AIBU to worry about my side effects from Pfizer vaccine

[CheeseToasty]

I had the vaccine just over a week ago and feeling off. I was not sick at all just really tired and had a sore are for a few days. However, my memory is vey foggy still and I’ve had a few episodes of memory loss which were a little funny as isolated as incidents but now that I’ve had a few I am beginning to worry...should I?

Personally I wouldn't link that to the vaccine. If it were me I'd assume I'd picked something up and was reacting to the vaccine as well as some sort of additional bug.

Is there anything else that could explain how you're feeling? Lack of sleep? Stress at home/work? The weather? Medication changes?

Although actual episodes of memory loss sound unnerving. Possibly worth a trip to the GP if it continues? (Although I do think the vaccination is likely to be a coincidence, not a cause)

Thanks. I absolutely think it was the vaccine as I can get a little foggy when tired or stressed but these incidents were not typical. I am waiting till Monday to decide whether or not to contact gp. Just felt the need to talk it through before then.

Hard to tell if its linked to the vaccine. One of the girls at work had bad vertigo and dizziness for weeks after getting her second Pfizer jab and she was completely convinced the vaccine was the cause but it eventually turned out she had a small insect living in her ear! Either way, I would definitely go to the GP, memory loss sounds like something that should be checked out so they might need to send you for some scans.

If you're already prone to fogginess when tired and/or stressed and you're stressing about the potential side effects of the vaccine then it does stand to reason you could be bringing on the symptoms as a result of the vaccine. Not because it's a side effect but just because you're extra worried right now.

A GP is going to be your best bet though to rule out anything additional.

The fact that you get foggy when tired or stressed makes me think even more that it's not linked to the vaccine.

@shivawn

Hard to tell if its linked to the vaccine. One of the girls at work had bad vertigo and dizziness for weeks after getting her second Pfizer jab and she was completely convinced the vaccine was the cause but it eventually turned out she had a small insect living in her ear! Either way, I would definitely go to the GP, memory loss sounds like something that should be checked out so they might need to send you for some scans.

Oh my god, this is horrifying! Especially as I had two bouts of vertigo yesterday! I only ever experienced it once before when I was 18 (now 32). I hope this is not because some creature is in my ear 🙈

can you describe more about the memory loss incidents?

If you have symptoms that you would normally contact the GP about, then please do so now. We've been conditioned to be so thankful for the vaccine that we shouldn't moan if it causes side effects, and unfortunately because of this people are not reporting when it does and some have become very unwell.

Whilst definitely more related to AZ, I'm hearing many women experiencing problems with severe headaches that go on for weeks, but have not sought help. Memory loss is equally concerning, and whilst it may be nothing, it does need investigating.

(The reports I've heard are real life, not randoms on social media with an agenda!)

I’ve been tired and unfocused this past week. No vaccine but the weather got hotter and that means restless nights for me. Made worse by wfh in front of a laptop that acts like a radiator.

I was in hospital on Friday night/Saturday after a seizure and another woman there had been given her first vaccination the day before and then suffered significant memory loss during the next night. She was incredibly confused and couldn't remember the month or year.

Without any way of knowing if your symptoms are linked to the vaccine or not, please report them using the MHRA Yellowcard reporting system. It's important to gather all of this together in one place as these vaccines are still in the final phase of trials until 2023. Until then, data needs to be collected to enable a broad picture of the medicine's side effects to be developed, enabling an understanding of who certain medicines are and are not suitable for.

My sister had transient global amnesia following her second vaccine (AZ). Except it hasn't turned out to be transient at all.

Definitely yellow card report it, and also speak to your GP

As a pp said if you get this when stressed to a lesser degree and are stressed about the vaccine and on high alert, then there is a very high chance it is anxiety related.

@JollyHolly30

I was in hospital on Friday night/Saturday after a seizure and another woman there had been given her first vaccination the day before and then suffered significant memory loss during the next night. She was incredibly confused and couldn't remember the month or year.

Which is likely a stroke or something and totally unrelated

People have a habit of attributing any illness to the vaccine as if no one ever gets ill from anything ever.

Hi OP. I am currently a vaccinator for NHS. Our advice to people presenting for vaccination is that side effects should have gone after 3- 4 days. Any concerns after that time, please call 111 or talk to your GP.

As PP have said, it could be something completely unrelated to vaccination. Please contact your GP or 111 if you are at all worried.

Thanks you all. I was not at all worried about the vaccine and was glad to have it. I didn’t even worry at first. I did yellow card it and hopefully it’s nothing. The worst episodes were in the first 48 hours so hoping it will pass.

@CheeseToasty
How are you feeling now? Do you still suffer from post jab symptoms? I had exactly the same. I found out it was a reaction from my thyroid in response to jab and my thyroid is still trying to recover

I am still having symptoms but not as severe however I have become far more dependent on my diary to keep on top of things. I find using my working memory very challenging. I rang the doctor but it’s been slow. They gave me a neuro assessment which went well. While they scored me 100% it was unnerving when it took me a good few seconds to answer what month it was! They booked me for a blood test today and follow up with doctor next week. I feel that they are leaning towards it being caused by my mental health as I suffered from anxiety and depression last year. Of course I would prefer this to be the case but I don’t know how I would begin to address this as I am no longer suffering with this and feel my mental health is better than it has ever been.

@MilanaH how did you find out it was a thyroid reaction?

@CheeseToasty hopefully your blood test should give you a better insight. So you’ll then know if it is mental or physical. Hopefully they also check for deficiencies as they can also impact your mental function.

In regards to finding out about my thyroid, I had just mentioned the symptoms to the doctor and was immediately sent for blood test which revealed my thyroid was out of wack. The symptoms all very dramatically happened within a week after getting the jab...also a few years back I contracted a virus and my thyroid had done something similar but managed to get back to normal.

Hopefully they check yours so you can rule it out

Good luck 😊