Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and the side effects

[LeSquigh]

Morning all

Many of my colleagues have now received the first dose of the Oxford vaccine and every single one of them has reported side effects, quite a large number have had to take time off work and been bedridden. Are we in the minority or is this true for all that have it? Not really looking forward to my turn!

I had mine a week ago now. I'm feeling fine now. As I said in a previous post my symptoms were what I normally get when I have a vaccine. Felt a bit rough but nothing awful.

Gov.uk Patient Information Sheet:

Information for UK recipients on COVID 19 Vaccine AstraZeneca
Updated 28 January 2021

www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca/information-for-uk-recipients-on-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca

This COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca Patient information sheet lists possible side effects.

The NHS leaflet included in my letter "COVID-19 vaccination - a guide for older adults" also includes a list of common possible side effects and the doctor who administered my vaccination, yesterday, also ran through possible side effects and recommended paracetamol, if required.

I forgot to mention in my previous post that as I wouldn't be driving myself home, I was permitted to leave straight away (ie no 15 minute "observation" required) - so I was in and out in no more than 10 minutes. It was very well organised with minimal waiting.

Yesterday evening I had some neck stiffness on the left side for an hour or so (I had the jab in my left arm). This morning, I feel OK, so far, but it's not been 24 hours yet. No arm soreness or "heaviness". Just done a Tesco C & C order and made several mistakes, so concentration seems a bit shot this morning.

I had the AZ vaccine just over a week ago. I didn't have any side effects at all, not even a sore arm. I am having treatment for breast cancer and I am immune suppressed as a result so was expecting to feel rubbish but nope, nothing! 🤷🏻‍♀️

I had mine yesterday and woke up in the night feeling sick and with painful arm. Have a temp this morn of 39. Hopefully it won't last long. Glad I had it x

@Morph2lcfc

I am also in Leicestershire like the above poster and didn’t get a return apppointnent (I had at surgery), neither did my mum or dad (had at large vaccination centre ) so seems it’s not even consistent in an area

In-laws had their vaccines not at one of the hubs, but at the General hospital, booked through the UHL website, which automatically gave them a second appointment. Everyone else I know, who has either had it through their GP or at The Kube (Leicester racecourse hub) has not had a second appointment booked yet. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.

I really hope that MN don't pull this thread I think it's hugely useful.

I had my AZ jab Sunday afternoon..felt fine til 10pm then the headache and muscle pain hit..awful night with a fever, spent Monday under a duvet. Got up this morning, no headache but every muscle hurts like flu.

Of my colleagues (a bunch of us had it at the same time ) about 75% have had the same side effects.. we are all around 40-50 yrs old. High probabilty we have had covid tho as work in special school so worked throughout with no social distancing possible!

I'm hoping to feel human again tomorrow..thank God it's half term!

My sister and husband have both had the AZ. Him through work as a carer, he complained of a sore arm on the day of the shot but was better the next day. My sister had it because she's vulnerable, she said it didn't hurt on delivery or afterwards. That's a couple of weeks ago and still no ill effects

It's funny - i had my jab on Sunday afternoon and it was more or less exactly 10pm when the ill effects happened to me too. Exactly as you describe. From this afternoon I'm feeling almost normal!

FYI for everyone who only had the one appointment and not booked in for the second - you can book your second on the NHS booking website below:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

I had the AstraZeneca vaccine and was ill in bed for 3-4 days. High temperature, sickness and very bad headache. The effects came on within 8 hours and were severe. I reported them through the Yellow Card Scheme.

It's useful to know this, I posted earlier up thread to say my parents in their 70s had it, no side effects at all. Colleague aged 30 has it, very unwell. I've got mine tomorrow afternoon. Really hoping I feel ok as I'm single with 2 small children.

Had it yesterday, head was spinning 360 degrees and projectile vomited. Feeling much better now.

For my 1st dose I was contacted via phone by my GP surgery. While having my jab on Saturday I was handed a piece of paper with my booking for the 2nd dose - 5 May. NHS Scotland (Lothian).

Am on the shielding list due to my cancer treatment.

[quote AgnesNaismith]FYI for everyone who only had the one appointment and not booked in for the second - you can book your second on the NHS booking website below:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/[/quote]
Just tried to book my husband's second appointment but it wouldn't let me. Said to contact our doctor's surgery. When I booked mine it let me book both.

In my area of you book one of the larger hubs you book both.
If you've had your first vaccine because you had a text/call from your GP, then they will re contact when the 2nd is due.

