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 have had the AZ.
No side effects whatsoever- not even a sore arm.
(With the flu jab I always have a sore arm.)
I’m delighted after reading this thread!
My elderly mother and aunt have also had the jab with no side effects.

I had the AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday and have felt a bit rough today; shivery, nauseous, tired etc. But having spent the day on the sofa watching Below Deck I’m feeling better already. I think a good nights sleep tonight will sort me out. Glad to have it regardless.

Oh, and also have a really sore arm!

Update my mum had AZ last Saturday and by Saturday night was unwell: uncontrollable shaking for 3hrs then really high temp, body aches, headache and fatigue. I bed Sunday and Monday. Has taken all week to recover but even today so tired after just a walk. Normally fit and well she’s 62.

Had AZ yesterday afternoon
No side effects yet....

I had the AZ this morning, felt fine at first, just a sore arm. As the day and night's gone on I'm starting to ache from top to bottom..struggled to walk up the stairs a bit no temp tho thankfully so hoping I'll sleep ok. Hoping this is the worst of it!

Losersclub

All good. Means your immune system is kicking in.

Is the 2nd dose as bad?

Some important things for people to note.

1. The AZ (Oxford AstraZeneca) vaccine will give people most side effects on the FIRST dosage. With much less side effects on the SECOND dosage. So everyone who had terrible side effects on dose 1 of AZ can rest easy that the 2nd dose is very likely to be a doddle in comparison.

2. For the Pfizer (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine the most side effects will be noticeable on the SECOND dose. So this is the opposite to the AZ vaccine. So because most Brits are on their 1st dose of a vaccine nearly all the negatives are currently for the AZ vaccine, but this will change around when Pfizer people get their second dose. So this thread will change a bit by April and May.

3. Those under 55 are much more likely to suffer side effects from either vaccine than those over 55. This is because you have a much stronger immune system when younger, so when the vaccine enters the body the stronger the immune reaction the stronger the side effects. This is why your 80 year old mother may sail through the vaccines while you, her daughter, at 40 have fever and the shakes and feel rough. Best way to look at it is the worse the side effects, generally the stronger your immune system is (not the opposite).

4. Because the vaccines do not contain a live virus it does not replicate, which means most side effects will last for a maximum of 36 hours and then will quite often vanish like a light switch has been pressed. With a proper virus it keeps growing and the immune system has to keep attacking each replication, but the vaccine does not grow or progress, so once attacked the threat is over soon. This does not include the sore arm though as that is down to muscle repairing.

5. Be thankful you are not taking the Moderna vaccine, although the best for protection it is 3 times more potent, so the 2nd dose of that would quite likely knock you for six

Hope this helps explain some things.

Thanks ZammoUk that makes sense and reassured me that I shouldn't dread the second dose. Really helpful advice .

Thanks @ZammoUK that is very useful. Any idea how long the sore arm should take to heal? I’m a week in and it’s still terribly painful (stopping me sleeping painful). Thank you!

Very interesting, thanks Zammo.

I had fever and chills, awful headache, exhaustion the day after then fine but now 3 days on, a lymph node has popped up above my collarbone and on another thread I learned that this is normal. MIL had no side effects but it seems that isn't a good sign, despite my envy!

DH had Oxford AZ yesterday.
he is fine-says he feels a bit tired but overall ok.

I had Pfizer on tuesday and just had a very sore arm. Felt quite emotional when I got it!

Well worth it!!

I’m in my late 20s, I had the AZ vaccine just under two hours ago. Hardly felt it go in but since I have had a strange smell/taste in my nose and at the back of my throat, like when you spray sinus relief spray up there. I feel light headed however other than that I feel fine at the moment.

@Winditbackagain

I’m in my late 20s, I had the AZ vaccine just under two hours ago. Hardly felt it go in but since I have had a strange smell/taste in my nose and at the back of my throat, like when you spray sinus relief spray up there. I feel light headed however other than that I feel fine at the moment.

My DS (NHS frontline worker) in his 20's also had an odd taste in his mouth-he described it as metallic. Is it that sort of taste @Winditbackagain? Other than that absolutely fine-he got Pfizer

I had the Oxford Vaccine a few weeks ago. I had no side effects whatsoever.

I had AZ 11 days ago and had bad side effects. Achy arm, then achy heavy limbs, it felt like flu. 22 hours after the vaccine I had the chills. The next day I was a lot better but still felt a bit off and very tired. I definitely needed the maximum amount of pain killers for the first 36 hours. After 3.5 days I felt normal.
My DS is 22 and he got the same side effects as me but a lot worse.

I forgot to say I’m 53. My 54 DH had no side effects, not even a sore arm.

Hi everyone, Googling side effects and came across this thread! Had AZ vaccine late Sat. Am completely able to function but am SO fatigued, a bit raspy and headachy and a bit nauseous and a bit achey- basically a “bit” of not quite right! Hoping will feel better this evening. So so so happy I had it, feel v lucky. I did have Covid - not too badly- back in spring

Forgot to mention I’m 46 and also have a very sore arm! No sleeping on left side for me!

@mumsiedarlingrevolta The only thing I can compare it to is Beconase nasal spray! Very odd.
I had the jab 8 hours ago now and I have got an achy arm, feel fatigued and heavy eyed. I would be sleeping now if I didn’t have children

Has anyone had a mild return of side effects after a week or so? I had classic mild fatigue, headache and joint pain after my jab ten days ago which went away after 48 hrs. Today I’ve had a milder version of exactly the same thing. Could this still be my immune system reacting? Or should I get a Covid test?

I had my AZ vaccine this afternoon. Absolutely fine. Not even a sore arm.

@ZammoUK

Excellent post, thank you.

So I’m back after roughly 24 hours and I had the worse nights sleep, first I mentioned I had a funny taste in my mouth and weird smell in my nose, later in the day my teeth became sensitive, all night I was waking with an extremely painful lower jaw, pain in my eyes and behind my ears. I feel hungover this morning. I have a sore arm and a heat rash type rash around the injection site. I’m hoping a coffee, paracetamol and a nice shower will sort me out.