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Transplant: New Covid booster and Evusheld

Posted by hello1234 @hello1234, Sep 14, 2022

Hi Transplant Family!
Are you planning on taking the new covid vaccine booster? Are you going to also get Evusheld? If so, which one are you getting first and how much time are you waiting between shots?
Thanks everyone

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

JK | @contentandwell | Sep 17, 2022
In reply to @hello1234 "Hi @contentandwell 😊 Thanks so much for your detailed response. I think you have an excellent..." + (show)
@hello1234

Hi @contentandwell 😊
Thanks so much for your detailed response. I think you have an excellent vaccine plan! After all my covid vaccines and boosters, I tested for antibodies and had ZERO so it was recommended that I proceed with Evusheld which I did.
Recently, just a couple of weeks ago, I was diagnosed with the BK virus. The treatment for BK virus is reduction in immune suppression meds in hope that my immune system will kick in enough to handle it. BK is scary for a kidney transplant patient because it can cause rejection.
In the meantime, it's now time for my next Evusheld. I am also thinking that the reduction of immune suppression may allow me to achieve some antibodies using the new covid booster. I heard on one of the John Hopkins webinars that the vaccine is a broader protection than Evusheld if your body builds antibodies from it, so it may be worthwhile trying. I will also get the flu shot and shingles shot.
Of course, with my BK virus I am not sure what the best timing is with all of these vaccines because my top concern is the resolution of the virus and preventing rejection. I don't want to distract my immune system from job one! (Not sure if that's something real or not).
I am so happy to hear that your system successfully responded to the covid vaccine and boosters! What immune suppression meds and dosages are you on for maintenance? Also, how did you feel after your first Shingrix vaccine? (I have heard sometimes people don't feel well after the shingles vaccine)?
Thanks again JK for jumping in and letting me know your vaccine and booster plan. It's very helpful and appreciated!

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@hello1234
I really wonder if despite being extraordinarily careful I could have had an asymptomatic case of Covid since I had fairly high antibodies. I don't know the actual number but apparently, it was pretty good. I am on 2.5mg of sirolimus. had been on tacrolimus but it was causing my creatinine number to be high. They had me drinking 80-100 ounces of water a day to offset that. It helped but not enough so they changed me to sirolimus. I was also on a very small dose of prednisone until sometime in the last year. I really wanted to get off of it so they finally allowed me to try not taking it and my numbers stayed the same so they took me off of it. PHEW!

I had no reaction after my first Shingrix vaccine. Maybe a sore arm but that's to be expected. I have heard people are more apt to react after the second shot so I am timing it so that I have nothing that needs to be done for a couple of days after getting it.
JK

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hello1234 | @hello1234 | Sep 17, 2022

Hi @contentandwell 😊
Thanks so much for the scoop! I have heard that the folks like me that are on Mycophenolate (Cellcept) and Tacronlimis have a more difficult time getting a response from the covid vaccine so your sirolimus may be one of the reasons for your successful antibodies (in addition to a possible asymptomatic bout with covid).
Also, thank you for the heads up about the second Shingrix shot. I really appreciate it JK!

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1 reply
JK | @contentandwell | Sep 17, 2022
In reply to @hello1234 "Hi @contentandwell 😊 Thanks so much for the scoop! I have heard that the folks like..." + (show)
@hello1234

Hi @contentandwell 😊
Thanks so much for the scoop! I have heard that the folks like me that are on Mycophenolate (Cellcept) and Tacronlimis have a more difficult time getting a response from the covid vaccine so your sirolimus may be one of the reasons for your successful antibodies (in addition to a possible asymptomatic bout with covid).
Also, thank you for the heads up about the second Shingrix shot. I really appreciate it JK!

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@hello1234
Don’t expect a reaction, I know just as many people who had none, including my sister and her husband.

Last year my sister-in-law who was not vaccinated had a terrible case of shingles that landed her in the hospital two times! That spurred me on to get the vaccine but my transplant team was opposed until the CDC approved it for us. I would not want to go through what she has gone through.

My husband has had shingles two times but both cases were mild, just a bit of itching!
JK

REPLY
hello1234 | @hello1234 | Sep 17, 2022

Thank you @contentandwell 😊
When your husband had a mild version of shingles, did he have a little rash or anything on the skin with the itching? My father (90 years old) has been having back itching and I am wondering if it may be shingles. How did your husband know he had shingles?
Thanks so much for letting me know about this!

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1 reply
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Sep 17, 2022
In reply to @zorbanite "Think I confused you. I survived 18 years after 2 heart attacks with an 18% ejection..." + (show)
@zorbanite

Think I confused you. I survived 18 years after 2 heart attacks with an 18% ejection fraction. Then had a heart transplant at the end of 2011.

