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Coronavirus Vaccine

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SagePatientAdvocates View Drop Down
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    Posted: Dec 13 2020 at 1:50am
Dear TNBC Family,

I wasn't quite sure what Forum to put this post. I decided to put it here because I am helping several women and men (other cancers than breast, ovarian) who have compromised immune systems from heavy chemo in the last couple of years and/or currently.

Tonight I was watching Dr. Sanjay Gupta, on CNN, talking about who should not take the vaccine, when available, and it seems the current advice is that people who have had major allergic reactions in the past should not take it; women who are pregnant and people with compromised immune systems should make sure they get advice from their physicians as to whether they should take the vaccine. PLEASE. PLEASE check with your ob/gyn, oncologist or PCP to make sure you are a good candidate for the vaccine.

I was also thinking of posting this in 3 months as most of us won't have an opportunity to get the vaccine, for at least that long, but I have helped several RN's who may be eligible to get the vaccine in the next month, so I wanted to make sure my message gets out to the small number of women, here, who may be eligible to get the vaccine, soon.

And Dr. Gupta was talking about the Pfizer vaccine only. There will be multiple vaccines available in the next six months. It looks like they will probably have different profiles, so risks may be different.

To a certain extent, I feel we are in uncharted waters here, as we really don't have the experience of having perhaps a 100 million people taking the vaccine over the next year without truly knowing what the side effects are, yet. There is no perfect, in my opinion.

Also, I am not trying to convince anyone to take the vaccine or not. I personally will take it as soon as it is available to me, but everyone has their own view. I am hopefully not starting a feud with people who have different ideas about taking the vaccine. My goal is to try to make sure that those of you, who want to take the vaccine when available, get some good input from your medical team regarding your circumstances.

with my love to all here,

Steve
 




I am a BRCA1+ grandson, son and father of women affected by breast/oc-my daughter inherited mutation from me, and at 36, was dx 2004 TNBC I am a volunteer patient advocate with SAGE Patient Advocates
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Kmemeo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kmemeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 15 2020 at 8:06pm
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccine are made from mRna. They do not put a weakened or inactivated form of the germ into the body, Instead, they teach our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.  This SHOULD be fine for immunocompromised patients, as a matter of fact you should be first in line. Contact your oncologist. 

I will be getting the shot this week but I am also a healthcare worker. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SagePatientAdvocates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 15 2020 at 8:39pm
Dear Kmemeo,

I did not say that anyone should not take the vaccine if they are immunocompromised but that they should check with their oncologists to make sure. 

Here is a link to FDA information-

https://www.fda.gov/media/144414/download

From the above link-

WHAT SHOULD YOU MENTION TO YOUR VACCINATION PROVIDER BEFORE YOU GET THE PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 VACCINE? Tell the vaccination provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: • have any allergies • have a fever • have a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinner • are immunocompromised or are on a medicine that affects your immune system • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant • are breastfeeding • have received another COVID-19 vaccine

................

I think the short answer is that all of this is so new that we are not sure what the answers will be until hundreds of thousands and then millions take the vaccine. It is my understanding that pregnant women were excluded from the clinical trials for the vaccine but there is data available regarding women who became pregnant during the trial. Have been unsuccessful getting that data.

Kmemeo, your logic makes perfect sense but I would like to know what a woman's oncologist has to say regarding her being on chemo or immunocompromised. All I know is that if a person who is immunocompromised gets Covid it can be a disaster. Certainly, if it is safe to take for a immunocompromised person, I agree, that would be wonderful.

Just would like the women here, or their loved ones who may be on chemo, to have the conversation with their medical advisors.

I am delighted you will be getting the vaccine and thank you for being a healthcare worker. I have helped many women who had to have Neupogen shots because their counts were so low and some who had to have transfusions. I don't know what the tipping point is for a person to be told "you should not take the shot, for now." Maybe there is guidance out there that is not available to us, yet? I will do some checking with some Breast Medical Oncologists and report back. If any of you get some input, maybe you could post, please? 

warmly,

Steve
I am a BRCA1+ grandson, son and father of women affected by breast/oc-my daughter inherited mutation from me, and at 36, was dx 2004 TNBC I am a volunteer patient advocate with SAGE Patient Advocates
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kmemeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 15 2020 at 9:07pm
You are right on, Steve!!!  My oncologist is fully on board with her patients getting the vaccine as long as it is the mRna vaccine. I believe that the immunocompromised should actually one of the first in line for the vaccine. AstraZeneca is the weakened live virus which should be off limits for immunocompromised patients. This is great news!!!
DX: IDC 1.3 cm, stage 1C, grade 3, ki-67 87%, BRCA -, LX, ACT, radiation 5-12/18, age 47
Recurrence 10/20, lymph nodes in chest, mediastinum, mult bil lung nods
TX: paclitaxel and cirmtuzumab,trial.
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