Concerned I am having an adverse reaction to my vaccine.

[BeyondAZParanoia]

I've only namechanged as I've posted about it on fb and don't want these linked. Ask mn how long I've been here if you think I'm making it up.

I have a metric fuck tonne of comorbidities, I'm CEV, and had my vaccine this week (AZ, clues in the name 😂)

Since, I have had neurological symptoms in my arm. Pins and needles, neuralgia, numbness in my fingers and hand. No other side effects. I have yellow-carded and spoken to my GP (advised to keep an eye on it and call the emergency number if anything increases and makes me concerned), but I just want a support thread while I wait for this to go away :( my concern is that I don't want to scare people into not having it, so I've been wary of mentioning it. But then on the other hand, I'm paranoid that I'm just being a hypochondriac and there is nothing abnormal anyway. Anyone who has had long term health problems and had them minimised like I have will hopefully understand this.

So, I know that if I'm having a dodgy response (AZ say neurological symptoms have existed in trials, but are believed to be unlinked to the vaccine itself), it's probably as I'm the only person in the UK with my exact combination of health problems and medications, and at my age/sex etc. That doesn't mean it's a problem for anyone else, but doesn't exactly placate me either. Iyswim.

Could I have a handhold? 😢

I have chronic health issues and disabilities, hopefully mooncup (even if I was rude, and I apologise if she took it as intended rudeness) as someone with EDS will understand why when you do, you don’t panic and report everything to 111 when it isn’t behaving

@Myalternate
My dad has RA and is on methotrexate as well as having several other conditions. He was told to shield.
He had absolutely no problem with his vaccine (Pfizer) - he could only feel where he had had the jab if he pressed his arm hard in the right place, apparently. So don't worry.

I might yet decide to call OOH Georgie. For now I’m just hoping it can wait 12 hours 🙂

I dont know if this helps but I had the AZ this week and had palpitations, pins and needles from it only in the injected arm and a skull crushing headache. I'm 3 days on and the headache is almost gone and the pins and needles are easing (they have been intermittent over the last 12 hours). I am starting to see improvements - I am hoping the same happens for you too .

@BeyondAZParanoia

Also can I say that it made sense to me that these symptoms would be due to swelling in the arm putting pressure on the nerves. What first made me actually worry about it, was AZ saying it isn't a side effect.

I just saw this bit (guilty as charged not reading the thread ) it is listed on the patient info given but as a super rare side effect.

@BeyondAZParanoia

I have chronic health issues and disabilities, hopefully mooncup (even if I was rude, and I apologise if she took it as intended rudeness) as someone with EDS will understand why when you do, you don’t panic and report everything to 111 when it isn’t behaving

Nah, I'm good. I'm not at my best when something new/different/particularly uncomfortable or potentially worrying happens, either.

I'd look at seeing whether consciously lengthening my neck and trying to relax my shoulders without poking my head forward helped me - and even if it is a coincidental neck issue, I'd want to be careful with it in case it needed treatment.

Is that what it says on yours mramorning? On mine it’s (paraphrased) “this isn’t believed to be a side effect of the vaccine and is coincidental”, and that’s what it said online too...? (I’ll attach the image)

Thanks for understanding mooncup. well I’m in a hot bath now, so hopefully if it’s my neck that will help ease it, as well as warming up my toes!

Bollocks, here’s the image

Sorry @BeyondAZParanoia - I've re-read and it says the same as yours - I read it after I got back in the car and read it as a rare side-effect (wasnt feeling great so didnt read properly).

I really do hope it resolves and you are ok

I read it as part of the uncommon side effects rather than a separate section

Thanks, I appreciate your good wishes
Hope you are feeling completely back to normal soon too x

My mum had hers on Friday and had the Oxford one. She reports that her arm felt sore and heavy and that she felt very tired yesterday. Arm still feels sore today but she felt much brighter.

Is GBS a potential side effect of this vaccine, OP?

