Alternatives to AstraZeneca vaccine for under 40s “will be considered” amid rise in blood clots Thread 3

[Whichjab]

New thread as the MRHA report is out today.

Note this is not an anti vaccination thread.

@Proustianmoments that’s good to hear that you didn’t have many side effects. Have you come across many other people who have mixed? If so did they have any significant side effects?

Hi @Rainbowsandstorms I don’t know anyone else who has mixed personally, have just seen reports online - I think the UK study said more side effects overall but the Spanish (or was it German?) one didn’t? Everyone I know who has had the second AZ had minimal or no side effects so I suppose I may have had more side effects (sore arm/fatigue) than I would have had with second AZ! But I felt I just couldn’t risk heart stuff happening again.

@Proustianmoments I’m glad you felt well after it. Yes the studies seem to say the opposite to each other don’t they re side effects.

That's good to hear @Proustianmoments, both that you had a sympathetic GP and that your side effects have been bearable.

I can't believe that what is commonplace in so many other European countries is such a battle here .

I saw this on Twitter earlier, which seems a good visual of example of why I and so many others have an issue with AZ. It's not the risk on it's own, which is admittedly tiny, it's that risk combined with the outcome.

Thanks for sharing that tweet @SheilaTakeABow that makes a lot of sense in describing why this IS a big issue.

I've been lurking on this thread for quite some time - 49, stuck in a small Scottish village with no other option than AZ and everybody thinking I'm a total nutter for simply not wanting to take that risk given the severity of the possibly outcome. The GP assured me that she could prescribe anxiety medication to address my 'issues' but absolutely no chance ever to get anything other than AZ, even if they had a spare on that would go to waste. Angry and frustrated doesn't even describe it.

@treestump44

Thanks for sharing that tweet *@SheilaTakeABow* that makes a lot of sense in describing why this IS a big issue.

I've been lurking on this thread for quite some time - 49, stuck in a small Scottish village with no other option than AZ and everybody thinking I'm a total nutter for simply not wanting to take that risk given the severity of the possibly outcome. The GP assured me that she could prescribe anxiety medication to address my 'issues' but absolutely no chance ever to get anything other than AZ, even if they had a spare on that would go to waste. Angry and frustrated doesn't even describe it.

Treestump - I feel your pain

Pm me if you like

@treestump44
So frustrating, perhaps there will come a time soon when the 18 plus adults are vaccinated, when the government will want the catch all those who have remained unvaccinated due to AZ hesitancy. At this point, the government will know how many spare mRNAs there are. This might then allow you AZ alternative.

sheila that graph from Twitter
is exactly it. A catastrophic result with a 1-50,000 risk to me isn’t something I want!

I asked my GP yesterday if they knew what recovery from the vaccine clotting issue was. Is it full recovery eventually? Not only did she not know, she hadn’t asked.

Do we need a thread for the vaccine hesitant? I do want the vaccine to protect others but I just can’t do it right now. I don’t trust the numbers.

@Roonerspismed yes sadly in some cases the assurances about better diagnosis and treatment options and awareness don't match frontline awareness. I'm 100 miles from my nearest A&E and so I asked a friend who works for the Ambulance service if they had extra info on how to deal with post-AZ symptoms and how to act in such cases and she said not that she knew of. That very much feeds into my personal risk assessment, and not in a good way.

Tbf a paramedic wouldn’t be treating it so wouldn't need to know. What is needed is blood tests- platelets, D Dimer etc

Regarding post brain clot I’d imagine you would be left with stroke like disabilities. I think Prof Makris mentioned this in one of his talks. Scary stuff.

Does anyone know of anyone who still has tingling side effects a long time after AZ. When I spoke with my GP at the 12 week point about tingling he did not seem surprised - I told him face, hand, feet and legs affected My tingling is like electric currents/buzzing and is even in my trunk at times. I am 13 weeks plus now since the jab. I thought it was resolving but not so sure now. Most of my other side effects have gone, so I keep hoping…..

I am not an elephant

@Jabbinell That is correct they would not treat it, but if you live somewhere where at least out of hours you depend on the paramedics making the call who is taken to hospital, 2 hrs down the road, or not, you would hope they are aware of symptoms sufficiently enough to play it safe and get you to hospital, even if it's just a precaution, rather than wait and see, especially given the inevitable delays that happen because of the distance. But then of course not even I would want to tie up the one and only ambulance in case it's just a headache.

@penni00

I am not an elephant

😂😂 That really made me laugh, Penni.

