Hi everyone, my husband took part in the National Covid Cancer Survey in October. He was texted and told that antibodies were found in his blood sample. We were very pleased
as it was 6 months after his booster, he had not yet had the third primary dose and he had just finished a course of radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
However as he was not told about the number of antibodies he had we are now both thinking of taking the Covid 19 Vaccine Immunity Test through Monitor my Health. I saw on their website that they record antibody levels using the following scale. I wandered if anyone who has used the test or @Alice_BloodCancerUK or @GemmaBloodCancerUK has any further understanding of what this scale means in terms of antibody protection from the actual virus. Many thanks
Hi @Kirsteen I think that we also need to know how effective each antibody is, and i am not sure that is being done.
My son who is a very healthy person has had his 3rd vaccine a few weeks ago and has recently tested positive for Covid, I think the virus knows no boundaries.
Hi Kirsteen,
Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I hope you & your husband are doing okay? Understanding antibody test results is really difficult especially when only certain numbers are shared and each testing company may do this differently.
The Monitor Your Health webpage here talks through understanding results -Covid-19 Antibody and Vaccine Immunity Test. This may be helpful to facilitate your conversation with your healthcare team about your antibody levels. This is something we always encourage as they are best placed on patients individual circumstances and risk level.
Also incase this may be helpful to you Covid vaccine: should people with blood cancer get an antibody test? | Blood Cancer UK and also this page- What do covid antibody test results mean for people with blood cancer? | Blood Cancer UK.
I do hope this helps somewhat Kirsteen and you manage a lovely Christmas when it comes, Lauran
Thanks for this information and the links which youāve sent @LauranBloodCancerUK. My husband has an appointment with the haematologist in mid January so if he has the antibody test beforehand he can ask the consultant about the results.Thanks for your advice @Erica, it is so important to continue to be careful. I do hope that your son is better soon. Wishing you both and everyone on the forum a Happy Christmas.
Thank you for the explanation about the quality of antibodies. Very helpful. I have only just seen your post. I have joined the research programme and have had the results. I would be very interested in the research showing how well my blood would react to covid
I am now 71; had my final definite diagnosis of Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) May 2010 and have been on watch and wait. I had my first 2 vaccines (AZ) Feb then May 2021; correctly and promptly invited for 3rd as a vulnerable person (Pfizer) Sept 2021. Getting the 4th was a bit of a battle but with advice from Blood Cancer UK received it Feb 2022. (Moderna) Worst reaction. Felt pretty awful and included a rash around my neck and down to chest (like sun tanned with a v necked t shirt). Decided on an antibody test as a way to assess my bodyās reaction pending possible years of vaccines. Took it 3 weeks after my 4th with antibody level given as >2500 U/ml which seems good. Iād like to understand more about my body response so I will probably pay for another test near the time Iāll be asked for another. Any context to this level would be good. On New Yearās eve I was with 5 friends 2 of whom tested positive within 3 days. I escaped though I was 3 months after my 3rd jab. Could my immunity be better than hoped and explain both my escape from catching Covid as well as the extreme reaction to my 4th jab? Is there a level above which it is not wise to have another jab? If we are going to have to live with Covid and repeated jabs it seems wise to understand more about vulnerable peopleās response but at Ā£50 a test most will be unable to afford it. Any thoughts or context info welcome.
Iām not sure thereās any real answer to this @nelletap as we all have different reactions. Your medical team can give you the best advice but I seem to have some sort of strange immunity to Covid though not other things. I still intend to keep having the jabs when the are offered as I donāt think that will make anything worse even if it doesnāt provide any massively increased immunity.
Just reading this now what updates have there been since the original post.
Iām waiting for my 7th covid vax. Had 3 primary doses and 3 boosters so far.
In late 2021, and again in 2022, I was travelling in Bulgaria. Roche antibody testing was performed in a local clinic. It was after dose 2 and dose 3. In Bulgaria vax levels were low. You could get into public spaces with a vax certificate or an antibody certificate with a reading above a certain level.
As the tests were only Ā£15 I thought Iād try. I scored about 15% of the required level on the first, and 10% after the second. So my alleged immunity had gone down after dose 3!
Iām not sure if theyāre really informative, or useful.
Iām going back about a month after my 7th dose/booster 4. Curiosity may get the better of me.
Touch wood, I havenāt had covid. I travel frequently and far across UK & Europe by plane ferry and occasional public transport. Iāve got to the stage that Iāve decided life is for getting on with. In fact itās been that way since mid 2021.
I have not heard anything for ages on this issue @anon06
I see a problem as Covid has evolved and mutated so much and I am not sure if the tests have caught up with this.
Also there are different types of tests and results and I am not sure what the results mean and how how effective my antibodies might be.
I will copy your post to the Blood Cancer UK nurse advisors in can they can assist as I am not a medical person. @BloodCancerUK_Nurses
Look after yourself
Thanks very much Erica, that would be a good help
Hello @anon06
I hope you are keeping well?
We understand that in some situations you can be screened by your own medical team at their discretion or you can purchase an antibody test privately.
However, there is no general guidance currently on routine antibody testing for the immunosuppressed group. This is likely because what we now understand about antibody results has somewhat shifted.
In short we now know that by simply having low antibody levels does not necessarily mean you have poor protection against covid, as your T cells could still protect you from severe covid.
You can read more about antibody and T cell protection via our vaccine efficacy webpage under the heading of ā Understanding how immunity and protection from covid worksā.
This webpage talks about our upcoming Spring Booster and why it is important to continue to access vaccines as they are offered- Covid vaccine for people with blood cancer | Blood Cancer UK
Please also know that if you need to talk anything through, our support service team is very much on hand for you- 0808 2080 888.
Best Wishes, Lauran
I understand Antibodies reduce infection chance and T cells reduce severity if you do get it. Is their a T cell test as well? I may call you tomorrow to discuss this and my medical history. Ive spoke to you before on the phone Currently I am in remission of Leukaemia 17 years, but my present and past medical history is of concern with regard to being prone to covid. I got Covid after five jabs, it was awful lasted about a month.
Thanks a million Lauran, as usual Blood Cancer Uk is always their for me.