Hello I’ve found companies that do private T cell testing to see if you have a response to Covid. One is a drawn blood sample & one is finger prick test at home. I tried to ask the Dr who spoke to my husband on his routine 3 monthly blood, telephone appt, but she refused to discuss Covid issues & just referred to GP. It was a junior Dr not his consultant. I only wanted to ask about validity of test & whether they knew of patients who’d had them done. My OH who is on W&W only hasn’t decided yet if he wants to know, (he was upset enough finding out he didn’t have any ABs) but has anyone had either of these tests done please & does Blood Cancer UK have opinion. Finger prick is Immuno T from ImmunoServe developed with Cardif University & the other T Spot, blood sample taken at various sites around country. Sorry if naming companies not allowed so please remove if so.
Hi @LizB003 I will copy this to the Blood Cancer UK nurse advisors first @BloodCancerUK_Nurses before I forget.
Just from my non-medical point of personal view I have decided against taking any form of test as I have heard of some people that have thought they had some form of protection, after getting tested, getting Covid and others that felt they had no protection, after testing, not getting Covid.
The world has moved on and are living with Covid (and it’s mutations) and I just take reasonable precautions now, but I also need a life and social existence.
But it is very much personal choice and a situation we have not been in before.
Us immunocompromised/suppressed always thought that we were getting some form of protection from the flu vaccine, but who knows if it was or not.
More questions than answers I am afraid from non-medical me.
Look after yourselves
Thanks Erica. Not sure my husband will have the test. Even if it showed that his TCells were giving a response it wouldn’t change his behaviour too much but might give some reassurance regarding activities that we do now. We don’t fully shield but winter will curtail much more. Still holding out for Evusheld, which even if he got it would not suddenly mean we go to gigs again 
Best wishes
I would be interested in finding out more about the t cell test. I have paid for 2 antibody tests which showed i had bo antibodies. I had a third test as part of a reesearch project which showed i had antibodies but not how many. I have now had 6 jabs and covid so assuming i have some immunity. I had my 6th jab ladt month. I am hoping i will be able to get another one in January before we go away for 3 months.
Hiya
I am writing to put the positive viewpoint - but it is an individuals own decision.
I have had 4 antibody tests done by the online DR of Lloyds Pharamcy.
They cost £50 each and are pin prick in the finger which can be difficult to get enough blood for the sample.
They give you the number of antibody on their scale of from 0.83 up to 2500U/mL - which they consider a maximum.
I have Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and my first result was 1.6 (after the initial 2 vaccine jabs), but after the third 3 vaccine (booster) it was up to 18.6, I still contracted Covid (omicron, I think)and was given an infusion of neutralising antibodies.
My next test showed I was over the 2500U/mL, and 4 months later (before I had my latest Moderna (spikevax) jab) was still at over 2500.
So yes - it is possible to get the information., but it may well not be good news, and it still will not protect against the newer Omicron varieties.
I will be having another test at the end of November.
So far - for me it is quite positive, although I have spent £200.
PS I suspect my high counts are the infusion, - but just maybe having had the natural infection at the same time I might also now have some natural antibodies, - which apparently are longer lasting and more powerful.
Hello all, thank you for your posts here. I hope you’re all doing okay. I thought I’d share our webpages on covid vaccine efficacy and blood cancer- Covid vaccine efficacy and blood cancer | Blood Cancer UK. You may well have seen these already, but this webpage has a section on antibody and T-cell testing. If anybody wishes to talk this through, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support Team (0808 2080 888).
Best wishes,
Tanya.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. My OH has been tested for antibodies but does not have any at all. My questions was about T cell response testing which is something different & not many people have been tested for that. It is possible to be neg to ABs but still have a good T cell response but not guaranteed.
Best wishes
Liz