Alternative second dose?

[whataballbag]

Had the first dose of AZ in Feb (carer), day or so of feeling like a really bad hangover and fine since.

Due the second on Tuesday and I'm utterly terrified, not eating, sleeping, constant tears and panic attacks, obsessing over the clot risk. I appreciate it's X amount in a million but to me it's such a huge risk, and someone has to be the unlucky ones so why not me.

I have severe health anxiety which obviously isn't helping the situation but at 29 with no known health conditions (apart from a bit chubby) I feel like I'm damned if I do and im damned if I don't. I'm a single parent with 2 young kids and I'm terrified of leaving them without a mum.

Going to phone GP tomorrow to discuss, but are there any possibilities of different second doses as in other countries?

I don’t think so, no, as it isn’t approved yet to mix vaccines. DD is 25 (CV and multiple health issues) and had the first as AZ. Her second was AZ too and they said that was all they were allowed to give her, and said age didn’t come into it as she’d had the first ok. She was given a leaflet to read about benefit versus risk.

The risk to you is tiny, you must know that, far less than the risk of clots if you caught actual Covid. But I think your only choices for now are going to be have the AZ or stick with only one dose.

Rationally yes but it hasn't stopped the panic.

In my head I'll either die from one or the other. Wouldn't wish this on anyone I really wouldn't.

I think the (extremely low) risk lies mainly with the first dose anyway? I know there haven’t been as many second doses but there have still been quite a few and I don’t believe that there have been many reports of clots after a second dose.

Think it's around 4 reports to 4 million or so second doses

@whataballbag

Rationally yes but it hasn't stopped the panic.

In my head I'll either die from one or the other. Wouldn't wish this on anyone I really wouldn't.

At 29 you really are not going to die from this. I can see how easy it is to get anxious about it all, so I’m not making light of how you’re feeling. Even without significant health anxiety I was a little nervous about both vaccines (with some good reason as I have a lot of autoimmune issues and have had flares after vaccines before). But you know what? The relief of having had them both now it’s done far outweighs any worry I had about it. I really would try and go through with it because once it’s done and past I think you’ll feel better. Can your GP offer you anything calming just to take you through to Tuesday?

Thankyou sleepy I really appreciate you taking the time to listen to me!

I'll be fine getting through the appointment, it will be the constant panic about clotting the following weeks that will knock me for 6.

As predicted they won't allow a different second dose.

Really don't know what to do, it's been panic attack after panic attack all day. Bloody hate this!

I nearly didn’t have my AZ either, but on the whole the risk of catching CV19 is on the rise in our area, chances of catching covid is exponentially higher than potential side effects from vaccine.
I don’t want long covid either.
Every medicine has side effects, just look at the leaflets that come in medicine boxes.
Nothing is risk free, depends what your risk assessment is. Good luck x