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Does Taking Tasigna create some benefit against contracting severe Covid-19?

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Hello

My wife and I are against accepting Covid-19 vaccination.

We feel there are more disadvantages than advantages in subjecting our

bodies to vaccines that have not been thoroughly testing during years of use

but have been 'rushed-out' for what we think are mostly financial considerations.

 

I/We realise that we are 'going against the grain' of accepting current medical thinking.

Having said this, my family comprising of me and my wife and stepson have all just 'had'

Covid-19 and all of us has recovered brilliantly, although we are all unvaccinated.

 

I suffer from well controlled CML, diagnosed November 2014 plus diabetes, IBS-C, and

hypertension and I need a right hip joint replaced with a prosthesis, due to osteoarthritis.

Have joined the year long waiting list, with two NHS Orthopaedic hospital waiting lists, but

that is another (painful) story.

 

For the CML, I have received excellent shared care between my local Southend University Hospital,

here in my home town and from Dragana Milocovitch/Jane Apperley's Team at the Hammersmith, with

lots of help and guidance from Stephen Davies who runs the Support Group.

 

Just like to say a 'Huge Thank-You' to everybody concerned for their continuing and considerable

help both physical and psychological.

I cannot thank you all enough.

 

A CML success story,

Stewart Bliss

 

PS.

The outlook for anybody who is newly diagnosed appears to be excellent,

and I 'count myself extremely fortunate.

 

 

 

Hi Stewart,

I am not aware of any research that indicates taking nilotinib is protective against Covid or any other virus. However, there is rather a lot of research that indicates having a higher Vit D3 level can protect against a more serious Covid infection... however this research is also somewhat outside the medical consensus. Personally I keep my Vit D level at around 100 nmol/L (UK measurement) and take high dose magnesium, zinc and Vit C amongst other vitamins/minerals. I have not had any signs of Covid (or any other) infection but then I have also been vaccinated against Covid. 

Sandy

I believe you are right about the jabs,,

more info being released from the V manufacturers doesn’t make good reading at all.

where there is risk there should be choice and fully informed consent. It is after all experimental. 

Hi,

Following on from Sandys  reply there was some research undertaken (but in a lab environment) that indicates the the tkis imatinib and dastinib provided some protection against Covid type viruses;however it suggested that these drugs would be best used as perhaps a prophylactic for front line health workers as they provided a barrier against initial infection as opposed to being antiviral treatments given as treatment to  Covid infected patients.Trials as far as I am aware did not provide evidence that any of the tkis should be administered as a form of treatment for Covid or indeed a preventative mechanism.There is I guess a world of difference between success in the lab in petri dishes or indeed mice studies  and then subsequent success when these compounds are administered to human beings.Some differences in the obverse were noted when Glivec in its experimental form was in the 1990 s given to monkeys and dogs which at a high dosage level caused severe kidney complications;subsequent applications of the Glivec compound to humans even at 800mg daily did not cause such complications.

Some work done on Sars 1  that affected Asia in 2003 (where death rates of those who contracted the virus were 10%) and the subsequent Middle Eastern version of this Virus group (death rates 50 %) suggested that the early tkis dasatnib and the then Glivec offered substantial protection.I am not sure if the Ebola virus has been the subject of studies to assess if tkis might be effective.

When I was dx with CML in 2006 my consultant looked very severe when he said "your DNA has been compromised" ; furthermore he said we cannot yet find a way to repair your DNA  abnormality nor your chromosomal translocation but we have a biological therapy that will possibly control the situation and it is called Glivec.Researchers are attempting to find ways to repair DNA and also are attempting to develop a vaccine to cure CML using as one approach mRNA technology which is the very same approach used by Pfizer in developing a Covid vaccine .So would you take an mRNA based CML vaccine if available?I would.

There are lots of ifs and buts about biological therapy such as tki s but when we were offered it  I guess none of us said I am worried that it might modify my DNA or interfere with my RNA-very few of us turned down a tki on the basis that it was still experimental and that it might have untold and unknown side effects?

Hence I have had 4 Pfizer jabs so far all mRNA technology and look forward to a fifth as soon as it is approved for the immuno suppressed;my thinking is if my DNA is messed up and I am taking medication that attempts to control,modify or whatever my DNA/RNA structure then a mRNA based vaccine that is not live is of little risk and a huge bonus perhaps.

I think that it is up to you if you want to be a vaccine denier but I would not want to see this forum a a platform for anti -vaxers please.

Sandy your point about Vitamin D is a very valid one so we all of us need to be tested for our levels and take action to rectify.In addition I am a great believer in lifestyle after cancer -diet,exercise and well being.My dentist who has had thyroid cancer was advised by her consultant(private treatment ) to avoid red meats and all alcohol and if possible all animal products as the hormones therein could trigger it off again as it might do for those previously treated for breast cancer I believe.It is up to us all to make our own  personal choices but I try to follow a plant based diet with fish and avoid grains sprayed with excessive carcinogenic pesticides.

Oh at dx when I was concerned about having leukaemia my consultant said "well if this one doesnt get you then something else will" ie another cancer,a heart issue or dementia or similar ;add to that perhaps a virus. Accidents it seems are quite rare in a relative sense.Just a thought.!

