Auto Immune disease and Vaccine

[ihearttc]

Can someone more knowledgeable than me point me in the direct of where I would find information about the effects of the vaccine on people with auto immune disease? I have googled but a bit overwhelmed with information and not entirely sure what I should be looking at.
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and only take Hydroxychloriquine (incidentally the wonder drug as suggested by Trump back in April!) but I also work in a school so I’m very keen to have the Vaccine if at all possible. I’m interested in the effects of the Vaccine on my body (I don’t have the flu vaccine as it has made me really poorly in the past) but I feel this is vital to have. Is there a specific one which is better for people with auto immune conditions and if so are we likely to be able to choose which one we have? I’m way way down the list in terms of when I will get it anyway, I’m early 40’s and I’m not the medications for immuno suppressed group.

Following with interest (IBD, asthma, possibly developing rheumatism as we speak). Although - having had a rough time w COVID, then long COVID - I must admit I'll probably take the first one that's offered to me.

Following as Dd has multiple auto immune illnesses.

She’s priority for the flu vaccine and as far as I’m aware the Oxford covid vaccine is made on the same principles as the flu vaccine so surely should be safe if so many people with auto immune illnesses have the flu one every year?

Also following with interest! I take immune suppression meds for Crohn's disease and arthritis.

AstraZeneca have started something: www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/news/134179/astrazeneca-starts-covid-19-prevention-trial-for-immunocompromised-patients/amp/
The Lancet has had a few articles about this. I can't find enough out about the alternative antibody-based one that's been proposed.

I read somewhere the other day that you won’t get to choose which vaccine you get .

I thought I’d read somewhere that the Oxford one was better for people with Auto immune conditions however I can’t now find the information. I’ve only had the flu vaccine twice and both times I was really ill afterwards, it was like I had full blown flu. So although I definitely want the Vaccine I’d like to give myself the best chance of not becoming ill from it. I know there will be side effects but my body seems to go into overdrive and make everything 100 times worse!

The product information hasn’t been released yet, until that happens I don’t think you will know. The licensing authorities will decide if it’s a yes or no basically. It’s usually live vaccines which can cause problems. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to feel unwell after a vaccine, it can show that you’re mounting an immune response. I also managed to get flu one year just after mine!

No most people won’t get the choice but if one vaccine is safer for sub sections of people and if there are doubts about the other (I don’t know if there) then of course they would only be allowed the safe one.

@Floralnomad I did wonder if that’s the case. I’m not bothered so much about the efficiency of it, I’m just concerned that it’s going to cause me to feel awful.

There's no way of knowing unfortunately. I'll be declining precisely because of the volume of autoimmune disease in my family - too risky in my opinion.

Immunosuppressed people can't have the current vaccines but will be able to have the antibody one that's just started trials, we can't have a live flu one either. I presumed there would be no choice as to which vaccines go to which person other than that

@pistolknight I think my issue is I don’t fall into the actual immunosuppressed catergory with my medication as it’s just a DMARD rather than an actual immune suppressant so I will be expected to have the vaccine along with everyone else.

Do you have a rheumatology helpline where you are, the one here is pretty good with getting back to you with answers, they might have a better idea once the vaccines are released

Good idea...I can call one of the Rheumatology nurses! Thank you!

@ihearttc

This is just my view

To me, mRNA technology appears risky for people who already have one or several autoimmune diseases

with mRNA technology:

mRNA is injected into the body and enters cells, where it provides instructions to produce antigens. The cell then presents the antigens to the immune system, preparing the body to fight the disease

I have concerns regarding two aspects of this treatment:

1)If you have an autoimmune condition, the body is already misinterpreting instructions and is attacking itself. How do you ensure it will interpret correctly instructions provided by mRNA?

2)If your own body is asked to make the antigen rather than it being injected in the form of a dead virus for instance, how do you ensure that the 'antigen' that your body has produced will not signal your immune system to attack other parts of your body (i.e. giving you other autoimmune diseases)?

This is another thread on this topic with more opinions where I've posted

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4088231-Autoimmune-populations-and-the-vaccine?msgid=102034588#102034588

trulydelicious my worries are exactly the same as yours! I’m worried that the medical advice will be all about pushing the vaccine without looking at the nuance of this. I’m pretty sure my GP, who I like and is generally good, just wouldn’t have the specialist knowledge to give good advice on this.

@Tolleshunt

Yes, I believe at some point GPs should be making a referral to a specialist consultant if they cannot advise on this.

@BobbinThreadbare123

Also following with interest! I take immune suppression meds for Crohn's disease and arthritis.

I have IBD & arthritis. I can't have the vaccine in any case for other reasons (like actually can't have it, not that I've just decided I don't fancy it ) but I would assume if the vaccine isn't live then there's no reason we couldn't have it ? Is it live though?

Oh good, that’s helpful trulydelicious

[quote trulydelicious]@ihearttc

This is just my view

To me, mRNA technology appears risky for people who already have one or several autoimmune diseases

with mRNA technology:

mRNA is injected into the body and enters cells, where it provides instructions to produce antigens. The cell then presents the antigens to the immune system, preparing the body to fight the disease

I have concerns regarding two aspects of this treatment:

1)If you have an autoimmune condition, the body is already misinterpreting instructions and is attacking itself. How do you ensure it will interpret correctly instructions provided by mRNA?

2)If your own body is asked to make the antigen rather than it being injected in the form of a dead virus for instance, how do you ensure that the 'antigen' that your body has produced will not signal your immune system to attack other parts of your body (i.e. giving you other autoimmune diseases)?

This is another thread on this topic with more opinions where I've posted

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4088231-Autoimmune-populations-and-the-vaccine?msgid=102034588#102034588[/quote]
I think this is oversimplifying how autoimmune diseases arise.
There’s no reason why expressing a protein on a cell using mRNA would necessarily make the autoimmune disease worse. It’s much more complicated than it being about misinterpreting instructions.
I don’t fully understand autoimmunity so wouldn’t like to say how people with autoimmunity react to vaccines. Are you an autoimmunity specialist?

With regards point 2 this is incorrect thinking. The way that dead viruses stimulate the immune system is that they are taken up by cells, broken down and expressed on the surface of the cell (mainly antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells). Therefore there isn’t that much difference to mRNA making protein which is expressed inside a cell.

Also, mRNA is not long lived so the antigens will only be expressed for a short period of time.

I imagine for those with autoimmunity a discussion with your clinician once a possible vaccine is available is the best course of action once licensing criteria are known.

The best person to ask is your consultant, and you should of been shielding these last few weeks.

@JS87

I have said that I have these two concerns which for me are valid.

Do you have an autoimmune disease?

Why are you posting in this thread since you are saying that you don't fully understand autoimmunity?

Why do you seem to all the time be wanting to reassure people regarding mRNA?

I have auto immune disease (and other health conditions) and take HCQ and another DMRD.
Frankly I don't care how unpleasant the vaccine, don't care if it makes me unwell for a while as long as it doesn't kill me.

@GalaxyCookieCrumble

The best person to ask is your consultant, and you should of been shielding these last few weeks.

People who are only taking HCQ were not shielded.

@BobbinThreadbare123

More info in the trial. I know one arm of trial is recruiting people living with cancer, I'm not sure what other conditions are represented

www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2020/covid-19-long-acting-antibody-laab-combination-azd7442-rapidly-advances-into-phase-iii-clinical-trials.html