I got mine, #1, today on 12/29/20! Please get yours.First: If you have an autoimmune disorder, please consider getting the vaccine when it is your turn Read my previous post on why lupus patients should get the COVID-19 vaccination I got my Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on 12/29/20. I'll post how I do day by day below at the bottom of this post. However, 1st, I'll go over how this interesting vaccine works! How the COVID-19 vaccine works "in a nutshell" - The 2 COVID-19 vaccines available now (Pfizer and Moderna) are RNA vaccines - It helps to know how RNA works (specifically mRNA) - Look at the cell above - We are all born with DNA that codes everything our cells produce. It is responsible for our having blue eyes instead of brown, or black hair instead of blond, or, yes... having funny smelling pee after eating asparagus (or not) - Our DNA is "transcribed" (think it is as being translated) into RNA, and eventually messenger RNA (mRNA) - Then, a part of our cells called ribosomes can read this mRNA like a food recipe and produce a particular protein (such as the one responsible for your 2nd toe being shorter, instead of longer, than your big toe) COVID-19 vaccine contains the COVID-19 mRNA that codes for those spikes - The COVID-19 vaccines are NOT live virus vaccines. They CANNOT give you COVID-19 (impossible) - Ingeniously, they contain the virus' mRNA that codes for those spikes you see on the outside in all the pics - These spikes look somewhat like a crown. Latin for "crown" is corona, hence, coronavirus mRNA injected into our bodies as a vaccine: tricks our bodies into producing the spikes, but not the entire virus - Fascinating! - The mRNA of the virus (in the vaccine) is injected into your muscle - It spreads quickly throughout your blood stream and body - The mRNA is absorbed into our own cells - Our own cells mistakenly think this mRNA came from our own DNA and instructs those cells to produce this protein - The protein is the same one found in the spikes of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 - In other words, our cells produce just those pink spikes you see in the pic below, not the entire virus - The viral spike protein ends up on the surfaces of our cells - Our very smart T-cells of the immune system actually DO recognize these as being foreign - They say, "we need to fight this off and protect us" - They summon other players of the immune system as well to the battle DaOur B-cells then learn to produce antibodies that quickly recognize those COVID-19 spikes - The booster shot you get a few weeks later strengthens this memory - If you were to actually get infected with COVID-19 in the future, your B-cells would recognize those tell-tale spikes - Those smart B-cells would say, "This is a foreign invader we must destroy" - They summon the rest of the immune system to attack the virus and protect us - Note that many people will get a very sore arm, redness, swelling, aches, pains, fever for a few days after the vaccine - This is actually the immune system learning to mount an attack. Think of it as a sign of the vaccine working _________________________________________________________________________ WHAT HAPPENED AFTER MY SHOT Day #1: It has just been a few hours since my vaccine I took some Tylenol and Advil to decrease my chances for the above side effects If you get the vaccine (which I hope you do), ask your doctor before you consider taking Tylenol and/or Advil or Aleve Day #2: Woke up with a sore upper arm muscle (deltoid) in the area of the shot. However, I expected this as usual with a good, strong vaccine. I'll just take Tylenol plus Advil around the clock today to lower the risk of pain and to lower my risk of a flu-like syndrome reaction. Day #3: Mild, tolerable arm soreness. I feel great! I am optimistic about getting vaccinated and feeling safer. AuthorDon Thomas, author of "The Lupus Encyclopedia" and "The Lupus Secrets"
10 Comments
Sherry Prudhon
12/29/2020 10:16:37 pm
But what if our cells are already confused having lupus and other autoimmune diseases
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Don Thomas, MD
1/2/2021 04:43:51 pm
Patients who have lupus still respond to vaccinations. There is always the possibility that they may not respond as briskly as someone who does not have lupus. However, studies looking at SLE patients getting vaccines show that they respond well. Some medications, such as methotrexate, may lower the response. However, some protection is better than no protection.
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Liz
1/4/2021 09:05:29 pm
My concern is it could promote further immune attacks on our own body or auto antibodies. My consultant said a few weeks back they do not know enough yet to recommend it because there is no data for it in auto immune disease. Do you not feel this response is possible then?
Lisa
12/29/2020 11:11:12 pm
I have the same question as Sherry
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KRYS
12/30/2020 10:55:57 pm
I have lupus antibodies but am symptomatic and wondered both of these questions as well.
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Alexander
12/31/2020 09:24:00 pm
Did you have a choice on which vaccine you would choose, or were you only given that one.
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Don Thomas, MD
1/2/2021 04:48:56 pm
I did not have a choice in brand; few, if anyone, do at this point.
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Alexander
1/4/2021 10:29:01 pm
Where in Maryland are you? I used to live in Rockville, but moved to central Virginia for my job. Thankful to have UVA a 15 minute drive away. I am hoping for the one that Fauci and Harris received.
Don Thomas, MD
1/5/2021 11:36:47 am
Silver Spring. The rheum dept at UVA has a good reputation. You are in good hands!
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Don Thomas, MD
1/5/2021 11:27:22 am
Answer for Liz:
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Note that Dr. Thomas' posts are for informational purposes only, and are not meant to be specific medical advice for individuals. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions regarding your own medical situation.
AuthorDONALD THOMAS, MD Archives
January 2021
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