Spring Booster Programme 2023

I am 60 and received the Pfizer bivalent booster this week. I believe they are using Pfizer, Moderna and Sanofi for the spring boosters this year, with over 75s generally being given Sanofi , but it’s also down to what supplies are available in your local area.

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AnnD
I’m booked in next Sat. My GP said happy I have jab and Haemotologist confirmed OK with Sanofi.
Its protein based as opposed to mRNA and Haemotologist said
a) there is benefit in having a different drug to that which I’vehad previously (there’s a fancy name for that practice) and
b) Sanofi is I’m told considered better for the elderly.

I.am also have Waldenstroms Macroglobulinemia, (WM). Great name in a game of scrabble :wink:

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Hi AnnD. I had Comirnaty Original/Omicron (Pfizer/BioNTech). Last October I had Sanofi. None of the Covid vaccines contain live virus, so all are OK - only need to check if you’re on other meds. as there may be contraindications.
I also have WM, no side effects from vaccine, just a sore arm for about 24 hours. Good luck, everyone, and let’s hope whoever makes decisions listens and allows ‘household/close contacts’ to have a booster as well. This is what their own guidance/advice from MHRA says, after all!!

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Thanks to both Iain and Berverlyanny for their replies.
I shall just go with whatever!
Had a reply from support line and they said all are safe. I guess they are just covering themselves in the Sanofi leaflet!

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Hi, I booked my Spring Booster on the NHS site and had it yesterday. All I took with me was my Haematologist latest results letter which also showed I am on Hydroxycarbamide , this was all accepted, I am 72 and found the online booking straightforward. Good luck.

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I too have Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and booked my appointment through the NHS with relative ease. I had my seventh vaccination yesterday. I also received an invitation through the post for a different appointment! I did phone to cancel that one, and received a text and an email confirming the appointment I had made. When I attended my appointment I was asked why I was there as I wasn’t over 75, so I showed them my last haematology clinic summary letter. That seemed to be enough.
I thought I would get another card or sticker but not this time. I think she said it was Pfizer I was getting. And then off out the door. None of the waiting for 15 minutes and all that as before. Nor even an information sheet, just a verbal explanation of possible side effects. Surely you are eligible? Unless it’s a postcode lottery or Health authority issue. Who knows.

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Morning all,
I hope that everyone is keeping as well as possible.
I had my 5th Covid jab on Tuesday of last week. I think I may have missed one at somewhere!
My first two jabs, in 2021, were both Oxford AstraZeneca, probably the closest I would get to university, whilst the second pair, in Nov 21 and Sep 22, were both Moderna ones. Other than a slightly sore arm on each occasion I had no issues with any of them.
This time I received the Pfizer jab. I was in and out within 5 minutes and back home before I realised that I hadn’t even been asked to wait for 10 or 15 minutes to see if there was any adverse reaction.
That evening, other than an achy arm at and around the injection site, I was fine. The next morning, however, was a different story. I felt muzzy headed, achy all over and generally not at my usual 75%! This feeling lasted for two days before I felt well enough to declare myself fully 75% again!
I was wondering if anyone else has suffered this sort of reaction to the Pfizer jab.

Keep smiling everyone.

Jimbo165

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Great to hear from you @Jimbo165 I am due my jab next week so I shall see what I get and how I feel.
75% sounds good to me, I will settle for that.
Look after yourself

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Thank you for your kind words @Erica, and i hope that your jab goes well for you next week.

I’ve had a bit of a tough time over the last few months, both health and work wise. My fatigue levels have gone through the roof (or should that be the floor?), and I have been tested for Sleep Apnoea too, although I’m still waiting for the results from that.
My platelet count has been somewhat variable and my ALT is still higher than the consultant would like it to be. I am still injecting Pegasys every 3 weeks, and still feel rubbish for a few days afterwards, pretty much each time.

After a “robust exchange of views” with my manager at work, I had a telephone consultation with a Doctor from Occupational Health. The report came to me first, as is standard practice, and I asked for 3 small amendments to be made, which were done without question, and the final report delivered to work. I then heard nothing for over 6 months. I raised the question “how long should it take for an action plan to be discussed” with someone from Head Office whilst I was on a refresher course. By the time I had driven back to work, 30 minutes away, all Heck had broken loose! It would appear that the recommendations made by the OH Doctor had all been agreed to in several meetings of the managerial team, just that no-one had bothered to include ME in any of the discussions. To cut a very long story short, things were sorted and settled soon after that.
Apologies for the very long message.

Take care all, and stay safe.

