For people taking immune suppressants which COVID vaccine is best?

I started having MG symptoms on July 25,2019. I was finally diagnosed after 8 months on March 24, 2020 ... and have been in remission since 11-27-2020. I did three shots so far with nor soreness or side effects. They were all MODERNA .. in April, May, and December 28th, 2021. My city, Tempe Arizona, has all three. Check your city websites. In our town, they do shots two mornings a week and each week a different school. They had a TEMPE FIRE PARAMEDIC inside, standing by, with all his equipment, watching to see no one had a bad reaction, after their shot, during our waiting to leave period. You could pick the brand you wanted ... and the lines were 5 to 8 people long.

My doctor said the shot was safe .... so long as it was DEAD. So avoid any shot with a live virus such as for SHINGLES. I have been safely in remission, am off now all PREDNISONE since 11/2020, still only had 5 original IVIG's, and feel fine except for MG onset Insomnia side effects many nites. So I do not know if the shots work to keep COVIC away ... but the shots have not hurt me, or thrown me out of remission. So I feel safe!!!

I take Actemra for autoimmune disease. Got 3 shots. Antibodies only 130 need 250. By now who knows. Could be 0. Drug was moderna.

How do you find out what your anti-body level is? It is not common practice at my clinic, which is Mayo Health system in Wisconsin, to have a doctor order this test even for those of us who are immuno-compromised.

Thanks for responding!

Just ask him to take an antibody test. He can’t refuse because if you think you’re protected and you’re not and you get Covid that’s not a good thing. They are not happy about taking antibody test for us because we never have enough to be protected so the doctors really don’t want you to know.

Hi @marilynredder2367 I just had to pop into this conversation to let you know a little more about antibody tests for the Covid Virus and the Covid vaccines.

The reason physicians hesitate to order covid antibody tests is because the test can’t tell you if you’re protected against the disease. It can show that you’ve had the virus and/or it can show you’ve had an immune response to the vaccination.
But the tests don’t tell the whole story in terms of the immune cells and a person’s overall ability to respond to infection. Even if our antibody count is low we could still be having an immune response from our B and T cells. But it’s not known the amount of antibodies needed for protection against COVID-19 so these tests are of limited help.

I found a good article which explains the different types of Covid testing in greater detail.
https://medical.mit.edu/covid-19-updates/2021/08/can-antibody-test-tell-me-if-my-vaccine-worked

I know we’re all tired of having to be wary of Covid. But it’s going to be around for a while yet, whether we’re protected or not. What are you doing to stay safe?

Thank you for the information. Why would my doctor tell me to 250 is what they are looking for and I only have 130? I will however go to the website you sent me. To protect myself at the tender age of 80 is difficult but I do wear a KN 95 mask and stay out of crowds. I live in Florida I can eat outdoors. I do not go to the activities of the community. Most have been shut down. However I do go to physical therapy because of a broken femur that never healed and I won’t give that up. Thank you for responding.

Good morning, Marilyn. From my understanding, antibody tests can be used to check the efficacy of most any immunization we’ve received. As an example, If we get an MMR for preventions of measles, mumps and rubella, we can get our antibody level tested and if it’s above 250 we’re considered fully vaccinated because there are years of records and statistics which show the level needed for us to be protected.

With the Covid virus, all bets are off. Because it’s such a new virus with no historical data, and because it’s also continually mutating into yet another version of itself, it’s difficult with the limited information for scientists and researchers to say for certain what it takes in our systems to be effective at this time. As more data is available those numbers required for antibodies will eventually be more dependable.

I’m glad to hear you’re wearing the KN95 mask and doing all the right things to avoid Covid. It’s an easy thing to do and if everyone would just wear masks, the aerosol viral load would drop dramatically. But the deniers won’t do it, so it’s up to those of us who have compromised immune systems to defend ourselves.
It’s important for us to keep as active as possible too, for our health and well-being.

It’s wonderful you live in Florida where you are able to get outside year long. Helps a little with the cabin fever that comes this time of the year where I am. We’re expecting minus 15 tonight and our high today is 7 degrees. We’re heading to Florida this weekend for 8 weeks! Can’t wait. I love winter but not fond of the wind stinging my face these days. Hah, the mask helps keep me warm so there’s a plus side!

I hope you’re making progress with the broken femur. It’s great you’re able to get out for the PT appointments. With our days of isolation, even getting out to a medical appointment feels like a big social event! 😅 How frequently do you go?

I received a written response and a phone call from the Pfizer Company. Because the Covid-19 vaccine is expected to be less effective for those of us who take immune-suppressant medication, it is suggested we follow a 3-dose regiment followed by a booster. The Pfizer representative said it is essential to advise the person who will be administering the vaccine of all medications we take, including the name, dosage, and frequency taken. As an example, I take Avonex interferon beta 1-a, 30mcg once per week. The Pfizer representative said we should discuss this issue with the doctor who prescribes the immune suppressant medication. In my case, that would be my neurologist. Meanwhile, we should be following CDC guidance to limit our exposure to the “breathing space” of people who might be carrying the virus. That includes wearing a mask and maintaining distance from others.

Twice a week for PTAnd OT. I’m shooting for 3 for a while but it’s difficult. Just had cancer removed from inside my ear It required a skin graft. No PT this week. Where are you headed in Florida. I live in Boynton Beach on the east coast.