Unsure whether to book vaccine appointment

[unmumsymummy21]

I received my text this week, inviting me for the jab, as I'm in group 6.

I thought I would be elated, but instantly a sense of dread came over me. I have pretty bad health anxiety, which also spans to medication generally. I worry about medications and side effects. It freaks me out.

I'm on an immunosuppressant because of my condition, but apparently that doesn't cause you to get worse covid. I find that very confusing. But my doctors said that. The vaccine is also fine to have on the immunosuppressant.

Here is my worry- what if I die after ? There was a doctor in Florida who died due to a rare condition kicked off by the vaccine. It's very rare apparently, but it can happen.

I am not anti vaccinations by any means but when my children get theirs, I worry a lot that they'll have bad reactions.

In addition to this I am confused about the messaging from the government. I thought things were going to get a lot better because of the vaccines but this week there have been such negative messages from government ( Grant Shapps ) it has really made me wonder what the hell is going on and why I should even get the vaccine if things won't change or get better ?

May I also add that I've been absolutely terrified of getting / dying of covid this entire year. To the extent that I've had panic attacks about it/ not been able to sleep/ been in the pits of despair. I am in counselling by the way and have been most of the year.

I want the vaccine ! I need reassurance I am going to be OK. I guess this is all about how you evaluate risk. I've been reading a lot about that this year, to calm myself down. I'm over evaluating the risk of the vaccine and I know it's irrational but I'm still really scared. I also over evaluated the risk of dying form covid, which was also irrational. It's been a tough year ! Any kind words of advice welcome.

Can I have your appointment? If you don't want it release it for people who do

@whatnow41

My mum has just received the letter, 69 and dietetic. Offered an appointment at a local vaccine sent or wait for her GP rollout. Her appointment was....mid May. Fucking May.

I'm so angry. This government saying all the people in the highest risk categories have now been offered an appointment. Box ticked. Lying shits. It's not a success if that appointment is more than 3 months away.

That’s crazy. Must be a mistake. Over 70s have been able to book themselves on the NHS system for a week or so so imagine that will be extended to over 65s in a few weeks.

@unmumsymummy21

Just booked it.

Great. I'm super envious!!!!

To all those saying 'just get the jab' this is not helpful for someone who has genuine anxiety.
OP I felt the same about the jab. I hesitated getting it for ages. In the end (after weeks and weeks of mental turmoil) I got the jab as I couldn't bear the thought if I got Covid and ended up in ITU I would be putting my colleagues and friends at risk because of my decision (yes, I'm NHS). It took me a long time to make peace with the idea of the jab and whenever anyone asked me I couldn't give them an eloquent answer as to why I didn't want the jab, I just had concerns over the long-term effects. Something we won't know about for years to come but I'm willing to take that risk when compared to putting my family and colleagues at risk. I was doing everything else to keep me and others as safe as possible (twice weekly testing, mask whenever I left the house and only going out to go shopping at times the supermarket was virtually empty as well as frequent handwashing and sanitising)

End of the day, only you can make the decision and if you can make peace with fact that not having the vaccine puts you at a higher risk of having worse symptoms if you get covid, then fine.

BTW, the vaccine won't stop you getting Covid, it will just mean if you do get it the symptoms will hopefully not put you in ITU (the amount of people who think the vaccine is a complete prevention of actually getting covid is ridiculous!)

[quote unmumsymummy21]@OpheliasCrayon it's true. It's all about how you evaluate risk. It's what I've been doing all year to try and calm myself about covid- reading up about risk and specifically actuarial risk. Interesting topic haha. I have a little fear of flying too and I always tell myself that I probably had more chance being in a car crash on the way to the airport.. so I totally get it. The same applies to the vaccine.

I think though that this is how the anti vax movement started. It was started by the one in a million. Because the one in a million exists ! And if you're unlucky enough to be that one in a million, to you- it's a bad idea then in general to get vaccinated or whatever it may be. You then go and shout it from the rooftops ( Social media ) and you quickly get a following from other people who also shout it from the rooftops. This then lands on parents / people who then may also get the impression it's extremely common and that their child or them may have an adverse reaction. I think that's how it has spread. And voila people are scared of giving their kids vaccines now and we lose our measles free status etc. [/quote]
I'm very often the one in a million...
Literally, I've had drug reactions which genuinely were written down as one in one million cases and then I have had ones which were completely unheard of and have had to be added on after I was hospitalised and told if I ever took them, or any linked drug again it would be fatal.

