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Covid

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Original poster

Could anyone tell me the truth about side effects?

83 replies

MagicSummer · 14/02/2021 11:19

I have been so looking forward to getting my vaccine, but now that it is booked for Wednesday, I am getting cold feet. I have read a few horror stories about people feeling they 'have been run over by a bus' or having bad headaches and very painful joints. Has anyone experienced bad side effects or are people just attention-seeking?

OP posts:

DinosaurDiana · 14/02/2021 12:31

I had the AZ at about 11am.
At about 9pm I was starting to think that I might be feeling a bit ‘off’ but I went to bed and slept all night.
Next day I had chills in my lower back and felt off and very tired.
Took Brufen and paracetamol and went back to bed for a couple of hours. Ate normally and slept normally that night.
Next day I was back to normal.
It might be worth blanking the Thursday out just in case.

Ethelfromnumber73 · 14/02/2021 12:34

I had a sore arm 6 hours later that lasted for 24 hours and a bit of a headache/felt fogged out for a couple of days. I'd have been more worried if I'd had no side effects- they are a sign that your immune system is responding appropriately to the vaccine

CKL987 · 14/02/2021 12:47

DH had a sore arm for a day (Astra Zeneca)
DF has no effects (Pfizer)

Alfaix · 14/02/2021 13:00

Me - achy arm, tired and headache next day
My Mum the same
MIL just achy arm but she’s very tough
My Dad chills and in bed for 24 hours
DH had it yesterday and currently lying on the sofa eating his poorly food
Definitely worth feeling shit for 24 hours.
All had Oxford AstraZeneca.

GoldenBlue · 14/02/2021 14:39

Achy arm for a couple of days, no other issues. Apparently 2nd jabs likely to be worse as a immune response will be stronger if the 1st jab has worked

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 14/02/2021 14:45

@MagicSummer

Those aren’t really horror stories though are they. They are accounts of feeling ill for a couple of days.

Sorehandsandfeet · 14/02/2021 14:53

I've had covid and have had 'run over by a bus' feeling for 4 months now. I'd take a few days of discomfort over this life any day. I can't wait to get the call for the vaccine.

Tweacle · 14/02/2021 14:59

Mum, dad and I had the Astra Zeneca last Thursday. Mum had a migraine within an hour, but she thinks that would have been there anyway. I felt flu like symptoms that evening and had a massive temp, but was made aware this could happen due to other drugs I take. Dad has been fine apart from an ache in his arm. The feeling of moving forward after these jabs though is well worth it. I feel lots better today, but again the other drugs I take can make me feel awful. Good luck.

dividedwefall · 14/02/2021 15:02

You can look at the yellow card reports here www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-adverse-reactions/coronavirus-vaccine-summary-of-yellow-card-reporting

Bear in mind there can be multiple 'symptoms' per person so the numbers don't represent the number of people that have had a reaction, just the array of symptoms they presented with.

Also not all of these reactions will be related to the vaccine. Some particular symptoms have very high numbers so more likely to be ADR than the ones with a single case.

Lynora · 14/02/2021 15:06

Slightly sore arm for a day, a bit tired but that might have been lack of sleep the night before (annoying cat) but apart from that no other side effects.

starfish88 · 14/02/2021 15:11

I'm not in the UK so got a different vaccine but I felt a bit off, on a par with PMS or a few bad nights of sleep with a toddler. Not fun but not terrible.

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 14/02/2021 15:16

@MagicSummer

Thanks everyone! Just being a bit of a baby I suppose! I shall attend with a positive attitude!

Good decision.

I had AZ last Saturday. It's very hard for me to say exactly what the side effects have been as I have some underlying conditions that mean the vaccine side effects are difficult to separate from my very variable symptoms! But I'm pretty sure the (different to my usual) headache was one and I've felt like I've got a cold & very fatigued (but not sure that's the vaccine?!). I've also had an upset stomach (not usual, but could be unrelated) So I'm not sure I'm much help to you, except to say, even if it was all down to the vaccine 🤷🏻‍♀️It's a shit load better than how I'd feel if I got COVID!

I'm happy to get the second one in a few weeks.

It's only your body doing it's job & nothing to worry about!

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 14/02/2021 15:20

Oh & it hurt being done (but I know the nurse that did it & I would have changed my position in the queue if I'd known I'd end up in her room, she's hopeless) but it didn't hurt at all afterwards, I couldn't even find the entry point amongst the freckles! Not even rubbing, pressing my arm.

So fingers crossed it's still given me a good degree of protection.

QueenPaw · 14/02/2021 15:21

AZ. Yes, I was unwell but for less than 24hrs so it was well worth it
I inject a drug weekly which gives me headache, bone pain, fever, shivering/burning up, nausea etc and it was a lot better than that!

YouWantToDoWhatInAPyrexDish · 14/02/2021 15:22

My mum had it two weeks ago. No side effects except for her arm being very very slightly sore for a day or so. Oxford vaccine.

TheVolturi · 14/02/2021 15:23

My elderly parents both had the Pfizer and both no side effects at all, and one of them has a serious illness. In laws both have long term illnesses and are in 70s and both fine, no side effects.

OverTheRainbow88 · 14/02/2021 15:24

The flu jab makes me feel rough every year for a day or 2, once that’s over I’m glad I’ve had it and feel totally fine.

Trumpetpants · 14/02/2021 15:26

I had the Oxford one and was fine. Slightly sore arm, and a high temp the next morning but otherwise fine. Was very grateful to have it. You will be fine, try not to overthink it x

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/02/2021 15:36

Reading these posts I'm going to make sure I book early in the week so I can go sick if I get side effects, I don't want to ruin what's left of my weekend by having it on a Friday!

Iheartmysmart · 14/02/2021 15:47

My dad had the Pfizer vaccine and was fine, mum had the Oxford one and had a couple of days of sickness and feeling exhausted but is fine now. Both had achy arms for a day or so.

Busygoingblah · 14/02/2021 15:52

I had a slightly sore arm. The flu jab usually leaves me feeling exhausted for 24 hours and has given me a rash at the injection site before so I was expecting similar but had nothing of note for the covid jab.

megletthesecond · 14/02/2021 15:52

Better to feel groggy for a day than develop severe covid.

I had the typhoid vaccination years ago and that was a rotten weekend afterwards. Would do it again if I had to.

Thebookswereherfriends · 14/02/2021 15:58

I had Astra Zeneca jab on Friday at 4.15. By 6.30 I felt really queasy and tired, went to bed, had a pretty restless sleep most of the night, but at some point stopped feeling sick and woke at 7.30am feeling fine. Arms hurts a bit if I bump it today, but otherwise, all good. Everyone reacts differently, anecdotally it seems to the AstraZeneca one that most people react to. Don’t worry, get jabbed.

TJ17 · 14/02/2021 15:59

They aren't horror stories.

Horror stories are the people on a ventilator in hospital being put into induced comas and hallucinating terrible things.

Just have the vaccine and take a paracetamol 🙄

HexWitch · 14/02/2021 16:16

My DM (80) had the AstraZeneca jab and she's still very fatigued 10 days later. Lethargic and not much of an appetite. I know no one wants to hear a negative about these vaccines but they do occasionally happen. Hopefully she'll start picking up soon.

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