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’ve reported my side effects on the Yellow Card site.

yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

Just to add that my brothers who are a bit older had no ill effects apart from one just briefly had the metallic taste straight after.

Had mine yesterday afternoon (healthy 42yr old, social care worker). Had a sore arm yesterday evening and felt tired but apart from that OK. Today started with back pain and has developed into all over aches, hot head, headache and sore eyes plus exhaustion. Most of my colleagues are reporting feeling lousy the day after the jab but fine by the day after that, so fingers crossed!

We have all agreed that we are still overwhelmingly grateful to have had the jab, regardless of the way we've felt afterwards.

I had flu like effects, chilly, joint pain more like my rheumatoid but only for two days and like a heavy head but more like a pressing heavy head than migraine or tension headache type. Just when I was getting teary that oh gosh I think I’ve actually got myself ill, the next day woke up as light and back with normal energy. So happy to have had the vaccine and I was nervous but paracetamol helped my pain and head and very lucky I didn’t spike a fever or much chills. I have however had a very early period so will report it on the yellow card but it could be the stress of it all!

Had mine earlier this week. So grateful to have had it, feel very lucky. Was not actually expecting side effects apart from a sore arm, but felt absolutely horrendous for 24 hours- chills, sweating, high fever and strong body aches.

After 24 hours was able to do basic tasks but spent a lot of the day on the sofa or sleeping. Had to ask DH to take the day off as couldn’t look after young DC. Gradually felt better over next couple of days. Much stronger reaction than I had expected, but so grateful to have had it. Feel fine now.

Times, Friday 19, February 2021

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vaccine-side-effects-worse-covid-nt06cftk5

CORONAVIRUS
Vaccine side-effects worse if you’ve had Covid

(First three paras viewable, full article behind paywall/subscription)

Also in today's print edition (page 10).

Also, whilst I have felt terrible for a couple of days PIL had it week before (in 70s) and just had achey arm and slight headache. Anecdotally know of several younger colleagues who have been quite unwell for 24 hours and some older relatives who have been fine.

I planned for a weekend for it so I could have OH help but I mostly was able to cook and leave housework till Monday but the weekend was better in that I was able to have some naps as wasn’t feeling brilliant. So all in all much better than I was expecting. And weirdly so proud at science and it’s wonders.

Had it yesterday PM, woke up this morning at 4.30am with body aches & a sore head. I’d describe it as about half as severe as flu symptoms. Not fun, but had worse.

Not exactly ‘looking forward’ to dose two tbh & was 50/50 on deciding to have it as I’ve already had Covid.

CORONAVIRUS
Vaccine side-effects worse if you’ve had Covid

That's odd. I've had it only recently - around Christmas - and the only real side effect I had was a sore arm. Admittedly it's rather a persistent sore arm, but it's not a big deal.

DH had his yesterday. Zero side effects so far.

Checking back in to say that I woke up today feeling absolutely fine, except a slightly sore arm where the jab was given. So it was just 24hrs of feeling grotty for me, much like many others.

Do you think it’s possible a lot of us young, fit, healthy people have had mega side effects because we may have already had covid mildly?

I have had a couple of illnesses that I have had to do covid tests for due to all covid symptoms over past year, but tests were negative. But I do wonder whether actually I had it which is why I’ve had such a big reaction to the vaccine.

To those saying ‘maybe you’re all just making it up/don’t know what flu is/are a bit wet’, I have had flu and was really bed-bound for 3 weeks a few years ago, had glandular fever as a teenager and have given birth 3x. The reaction to this felt for a few hours like flu, where you cannot move, but was over very quickly. And is obviously not frightening because you know it’s just the vaccine (as long as there are useful threads like this to tell you you’re reaction is normal!).

I am so pleased there is a vaccine. Would take a couple of days of horrid side effects any day to avoid any more lockdowns and deaths of older people.