I agree with you all regarding the level of risk. And the whole situation just isn't fair because in some areas it's possible to make an appointment at a Pfizer-only session and therefore bypass AZ completely. If it's possible for some people to get Pfizer when they're not technically eligible, it should be an option that's open to everyone. It's not acceptable.

I keep worrying that they'll push me to have AZ as a second dose if the mixing trials are finished by the time I'm due mine. But if that happens I'll just all away partially vaccinated.

@SheilaTakeABow

I saw this on Twitter earlier, which seems a good visual of example of why I and so many others have an issue with AZ. It's not the risk on it's own, which is admittedly tiny, it's that risk combined with the outcome.

Thank you this has just summed up perfectly why ‘the risk is tiny’ narrative doesn’t work for me.

@CornforthWhiteH

watch this

Retired police officer - and Jenny Harris is quoted on here (i've checked it, it's legit)

Many don't like to click on links when they're not sure what it is, me included, but curiosity got the better of me!

So in the last couple of days a retired police officer, Mark Sexton, has reported the government for crimes against humanity. He seems to have gathered lots of information from freedom of information requests etc and in the video (police interview) is presenting it to the police quoting medical experts saying the vaccines are not fit for humans etc.

He asked for a crime number so presumably he will have been issued one. Will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Presumably this is not anti vax but rather anti steaming ahead with a vaccine programme once medical experts have voiced that they think the brakes should be applied in light of the blood clot issue etc?

DH had his second AZ last week and had absolutely no symptoms. WIth the first he was in bed for 2-3 days with flu symptoms

The graphic I shared is apparently the standard when it comes to assessing risk, so quite why we're still being subjected to the 'low risk' narrative is infuriating.

I've a call booked in with my GP at some point to discuss my options and there's part of me that feels really selfish; other people are taking the risk so why shouldn't I?

I felt the same Sheila , but everyone's got the choice to explore their options if they wish to. Some people aren't worried at all. I have friends who skipped off merrily for their AZ as soon as they could, even after the blood clot news. If you feel it's too much of a risk to take (and many agree that it is) then it's okay not to take it. It doesn't matter what anyone else decides for themselves. And while many people say the country would be in trouble if all those millions hadn't taken AZ when offered. Yes, maybe so. Or maybe if more people had refused the Government may have taken the concerns of the many seriously (who am I kidding??).

So glad to have found you all. I got covid March 2020 then long covid ever since (now diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome). It's been hell but I'm now starting to recover. But the reason I'm messaging now is that I'm petrified of getting a jab particularly the AZ one. I know they say the risk of blood clots is small but it feels a big risk to me particularly given the awful outcomes. I'm also 50, perimenopausal and vulnerable to autoimmune issues, the age group that some other countries are now not giving AZ to. I'm also concerned that the jab will trigger off my symptoms and I've heard, anecdotally, of terrible reactions within the long haul community. I recognise that having covid and then long covid has played havoc with my mental health and for that reason I just can't do AZ. I couldn't cope with the stress of waiting a month till I'm feeling free from risk of clots. I'm trying to call my GP to see if I can get the Pfizer jab but so far I can't get through on the phone as they're inundated and the phone lines are shut down. I realise that it sounds selfish of me to even think to ask but having long covid and now a chronic condition is making me wonder whether its safe for me. Thank you for listening.

@Flowers4me I’m sorry you’ve been so badly effected by long covid. I’m happy to hear you’re starting to recover. I can completely understand your concerns. It’s not selfish in the slightest. It’s your body and there is a known risk with AZ. I completely understand not being able to cope with the at risk period too, I’m 13 weeks post second AZ and cancelled my second dose pending speaking to my GP. If you tick the may be pregnant box on the booking site you will be able to find the centres that offer alternatives to AZ, it’s no guarantee that you’ll be offered an alternative but it gives you a starting point and others on this thread have got Pfizer this way. I believe some people have turned down AZ several times before managing to get Pfizer too. Another alternative is to see if there are any local drop in vaccination centers offering Pfizer only. There seem to be an increasing number of these now they’ve moved into the younger age groups and I imagine they are designed to catch people like yourself who are in an age group who are usually offered AZ too. I hope your GP is able to help in your circumstances too but hopefully this gives you a few other ways round it too. I hope you’re able to get something sorted.

Wanting an alternative vaccination because of genuine concerns isn't selfish. I think we all have to stop describing ourselves as that. I hope you have an understanding GP flowers4me who is willing to listen to your concerns and not try to fob you off with "minuscule risk" statistics. Rainbowsandstorms has given you some good advice otherwise.