Has your life been taken over by ‘the vaccine’?

[QuietBatPeople1]

Mine has and it is wreaking havoc on my mental status and anxiety-

Mainly at work as I’m not into pubs etc so my socialising is me going on a run/school pick drop etc
Today at work there were conversations around some staff wanting vaccine passports implemented so they feel safe against the unvaccinated.

I haven’t had the vaccine yet and I have a lot of anxiety around this particular vaccine. The constant push to have it doesn’t help. Anyone else feeling like this?

No, it hasn't taken over my life. However, I did have some apprehension about booking it once my age group came up. I put it off for about 2 weeks but finally bit the bullet at the weekend. I've had no side effects thank goodness. My mum lives in Ireland and they're way behind the UK, she still hasn't had hers.

@JaniieJones

Dowser your anti vax scaremongering is not helpful.

'Crawling up the stairs' etc etc etc 🙄

How would like me to sugar coat it for you Janlie

Okay . I get the message.cousin and dh both had the vax and the next day bounced up the stairs like the spring chickens they are.
Is that better.

Sorry for quoting my cousins words..I’ll remember to make it sound nice and pretty next time.

@SmileyClare

I'm sure you're not alone Xenobitch I'm sorry you are struggling with your phobia. I suppose even without a needle phobia, anxiety can present in other people as a health anxiety, so fear of side effects of anything medical.

You've only got to read the "reported side effects" bit on the instructions in your contraceptive pill or a packet of aspirin to frighten yourself. Nothing is completely safe is it.

It makes me sad that there have been posters expressing anxiety about the vaccine get accused of scaremongering or being anti-vaxxers.

My dad refused anti-depressants for a long time because one side effect, that was at the bottom of the leaflet so ultra rare, was suicidal thoughts. He was convinced he would kill himself if he took them. Anxiety is a funny thing (obvs not haha funny).

The sense of relief I felt when I got it and my loved ones got it, completely outweighed any small anxiety about having it.

I understand that Dowser I think the issue is that fear spreads fear. So if lots of people with anxiety are posting their fears on social media around a vaccine then do you think it encourages other anxious people to latch onto that fear.

The end result perhaps being a lower take up. A vaccination programme relies on the "herd" or the majority being vaccinated to be successful. In fact, lots of infectious diseases have been irradiated completely from our country this way.

'Sorry for quoting my cousins words..I’ll remember to make it sound nice and pretty next time.'

The op feels anxious, have a bit of sensitivity.

Fine describe other's experiences but perhaps rein in the drama and hyperbole.

'Healthy people going down like a sack of quivering nine pins within hours', I mean really. Many people feel off colour after a vaccine, it is the immune response doing what it should be doing.

If they're this dramatic after a vaccine then god knows how they'd cope actually catching covid.

I feel the same way as OP. I am very anxious as I don't feel there haha been enough long term testing on this vaccine yet and it's been rushed through. The effects it's having on women's menstral cycles are very worrying. I am also extremely anxious about actually catching covid so it's a catch 22.

I haven't ruled out the vaccine, but I would like to see how people are doing at least 6-12 months after they've had the vaccine

I also feel very pressured by friends who are so excited to get the vaccine. I dislike having any kind of conversation with them about it and try not to discuss it. I'm worried to tell them I'm hesitant to have it and most likely won't because it's very clear we have different views on it

'dislike having any kind of conversation with them about it and try not to discuss it. I'm worried to tell them I'm hesitant to have it and most likely won't because it's very clear we have different views on it'

I would ignore hysteria online demonstrated here with 'dropping like nine pjns' crap. If you don't want it, don't have it. Just be grateful many people have it and we're on the road out of this horrible pandemic.

Back in late December and early January vaccines were all we talked about at work, some were wary of booking when we had the opportunity (frontline NHS) I jumped at the chance.

Getting COVID on our ward sharpened people’s minds and all the staff got it eventually. Now nearly all our patients have had 2 vaccines and it feels so much safer.

I don’t understand why people don’t want the vaccine but ultimately that is your decision to make.

The last year has been really tough for frontline NHS staff, the vaccine has been amazing and I am so relieved to have had early access to it. We literally got COVID less than 2 weeks after my first dose and despite working closely with the covid patients for their period of isolation, none of us staff got COVID.

covid control rules still controls a lot of our options

I mostly forget about it day to day, but not really coz it affects all our options

@hopeishere

I also think a lot of people think it stops you getting covid when I just hopefully stops you getting very sick with it.

It does stop some people getting Covid. The evidence is that both the Pizer and AZ one cut transmission rates by around 50% so it definitely reduces your risk of catching Covid as well as making the symptoms milder if you do catch it

Just tell people you have had it if it bothers you want people think or tell them you can't have due to medical reasons or something

Not saying you should have to lie , as if you don't want it then you don't have to have it

Two had modern a and 1 had fiser

All hail the intelligent anti vaxers.

