Aplastic Anemia and vaccine influences

I appreciate your candor. Given the lack of data in this area personal history is a vital part of uncovering potential risks. Did your treating hospital perform any extended gene analysis when your bone marrow studies were done? Mine produced more questions that may or may not impact treatment plans. It did provide an opportunity to participate in further clinical study that may someday assist others faced with these health challenges.

Hoping you respond well to the ATG treatments.

Are you a candidate for a bone marrow transplant or have your doctors discussed possible alternate immune suppression treatment? Having an Extended Gene analysis also might provide insight if not already done.

Have you been vaccinated for COVID or had COVID at all over the past few years?

Our post-BMT immunization schedule generally commences after the first year. In my case it was 1yr 4mo. At that point I had the first round of 9 vaccines in 6 injections October 2020. 3 months later, Jan 21 the same were repeated and finalized in July 21. Oct 21 there was one more with the addition of the PCV23 pneumonia shot.
Along with those, I’ve had all of the Covid vaccinations and boosters, as well as influenza Quadrivalent annual vaccines. No issues with any of them except for both arms feeling like I’d been pummeled with baseball bats for a few days after. Ice packs helped the most.
All of your vaccines from infancy to adulthood will be covered. The only one you probably won’t receive is the MMR which contains live virus so that one has to wait. I’m guessing that one will be discussed with my transplant doctor at my visit in April.
You’re over the one year point if I remember. When’s your next followup?

Yes, I had the extended gene analysis, 3 total gene analysis done, two short & one 94 gene analysis with No mutations, also three Chromosome tests. No markers for Cancer.
Just completed the ATGAM treatment at Moffitt Cancer Ctr. Tampa Fl., this week. Takes 3-6 months to see if it will work for a remission.

I am too old (75) Drs say I would most likely not survive the Bone Marrow transplant.
This all started after my Covid Vaccine & Booster shot (Maderna).
I just finished the Treatment for Aplastic Anemia, ATGAM treatment.
Will not know anything for 3-6 months. Hopefullu sooner but Drs say be patient, this treatment takes time. Meanwhile I take Promacta, Prednisone, Cyclosporine and two anti biotics due to low WBC, RBC and very low platelets (7-40 avg.)

@rockitman, can you get a second opinion on that verdict of not having a bone marrow transplant? An acquaintance I’m mentoring through my local Cancer center had his BMT at the age of 75, 6 months ago. He’s doing amazingly well.
He had acute myeloid leukemia, which is a very aggressive disease and his only option for a longevity was a BMT.
If you have no other co-morbidities and are in otherwise good health it would really be worth asking. What do you have to lose??

Wow , yes if my treatments don't work, I'll definitely talk to another Dr. Thank you for the information. I am in extremely good health with no other issues.
Thanks again

Hello. I have aplastic anemia post COVID vaccine. I was healthy before all this happened. I got my booster end of September 2021. Blood counts were down as of my blood work Jan 2022. It took awhile to diagnose. I had a bone marrow biopsy in feb 2022, came back fine. I was treated with prednisone which did nothing. I had another bone marrow biopsy in may which came back saying I had PNH. My doctor was not convinced this was the case. I went for a third opinion in august of 2022 and this doctor said I have aplastic anemia and it was evident back in may. I received my ATG treatment in sept 2022 and am on a treatment consisting of cyclosporine and promacta. I am currently 6 months transfusion free. My numbers are still improving and are much better than before. I am grateful for the excellent medical care I received from Rush university in Chicago IL. I was a healthy individual before I received the COVID vaccine, I was looking forward to turning 40 and all the new life experiences I was going to have and then this happened. I can say I’m doing much better and I’m so grateful. I believe this COVID vaccine has done more harm than good. I hope they can link this at some point . I have had a hard time getting people to believe me that this is what it’s from. No one can give me any answers. Like I said I was healthy before all of this took place. I’m just looking forward to some answers in the near future. I wish everyone who reads this who may have suffered like me be glad there is treatment and just hang in there and pray, lean on your family and you can get through anything.

Hi. I’m sorry this happened. Very frustrating that Covid vaccine isn’t looked at seriously as a cause. There is a group in here that has iron deficiency anemia believed to be from Covid/vaccine. In your case, has it affected your iron/ferritin levels? When you say your blood count was affected, your wbc and plts are also low?

I agree the Covid vaccine has caused a lot of harm but it is hard to get Drs. to agree. My husband and I were very healthy until we took the vaccine. A month after my third shot I had a PE in both lungs, a DVT in my leg, and was diagnosed with celiac disease. My husband has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. We should have taken our chances with getting Covid.