Severe reaction to first AZ jab - should I have second?

[Disabrie22]

I had a severe reaction to my first jab - such severe nausea and temp that I had a seizure. It took me four days to recover from the jab but on day five I was back to feeling 100% healthy.
Should I have the second or would I be putting myself at risk after a first strong reaction?

You're better off speaking to your GP. They'd be able to offer you advice.

Agree - you need your GP's input on this one.

If it helps, I have heard that you tend to get stronger reactions to the first AZ vaccination that to the second. But you will want to confirm this yourself, as it is just hearsay. Again, you GP would be the one to ask.

You should absolutely get a medical opinion but my view would be, why would you? Are you in a high risk group for covid?

Were you given any advice post your seizure?

Blimey. I had a reaction and I've been trying to speak to my gp to see discuss my second jab but my reaction wasn't as bad as yours! Definitely speak to your GP.

I have a parent who had an exceptionally bad reaction to AZ (but not a seizure, I believe) they were very apprehensive about the second. They did a lot of backwards and forwards, spoke to doctors etc but didn't have any side effects the second time around, in the end.
Have you sought a medical opinion?

Thank you, it’s become so hard to get an appointment with a doctor here - it’s a month waiting just for a phone call so I thought I would canvas opinion as my jab will be coming up before I get my appointment. When I had the reaction I called the GP and the receptionist fobbed me off.

What was the medical advice after you had the seizure after the first dose?

Get a GP's opinion as people have said. I was asked by the nurse when I had my second AZ jab if I'd had a serious reaction to the first. (I didn't, so I don't know what they'd have done if I had although I suspect I wouldn't have been given a second dose of AZ.)

Can you phone 111 to get an out of hours GP to call you? Might be easier than your GP?

I don't know if that's something 111 can do?

You should also report your reaction directly to AZ. They will have a patient info/hotline specifically for this. Severe Adverse reactions need reporting to the manufacturer.

I had a bad reaction to pfizer, which is very unusual but do need to have the 2nd as am high risk. I have been put into a special group for my second, where there are more doctors on standby and we have to be monitored more closely. Not sure if that is possible for you, but probably does need a discussion with a GP if you can get through

Ask your GP. I had a terrible time of it after the first AZ dose (not as bad as having a seizure though!). The second dose was fine, I was just a bit tired.

You need to speak to your GP. Do not be fobbed off by the receptionist.
Tell her you've had a seizure and need to speak with your GP about it. She doesn't need to know any more than that. She doesn't need to know when it was or what you think caused it.

Weigh up the risks vs benefits. Are you high risk for severe covid and happy to risk another seizure? If low risk for severe covid it wouldn’t make sense to risk a seizure. I had covid for two weeks and it was pretty awful but I’d choose that rather than a seizure, personally. I am sure the patient leaflet will tell you not to have it again if you have previously had a severe reaction. I find GPs useless in this regard as they don’t have more information on covid jabs than we do ourselves.

You need to speak to a medical professional. This is not a question for keyboard warriors who may have their own agenda before or against vaccination.

I assume you saw a doctor for the seizure? What was their advice? You need to report your side effects and insist on speaking to the GP or even call 111.

Both mum and mil had bad first reactions. They were in bed for 2 days. 2nd jab they barely knew they had. I'd really push to see GP first though as they'd be able to give you a knowledgeable answer rather than hearsay.

I had hideous reaction to the first AZ one: I had 40+temp for 5 days, literally could not get out of bed with nausea, blocked ears etc. I also had a splitting headache for over a month with associated lack of concentration, cotton wool-headedness...

I did seek advice and was told that my reaction was extreme and that the second was up to me. On balance , with the verdict being 'second reaction not as bad as the first' I had it. Nowhere near as bad. I had a temp and a headache for 1 day and was still up and about with it rather than zombie-like in bed. For my tuppenceworth, I would say go for it.

I was in bed sick for 7 days with severe muscle and joint aches plus swollen lymph nodes. Took me a few weeks after that to feel 100%. The second one I felt hungover for a few days

I had a reaction the 1st jab (basically like 24 flu with migraine but the 2nd one was fine

If you can't get hold of the GP before your appointment, you should be able to discuss it with the person who asks you the medical questions at the vaccination centre who should be able to refer to the duty doctor (at least that is what happened at the centre i volunteered at)

Did you actually have a seizure? Or just rigors from the temperature?

Oh that sounds awful. I had 3 days in bed with flu like symptoms after my first and didn't even notice I'd had my second

I had a bad reaction to the first jab - but the second was much milder