Too many auto-immune conditions and the booster jab?

[Stealhsquirrelnutkin]

I went for my booster jab this morning. Before administering the injection the nurse wanted the answers to a lot of questions. Most of them were familiar from the previous two vaccinations, and I had my sleeve rolled up ready as I trotted out the same answers.

The question "Do you take any medication for immune related conditions" was new. I replied that I take hydroxychloroquine for Lupus and Rheumatism, levothyroxine for the after effects of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, a steroid inhaler for asthma, and insulin for type 1 diabetes. None of them were on that list of medicines for conditions that got you classified as clinically extremely vulnerable at the start of the pandemic, so I was sure there wouldn't be any problem.

The nurse didn't agree with me, she wants to know if I take medications for any other health conditions? I rattle off the list, and she says I have too many auto immune conditions. She needs to go and consult with their immunology expert to find out if she can give me the booster as planned.

After a long wait she comes back and tells me that because of my naff immune system they won't be able to give me the Moderna booster as planned, and I have to come back another day to have the Pfizer booster, which has been shown to work better on people with clapped out immune systems who have previously been given two doses of the AstraZenica vaccine.

Well, that was news to me! Has anyone else had the same experience? They did say that their guidelines were evolving constantly as they get more information. I'm very glad that the health service are using all the new data that is being gathered about the vaccines, and using it to improve my chances of mounting a decent immune response.

At the same time I am baffled as to why I had to turn up for my booked booster vaccine before the questions were asked. My GP and the rheumatology and diabetes consultants have all my medical records, but the information didn't get passed on.

So, if you have a shedload of auto-immune illnesses, save yourself the bother of being turned away from the Moderna booster, and arrange to have the Pfizer one before you make the journey.

I was in the vulnerable category and just had a Pfizer booster. I had no option of another. I had AZ the first time round

I was in the vulnerable category and just had a Pfizer booster. I had no option of another. I had AZ the first time round

It is really confusing, all this vulnerable and extremely vulnerable categorisation, and how it seems to have changed back and forth over time. Hardly surprising that my GP surgery got something wrong somewhere so that I ended up in the wrong category. And if health professionals who work with it all the time get confused and make mistakes what hope do the rest of us have of understanding it?

I tried to ask the GP surgery for information months ago, because I had a feeling they'd not classified me right, after I had to wait a lot longer than expected for my first vaccine. When I finally managed to get through, the person who answered my call snapped at me not to bother them with vaccine questions, and wait my turn to be called for a jab, like everybody else.

If I hadn't asked the nurse giving the injection yesterday I would still think, like you, that I'd had two AZ vaccinations and a Pfizer booster.

I started this thread wondering if anyone else had been told they had too many auto-immune illnesses for the Moderna vaccine and needed to have the Pfizer vaccine instead because it had been shown to work better on people with crap immune systems.

When the "immunology expert" decreed that they couldn't give me the Moderna it wasn't (as I had assumed) because it didn't work as well as Pfizer on compromised immune systems. It wasn't the vaccine that was important, it was the dose. Half a dose of Moderna is sufficient to trigger a booster effect, but people with compromised immune systems are being given 3 full doses of vaccine, followed by a booster 6 months later.

So to get a full vaccine dose I had to come back on a day when they had Pfizer vaccine drawn up ready to inject, because the booster dose is the same as the vaccine dose for the Pfizer vaccine.

I had not understood that at all, nor had I understood that they'd changed my record on their computer system and would be calling me back in 6 months time for a booster. I only found that out by questioning the nurse giving the Pfizer injection, who explained it clearly once I asked.

If I hadn't asked I would also be under the impression that I'd had two AZ vaccinations followed by a Pfizer "booster". I only got told that this Pfizer injection counted as a third vaccination and I'd be called for a booster in 6 months time after I questioned the nurse holding the needle.

So it's perfectly feasible that other people in the vulnerable category who have had 2 AZ and 1 Pfizer doses think they've had 2 vaccinations and a booster, rather than 3 vaccinations. Until they get called back for a booster in 6 months time which would indicate they'd actually had three vaccinations followed by a booster.

I've been trying to book recently and there is now a question that asks you about such conditions I think. In my head it registered as a new question I'd not seen before. Maybe this is why?

I just read in the Times that the booster dose will be offered after 3 months instead of 6. Don't know if that is only in England though, sometimes big newspapers forget that there are other countries in the UK.

I have had a full 3rd injection ( Pfizer x3) because of autoimmune disorders
Not a booster but a full dose 3rd Pfizer.

GP has me on his list for a booster for ASAP as he wishes to get some other injection floating around in there too.

I’ve also had flu and lad the pneumococcal last year too

I have numerous auto immune diseases

I had AZ first and 2nd then this booster was Psifer
I wasnt asked any medical questions with my booster , apart from did i have an allergic reaction the 1st or 2nd time

It has to do with how you are medicated for AI
My friend has Hashimotos but is far from CEV
Are you on medication which suppressed your immune system and at a clinically significant dose
Or xs steroids or infusions etc

If so then a full third injection and not a booster
If not a booster, as perfectly adequate.

I was asked the questions, listed the answers and the medication, told I'm having Pfizer as a third primary, job done.

Thanks for posting this OP.
I've no idea what to do about a booster.
I'm celiac, otherwise fine (or I was) then a few weeks after the second jab developed painful swollen joints and muscle pain in hands, knees, shoulders and arms and felt exhausted. Blood tests showed inflammatory markers raised, and I was anaemic with normal ferritin, Dr said this was "anaemia of inflammation".
I can't tolerate anti inflammatories and was in a lot of pain, GP thought it might be RA. I saw a rheumatologist who said it was an autoimmune reaction to the jab. He'd seen other cases, it might last a few months or could go on to develop into RA. He put me on prednisone for 2 weeks which made me feel very bad mentally but it helped a bit with the pain.
Anyway 6 months on I still get joint pain but getting better and more energy.
When I asked the rheumatologist about the booster he said he doesn't know what to advise as catching covid could trigger another immune reaction, but so could another jab!

Autoimmune diseases vary widely. Some, like Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis, may require immunosuppressants, in which case your immune system is very much compromised. Other AI diseases, like Hashimoto's, do not have this type of treatment and we are not classes as immunocompromised. I have Hashi's and if anything, my immune system is over-reactive. It's basically down to the medication you may/may not receive.

Apart from booking (and possibly wasting) a booster appointment, does anyone know how I can get advice from an immunology expert?

@Bagelsandbrie

Well I am / was in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and have Addison’s disease, lupus, hypothyroidism, asthma, a pituitary tumour, kidney issues and sjorgens syndrome and take 22 medications a day including 20mg hydrocortisone steroids and asthma steroids inhalers.

I had the Moderna booster after 2 x AZs and was absolutely fine. Felt like utter shit for 3 days afterwards so I assume I had some sort of immune response going to it….!

My two specialists and the nurses at the centre didn’t bat an eyelid or question anything at all. Not sure if they should have now!

Same here. I have various autoimmune conditions related to an immunodeficiency. Had Moderna 3rd dose (yet to have booster) a few weeks ago. Also felt some after effects that I didn’t with AZ - hopefully that means I had some kind of immune response.

My DP is on HCQ for SLE and had no problem with COVID. Just a bit of a cough and tired. For the recent booster it was Pfizer but DP has said no more jabs until they know what they are doing as no doctor or nurse could say if it was a booster or part of the first course.

The orange prophet may have been on to something with the HCQ tho.

My dad has an impressive collection of autoimmune diseases (that seems to get longer and longer all the time), wanted to have Moderna (at first) but they gave him Pfizer because they suggested it's better for his conditions.