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Covid

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Original poster

Immune suppressors and vaccine efficiency

24 replies

Senso21 · 01/07/2021 16:51

I’m in my 30s fit and well but have controlled IBD (Crohn’s)
I take an immune suppressor azathioprine.
Was feeling confident after being double jabbed - but with cases now rising quite rapidly where I live I do worry about vaccine efficiency.
I keep looking but can’t find any info based on my medication. Is anyone else in same position and knows anymore on this or where I can look for answers?

OP posts:

Hax · 01/07/2021 17:37

I take immune suppressants. I also have monthly antibody tests as part of a research project. I was slow to make antibodies, it took twn weeks instead of the usual 2-3 butI did eventually and still have them now. I had astra zenika which is also known to build up slowly.

Original poster

Senso21 · 01/07/2021 18:50

Ah this is so helpful @Hax thank you. Glad you built up antibodies. I had AZ too x

OP posts:

Eccle80 · 01/07/2021 19:04

@Hax that’s interesting to know. My Dad is on immune suppressants for Crohns, diagnosed between his first and second jabs. He did an antibody test after being randomly selected for a survey, and his was negative which has worried us a bit

Original poster

Senso21 · 01/07/2021 19:12

This is what I was worried about @Eccle80 - do you happen to know which ones he’s on? If he’s recently diagnosed he may be on steroids as well which are really harsh on your immunity

OP posts:

Eccle80 · 01/07/2021 19:18

@Senso21 he’d just started azathioprine before he had his second jab, and had been on steroids too, I hadn’t realised they had an immunity effect too. I’ve been told a negative antibody test doesn’t necessarily mean no immunity as it wouldn’t show T cell immunity (I think!) but I would have felt a lot better if his test had shown positive.

And sorry I didn’t want to make you more worried about it. He’s also in his 70s and I think age can be a factor in immune response too.

Original poster

Senso21 · 01/07/2021 19:21

No not at all @Eccle80 - it’s good to hear some actual real life data as I haven’t been able to find anything re azathioprine. I know when shielding advice was being given out oral steroids were top of the risk list above all the other meds, I think they really wipe your immune system out.

I hope like you said, your dad has some T cell immunity, and I hope his crohns is getting under control on the azathioprine x

OP posts:

Redannie118 · 01/07/2021 19:23

Yeah this worries me. I take Mycophenolate. I wasnt on them for first jab and had horrific side effects. Was on them for second jab and had no side effects at all. I had heard that if you are on immune suppressants and have no side effects it hasnt worked? Nothing concrete to back this up btw, just hearsay.

Original poster

Senso21 · 01/07/2021 19:26

@Redannie118 yes that’s interesting actually. I had AZ vaccine and got the fever, body aches, headaches etc for just over 24 hours, really felt awful. Then second dose absolutely nothing but a sore arm. But I’ve heard that is quite normal for the second jab to cause no issues. Maybe the initial dose reaction we both had is a reassuring sign!

OP posts:

ShinglesOuch · 01/07/2021 19:28

I'm on biologics for Ulcerative Colitis, and was feeling the same as you OP so I ordered an antibody test from Lloyds. I think other places do them, but I recognised Lloyds so went with them.

They don't know yet what level of antibodies = good protection, but I figured I'd at least know if I had any - my results came back as over 1000 which I think is pretty high, and comparable to people not on immune suppressants, so I'm feeling very reassured.

ShinglesOuch · 01/07/2021 19:32

Oh, and I'm on steroids too - been on 15-30mg per day for about 2 years!

Original poster

Senso21 · 01/07/2021 21:10

Fab @ShinglesOuch didn’t know you could order them. I’m going to look at this now. What vaccine did you have?xx

OP posts:

LoveFall · 01/07/2021 21:19

@ShinglesOuch

I'm on biologics for Ulcerative Colitis, and was feeling the same as you OP so I ordered an antibody test from Lloyds. I think other places do them, but I recognised Lloyds so went with them.

I am on Entyvio (vedolizumab) for ulcerative colitis. Also double jabbed with Pfizer. Are you comfortable sharing which biologic you are on?

I understand Entyvio affects immunity in the gut most, not the whole body. At least I hope so.

gibbertyofah · 01/07/2021 21:32

I'm not sure if there's any point in paying for an antibody test if you're on immune suppressants? Even if it shows you've had it doesn't mean you can't get it again. This article might be of interest?
www.imperial.ac.uk/news/220253/covid-19-vaccine-response-blunted-common-inflammatory/

Hax · 01/07/2021 21:52

@gibbertyofah you can get antibody tests which differentiate between covid acquired antibodies and vaccine ones.
I take oral steroids OP, as well as other immunosuppressive drugs.

Rillington · 01/07/2021 21:57

I am like you on Azathioprine for Crohn's. I think I had Covid back in March last year but was never tested. I had no side effects at all to either of my AZ vaccinations. I have no idea if my vaccines have worked. It is worrying.

Eccle80 · 01/07/2021 22:12

@Senso21 thank you, he’s not been too great the last few weeks but hopefully improving now.

@Redannie118 if you had AZ it seems to be common to have the worse side effects on the first one. I can understand the worry though

Keepingitreal83 · 01/07/2021 22:15

I’m on Aza for Crohn’s too. I had a reaction similar to yours to the first AZ jab but nothing at all to the second one.

I would be interested to know how it effects the vaccine effectiveness but guess there has been very little research so far.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 01/07/2021 22:19

I'm on immunosuppressants for MS. I was able to get double jabbed before my first treatment but I have no idea whether I will have held onto any benefit. Scary with dc at school.

SpikeIgG · 01/07/2021 23:01

A French team recently published this paper: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2108861?s=09

They were looking at transplant patients on various immunosuppressants, and at Pfizer vaccine.
The results aren't that reassuring... 40% of patients protected after their second vaccine, 68% by a month after the third. Although they only seem to be looking at antibodies, not T cells.

I saw on bbc this week that the UK is considering giving third vaccine to some people including immunosuppressed? So hopefully that should help.

There's an ongoing trial in the UK, OCTAVE, that is looking at vaccine response in various immunosuppressed patient groups including IBD but it hasn't reported yet (in fact it's still recruiting)

www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2021/03/covid-vaccine-immune-cancer-patients.aspx

Keepingitreal83 · 02/07/2021 06:20

@SpikeIgG thanks for sharing that, really good that the research is now happening.

ShinglesOuch · 02/07/2021 12:10

@LoveFall I think I might have been on tofacitinib when I had the second jab, but was definitely on vedolizumab for the first and possibly the second as well.

ShinglesOuch · 02/07/2021 12:10

Oh, and I had AZ

LoveFall · 02/07/2021 16:26

@ShinglesOuch

Thank you. That's good news. I hope the vedo is working well for you.

AtomicBronde · 02/07/2021 16:55

I’m on Vedolizumab for Crohn’s and have had both Pfizer jabs.

Would really love to know how well my antibodies are holding up!

Hopefully there’s ongoing research.

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