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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Vaccine experiences please!

259 replies

Helptonight · 30/04/2021 18:14

I've had my text, sitting on the fence and need some real experiences. I am early 40's, no health conditions. Not anti vax at all just struggling to decide whether or not to have it. Friends/relatives I have spoken to have experienced side effects (tiredness, fuzzy brain, no energy) since having it even a month or more down the line with 2nd dose being worse (AZ) Some report no reactions at all! I feel like if I am not sure then I shouldn't go ahead? I feel like I want to wait until further down the line before going ahead, is this silly?

OP posts:
Dacquoise · 30/04/2021 21:33

Thanks @Helptonight. I would still encourage people to have the jab, there will always be someone that reacts to it in an unexpected way.

Quornflakegirl · 30/04/2021 21:38

I am 42 (had my AZ jab on Tuesday). Didn't feel anything when the needle went in and was fine until I woke the next morning. I had a bad headache and really sore eyes, later my legs joints hurt and I was a bit shivery. I was also exhausted and slept for 16 hours on Wednesday. This lasted 24 hours and by Friday morning I felt completely back to normal.

Xenia · 30/04/2021 21:39

Your choice. I have not had mine so far and everyone I know has been more ill than I have been in years after having it so given you have to have it again in a few months I cannot see the point in my case. however I am a special profile and I don't even take things like headache pills except once every 10 years, seen a doctor once in 15 years etc although had all normal vax in the past.

It is a up to each person to decide.

flibbertygibb · 30/04/2021 21:40

I'm 49, no underlying health conditions. I had a slight headache and a sore arm for a couple of days. My husband had flue like symptoms, shivering, headache and was sick. He was fine after 24 hours

sanitythief · 30/04/2021 21:42

Mid 40's. Fat. Smoker. Had AZ was warned it might feel like a bad hangover. All I felt was a sore arm for maybe a day.

Letsnotargue · 30/04/2021 21:44

My mum, dad and sister have all had the AZ vaccine. No side effects for any of them (even my mum who is a hypochondriac of the highest order). But I spoke to someone today, early 30s, had a bad reaction and was laid up for 4 days.

I’ve got mine tomorrow (AZ) and would happily take the side effects for being protected.

ThunderR0ad78 · 30/04/2021 21:48

Had AZ 48hrs ago. Absolutely no side affects at all, not even a mildly sore arm!

lostlife · 30/04/2021 21:49

@Dacquoise

I have debated whether to post this as I don't want to discourage others from having the jab.

I had the AZ jab in early March, developed flu like symptoms, aching all over for a couple of days but was left with severe pain and swelling in the groin, severe back and hip pain. I have history of back and hip problems but groin problem completely new.

Long story short, eventually tested for blood clot to hip, which proved negative and going into hospital for procedure and more investigations tomorrow. I have been off work for two months.

I would like to have the second jab but very wary after this experience and no idea what has caused the groin issue which is now completely numb and skin feels 'burnt.

Thats interesting. I had terrible back and front pain but couldn't pin the source down and now have a large area of rash and swelling. My GP didnt even think it was worth looking into it- but it has been 6 weeks and it is a total pain (literally)
Theimpossiblegirl · 30/04/2021 21:50

AZ, 45, 8 days in and all good so far.

Cottagepieandpeas · 30/04/2021 21:51

AZ - first dose - sore arm for about an hour or two.

ForeverInADay · 30/04/2021 21:56

Mid 40's, AZ, felt like a bad cold type feeling (without the runny nose!) the following day. Fine the day after.

Arm tender for a few days.

I understand your concerns op and I was a bit nervous but it was fine.

Marble2302 · 30/04/2021 21:58

I am 36 with no underlying health conditions. I had my first pfizer vaccine yesterday. I felt OK yesterday but today my arm is a little sore and I have felt a bit cold. Other than that I am fine.

Dacquoise · 30/04/2021 22:03

@lostlife, the consultant said he is getting a lot of referrals for joint, back etc issues after the jab, especially if there is underlying arthritis. I will be reporting mine to covid statistics when I get some sort of answer. Might be worth doing the same as I suspect this isn't rare. Fortunately not the dreaded blood clot.

Girlintheframe · 30/04/2021 22:03

I had Pfizer 1st dose - sore head and more tired than usual. Lasted about a day.
2nd dose - felt dreadful the next day. Very fatigued. Felt back to normal after 24 hours.

DH AZ 1st dose - felt under the weather for 24 hours
Hasn't had 2nd dose yet.

Even though I felt dreadful after the 2nd dose I knew it would be short lived. Can't imagine how dreadful you would feel if you actually caught Covid and how long it would last for.

GeorgeandHarold66 · 30/04/2021 22:04

I'm 47 and was group 6 for various reasons.
With the first AZ I didn't feel unwell at all but my arm swelled and was sore for ten days afterwards. Not agony though, I never took any painkillers or lost sleep. I'd just notice it every so often and think "oh you're still there then?"