I know it is a known side effect of flu vaccine. I had it a week and a half ago and felt horrendous, similar symptoms to yours for 2 days but in my foot/left leg. I have to say I was concerned, whilst I have no health issues, I'm pregnant now and GBS really worried me. I also had brain fog, shivers, disorientation, joint pains, hot and swollen arm and extreme fatigue. All rare side effects and new to me. BUT they all disappeared after 3 days and I truly hope it will be the same for you 💐. I know it's a different vaccine and you must be feeling worried now but just keep an eye on your symptoms, they will likely pass soon 💐 Wishing you the best xx

Not as far as I know, purplepansy, the 'unrelated' neurological symptoms in test subjects ( A test subject?) were - according to someone upthread - transverse myelitis. I had a quick google and it seems that GBS has been reported following actual covid infection, but rarely. And rather than being linked per se, it's just that when it does occur it's frequently a post-viral illness.

Going to call the dr now to update her on how I'm doing. Had definite numbness in my feet in the night.

I hope it goes away soon. I kept walking as much as I could and stretching my feet, kept well hydrated and well rested. I hope it's nothing serious OP, but deffo have a chat with your GP.

No better 😕 worse if anything.

Both lower arms and my lower legs are having shooting pains, then the numbness is permanent atm up the outer edge of my hands and arms, then comes and goes in fingertips and palms. Then in my right leg, the numbness is there all of the time in my outer two toes, up the outer edge of my foot, and up my ankle. Left foot it's just the toes so far.
Then the other night (possibly unrelated) my hands were a lovely shade of blue 😨

Meant to ring the doctor today but DW has been ill so it got side-tracked. Will call them in the morning.

(I have also spoken to her earlier in the week, I just forgot to update here. Her opinion is that it is probably vaccine related but just rare enough that no one else has had it yet!! We are carrying on watching and waiting for now, as she understands that given I am shielding, I want to stay away if possible)

I've also had cramps in my lower legs and lower arms, as well as the shooting pains.

I had the tiniest little shooting pain yesterday, I drew it on my finger afterwards...

I'm not a medical professional, but in case this helps - last year I had a flu vaccine and the nurse who gave it said to wait for 10 minutes afterwards to make sure there wasn't a reaction of any kind.

There wasn't, but I asked whether I needed to look out for anything in the next week, and he said that pretty much any serious reactions happen in those 10 minutes (anaphalaxis), and while there might be some side-effects after like soreness, headaches, and other symptoms, he reassured me that they'd be fine and they'd go away, just to take some paracetemol.

Obviously not saying not to keep in touch with your doctor about your symptoms, but he was absolutely sure that reactions to vaccines are immediate, not longer-term, so hopefully that might put your mind at rest a bit! Anxiety can cause really weird effects - I get all sorts of small pains, pins and needles and so on when I go into an anxious phase, so it could (and hopefully is) just that.

Feel better soon!

Oh, also two of our parents were shielding and extremely clinically vulnerable & elderly with all sorts of medical problems between them, which are normally managed with a lot of medication.
One had the Pfizer (only first dose), and the other the Astra Zeneca (again, only the first dose) last week and neither has had any problems. So again, hopefully that'll make you feel less worried.

Thanks for replying. Okay... a few things... first just quickly- did you read the whole thread? Only cause two different doctors believe it is a side effect, not just me. Allergic reactions happen quickly. Not side effects in general, hence why everyone is being told to expect a fever/headache/etc.

Also can I just say - I'm not old, I have complicated health problems and multiple disabilities. It's not quite the same, so while I know reassuring me about elderly relatives comes from a good place, it doesn't actually help. And if you did indeed read the thread you'd see that my paranoia comes from having my health problems ignored for most of my life. Being gaslit that the problem was all in my head all along and actually, it wasn't. It is not anxiety.

I'm sorry if you read this as shitty, but I hope you understand why it's a touchy subject given my past problems with having serious concerns belittled.

Had a shit nights sleep due to throbbing pains in my fingertips and cramps in my feet and legs.