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Original poster

Janssen vaccine trial thread

66 replies

BobsDouble · 23/02/2021 15:47

I thought it might be nice to have thread for anyone doing the Janssen vaccine trial. I’ve been enjoying reading the Novavax trial thread and seeing what might be in store for those of us doing this trial.

I’m due to have my second dose of vaccine/placebo next week.

I’ll be very interested to find out how many people have already been unblinded. I’m 48 and was definitely one of the youngest in my group when I went for my first appointment and vaccine. I suspect many of the others on the trial would have already have been offered a Pfizer or AZ vaccine.

OP posts:
Sunflower2626 · 26/02/2021 13:11

Hi! This is a good idea! I've been reading the Novavax thread too. I had my first jab in December and my 2nd one earlier this month. I'm late 30s so will be a while off getting an nhs jab anyway.

I did read something online about them unblinding the whole trial soon anyway, but that doesn't seem to be confirmed yet.

Original poster
BobsDouble · 26/02/2021 13:42

Nice to fine someone else doing the trial.

I’m really looking forward to going for my second dose next week. I’ll be very interested in what they say about the future plans for the trial.

Did you gave any side effects? Dh had nothing at all. I was ridiculously tired after the first one - could have fallen asleep standing up - but it may just have been coincidence. I’m hoping I feel unwell after the second dose!

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Sunflower2626 · 26/02/2021 19:44

I don't think I had any side effects, no. I did feel very tired after both doses but nothing too much really. Not sure. My arm did feel quite sore for a day or so afterwards but then I think it would have been sore if they'd put salt water in to it too.

My friend was in the trial and then was offered an NHS jab as she's a frontline medic so she was unblinded and told she'd had the vaccine. She'd felt absolutely no side effects whatsoever and had been adamant that she'd had the placebo!

The second appointment was much speedier than the first one, which was good.

Original poster
BobsDouble · 03/03/2021 07:28

I’ve felt absolutely awful since my second dose. Maybe it’s just coincidence (really hope not!). It stared with extreme fatigue, which I had last time. But I woke up in the night shivering like crazy and feeling very nauseous. If I hadn’t had a vaccine I would have assumed I had COVID or flu. I reluctantly took paracetamol and that helped. I feel much better now, if not exactly normal.

My second appointment was actually longer than the first. There seemed to be problems with bringing the vaccine to the test centre from the pharmacy so we sat around for ages doing nothing. I was supposed to be there for 1.5 hours and it ended up being over 4. I was quite happy though just sitting and reading my book, and it was a change of scene after weeks of being stuck at home.

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thefemaleJoshLyman · 03/03/2021 07:31

I've had both my doses. I had my first one on the first day of the trial and my second at the end of January. Felt rough after both for exactly 24 hours (it was really weird!) I'm 44 so not unblinded yet, I'll be amazed if I haven't had the vaccine.

thefemaleJoshLyman · 03/03/2021 07:32

@BobsDouble that sounds just like the reaction I had.

Original poster
BobsDouble · 04/03/2021 12:10

I’m right as rain again today. It really was a 36 hour thing.

I’m back for an antibody blood test in a fortnight. Do you think they’ll tell us the results?

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Sunflower2626 · 07/03/2021 08:54

I completely know what you mean re it being lovely to sit somewhere else with a book for a little while. I had 30 mins while they warmed up my "vaccine" at my 2nd dose appointment and it was lovely!

I'd LOVE to have the antibody test results (I've always wondered if I had had Covid before I entered the trial) but I don't think we will be given them, which is a shame.

Original poster
BobsDouble · 16/03/2021 15:13

Had my day 71 appointment today, with bloods taken to test for antibodies. We were told at the last appointment (vaccine 2) that we’d get the antibody results and be unblinded today, but that didn’t happen. I was quite disappointed.

I was told today that we’d be told what we’d had when the vaccine gets approval or if we need to be unblinded because we’re offered another vaccine. The latter is likely very soon for me, I think.

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Blueberries0112 · 16/03/2021 15:41

It’s been a week and my arm is still a bit red and sore where they jab the needle. I am not sure why. I feel fine though

Sunflower2626 · 18/03/2021 11:25

I'm just desperate to find out now. I had thought I might get offered the real vaccine relatively soon but with the news yesterday that the vaccine rate is going to drop it looks like it could be another couple of months yet.

Really hoping they unblind the whole trial!

