Vaccination - side effects lasting longer than a few days and why are the side effects so pronounced in younger people?

[Rainbowsandstorms]

Have many people had side effects from the AZ vaccination that have lasted more than a few days?

Also can anyone explain to me why the AZ vaccination seem to have such pronounced side effects in younger people in comparison to other vaccinations. I understand that younger people have a stronger immune response but the side effects seem to be very pronounced in many younger people. I’ve not heard of many people ending up in bed after other vaccinations. I plan to get mine as soon as it’s offered but I’m in my 30s and I’m feeling a bit nervous about how many younger people seem to be quite ill after their first dose.

I suspect that there is more talk of side effects than normal because we don't usually vaccinate the whole adult population en masse.
It's certainly the case that other vaccines produce side effects. My children had fevers, slept loads and were grizzly when vaccinated as babies. I had a typhoid shot a few years ago following which I slept for 18 hours and couldn't move my arm.

FWIW, I had AZ yesterday and while I had a fever all night and am a bit sore and tired, it's easily controlled with paracetamol and tonnes of water. I don't think that is terribly unusual for a vaccination.

I also gather that the side effects from Modena are worse!

Younger people have stronger immune systems so react more when vaccinated.

I am in my 30s and had it. I had some shivers on the night I got it and an achy arm for a few days. I was very tired but I certainly wasn’t in bed, I got up and got on with life. Out of people I know my side effects seem very typical in all age groups who have had it, ranging from early 30s up to 90s!
I have had loads of vaccines in my life for travel reasons as well as the usual ones we get during childhood and in pregnancy and my side effects have always been similar for most vaccines I’ve had.

We are all different

You are also more likely to have a stronger reaction if you have already had covid and I imagine younger people are more likely to have had covid than older people.

www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/why-vaccine-side-effects-might-be-more-common-people-whove-already-had-covid-19

It seems very varied based upon the people I know who have been vaccinated. Even with younger people some have had side effects and some have not - that's with AZ and Pfizer.

I had Covid in January so not unsurprisingly I did feel shivery and then a bit feverish for 24 hours. It passed quickly though and paracetamol sorted it out. What hasn't passed yet though is the side effects I'm still getting from having actually had Covid. My sinuses are far too sensitive and my fitness is nothing like it used to be. I wish most days that I had never caught it - not that I could have done anything to avoid it. I have had my vaccine to do everything I can to protect myself from catching it again.

Main effects lasted about 3 days, but still felt very lethargic for a bout a week.

I don't know what you class as younger, but the people I know who have had the worst side effects are all in their 50s.

I am early 40’s and recently had it (Group 6). I had very very few side effects - slightly sore arm (but way less than this years’ flu jab, I could easily sleep on it) and slightly enlarged, tender lymph node in armpit (that I could only feel when showering). Both lasted about 3-4 days. That’s it really, maybe went to bed a bit earlier but with kids and work I’m always knackered anyway!

I'm 5 days post jab and still have overwhelming fatigue. I can barely function - it's driving me mad. I had a high temperature on the first night but since then no other symptoms except the fatigue.

I’m in my fifties and am on day 3 of side effects. Day one was like flu. Felt awful. Now I’m fine as long as I’m sitting doing nothing. Anything more energetic and I’m struggling.

Most people I know have only had side effects lasting a day that were easily managed with paracetamol (including me)

Thank you to everyone who has replied, your answers are all really useful. I think I’d not been expecting people to be quite so wiped out, so it’s felt like a bit of a surprise. I’m a huge worrier which doesn’t help with it being relatively new and I know I’ll worry until I’m clear of any side effects so the idea of having them for any length of time makes me dread having it, I was previously really excited but at the same time I’ve found hearing about other people’s experiences really helpful so I have a better idea of what to expect. I have a few female friends in their 30s and 40s who have had theirs and they’ve all felt pretty rough and two had really tight chests but all felt better within 24 hours. That said I’ve also spent the last year worrying about Covid so I’ll definitely be taking it.

@RainBow725 I hope you feel better soon. Any regrets or concerns and are you happy to have had it?

@hellcatspangle that’s great do you mind me asking which age band you fall into?

Thank you. I'm sure I'll be back to normal in a few days. No regrets and I'll definitely have the second one. As rough as I feel now, I'm sure it's better than having COVID.

I felt rough for about 3 days, then okay, then off again for about 24 hours after a week or so. Would do it again in a heartbeat to get back to normal life though.

Had mine Friday and still feel really rough. Right thing to do though

I think it's possible that older people have seen more coronaviruses. There are many, c19 is just a 'novel' one to which none of us have immunity. So just by being older they may show fewer side-effects because it's less of a shock to the immune system when they are vaccinated.

Both my parents (very old) had the Pfizer vaccination with zero effects. My DH Had the AZ with resultant full on ManFlu.

@RainBow725 that’s good, I hope you feel back to your normal self very soon.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply, it’s been really helpful.

@RedRosie that’s interesting I’d never considered that.

I had Pfizer not AZ and had a headache and was so tired for a good week. I am 50+ and unfit
DH had AZ, he is super fit and said the side effects were just like normal when his body is fighting a virus.

I'm early 40s. I had the AZ vaccine and had side effects for a week, had to take 4 days off work. I haven't had Covid-19 (I had an antibody test around 3 weeks before the vaccination).

Am hoping that the side effects won't be as bad after the second dose.

I'm early 40's, and had a sore an hot arm the afternoon I had the jab last week.
Woke up the next day feeling totally wiped out with the same sort of symptoms, but much milder, as when I had the virus in December. I managed to get up 4 times that day to sort my DH food and for the house visit from the physio for my DH, but the rest of the day was a write off, same for the next day and I managed to stay awake more the day after that.
I still have a runny nose but I was also struggling to get back to normal after Covid anyway and I've just been diagnosed diabetic as well so my energy levels are just about allowing me to do a 5-6 hour shift at work, come home and have a nap before getting the evening meal sorted and I'm usually tucked up before 10pm.
There was never any question of not having the vaccine, and when I was phoned to go in to the surgery they asked about my DH. when I explained his situation, they've put him on the housebound list and will come out to give him his in the next couple of weeks.

I had my 2nd jab yesterday - very hot and sweaty last night, and arm a bit sore, but that's it.

I know 3 x 80+ people who had no issues with either of their jabs, except needing an early night.

DH was fine after his and so were DB and DD.

I have had a banging headache for eight days following the jab and had an extremely frightening episode 5 days after which was like nothing I have ever experienced before, I feel like I had some kind of focal seizure affecting my eye that lasted for about 40 seconds. I have no idea if this was related to the vaccine or not. I still have shooting pains in my temples. I spoke to my GP today and she says she has quite a few people with prolonged headaches but doesn't really know what to advise them as GP's have been given no guidance. I guess it's a new vaccine and we don't know what problems it could cause.

I’m 43 and had the vaccine on Saturday. I’ve had a sore and tender upper arm since then, nothing major, I can live with it. No other side effects at all.

@Babyroobs I hope you recover soon, that sounds really scary. Which vaccination did you have? It’s stories like yours that worry me everyone responds so differently.