Hello Bluetack - I too have ET and take Hydroxycarbamide, and had read that early research too. I paid for an antibody test through Lloyds pharmacy. The results were very reassuring as they showed that I have developed a high level of antibodies. I never stopped taking Hydroxycarbamide. Here is a link to an article about more up-to-date research that might allay your fears.

www.news-medical.net/.../Pfizer-BioNTech-COVID-19-vaccine-effective-in-patients-with-myeloproliferative-neoplasms.aspx

Hallo chorister

Your antibody test is very good and interesting news.  The bluetack and Baz posts have been quite a wakeup call for me as I've been slacking lately on keeping up-to-date and doing research.  Complacent?  Not so much now.

I'll be on the phone to Lloyds first thing tomorrow.

Meantime, I wouldn't advise anyone to stop hydroxycarbamide without better reason.  My platelets were down enough back in Feb to reduce the dose a wee bit, but by the next test they'd shot back up right away so I'm back on the full dose.

A lot depends on age, circumstances and  vaccine stage does it not?

I'm 80 now and frankly I'd rather go out quickly with Covid  than spend the next how many years half-paralysed and alone in a care home like my older brother (400 mlies away), or trapping my loving daughter here, caring for me.  Some strokes are not so bad, but the really bad ones are . . . bad.

Sabie, if you're reading this, hallo it was great to hear from you and so glad you're OK.  Let's keep in touch.

Love to all

Jdog

Hi Jdog - I ordered the antibody test online. It arrived 2 days later. I did the test and posted it back on a Wednesday afternoon. Received the results on the Friday morning at 9.30 by email. Great service. 

And, totally agree with you Jdog about doing everything possible to prevent the blood clots that would cause a stroke. I would only stop taking hydroxycarbamide if my consultant advised it. I can do things that will mitigate the risk of catching Covid. There's nothing I can do to prevent blood clots other than to continue taking hyrdroxicarbamide.

I feel the same about Hydroxy Carbimide, I'm not happy taking it as I am concerned about  the side effects of takin it long term. I did not take it for the first seven yeard and during lockdown afgter my specialist left the hospital the rest of team ressured me to take it, I'm not comfortable with it , I eat really well and take care of myself and I feel taking this drug actually compromises my health

Hi Chorister,

I've done the test and the result came very fast;  positive and the level of antibodies is high.  Although none of the experts commenting on these tests is really sure what they mean - for catching or coping with covid - my result certainly shows that the vaccine has worked, ET and hydroxycarbamide notwithstanding.

I'm very glad I stuck with doctors' orders and got vaccinated. Hopefully I'm more likely to come out well if I catch it, as the evidence seems to suggest,

Best wishes all

Jdog

Morning Jdog - so glad to hear that you had a positive result and that your antibody levels are high. Even though we know that antibodies are not the only defense against the virus (I'd love to be able to check T cells too!) it does make going out into the world a little less scary. I'll still be masking, sanitising and social distancing. To be fair, I constantly hand sanitised and I socially distanced from anyone with even a hint of sniffles before this pandemic. My anti-social behaviour is now publicly endorsed!

Mine too!  Mind you the covid restrictions simply cannot affect me as much as most people.  I could hardly handwash more than I did already and at my age so much time is spent out walking the dogs or working in the garden, where there's no need for a mask anyway, that it's no strain to wear one when there is.  We're lucky here too, as the Scottish government is keeping masks mandatory in transport and shops.

Hi Jdog

How are you doing in sunny Scotland . Have you had a letter from NHS Haemotology department saying to have a 3rd jab then a booster. To get in touch with GP to organise it. Mine know nothing about it??? That probably confirms our immune systems don't hang on to immunity for long.

Hallo Sabie!

Great to hear from you. and yes it is sunny sometimes up here!  Very mild today too; we three (2 Border Terriers and me) had a very peaceful walk. It was even quite hot coming uphill at the end.

I had my 'flu jab and Covid booster last Thursday - 'flu on right arm and Pfizer on left.  The nurse asked which side I usually sleep on so that the Pfizer went on the other one, in case the sore arm would keep me awake.  I did have a mildly sore arm for 2 days and a short bout of chiils and miseries on day 2, but that was the sum of it.  (I'd had the blue letter from the NHS with the flu appontment about 10 days before and assumed, correctly, that I'd get the covid booster automatically at the same time.)  We were all asked to wait there for 30 minutes after the Pfizer, sitting socially-distanced apart with masks on of course, in case of adverse reactions.  I think the whole process is pretty well organised here.  Really reliable and best practice.

The big problem here at the moment is a very big spike in Covid infections since the school system opened up again.  I live in the Borders, where we have been fairly low in the Covid 'league table' up till now.  This change has been so sudden and dramatic that the hospital and ambulance services are struggling to cope and army medics and navy personnel are to be brought in to help.

Now I've had the booster I feel more like getting out and about - I've been caged so long . . . Of course I walk the dogs out in the country every day - but that's a solitary affair.  Inspiring but anti-social.  So I may see more of society soon.

Do let me know how you get on with the booster.  Meantime, best wishes to you and anyone else who is keeping in touch.