on Christmas Eve. Luckily, I had very mild symptoms - headache, low grade fever, congestion, and an occasional cough - and they didn’t last long. However, I decided to get the monoclonal antibodies 3 days after diagnosis. I didn’t have any side effects from the treatment and I hope it has given me even more protection against the virus.

Jump to this post

Thank you for responding! I’m glad your symptoms were more mild; mine are pretty bad. I’m going for monoclonal antibodies tomorrow morning, so I appreciate knowing that you didn’t have any side effects.

REPLY
1 reply
athenalee | @athenalee | Jan 18, 2022
In reply to @rosemarya "Athenalee, it is morning, and I just woke up to your message. I hope with all..." + (show)
@rosemarya

Athenalee, it is morning, and I just woke up to your message. I hope with all my being that you are going to show relief and improvement soon. I see that you have already contacted your PCP and transplant center and I’m confident that they will be able to be on top of your care.
These are tough times and I am especially concerned for you. ❤️

Jump to this post

Thank you Rosemary. I’m getting monoclonal antibodies in the morning. My transplant team said that they haven’t had anyone experience negative side effects or complications. Still scary though…but Covid is certainly as well.

REPLY
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Jan 18, 2022

Sending love, hugs, and prayers for healing. ❤️

REPLY
athenalee | @athenalee | Jan 18, 2022
In reply to @sueinmn "Oh, Athena, when I read this happened in spite of all the care you take, I..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Oh, Athena, when I read this happened in spite of all the care you take, I felt terrible.
Monoclonal antibodies seem in short supply everywhere now, so it is great you have made contact. The only extra suggestion I have is that there is a "registry" in many states, where you or your doctors enroll you, with your medical conditions listed, and a team does triage to prioritize who gets the available doses first. Can you find out if Vermont offers this?
Sue

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for your comments. I was amazed I that I was called today and get in to be treated tomorrow morning! My primary registered me at three sites, so when I was called this morning, she took me off the other lists.

REPLY
athenalee | @athenalee | Jan 18, 2022
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @athenalee, omicron is relentless. What a punch in the gut this must be when you..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi @athenalee, omicron is relentless. What a punch in the gut this must be when you take such extra care and preventative precautions. You may be interested in reading this discussion in the Post-COVID Recovery group about others experiences with monoclonal antibody treatments. It’s not transplant specific, but real life examples none-the-less.

- Has anyone had monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID infection? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/monoclonal-antibodies/

This of course does not address your immediate concern of supply. As @sueinmn says, supply issues are everywhere. Did your transplant team suggest anything else?

Jump to this post

Thank you Colleen, I’ll check out the discussion. My team said to let them know if I couldn’t be treated locally, and they’d get me in. So, that was reassuring.

REPLY
edb1123 | @edb1123 | Jan 18, 2022
In reply to @athenalee "Thank you for responding! I’m glad your symptoms were more mild; mine are pretty bad. I’m..." + (show)
@athenalee

Thank you for responding! I’m glad your symptoms were more mild; mine are pretty bad. I’m going for monoclonal antibodies tomorrow morning, so I appreciate knowing that you didn’t have any side effects.

Jump to this post

I’m sorry you’re having such bad symptoms from COVID! I hope you improve quickly and you also don’t have any side effects from the monoclonal antibodies. 🙏

REPLY
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