Covid 19 vaccination
I'd heard about the possible side effects and didn't want to have the Astra-Zeneca vaccine, but really didn't have much choice. For people in my age group, (people who weren't politicians) it was the only vaccine we could get.
So I made the appointment and had the first dose yesterday. I was handed a sheet of paper with possible side effects in two columns. Less serious side effects and Serious side effects.
Less serious effects include:
generally feeling unwell
feeling tired (fatigue)
chills, fever or feeling feverish
headache
feeling sick (nausea)
muscle paint/ache, joint pain
Possibly I'm more sensitive than others, but let me tell you about the "chills". I was fine after the vaccination, right up until I went to bed. As soon as I lay down, I began feeling wave upon wave of icy cold shivers, from neck to hips. Non-stop, shivering so hard I could feel my teeth chattering, and it was all internal. Like I had ice water instead of blood in my veins. For 4 hours! to roughly 2am. And then the "nausea" which for me meant vomiting so much I began to think I might as well spend the night on the bathroom floor. But eventually that was gone too and all I had was the headache.
I managed to sleep a few hours, then forced down about a half bowl of porridge, so I could take the recommended two Panadol tablets for the headache. Fed the cat and went straight back to bed. Eventually rose for the day somewhere about noon, feeling much more like myself, but haven't been able to eat much as nothing tastes the way it should.
My second dose isn't due until September, that's 12 weeks away. Every other brand of vaccine has a two week gap between doses.
I guess in the eyes of our most important politician, we, the grandparents brigade, are "Not Worthy" if I may quote Monty Python here.
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Wow! I'm so sorry you had those side effects and I'm sorry you can't have the vaccine of your choice AND that it's 12 weeks in between! That's insane. I hope the next one is free of all side effects. I had the Pfizer shot and I'll get my second one on the 15th (2 weeks apart.) Thankfully, no side effects other than a sore arm. My goodness... I will be so happy when we are all thru this pandemic and back to whatever normal may be now.
ReplyDeleteMMM; here the Pfizer is only for politicians, front line workers, aged care workers and those under 50. I was expecting a sore arm, so got it in the arm I don't sleep on, but there's no reaction at all there.
DeleteI am so sorry to hear that you had such a vicious reaction. I had none - and am due to get my second shot in a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteI do hope that the reaction after your second shot is much, much less.
Elephant's Child; I'm hoping for much less reaction too, but if it happens the same at least I know what I'm in for.
DeleteI pretty well had no reaction that I could discern. R did for the rest of the day. Your reaction I believe means you've never been exposed to such a similar virus and your immune system really kicked in. As you are not an international traveller, your lack of exposure is to be expected. We both had Astra. I've heard the Pfizer second dose can be much worse than the second Astra. But thank you for being vaccinated. It is a great thing to do for yourself and society as a whole.
ReplyDeleteUnqualified Doctor Andrew.
Andrew, (unqualified); my immune system is pretty strong, I am very rarely ill from anything going around. I was going to put off being vaccinated until the Pfizer was widely available, but then Melbourne had the new outbreak, caused by one of us (one of us, one of us robotic voice) so I changed my mind. Almost my whole family is vaccinated now. I'm not sure about my sister in Port Pirie, she's terrified of needles and there's never been even a whisper of the virus up there, so I guess she'll be okay. Then there's my black sheep son, I don't know about him, but I think not vaccinated.
DeleteOh, darn, I just wrote a long comment, then hit "sign out" instead of "publish"!
ReplyDeleteMostly I said--yay! I'm glad you're vaccinated, and,
boo! I'm sorry you had such a rotten reaction. (I know a couple others who did too, my reactions were mild--mostly exhaustion).
Ah, the price we pay to go to... thrift stores again! Hooray!
I also echo Andrew, above, in saying THANK YOU to all the people in the world who so bravely stepped up to help one another by getting vaccinated. I'm proud of us!
Fresca; moderate to extreme tiredness is what I heard from most people, my 85 year old neighbour had no reaction at all. It's over now thank goodness, just some aching around the ribs from all the vomiting. my second dose isn't until September, but maybe I can go to a thrift shop or two before then.
