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Covid

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Original poster

Having covid vaccine next week, what side effects should I expect and how bad?

54 replies

elliejjtiny · 21/02/2021 17:52

I've been called for my vaccine and I'm going to have it but wondering about side effects and wanted to know if there was anything that helped so I can make sure I have it in advance. I know the side effects will be much less than having covid but I've heard a few horror stories. I am getting the jab because I'm a carer so I can't afford to recline on the sofa and watch box sets like a lot of people I know did for the first 2 days afterwards. Can someone tell me that either I'll be fine or I just need to take a magic combination of drugs and all will be well.

OP posts:

clary · 21/02/2021 21:44

I had it and the only effect was that my arm was a bit sore that day. I a
most forgot a about it actually, then banged my arm and thought, oh that hurt! ah yes!

Other colleagues said similar.

OTOH a couple of colleagues were quite knocked out for a day or so. One was amazed that I had gone for a run the same day - literally not an issue for me tho.

clary · 21/02/2021 21:45

Meant to say all these people had the Pfizer vaccine.

tangoboxing · 21/02/2021 21:52

I had AZ on Thursday - headache & mild fever on Thursday night, then muscle pain/fatigue/sore & swollen lymph nodes in my armpit on the side I had the jab on Friday. Nothing major - was able to carry on as normal & I felt fine (except for sore arm which is still tender but no swelling or lump) by Saturday morning. Injection itself was completely painless - no stinging at all.

DH & my mum also had AZ - dh had a fever & felt a bit ill generally but it went quickly. Mum had no side effects ditto my dad who had Pfizer.

madaboutrunning · 21/02/2021 23:01

I had AZ. No side effects at all, not even a sore arm. DH had Pfizer, as did my parents, and none of them had any side effects either.

HowManyMoreTimes · 21/02/2021 23:25

I had the AZ jab on Saturday, very slightly tender arm but other than that I wouldn't know I'd had it!

Lollypop4 · 21/02/2021 23:28

I had the pfzier.
I had a 'dead arm' for 2 days, It didnt hurt, hust numb.
No other side effects

ineedaholidayandwine · 22/02/2021 07:07

Follow up to my comment, started aching all over during the night, mild headache. Nothing too bad

YessicaHaircut · 22/02/2021 07:22

I had the Pfizer vaccine and didn’t feel too bad afterwards. Very sore arm the day after plus feeling a bit spaced out like I was coming down with something for a couple of days. But that was it and I am so bloody grateful to have had it done.

sandgrown · 22/02/2021 07:30

Had the AZ and was very busy after. By the evening I felt really rough with flu like symptoms. It lasted 24 hours then back to normal. It made me so glad I hadn’t actually had Covid. I will rest a bit after the second one .

Esspee · 22/02/2021 07:31

I'm older so all my peers have now had the jab. Quite a few mentioned a slightly sore arm at the injection site. Just one person was "terribly ill" afterwards but she is a drama queen and her reaction was expected. Everyone else was perfectly fine.

Londonnight · 22/02/2021 07:36

AZ a week ago. No side effects at all

Romanticrights · 22/02/2021 07:49

I had the AZ on Friday. Usually well, 33, mental health nurse. I had a really sore arm the following day and full body aches, didn't actually feel unwell but wasn't too pleasant for 24 hours, then it went and I feel fine now.

ilovebagpuss · 22/02/2021 07:50

In our care home of about 80 vaccinated on one day 6 phoned in sick feeling hot or achey. Most were fine slightly sore arm took a paracetamol.
Some people do feel worse but were still back after 1 day off.

Yorkshirepudding1987 · 22/02/2021 08:56

I had AZ yesterday morning. Felt a bit sick in the afternoon but it went away when I ate so I could have just been hungry. My arm is aching today and my armpit is really sore.

I had a 3 year old and a baby so no resting here either. I was worried I was going to be ill but you're not guaranteed to have side effects and I've never suffered from any with the flu jab or any other vaccine I've had such as whooping cough when I was pregnant last year.

oneglassandpuzzled · 22/02/2021 09:02

I know of several 20-somethings who had marked flu-like reactions to Pfizer. They may have been exposed to COVID before testing became widespread. Some are medical students or living in big cities before testing was widespread.

WetJan · 22/02/2021 09:07

I had Pfizer and had Covid in November.
Nothing but a sore arm for a day.

Original poster

elliejjtiny · 22/02/2021 11:07

Thankyou everyone. Hopefully I'll be ok. I don't have a plan B which worries me so I'll make sure I have paracetamol and keep hydrated and hope for the best. Haven't had covid and no reaction to flu jab so hopefully that's a good sign.

OP posts:

LucilleTheVampireBat · 22/02/2021 11:10

@ChocOrange1

My husband had zero side effects.

Same for mine. He had it on Saturday. No side effects. Had Oxford/AZ.

picklespark · 22/02/2021 11:38

I had AstraZeneca - was very ill for 2 days with flu-like symptoms: cold and shaking, fever, sweats, headache, etc. Was delirious with fever, temp went over 39 and I had to crawl to the toilet on my hands and knees I was so weak.

Doesn't seem uncommon. Several people I know who've had it have experienced similar side-effects, it seems to have a fairly high rate of them.

Grateful to be vaccinated but just bear in mind it could knock you for six if you have anything important to do the next day.

SlayDuggee · 22/02/2021 12:20

FIL had Pfizer and had a headache afterwards but he thinks that was due to being very nervous beforehand.

MIL had Oxford and didn’t have any side effects.

Both 70+

Original poster

elliejjtiny · 01/03/2021 09:21

Just thought I'd update to say that I had my Pfizer jab yesterday and am feeling fine today apart from my arm feels bruised if someone touches it. Really relieved. Also got an hour of child free time for the first time since November as PIL kindly offered to look after the dc.

OP posts:

Buttercupcup · 01/03/2021 09:24

Don’t think of them as side effects but symptoms of an immune response! I had the Pfizer jab and had a slightly sore arm and felt a bit tired (or is that just life with kids!)

onlychildandhamster · 01/03/2021 09:29

my DH is a healthy 30 year old who just got the vaccine. We suspect that the reason why he was offered the vaccine so early despite not being vulnerable or an essential worker etc was because he had epileptic fits as a child.

The vaccine has hit him in a bad way. He is off work today (he wfh) and is shivering under a blanket. He is very cold despite the heating being on max and also had headaches and aches and pains and barely slept the whole night.

cricketmum84 · 01/03/2021 09:35

Ah glad it went well OP!

I had mine Friday, also Pfizer, I felt a bit more tired than usual on Saturday, had a couple of naps and an early night. Had a few times waking up feeling hot and sweaty but was fine by Sunday.

I think the anticipation of the side effects were worse than the actual side effects!

Cloudyrainsham · 01/03/2021 11:15

I had AZ last week. Slight tender arm, nothing else.

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