I’m so relieved to find this thread. I’m 60 and had Covid-19 last year but now healthy. I had the Oxford vaccine yesterday and feel terrible, shivers, chattering teeth, sweating, headache and muscle pain.
This thread has reassured me that these symptoms are perfectly normal and will pass soon. I was starting to feel a bit worried before I read everyone’s experiences. I know I should have read leaflet but I felt too het up before vaccination and now I can’t remember where I’ve put it.

I had the AZ vaccine yesterday morning, felt floored with tiredness by about 2pm so slept until 6pm and have been fine since, no ache's, fever, etc. Most of my work colleagues who received it yesterday have been feeling awful though, headache, body ache, sweating, fever, chills, vomiting.

DH has jab next week. Any advice how to lesson side effects or cope with any that happen ?

Just paracetamol, that will lessen any reaction. I added in ibuprofen for a few hours too. He'll be gone, don't worry.

@Sunshinespacecadet

I’m so relieved to find this thread. I’m 60 and had Covid-19 last year but now healthy. I had the Oxford vaccine yesterday and feel terrible, shivers, chattering teeth, sweating, headache and muscle pain. This thread has reassured me that these symptoms are perfectly normal and will pass soon. I was starting to feel a bit worried before I read everyone’s experiences. I know I should have read leaflet but I felt too het up before vaccination and now I can’t remember where I’ve put it.

A copy of the patient information sheet for UK recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine (which lists possible side effects at Point 4) is available here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca/information-for-uk-recipients-on-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca

I received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday at around 4.15pm. I am 68 and Tier 4. This has been my experience:

Monday evening: No soreness or pain at site of injection but a stiff and uncomfortable neck for an hour or so, on the left side (I had the injection in my left arm). No other symptoms.

Tuesday am: Upset stomach x 1 in the morning but no abdominal pain or cramping.
Tuesday lunchtime: Elevated pulse rate at times. Felt chilly and quite lethargic and didn't want to do much at all apart from curl up with a book. Temperature normal. No headache.
Tuesday evening, felt a bit hot at times; mild muscle pain in upper left arm when raised.

Wednesday: Felt clammy and as though I was coming down with a cold or flu at times; no headache or other symptoms apart from mild ache in left upper arm (but only if lifting something). Felt considerably less tired than the previous day, pulse rate back to normal for me.

Today (Thursday): No symptoms at all and am feeling fine.

I was advised by the clinician who administered the vaccination to take paracetamol if I developed troublesome symptoms of pain, fever, headache etc but I didn't take any during the day as I already take paracetamol and ibuprofen at night for hip and knee pain.

DH had his first injection 9 days before me. He is 74. His experience was much the same as mine, though he had no arm muscle ache. So we both had two days of feeling moderately off colour (I seem to have felt worse than he did - mostly he felt lethargic and cognitively "foggy"). All symptoms resolved for both of us by the third day.

Will be interesting to see what response (if any) we both get to the second dose (11 to 12 weeks' time).

I believe the advice is not to take pain killers before you have the vaccine as some stop it working properly (ibruprofen and aspirin I think). The person given the injection advised me to take paracetemol only afterwards but as my temp was very high and I know ibruprofen usually works better to bring my temp down I googled and it said Ibuprofen was fine to take afterwards. After taking the ibuprofen I felt much better and I took both paracetemol and ibuprofen regularly after that and did feel tired and achey but not too bad, with only a slight headache.

I also made sure I drank plenty of water. I would recommend taking paracetemol every 4 hours the day you have it regardless of whether you feel ill yet as my fever came on very quickly. I would double check about the ibuprofen when you have the vaccine in case the advice is different to what I read online!

There's a 2019 Open Access review paper here on vaccine reactogenicity. (This review is not specific to COVID-19 vaccines.)

www.nature.com/articles/s41541-019-0132-6

Hervé, C., Laupèze, B., Del Giudice, G. et al. The how’s and what’s of vaccine reactogenicity. npj Vaccines 4, 39 (2019). doi.org/10.1038/s41541-019-0132-6

I had the AZ on Monday morning, waited afterwards in the car for 15 mins, had a strange taste which seemed to trigger a sore throat, then a brief woozy feeling. Felt ok and drove the mile home, quickly became very cold, shivery, went to bed and just didn't feel well. Tuesday mostly in bed poorly, cold, aching limbs, Wednesday, throat improved but weak and breathless with any exertion so back to bed, today Thursday so far feeling bit improved, still having to take it easy but managed to step outside.

At one point wished I hadn't had it as was ok before, I'm late 60s.