Hi, Agate. Thanks for your reply.

Unless I missed it, I don't see anything in the study that speaks to those whose immune systems are not being suppressed at all. To clarify, I am not on any MS medication at all and the doctors who said "we don't know" are all very highly regarded MS specialists. This was about five months ago so I have been looking for information since that time. It seems like the best information is anecdotal....so far I only know one person with a similar profile who had the vaccine. She did not fare well but granted, she is much more symptomatic than I am so it is difficult to assess cause and effect just by her experience alone.

The doctors don't know but then they don't know much about COVID-19 at all because it's new to them. All of us, including the doctors and research scientists, are just groping around and doing the best we can.

Maybe you aren't aware of the National MS Society guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination for people with MS (updated June 2, 2021):

COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS | National MS Society | National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Especially this part:

I have been following COVID developments quite closely for over a year. For the record, someone I cared about deeply passed away from COVID at the beginning of April last year. He was one of the first 4,000 deaths. Unfortunately, he is not the only person I know who died: I also know others who got very sick but thankfully pulled through.

I am not looking for an explanation of why things are known and others remain a mystery. I understand all of that and am well aware of the stock recommendations, as well as the concept of risk vs. benefits. I am merely asking for others in the same boat, if any, to share their experience -- or in the event I missed it, a published opinion about this scenario.

Thank you

I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you already knew everything I tried to state. One never knows a person's "information level" when someone comes here and posts.

You were here long ago but I'm sorry I can't recall much about you. I wasn't very active here until recently. Since Sally passed away and others drifted off, this MS board seemed to need a few people posting, and I decided to be one of them.

I try not to butt in where my input isn't welcome. Again, my apologies.

I got the COVID-19 vaccine but had been taking generic Copaxone for 6 months, after 10 years on no MS drugs. I went back onto Copaxone partly because there was some evidence that it might offer protection against COVID. I was aware that nobody knew for sure, but the vaccines had been around a while by the time I got mine, and so I felt a little easier about getting it when I did (a week ago).

I hope you will find others in the same boat as yourself. Not many people stop by here nowadays, and I took the liberty of replying.

No problem, I know you are just trying to be helpful. This has been a hard decision. I doubt anything will make me cancel my appointment but I would appreciate hearing from others in the same boat.

I'm sorry to hear about Sally, I remember she was an avid poster and a valued member of this community. I am also sorry to hear that postings have dropped off -- out of all the message boards I visited when I was searching for answers about multiple sclerosis, this was the best by far. I communicated with a few people off-board but eventually lost touch.

As for myself, I was dxed about 13 years ago from a case of optic neuritis. My MRI more than met the criteria so I didn't even have to get a spinal tap, yet I was not very symptomatic. According to an MRI from about two years back, I had a silent case of ON but other than that, my sx are sensory and thankfully, not pronounced enough to drastically interfere with everyday life. There were several factors that impacted my decision to go the no medication route and of course, I was diagnosed before oral therapies were available. The "new drug" at the time was Tysabri.