@HercwasanEnemyofEducation I was half listening until that typo!

Nope op, got invite, had jab, felt rubbish for 24 hours, got on with the rest of my life.

@Dowser19 Applying some critical thinking here, these are the experiences of 3 people (that we don’t know and don’t know the motives of) surely if the vaccine was bad news there would be hundreds of thousands (if not millions worldwide) of people with the same horrific side effects? How do you counter that perspective?

No.

I don’t understand how you’re life’s being taken over by it? Other than a convo at work you’ve not said

This ^

I've had my 2nd dose this week as it happens.
Other than I have a really irrational dislike of needles, I've had no anxiety about it, and it hasn't overtaken my life at all.
I can't see how it can take over your life.
You either have it or you choose not to. End of.

Thank you for all the responses- the work conversation happened in a q&a over zoom with the high and mighty in my organisation- the yes question from on staff member was that should there be passports in the office as worried about the unvaccinated.
There was no definitive answer given but my question was why is this common knowledge who is and who isn’t vaccinated? My work said this will be confidential information clearly it’s not?

I sat in a meeting when two others descended I’ve had mine have you had yours? It lets compare side effects conversations- is this not private medical information anymore? Can I walk to someone and go have you had your mammogram/cervical test done? Shall we compare notes? Is that acceptable?

I had the text yesterday with the link to book- the my surgery rings to see if I want to do the booking via them. Complete co incidence but they never ring you if you are desperate for an appointment?

Then news like this www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9551723/AstraZeneca-BANNED-40s-alternative-jabs-offered-amid-blood-clots-source-claims.html

Sorry it’s a daily mail link- I turned 40 3 weeks back. Does this mean I’m now safe? Or not? Where does this leave me?

I’m of an anti vaxxer but I’m anxious and all I’m saying ins the pressure/ coercion/ guilt trips/ doesn’t help

In the case of the two American women claiming adverse side effects a few points are worth considering;

• As would always be the case with a large scale vaccination rollout of millions of people, there will always be "incidental illness" in a small section. Conditions that manifested themselves after vaccination but were not caused by it.

In fact Angela Gipson Deselle was under a medical team and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect linked to fatigue, palpitations and tremors. Her son removed all videos and posts about his mother from his feed after her diagnosis.

-Both videos gained traction on social media after being heavily promoted and publicised by extreme antivaxx campaigners and 5G conspiracy groups. They are also being used to sell alternative quack treatments on the back of.

• Despite the videos going viral to a Facebook audience of around 2.7 billion there have been no similar claims of incapacitating tremor syndrome. Both women have however made thousands of dollars in donations via Facebook

If you're going to decline the vaccine it would be unwise to base your decision on Facebook posts, where truth never gets in the way of a sensational viral post.

QuietBat It sounds as though you haven't made peace with your decision not to vaccinate yourself.

Fortunately, the NHS will allow patients to defer, or even cancel numerous times without it affecting their eligibility. What I'm saying is, you don't have to make a concrete decision now, your offer of a jab will remain open.

I don't agree that patients are being pressured by their gps to attend. Follow up texts or letters are normal for routine treatments offered on an NHS programme.

I think you would benefit greatly from enforcing your own "break" from vaccine information. You can re visit the issue in say two weeks. Take the pressure of yourself. Avoid reading any news reports on the CV vaccine, Avoid social media posts and have a prepared reply for anyone in RL inviting you to discuss it (please don't take this personally, I don't want to discuss it) for example.

I agree, you have every right to keep your medical records confidential from colleagues. There would be a record at work if relevant, with data protection.

By allowing yourself a mental break from the issue of vaccination, your anxiety will lessen. At the moment you seem a bit fixated and it's feeding your anxiety. Sorry if that sounds patronising, I mean it kindly.

Chronic anxiety is awful to live with, you have my sympathy. I hope you can find the inner peace you crave

Not as such but I do feel left behind.

All my family are vaccinated. I'm 39 and pregnant so won't have mine for at least 4 weeks (if I do).

The vaccinated are all going into each others houses, shopping etc. I'm still at home not really doing much.

@WineGetsMeThroughIt I haven't ruled out the vaccine, but I would like to see how people are doing at least 6-12 months after they've had the vaccine

Don’t forget there are many people from the trial stages who already had the vaccine 6-12months ago (not just Uk based either). The scientists have been working in vaccine development for years and years they weren’t starting from scratch in Dec 2020.

@QuietBatPeople1 I understand it’s a bit nerve wracking to have the vaccine but getting Covid doesn’t seem like an good prospect either & presumably you are also concerned about that? The vaccine risks are small compared to daily activities you presumably undertake like getting in a car? I worried before getting mine (40s) but am relieved now I have some protection against Covid.