But... My children are fully vaccinated, they've even had extra ones like chicken pox because it's available and we chose to do it.... I try my best to find meds combos that I can take (very few ) to treat the illnesses that I have and that's a massive challenge.

I've had covid and it was extremely mild so obviously I am not going to risk a vaccine with my history and I'm told I can't by my doctors, but my husband will have it when offered and if it was ever offered to my children they would as well - I'm very pro vaccine for everyone, despite my own issues... So I guess like... Maybe that's in some way reassuring that that 'one in a million" person does still think that the vaccine is fine?

Well done for booking OP
It really will be fine

Try to look at it rationally.

a) UK deaths from covid vaccine = 0
b) UK deaths from coronavirus = 116,000

Which group do you want to be in?

And ignore the monumentally stupid advice from your parents. They need to go and educate themselves

Cross posted
Well done.

@whatnow41 - could you check there hasn't been a mistake? Our area has started on category 7.

You're so much more likely to die from Covid than the jab. That's the whole point of having it. Just get it done. Trust the scientists

@OpheliasCrayon

I feel like this is your anxiety talking in a massive way. In the kindest way I feel the panic in your message.

I am CEV / multiple immunosuppressants/ high dose steroids / active disease so that equals shielding for sure, but I haven't and I have worked throughout. I have been offered the vaccine and I'm not having it but this is because of known, extremely severe drug reactions.

From what you've written about yourself if that was me I would have it without a second thought.

I understand both of your concerns 100%, but on the other hand my mum has just had a liver transplant is also autoimmune, just had the vaccine and is perfectly fine x

@unmumsymummy21

Just booked it.

Well done you. Brains are a law unto themselves and even though you can rationalise, sometimes the little seeds of doubt manage to shout loudest. (Mixed metaphors there...)

The way I look at it is that apart from the allergic-to-ingredients reactions that happen pretty much immediately, the subsequent immune response reactions (which very, very rarely may be severe) would most likely happen to you anyway if you got Covid. And then you’d be dealing with them and a Covid infection, which would be much worse.

I am very, very pro vaccine. I’ve been working on the roll out. I was massively thrilled when our Trust called us for vaccination. Yet when I actually had it (Pfizer) I experienced a mixture of elation and anxiety, despite having a good handle on the risks. My DH was all for jumping back in the car straight away & going home (not a working day) but I made him hang around for 15 mins. We both had quite unpleasant reactions - flu like without respiratory symptoms - for 36 hours, but then we were fine.

So what I’m saying is your feelings are not “normal” but they aren’t unusual. The problem arises when we let the irrational thoughts take over.

Hope the appointment is soon.

@OpheliasCrayon by the way, that wasn't a dig at you in any sense - everyone has been given advise and also their reasons for having and/or not having the vaccine. I was just trying to give an opposite view

BTW, the vaccine won't stop you getting Covid, it will just mean if you do get it the symptoms will hopefully not put you in ITU

This is simply not known yet. Why are so many people saying this?

Do you want to die from Covid 19 ?

@BoredatHome321

I seem to have this on MN. I don't have concerns about the vaccine --- I am 100%,as verified by all of the doctors involved with my care, that I am absolutely not allowed to have any of the covid vaccines that exist and any that are developed. I am also not able to take a huge chunk of the already available meds to treat the illnesses I have which causes serious issues for me and is one of the reasons I have now been in hospital for weeks.

I appreciate that your mum has autoimmune issues etc but I'm not your mum, I can't have the vaccine and the fact that she can makes no odds to me. I appreciate the sentiment that you are trying to link the two, but I get the same anecdotal completely unsolicited advice every time I mention it and it is frustrating as anything.

I genuinely cannot have it, irrespective of who else can and therefore I am one of the people who relies on the herd immunity of others to have it where we can't. The fact that someone knows someone else who has had it, does not change my situation.