Regards

John

Hello John,

If you don't mind my saying '  you write a very in depth and interesting post.

I don't know your occupation, but you seem very well 'versed' in  in scientific matters

concerning CML..

Whereas, I got a bit 'carried- away with my own personal 'story' and I tried to remove my post and

rewrite something less 'personal', but I couldn't find a way to do that.

I would like to thank you and Sandy for allowing my post to remain on the forum/website.

 

I shouldn't have gone into the subject Covid-19 vaccination, which appears to be such a controversial

and emotive subject, it is the quickest way to lose friends, apart from discussing religion and politics

.

What I have learned recently, is that as a CML patient, - for government purposes, we are

immunosuppressed, but according to a leading CML professor at Hammersmith Hospital,

(with whom I have shared care combined with my Consultant at Southend University Hospital),

in actual fact as CML sufferers, we are not immunosuppressed.

 

It also appears that it is not proven, whether TKI's have any protective effect, against patients

suffering severe Covid-19.

However, I believe it is said, that medicine is not an 'exact science,.  Probably because every person

is unique, and of course, we all react to drugs/medicines in our own way.

If we didn't I suppose we would not need to consult 'an expert, when we fall ill.

To change the subject somewhat, I was diagnosed in November 2014, and I appear to only be

able to tolerate Nilotinib/Tasigna, I tried Imatinib which led to GI problems and Dasatinib has left

me with slight Tinnitus.

Otherwise my treatment has been excellent and I don't suffer any side-effects from Nilotinib, only

a 'lack of leg hair' to which I am rather self-conscious about wearing shorts, in the Summer1

 

Anyway, thank you for replying to my post, and I look forward to hearing from you further, in particular

how you have faired with taking various TKI's as you are an 'old hand' no doubt on the subject.

 

Kind Regards,

Keep well.

Stewart

 

Hi Norma,

My wife Maxine, is much more academic and clever than me, but I guess I am more extroverted and in her eyes

probably too talkative.

 

She has undertaken considerable research into m-Rna type vaccines and has come to the conclusion that they

are unproven, their efficacy should have been proven in the long-term, as are conventional vaccines.

 

Then any serious side effects, would have 'come to light' as time goes by.

However, when I wrote my post, I 'waffled-on a bit', and my story became too personal.

In fact, I tried to delete my post and rewrite it, in a more objective manner.

 

However, I am not that good at computer technology, and I couldn't find a way to make it 'go away'.

I owe Sandy 'a vote of thanks' for letting my post remain, because I should not have gone into Covid-19

vaccination, or refraining from having the jabs.

 

Suffice to say, I have just got over a bout of Ominicron without the vaccine, or any 'ill effects', but my wife 

Maxine has been left with a bit of a cough, although that could be due to her asthma..

But then Omnicron appears to be more infectious, but possibly less serious than other strains.

 

Either way thanks for replying to my post, and I would be interested in hearing your experiences with

CML, and your whereabouts in the UK etc.

 

Kind Regards,

Keep Well,

Stewart

 

Hello Sandy,

As I have just mentioned in a couple of replies to people who replied to my post..

Thanks for letting my original 'story'  remain, because i should not have gone into

the subject of my views on Covid-19 vaccination.

 

In fact I tried to remove m original post because my 'story' was too personal, and

the subject of Covid-19 vaccination, or not has become so controversial, that it is

probably the quickest was to 'lose new friends' apart from taking about religion or 

politics.

 

So thanks again, and of course your discussion on keeping-up ones VitD levels is

100% correct.

 

Do I take it that you have been diagnosed, with CML, so you helped form the CML

support group, to help other people whilst drawing from you own experiences?

 

Kind Regards,

Stewart Bliss

 

PS.

I would just mention that your support group/charity is excellent.

Hi Stewart,

Yes, I did form a support group back in late 1999 when I first came back from the US having taken part in the Phase ll trial of STI571 now known as imatinib/Glivec/Gleevec. Another patient helped translate the group to an online forum and this site (in various iterations) went live in April 2000, so we are coming up for our 22nd anniversary! I am glad it is still supporting and informing CML patients no matter where they live.

We are all entitled to express our doubts and worries over treatments - no matter what they are- but yes you are right, vaccination is a rather emotive issue at this time and some do not tolerate any discussion on this topic. Personally, I accepted it was sensible to have the first 2 vaccinations during the Delta wave and I believe that was the right thing for me to do. I am confident that I have enough immunity from those initial vaccines plus natural immunity from a recent probable infection with the omicron variant, although I was fairly asymptomatic which I believe is due to my high level of Vit D3.

You may find it helpful to watch the latest YouTube video from Dr. John Campbell .... in this video he sets out the latest data on infection rates (globally) and the various groups of people any further infection from omicron BA.2 are likely to be at risk. He also sets out a very convincing argument against relying on continuous vaccinations/boosters etc. over the longer term. 

Dr John Campbell update 18th March 2022: Omicron BA.2 cases surge, UK has pandemic record high infections.

https://youtu.be/c4DH4ws03PY