DeleteДобрый день! У нас нет проблем с выбором - можно выбрать любую из четырёх. Мы с мужем выбрали Эпивак-корону, побочных реакций нет, уже прошло много времени. Хочется верить, что пандемия скоро закончится. Будьте здоровы!
ReplyDeleteLyudmila Kishkunova; thank you, I also hope this pandemic will soon end, but there are so many different mutations occurring I think it will take longer than expected.
DeleteI am glad you are vaccinated but sooo sorry for the reactions you had. I had similar ones a couple of years ago to the high dose regular flu shot. Could not get warm. Set heat on 80 and slept under an electric blanket and was still cold. Hurt all over but thankfully did not have nausea.
ReplyDeleteI had the Moderna shot and only had a sore arm both times. Really hope your next one goes MUCH easier.
Arkansas Patti; I've never had a reaction to the flu shot, so I wasn't expecting this. It's over now, I'm completely normal again this morning, even hungry for breakfast! I remember my cold feeling was all internal, my skin was normally warm. I also hope my next shot is easier, but at least I know what to expect.
DeleteDaughter had AZ (2 jabs) and I had Pfizer, no reactions so far apart from slightly sore arms. Thanks River for doing your community part. And so sorry you had to suffer!
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
WWW; I'm glad so many of us are getting vaccinated, the side effects are usually minimal, no soreness in the arm at all though.
DeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteWow that was bad, I hope you feel well again soon. As I understood it means it works, and hooray for that. I had my first shot (Pfizer) 2 weeks ago, and am waiting two more weeks to have the second. We go 42 days in between, so as to get as many as possible throught the mill as fast as possible. I had almost no reacrtion for the first one, but everybody say second is worse - opposite of A-Z, so I am prepared. We're all getting the shots here, fortunately.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte; That was my understanding too. Here the gap for Pfizer is only two weeks, but the A-Z is twelve weeks, so all the suffering may be long forgotten by then. More of us out here are getting the shots, but still it is taking too long. Not enough doses are being delivered to the mass vaccination sites. I went to my regular GP instead. Even then, some GPs aren't getting enough doses, so too many people still have to wait.
DeleteOh no poor you. Someone at my work had a similar reaction to the AZ jab. I hope you feel better now and that the second dose goes better!
ReplyDeleteSarah; thank you. I'm back to normal today, even feeling hungry again. I hope the second dose is much easier on me.
DeleteYikes! That one wasn't an option for me. I think I'm glad.
ReplyDeleteKathy G; I'm glad for you too. I am wondering if any of the other vaccines cause such reactions? Possibly, and most people got lucky with mild or no reaction.
DeleteHow awful, i am so very sorry this happened to you. Praying your next one causes no reactions.
ReplyDeletemessymimi; thank you, it's over now and I hope the next dose is easier too. I'll let you know in September.
DeleteIt seems common for the first shot to be difficult for people who have either had the virus or have strong immune systems. Others have the more difficult reaction on the second shot. Hopefully your reaction is due to strong immune system and the next will not be as bad. I only felt tired after the first and nothing after the second. Seems almost everyone has different reactions.
ReplyDeletejoeh; thank you. I do have a strong immune system, the last time I ever caught anything was back in 2013 when I got the flu for the first time in my life. Last time too, since I've had the flu shot every year since.
DeleteI had A-Z and had a three day reaction. Nevertheless, I went back for the second and had another three day reaction, and now I'm vaccinated. I'd do it again.
ReplyDeleteJoanne; I'm hoping for a lesser reaction with my second dose in September. It will be good to be fully vaccinated and able to go out and about again.
DeleteRiver, in have two friends who have had similar reactions to you...I want Phizer and not just because of the blood clotting issue but the efficacy because I'm a traveller. I have to see my doctor in a week or so ..I'll be having a serious chat as many young people here are not getting their Phizer for reasons I don't understand - so should be lots of spares! Aside from the Covid vaccs, for the first time ever I had the most ridiculously painful flu jab.
ReplyDeletePleased you are feeling much better.
Rose~from Oz; I worried about the blood clotting too, but was reminded by my daughters that in 68 years I have never had a blood clot through four pregnancies and several accidents and surgeries, so my risk was minimal.
DeleteI've never known the flu jab to be painful, perhaps it was administered by an inexperienced person?