@Thedogshow I wondered about that (not that I have had mine yet). But my DM was flattened by her Oxford jab for a couple of days, and she is very stoical and usually fit and well. I don't think prior exposure explains it in her case. She lives alone and has been isolating herself since the beginning of March last year, hasn't been in a single shop or seen anyone indoors apart from my household, and then only after we had isolated for 2 weeks prior. She took a few socially distanced walks with friends in the summer but otherwise has kept totally to herself. V unlikely she has had covid.
She is happy and grateful to have had the jab and trying to see the side effects positively as a sign her immune system is still doing its job despite her advanced age!

Ah that’s interesting ceara.
If the PCR tests are accurate then I don’t think I have either. But for various work/ childcare/ school related reasons we have had a fair bit of contact with other people over the past year so it’s always possible.

Either way, it’s just good to know it’s normal for some people to feel very unwell. I was a bit frightened initially by the symptoms because they were so much more than anything I had expected. Have never had anything other than super mild, if any, side effects from flu vaccine etc.

Totally recovered now anyway & feel v lucky to have had it.

This is an interesting and reassuring thread to read. I had the Oxford vaccine on Wednesday morning - felt mostly fine all day apart from a stinging arm. Yesterday, woke up feeling really grotty - shivery, tearful, achy and desperately tired. Slept well last night (for about 10 hours!) and feel much better this morning. Still tired but not as bad and went to get my Click and Collect which I couldn't have done yesterday! Arm still sore but not so bad I can't lie on it or use it. Grateful to have had the jab!

I am 40 and had the vaccine 2 weeks ago. Achy arm for a couple of days was the only side effect. Reported it on the Zoe app.

Financial Times, Friday, 19 February

Covid-19 vaccines
BioNTech/Pfizer Covid vaccine no longer needs ultra-cold storage

New stability data come as Israel study shows efficacy of single dose

www.ft.com/content/919d16c8-0a40-4389-bac9-04a48fdb0a36

(Full report viewable)

According to New Scientist:

"Now the [Pfizer/BioNTech] companies have submitted new data to the US regulator which could scrap the need to store [the vaccine] in special freezers."

Just checked with DH. He had his Astra Zeneca jab 24 hours ago, and is still feeling fine.

I don’t know why but I seem convinced that I’ll have an adverse reaction if/when I have the vaccine- maybe it’s stress

This thread is immensely helpful

You don’t need to worry because some people have felt unwell after having the vaccine- they have not had an ‘adverse reaction’ they have had an immune response to the covid protein, which actually just shows that they have developed immunity to the virus.

Lots of people have not felt ill at all, but will still have developed immunity to the virus. But feeling unwell for a few days, because your immune system has launched an attack on the covid spike protein, should not put you off having the vaccine.

Surely feeling unwell for a couple of days because you are developing immunity is not frightening. It’s just inconvenient. Said as a person who did feel quite unwell. It’s wonderful to be able to receive a vaccine, and in the big scheme of things a couple of days of feeling poorly is not much of a sacrifice. I don’t really understand at all why people are getting so irate about other people, quite truthfully, discussing how they feel after the vaccine!

Interesting about the possible link with already having covid. I had mot vaccine Monday, today is the first day I have been able to go out, eat and do housework. I still had a temperature yesterday, have had head aches and feeling anxious (still feeling this, panicky, shortness of breath). I’m pretty sure I had covid last March but wasn’t tested as it was before testing was rolled out. Today is also the first day my arm hasn’t hurt, yesterday I could hardly lift it. My mum had the same vaccine with no side effects at all.

My OH had the vaccine on Tuesday. Had a headache and felt a bit rough/fluey for 24 hours, but then he was fine. My mother in her 80s had no problems at all.

Had my AZ jab yesterday at 5pm. Felt fine until this morning, with severe body aches & feeling fluey. Not getting out of bed today. Feel it's a small sacrifice, and was prepared to feel a bit shit.. hopefully means I'm having a good immune response to the vaccine. I'm 46. I'm one of very few people I know to have the Oxford jab, everyone else seems to have had the Pfizer one.