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.

I am CEV due to the combination of underlying conditions I have. Had the first vaccine of AZ a couple of weeks ago and I was happier to have that as it’s ‘old fashioned’ technology similar to the flu vaccine. Nobody really knows as it’s too early and the data is limited. The way I rationalised it to myself was that if I got Covid the outcome of the virus, including any autoimmune response in my body, has the potential to be much worse than the vaccine response. It’s personal and at the end of the day I did what I was comfortable with

Thank you for the heads up @CrunchyCarrot

So it turns out my DP did have Covid last July - he has antibodies! Which means either I didn't catch it (quite hard to believe as we didn't isolate from each other) or I was asymptomatic. I am going to do a test, too.

I have ITP and had the AZ on Friday. It did make me feel horrid on Friday night; I slept most of Saturday, and did sod all yesterday. I was vertical and managed a full working day today. I didn't eat for 48 hours as I didn't want food, but drank lots of tea and water and took paracetamol every 4 hours. I still feel wiped out, but it will improve.

I don’t have AI but know of two people who have AI issues that reacted strongly to the Pfizer vaccine.

Is there much data being gathered on this point? It seems odd that we are gathering at as we go along, given how prevalent AI conditions are

Perhaps the AZ vaccine a safer bet until more is known?

Crohns and Colitis UK and MS Society both have guidance about Covid vaccinations. All the experts who have looked at it say

1. The vaccines are effective
2. They are unlikely to cause flares of symptoms or relapses
3. People with autoimmune conditions should have the vaccine as soon as it is offered to them
4. If you get Covid you are more likely than someone without an underlying condition to end up in hospital, ICU or dead. It’s a “no brainer”. Crohns and Colitis UK had a really good video with several top experts in the relevant fields. One said, and I paraphrase, “Covid kills 1 in 1000 of the people who get it. A vaccine would have to be really terrible to be worse than that”. Millions and millions of people have had these vaccinations and the number of people who have had anything other than minor reactions is tiny. Have the jab

Covid kills 1 in 1000 of the people who get it. A vaccine would have to be really terrible to be worse than that”.

mary are your numbers right? 1 in 1000 is very low whereas an AI flare or long-standing complications can be very serious. This statement isn’t reassuring at all!!!

This is all very interesting. My 9 year old has coeliac disease and although is unlikely to be offered a vaccine for a very long time this isn't a complication I envisaged as her CD is very well managed and she has no persistent symptoms.

She did want to volunteer for the childrens trials but having an AI condition in itself ruled her out even though it's well managed and uncomplicated at present.

I will try to find the link to the video and you can hear what the experts had to say. I believe I am quoting them accurately as I took notes when watching the video

Here is the link to the video from which I extracted that information. Hope you find it helpful and informative.