Jimbo165

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Never feel that you have to apologise for a long message @Jimbo165.
I am sure if I was going through all the things you have the message would have been twice as long.
Please let us know how you do get on and be kind to yourself

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Hello Gemma - BCU,
I did in fact receive a text message from the brilliant, if overworked, underpaid, Government ignored NHS, for a vaccination. Best leave my particular thoughts there, otherwise what I think of Barclay & the others, might start an insurrection.

I’ve accepted it and am due to receive the jab next Wednesday.
I did feel strangely guilty about it, as in my mind + body, at least, I still feel absolutely fine and physically in great shape. Still trying to figure out what all this Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) ‘stuff’ is really all about!

I’m genuinely not being flippant here, as I do appreciate and acknowledge that it has and does impact lots of people in very different ways, some incredibly seriously. However, in my alternative universe, I constantly wonder what the heck is going on here. No doubt at some point in time, I WILL find out…

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While I’m on and feeling in the mood to ask questions, I’m ‘told’ that quite often these days, during the evening, my face can get rather red, even when I’m not feeling especially hot, so to speak.
Any ideas or suggestions here?

I don’t feel at odds or in need of a visit to the GP, but maybe I might think differently if anyone suggests an alternative.

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Hi @NobbyN I will copy your 2 posts to the Blood Cancer UK nurse advisors @BloodCancerUK_Nurses.
Personally if I have any symptoms that do not go away I always check them out with my GP, Specialist nurse or consultant for peace of mind.
Please keep us posted and if you have any questions about Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and ‘watch and wait’ or ‘active monitoring’ please do not hesitate to ask, I was diagnosed 19 yrs ago.
Take lots of care

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Hi @Wallacee57 welcome to our forum and I really look forward to hearing more about you and how you are doing
Look after yourself

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Hello again @NobbyN,

May I ask whether your face is associated to anything like medications or food? Do you have any awareness (beyond the heat) that it is happening? I would keep monitoring this and do get in touch with your GP if anything changes.

Take care
Gemma

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Hi Gemma,
No obvious associations at all, as zero medication and no known food allergies or issues.

A vegetarian for over 40years, generally eating very healthily and exercising frequently too.

Other than my wife Nicole making me rather cross, staring at me sometimes, remarking on the redness on occasion, it doesn’t concern me or appear that obvious to me in reality.

I will keep a lookout and have a chat with my GP as and when appropriate.

Thanks for your interest and follow-up, genuinely appreciated.

Regards
NN

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Hi, I have MGUS, so was very surprised to get an invite, so I have booked for tomorrow.
Helen

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I went for my appointment and was refused on the grounds of ineligibility. The vaccinator said that they had a lot of people that had been sent invites that had been eligible in previous campaigns but were not for this one. They also said that people with blood cancers were only eligible if they were undergoing active treatment. Is this correct?

On returning home I sent a message to my GP and got a quick response. They said they would be running spring booster clinics and would contact me if I was eligible.

I am getting the impression that the spring booster campaign is poorly organised.

Helen

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Helen,
I think the same. At the MGUS stage my Med Centre followed the Government (spit!) line that MGUS was not a Cancer so no invites. My Haemo Oncologist was not happy. His opinion was the reference to immune suppressed was the critical phrase. I even suggested my Diabetes would hold more sway in gettingthe jab. I was invited back to vaccination by my Med Centre within days.

Is that the interpretation of MGUS still being pushed?

It’s a bit like not having Patient Transport “because you’re not having Chemo!” well I’m not because “I’m having Bio-Targeted treatment”. Ignorance of the conditions and the current therapies even amongst medical staff is a barrier.

In a similar vein on having my Rituximab/ Ibrutinib therapy I was told no vaccination for several months after the last Rituximab. Given the OK, as long as both GP and Consultant were happy with the vacinne offered. I was advised by SCN not to bother with the NHS programme (they ridiculed it) and to enquire with my Med Centre. Informed that I’d be on their target group I got the :+1:for
Sanofi last Saturday.

Lot of thinking and communications by me but a success? The vaccinating Nurse and her ‘clerk’ immediately questioned my age and why was I there. Clearly another example of NHS failure to communicate between Primary and Clinical care records.

Nice that they were it was clear that NHL Waldenstroms Macroglobulinemia went over their heads. Thankfully I carry my 24hr Haemo Oncology contact card and got my jab. I do believe if I wasn’t self advocating and clear I would have experienced the quick exit.

Certainly not well planned re the immunosuppressed. I can support the need for carrying some indication of your condition.

Maybe they could get GP’s to issue a “scussed boots” docket when IgM indicates higher vulnerability? :slightly_smiling_face:

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Hi @helenfwallace and @Iain I will copy your posts to Blood Cancer UK for guidance. @BloodCancerUK for you both.
Oh, how frustrating for you, I am annoyed for you both.
Be kind to yourselves

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