Why do some people have side effects to vaccine

[Teenageromance]

I’m curious about the science behind this. I had my first vaccine at the weekend and have felt dreadful. Aches and tiredness - not had Covid as far as I know. My 80 year old mother sailed through the vaccine. Why are different peoples immune systems responding differently?

There's also the placebo/nocebo effect to take account of.

I just. Find it very interesting. I had to take the first sick day off work I’ve ever had today and it wasn’t placebo as the aches kept me up all night and I’ve been drifting in and out of sleep all day.

I felt rubbish for 2 weeks after the Oxford jab. When my dad was poorly I had the flu jab 3 years in a row. Each time I felt poorly and I caught flu those years.
I think younger people with strong immune systems have the side effects

@meecrowahvay

Presumably because you have a strong immune system your immune system is reacting strongly. Your body has had the mRNA of a virus injected, your body is attacking it as it would a real live virus. When we're ill it's our own immune response that makes us feel dreadful rather than just the virus.

Not quite - the mRNA contains a pattern for a small part of the virus called the antigen.

The mRNA enters cells where the pattern is read and the cell then produces this antigen.

Your immune system then attacks the antigen.

Other vaccines work by incorporating the antigen within a different safer virus - usually one incapable of reproducing, i.e. "dead".

Your immune system is also influenced by your gut microbiome (the types of bacteria living in your gut). Everyone’s gut microbiome is different.

Felt fine for first 30 hours. Than felt wiped out so had afternoon nap. Than headaches rest of day.
Only symptom left now on day 3 is slightly sore arm.
Actually feeling relieved to have symptoms as it proves my obese body can still fight infection.

I felt really tired, had headache, chills and shivering but no temperature or cough. I stayed in bed all morning, then was just pottering around the house. No appetite. Was like this for 2 days.
I really like the idea that my immune system is not so weak because I’ve had some reaction.

You never know, you might have had covid back in the first wave and not known.

Genetics and how robust your immune system is must play a part and genetics. Back in the days of CJD mad cow disease I did a fair few hours researching it at work and read some papers saying that they suspected genetics was at play in the incubation period.

I coped fine with covid but my smell and taste hasn't recovered. But the vaccine wasnt kind to me. Thank God they didnt last more than a day. Mind you I didnt feel great after my first flu shot either.

A
The vagaries of the humans immune system which is incredibly complex and, as other have said, very uniquely affected by an individual's genetic and environmental circumstances at any given time.

I always react to vaccines very strongly, DH has virtually no symptoms. He has an autoimmune condition, I am perfectly healthy. He is male, I am female. he is slim, I am a bit overweight. He smoked, I never did. He was bought up in the UK climate, I was bought up near the equator. His mother has diabetes, mine has asthma. Result is specific immune systems that behave in specific ways. Impossible to predict.

I had my AZ vaccine at the weekend (55). I had a restless night and awoke with a splitting headache. I felt similar, but not as bad, after my flu vac just before Christmas. I took some lemsip as I was a bit achey and cold too.

I had a lazy Sunday, with an afternoon nap and early night and have felt fine since.

DH had a fever the following night, but was otherwise ok (as he was after the flu jab).

There’s a bbc article on exactly this today; seems younger people do have worse side effects as a rule
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56375307

The comforting thing for those who experience minimal/no side effects as that there appears to be no relationship between the strength of side effects and the degree of protection offered.

I’d say it’s just bad luck for the people with very reactive immune systems.

When DH had his first jab back in December, he was unbeknown to us already infected, so it’s impossible to disentangle vaccine side effects from Covid symptoms. He goes for his second jab tomorrow, so we’ll see.

I caught Covid from him, then had my first jab in mid-February. I had a very mild headache off and on and felt a bit tired for the next couple of days. Interesting to see how I feel after my 2nd. Side effects for Pfizer, which we both had, seem to be worse after the 2nd shot, whereas for AZ they are worse after the 1st.

I read an article the other day that referenced the astrazeneca trial data that a good proportion of the side effects reported, including the most severe, were reported in the placebo group.

As an aside in that BBC article, is James Gallagher really mid 30s?! Is that a typo!?

Looks 20 years older.

I think variety in reactions to infection ( or in the case of a vaccine, its sort of a simulated infection isn't it?) is an evolutionary advantage. When an infection hit a tribe not everyone went down at the same time, in the same way. So there was always someone still able to fight off the sabre tooth tigers!

@Boulshired

I think you have to include that one persons account of how ill they are is up for interpretation. DP and myself had it on the same day and I knew he was going to be more ill. I told him that most people think that tea tastes disgusting for 48 hours as I also knew there would be lots of requests from his sick bed. One cup of tea and he found it disgusting so I at least stopped that.

That made me laugh - genius!

My DH 62 had flu like symptoms for a couple of days. No health issues.
Me 60 just had cancer, 2 operations, lymph nodes removed etc sailed through.
Mum 85 sailed through.
Mil 91 who had covid in December sailed through.
BF 60 wiped out for a week. No health issues.

My parents, good immune systems, had covid, no side effects at all
Me, immunocompromised, not had covid, all the side effects!

I was asking a nurse friend yesterday whether the jab had made any difference to staffing levels at our hospital

They mentioned that of all the staff members who had had the jab, the ones who had previously tested positive for covid were the ones with the worst side effects. They wondered whether perhaps reactions were caused by too many antibodies present. Obviously I don't know the technical explanation but I thought that was an interesting anecdote

Just a thought. As it's an inflammatory response, would a wound that's trying to heal, my bloody tooth extraction site, get worse.
It's been a long slow road but since jab has felt more tender.
As I've friends whose arthritis, or other pains have got worse.

Kind of makes sense?

I've had a cold since Sunday, so you think I should not have my vaccine Friday ? Will I be double wipes out ?

I had a mild reaction but I have had bigger reactions to the flu jab

@DGRossetti & anyone else, do u think the severity of reaction might depend on the blood group type?

Apparently O's are more likely to sail through covid infection whilst A's are more likely to be severely affected. Could the same apply to the vaccine reaction?

@GoWalkabout

I read an article the other day that referenced the astrazeneca trial data that a good proportion of the side effects reported, including the most severe, were reported in the placebo group.

Probably because it wasn't actually a placebo but a meningitis ACWY vaccine which will come with its own side effects!

I'm on my way to get mine now, I have a massive needle phobia and a pretty crap immune system so I'm getting a bit wobbly!

(Will 100% still have it tho).