The second one, again I didn't feel ill at all and no real pain or side effects of any type.

cardibach · 30/04/2021 22:04

@Sushirolls

Why are you labeled "anti vax" just because you want to wait until trials for this "vaccine" have ended?!
Because the ‘trial’ is the totally normal post approval process. How the fuck do you think it will ever get out of a post approval check without people taking it? It’s been trialled. It’s approved. All drugs have this phase of ‘trial’ where they are first unleashed in the general public.
Dacquoise · 30/04/2021 22:06

@lostlife, I found opioids and naproxen useless for the pain. Was put on medication for nerve end pain relief which worked very well. Might be worth a mention to your doctor if you are still in pain.

Fuckitfuckit · 30/04/2021 22:13

Experiences of everyone I know

FiL- AZ no symptoms except sore arm.
Me-Pfizer sore arm that appeared latter half of the day, slightly tired, swollen lymph node a few days later.
DF- Pfizer sore arm no other symptoms
DH- 35, Healthy, sore arm, flu type symptoms, kicks legs, fever, headache gone within 24 hours (he has been hospitalised twice since- not to do with vaccine but it has made me think, thank god he did it!) AZ
Friend 65 healthy- AZ no symptoms except sore arm.
Friend 42 healthy- (was given because she had gestational diabetes) she didn't even get a sore arm. AZ
Friends husband 42- healthy, had a runny nose for 24 hours! AZ
MIL- AZ, sore arm.

It's obviously your choice, but given the healthiest people I know have had the more noticeable side effects I'd just say to be aware it's possible you might get some side affects, but even DH who's had the worst symptoms I've heard of in my circle, had no worse than I get from the Flu jab.

LyndaSnellsSniff · 30/04/2021 22:22

I had AZ first dose on Monday.

Monday evening I felt a bit tired and achy.
Monday night I couldn't sleep and when I finally did sleep, had bonkers dreams.
Was drenched in sweat all Monday night.
Tuesday I felt achy and my skin felt oddly sensitive. Had a nap and felt normal again.

My parents and sister all had Pfizer and had no symptoms (apart from sore arm). But, my parents had second dose today so I don't know if they'll experience anything this time.

I think as long as you are prepared to accept that you may have an uncomfortable few days and are kind to yourself, you'll be ok. Paracetamol certainly helps too!

frugalkitty · 30/04/2021 22:24

Mid 40s, had the AZ jab. Twelve hours after I had it I started sweating/shivering and had a really rough night, plus my arm was sore so I couldn't lay on it which didn't help. Didn't hurt unless I laid on it though. Same again the next night, I woke up and stripped the bedsheets as I'd sweated so much through the night. That was it though, just two rough feverish nights, I felt fine in the day.
DH had the AZ jab the day before me and had a headache start about half an hour later but that was all.
I'm happy to have had the vaccine, covid frightens me and I feel any potential side effects from the jab would be better than risking catching the virus.

Scratchpostkitty · 30/04/2021 22:25

I had mine on Sunday (AZ). I was wiped out by it for 48 hrs, then fine. It wasn't pleasant but I'm having the second and I'm pleased that I will be less likely to pass covid on.
I know someone with long covid and I met someone who was struggling to walk after coming out of hospital the week before with covid. I look at those people and I would rather a potential couple of days feeling crap, than that.

Tryingtryingandtrying · 30/04/2021 22:32

If you are looking for anecdotes far more people have had negative experiences with Covid than the vaccine. But there are still people with severe and life threatening reactions to the vaccine.
The JCVI have said that the rdusk. Benefit changes at age 30 when the astra zeneca vaccine becomes more risky than Covid itself.
So statistically you are better off with the vaccine. Of course if you are in that minority who reacts badly you won't know until you've had it. Which I guess is, the whole problem.

RatInADollhouse · 30/04/2021 23:03

@Helptonight

I have a few friends that had covid, all recovered well thank goodness but appreciate this is absolutely not the case for other people
I know emotion plays a part in decision-making and on many issues there is room for reasonable disagreement. But you have seen the news at least occasionally over the past year, right? If you’ve been living above ground for the past 13 months and you don’t believe Covid is scary because a couple of your friends recovered what exactly do you hope to gain from a bunch of internet strangers who for all you know are all one incel lunatic posting under different names from his mother’s basement ?

I genuinely don’t mean to be nasty but it doesn’t feel fair that the rest of us who rely on facts and logic have to share the planet with willfully ignorant people who are unwilling or unable to apply the most basic critical thinking skills.

FindingMeno · 30/04/2021 23:11

AZ no reaction whatsoever. Same for dh and my siblings.

RatInADollhouse · 30/04/2021 23:32

The JCVI have said that the rdusk. Benefit changes at age 30 when the astra zeneca vaccine becomes more risky than Covid itself. So statistically you are better off with the vaccine. Of course if you are in that minority who reacts badly you won't know until you've had it. Which I guess is, the whole problem with taking or not taking any action of any kind anytime in your entire life.

Completed that for you, @Tryingtryingandtrying. Risk is everywhere. You never know if you will be poisoned by E. coli on the lettuce you bought. Or find a diamond on the pavement when you take a different route home. Or die of carbon monoxide poisoning in your sleep after you decided last minute to stay home from the pub. Or spend your life disabled by long COVID because you relied on anecdotal gossip from social media to refuse the vaccine.

There are no certainties in life. Every day we all have to use the information available to assess risk as rationally and logically as we can. Sadly many people seem to think a global pandemic is a good time to abandon that in favor of emotion, anxiety and anecdotal gossip from social media.

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