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@zorbanite, I also want to reach out and welcome you to Connect. I just saw that you have shared your story on the link that Colleen posted. My intention in beginning that discussion was to create a place to share our transplant stories and to provide Hope and Support of anyone who is involved with organ transplant. I am a liver and kidney recipient and I must say that I am deeply touched by what you shared. I especially like what you shared in your previous comment, " My keys to success are staying lean and mean through exercise and diet and trying to avoid stress..." Those are good words to live by!
I am 13 years post transplant and found Connect when I wanted to meet other liver/kidney transplant recipients. What brought you to Connect?

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l0lag0lag0b3 | @l0lag0lag0b3 | Sep 18, 2022
In reply to @contentandwell "Hi, @hello1234 I definitely plan to get the latest booster, it covers the new strains of..." + (show)
@contentandwell

Hi, @hello1234
I definitely plan to get the latest booster, it covers the new strains of Covid. I had the original 3 vaccines, which is the protocol for immunosuppressed patients, plus the two boosters, and have had no reactions. After my last shot my transplant team had me get my antibodies tested to see if I should get Evusheld but my antibodies were surprisingly high so it was not necessary.

Right now I am planning to get three vaccines -- first my second dose of the shingles vaccine which was just approved by the CDC in July for immunocompromised patients, then the new Covid booster, and finally the flu shot. I generally don't get the flu shot until October because it's only active for about 6 months so I think that will see me through flu season better, although people do get the flu prior to that. It's a gamble either way.

If you are able to get both the vaccine and Evusheld but don't know which to get first you should check with your transplant team. I feel they generally have the best advice and definitely know more than I do about the pros and cons of which to get first.
JK

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Thanks for excellent write up. It sorted out the confusion I have had from a long time why take evusheld specially when I have had a good response to the Vaccine, I have taken a total of 5 Pfizer vaccine shots and 1 month after the 5th shot I had approx. 6k vaccine titers (u/mL). I intend to take the bivalent shot.

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2 replies
hello1234 | @hello1234 | Sep 18, 2022
In reply to @l0lag0lag0b3 "Thanks for excellent write up. It sorted out the confusion I have had from a long..." + (show)
@l0lag0lag0b3

Thanks for excellent write up. It sorted out the confusion I have had from a long time why take evusheld specially when I have had a good response to the Vaccine, I have taken a total of 5 Pfizer vaccine shots and 1 month after the 5th shot I had approx. 6k vaccine titers (u/mL). I intend to take the bivalent shot.

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Good morning
@l0lag0lag0b3 😊
I am so happy to hear you achieved a nice antibodies response from your covid vaccines and boosters. Congrats! Which immune suppression meds and dosages are you taking? My theory has always been that the antibodies response rate is related to which immune suppression meds (and how much) people are taking. Are you taking Tacronlimis or something else?

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1 reply
l0lag0lag0b3 | @l0lag0lag0b3 | Sep 18, 2022
In reply to @l0lag0lag0b3 "Thanks for excellent write up. It sorted out the confusion I have had from a long..." + (show)
@l0lag0lag0b3

Thanks for excellent write up. It sorted out the confusion I have had from a long time why take evusheld specially when I have had a good response to the Vaccine, I have taken a total of 5 Pfizer vaccine shots and 1 month after the 5th shot I had approx. 6k vaccine titers (u/mL). I intend to take the bivalent shot.

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correction on my write up:
should read as " covid antibody titers " as against vaccine titers ..ha ha
My apologies !

REPLY
l0lag0lag0b3 | @l0lag0lag0b3 | Sep 18, 2022
In reply to @hello1234 "Good morning @l0lag0lag0b3 😊 I am so happy to hear you achieved a nice antibodies response..." + (show)
@hello1234

Good morning
@l0lag0lag0b3 😊
I am so happy to hear you achieved a nice antibodies response from your covid vaccines and boosters. Congrats! Which immune suppression meds and dosages are you taking? My theory has always been that the antibodies response rate is related to which immune suppression meds (and how much) people are taking. Are you taking Tacronlimis or something else?

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Hi @hello1234
Over the last 2 years, I have been taking: 1.5mg Tacrolimus + 1000 mg Mycophenolate + 5mg Prednisone.
My immunity seems to be ok,
I don't know why: My inference is: I think it is all genetics and probably a couple of Class II matches I had with the donor kidney.
& also what @rosemarya has mentioned in her earlier messages: Diet + Weight Control + Walking to stimulate cardio - of course the biggest of all is forgetting that stress exists !
I think stress & anxiety are have a sizable role.
I look at my mom, she is 96 years : perfectly healthy- no glasses, all her teeth are intact + all her hair are intact..but she has Alzheimer's .. so net net is that mind is floating and body has no concept of stress and body is in great condition. .. such is life !
Best Wishes

REPLY
hello1234 | @hello1234 | Sep 18, 2022

@l0lag0lag0b3
Wow, you just shared a lot of excellent wisdom! First of all, you proved my personal theory that Mycophenolate and Tacronlimis were probably the reason that I had no antibodies response from all my covid vaccines and boosters.
Second, your theory about the role of stress and anxiety and your story about your mom makes a very good point! Beyond your healthy diet and exercise, do you have any stress management tips I can borrow? 😊

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