(I'm also not bothered that I can't have it, it doesn't fuss me, I've had covid and it was mild. I would like to have it because I work with vulnerable people but I can't )

@WiseUpJanetWeiss

BTW, the vaccine won't stop you getting Covid, it will just mean if you do get it the symptoms will hopefully not put you in ITU

This is simply not known yet. Why are so many people saying this?

what do you mean? @WiseUpJanetWeiss

@unmumsymummy21

Just booked it.

Well done!

Don't discuss it with your parents. If it comes up, tell them of course you're having the vaccine, it's massively safer than not having it so you'd be a fool not to.
How many doctors do you think have died in the US because of covid?

it must be tough dealing with this sort of anxiety but you're doing the right thing.

I understand. I have health anxiety and worked myself up into a right state about my vaccine and catching COVID at the centre Nearly cancelled it!

I am on an immune suppressant for an autoimmune disease.

Anyway I went for the jab and honestly not only did I not even feel the needle but I ZERO effects afterwards. It will be a week ago come Monday.

Feel elated the first jab is behind me and that I’ve done the best I can for my health and safety.

Please get your jab. You need it or you wouldn’t have been offered it. Remember the Oxford vaccine Professor Sarah Gilbert had her own three sons in the trials for it.

You can do this!!!

And well done OP for booking it !

Please just be aware, having read thread after thread and knowing people who have had it - you may feel a little fluey and unwell after and an achey arm. This is normal ... Please be mindful of this because I feel it would be easy for you to panic if you felt the slightest unwell.

A vaccine works by triggering your immune system to respond to the virus and so your body can (sometimes it doesn't and you can easily get no side effects) react to that -i know that you know this ... But just remember if you feel unwell after its fine, normal, nothing bad is going to happen to you.

The doctor in Florida became ill 16 days after vaccination, of ITP - a blood disorder which often has sudden onset.

It is far from clear there is any link at all

@OpheliasCrayon
No I understand that completely and of course I understand you're not the same person, I didn't mean for it to some across as some sort of dig/judgement at all, so sorry if it came across that way. I was just trying to give another point of view to the OP.

It is really good to know that you only have Covid mildly, that must put your mind at ease a lot, like I said, I really wasn't trying to be judgemental. But you're always going to get anecdotes on an open forum, it's just the way it is unfortunately.

[quote BoredatHome321]@OpheliasCrayon
No I understand that completely and of course I understand you're not the same person, I didn't mean for it to some across as some sort of dig/judgement at all, so sorry if it came across that way. I was just trying to give another point of view to the OP.

It is really good to know that you only have Covid mildly, that must put your mind at ease a lot, like I said, I really wasn't trying to be judgemental. But you're always going to get anecdotes on an open forum, it's just the way it is unfortunately. [/quote]
It's fine - yes covid was ok for me, I had it milder than my husband. Although his also was very mild. I had a much worse cold later in the year.

I get a lot of people telling me I can have it because someone else did which is enormously frustrating because i definitely can't !

The only reason I had mentioned it here though, was because I had hoped that it would be some way reassuring that even though I personally can't have it and would likely react badly, I have absolutely no issues with it and would have my whole family vaccinated when offered.

I'm recovering from Covid.

The fear and anxiety of actually having an illness that you know can cause sudden deterioration and hospitalisation is way, way more terrifying than getting a vaccination. It's been the most awful time. I've been very ill.

I'm glad you are protecting yourself from what I've just been through and are booking your vaccination.

@whatnow41

My mum has just received the letter, 69 and dietetic. Offered an appointment at a local vaccine sent or wait for her GP rollout. Her appointment was....mid May. Fucking May.

I'm so angry. This government saying all the people in the highest risk categories have now been offered an appointment. Box ticked. Lying shits. It's not a success if that appointment is more than 3 months away.

Can she try booking here? www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/ Also I think the govt has only said they have definitely offered groups 1-4 which I’m not sure she would be? Finally, has she definitely read her letter right? My aunt got a letter with both appointments - for February and April. Is it possible your mum could have got February and May but only seen the second one?