Original poster
BobsDouble · 18/03/2021 19:43

I really want to know. I’m 48 (49 next month) so thought I was on the verge of being offered a vaccine and so asking to be unblinded. Now, of course, that could be weeks away. I can’t see why it matters if we know at this stage, because we’re beyond the point of having side effects from the vaccine.

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Tigerlily49 · 30/03/2021 22:28

I’m also on the trial and at my day 71 bloods on Sunday the nurse told me to expect to be contacted very soon as the trial is changing. He said that everyone will be unblinded, those who had received the placebo will have one dose of the vaccine and the trial would now compare one dose dose vs two doses. So we should find out very soon!

I suspect I did have the vaccine as woke up exactly 12 hours after the jab with shivering, temp, nausea and then a headache. Felt quite grim for 36hrs and then absolutely fine. After the second jab I just felt a bit tired, that was it, so who knows...!

JustMeAndWheatley · 30/03/2021 23:48

Dh and I both got phoned by the trial team today and unblinded. Coincidentally he’d had his NHS text inviting him for a vaccine so was about to call them and ask to be unblinded. He’d had the placebo, I’d had the vaccine. He’s 49, I’m 48.

The doctor I spoke to said something slightly different to us: that those who hadn’t been unblinded (ie were much younger) would be encouraged to stay in the trial and would get one more dose, and the opposite of what they’d had before, so everyone would definitely get something, but wouldn’t know which dose was vaccine and which placebo until later. She said there was no point me being in this second trial because I’d get called for my vaccine in the next few days so I might as well be unblinded now.

JustMeAndWheatley · 30/03/2021 23:49

Sorry, should have said I’ve name changed recently! Was BobsDouble.

Torvean · 31/03/2021 06:32

They're not unblinking the whole Novovax trial soon. The original date for completion was November.

However now they have decided to double blind the trial. So those who had the vaccine will get the placebo and the placebo ppl will get the vaccine. It will give the scientists more data to work with. And its a thank you from the Novovax team in giving us 2 vaccinations. I will get 2 more injections in April then will have the to do the diary entries then will get the extra blood tests to cover it.

Good luck to everyone in the Janssen trial.

Torvean · 31/03/2021 06:32

Unblinking Blush

Sunflower2626 · 31/03/2021 08:10

Ooooh - this is all really interesting. Thanks for the update. I'm 38 so am still a little while away from being offered an nhs vaccine but dh is 46 so could be called quite soon.

Will see if we get rung in the next couple of days by the trial.

WaveAbout · 31/03/2021 20:51

Ooh I'm really interested to see this thread as I'm in the trial too.

I was unblinded a few weeks after my first jab as I was called for vaccine through my job. I'd felt really unwell after the jab, so was pretty sure I'd had the vaccine but is was good to hear for certain!

I've had AZ as a second jab.

thefemaleJoshLyman · 02/04/2021 19:16

That's all very interesting. I've not had a call yet. I'm 44 so was hoping for a vaccination call soon but looks like it will be delayed. I'm pretty sure I had the vaccine but just want the confirmation!!

Sunflower2626 · 07/04/2021 11:28

That's dh just had a call inviting him in for an unblinking appointment this weekend. He was told that it'll be a quick appointment if he got the vaccine and a longer one if he got the placebo. He's 46. I still haven't heard anything (I'm 38)

Sunflower2626 · 07/04/2021 11:29

Got that the wrong way round! A quick appointment if he had the placebo and a long appointment if he had the vaccine!

JustMeAndWheatley · 07/04/2021 13:34

That is interesting. I had a courtesy call last weekend from one of the doctors to say that they’d had to delay sending a letter to my GP confirming that I’d had the vaccine until the MRHA approval came through, but thought that would happen this week. They were very apologetic and said I shouldn’t worry (I wasn’t!). They also said that once the approval came they’d be in touch to talk about what happens next. They couldn’t tell me if I would or wouldn’t be staying on the trial. I’m still doing the symptom check on the app until someone tells me not to!

thefemaleJoshLyman · 09/04/2021 17:27

I’m being unblinded next week! So by next Wednesday I’ll have definitely had a jab.

Doublethecuddles · 10/04/2021 11:56

I am also doing the trial at Ninewells Hospital Dundee.
After my first jab I felt really awful, shivering, teeth chattering and exhausted for 24 hours. Got my second jab on 24th March and just felt tired the next morning. I was unblinded as I was due to go for my jab on 25th March. As I guessed from my first reaction I have had the vaccine. Have been back for antibody tests.
I am really hoping that this gets approved in the UK, as otherwise will we get a vaccine passport?