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.

@penni00 this is my experience too. The pins and needles got a little better but now worse again. Now also have burning sensation and muscle twitching which has got worse in last few weeks. I had loads of other side effects but they have generally subsided. I feel worried about covid so really want protection but i'm so worried it will make things much worse

@penni00 yes i have seen these symptoms with others too and not just AZ. But i do wonder if AZ is worse as it's a live vaccine. How did you get agreement to get a different one for your second. I rang my doctor's about this this morning. but the local vaccination centre says you need a GP letter and then it has to be approved by clinical lead (and she implied they only do this if you have had blood clots). I've also seen people say they have had the second and it's either improved symptoms or not made them any worse. So difficult to decide.

Why can we not have another vaccine ! I have had my one AZ 16+ weeks ago, this is so unfair. Such sad news again:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9732583/Mother-three-47-dies-AstraZeneca-Covid-jab-caused-blood-clots-brain.html

I just wanted to pop by to say thank you to everyone who has offered support on this thread. It’s been such a wonderfully supportive and helpful thread. After much deliberating I decided to go ahead with my second dose yesterday afternoon. So far other than a sore arm I’m feeling ok and after all the stress and anxiety of trying to make a decision I’m feeling fairly calm. It has definitely been one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make though. I’m going to step away from this thread for a little while, while I’m in the at risk period but wanted to say thank you and wish you all luck with all your individual circumstances.

Im really sorry to hear that so many of you are having issues trying to get the jab you are most comfortable with.

Ive been through this, and although I never refused a vaccine, I simply didnt make an appointment when they were advertising Astrazeneca.

I am 47.

I am sorry to say that I hung on an extra 5 weeks after my initial invite, after my sister told me her friends had just been offered Pfizer at our local centre. So I called up 2 weeks ago and was offered it immediately. I had my first jab on Saturday.

Early on when I rang around making enquiries about AZ, expressing concern about it, most of the people I spoke to were rude, flippant and pushy. I was told by my GP receptionist that I should calm down, have the AZ and stop being 'silly'.
When I sought info online across various forums I was treated like a flat earther ffs.

This thread gave me some good advice and understanding. Thank you.
I didnt like waiting so long but was very uncomfortable feeling strong-armed into having a jab that concerned me and that was even less effective than Pfizer.

People are really bullying others to relinquish autonomy over their own body (who would accept this regarding childbirth or abortion?) and to feel ashamed of having concerns. Reddit, for example, was a disgrace of shame tactics and abuse.

Good luck. Anyone ought be offered the vaccine that they are comfortable with, and nobody should feel forced to go against their own sense of risk. My generation have been thrown under the bus here, I think.

I do want to add, that most other women I know who are in my age range did have both AZ jabs.
None of them suffered any side effects at all.
And none of them made me feel guilty or ashamed of wanting to avoid it.

This is besides the point, but it is still a data point for anyone having AZ concerns.

My favourite response when I asked someone in the NHS would it be possible to wait for Pfizer was "So are you ok with potentially killing other people by putting it off? You are likely to die of covid yourself, so I'd think again"

@WeirdArchitecture it's that bullying attitude that has so upset me, as though people aren't allowed to express concerns about wanting to take a vaccine that could have lethal side effects.
I also waited weeks after my initial vaccine and was fortunate enough to find somewhere offering Moderna to my age group. It's only now though, after many people are now getting Pfizer that I feel I can express my opinion anywhere other than on this thread.
I feel so angry and upset for all those still struggling to get vaccinated with one they are comfortable having, while still being scoffed at or accused of being anti vaxxers.
I don't necessarily think AZ should be dropped but I think people should be given the choice.

Oops. I meant weeks after my initial vaccine invitation!

@Tittlemouse1212
It is definitely the AZ that is showing up as significantly higher on the analysis prints side effects for GBS, and also for Miller Fisher - a GBS variant. For example, although extremely rare, Miller Fisher is 19 cases reported for AZ whereas zero for Pfizer.
I really think Pfizer is safer than AZ from some of these neuro syndromes, but I am not sure what happens with an AZ/Pfizer mix!
I will private message you about your question in a bit

@Rainbowsandstorms

I just wanted to pop by to say thank you to everyone who has offered support on this thread. It’s been such a wonderfully supportive and helpful thread. After much deliberating I decided to go ahead with my second dose yesterday afternoon. So far other than a sore arm I’m feeling ok and after all the stress and anxiety of trying to make a decision I’m feeling fairly calm. It has definitely been one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make though. I’m going to step away from this thread for a little while, while I’m in the at risk period but wanted to say thank you and wish you all luck with all your individual circumstances.

Thanks and good luck

The Com-Cov results are out! Basically mixing is fine, and AZ followed by Pfizer is nearly as good as Pfizer x2 (and better than AZ x2)

Article on BBC suggests autumn boosters for CEV who have had 2x AZ (likely with pfizer)

@MiniMaxi but unfortunately, increased side effects for mixing so that's off-putting too for people who are suffering a lot of side effects!

Exactly

Every time I read about another woman dying from thrombosis, it's a woman in her 40s, yet no alternative vaccine is offered to 40s age group. Unbelievable.

I agree, it is appalling.

Do you know if you can request another vaccine for your second dose? Have had my first AZ back in May.

@ChubbyCat posters on this thread are having different reactions from their GPs when asking for an alternative second dose. It's probably a lot easier if you had a bad reaction to the first dose. Now the mixing results are out more GPs might be more receptive to the idea.

@ChubbyCat, I had Pfizer on Friday after my first AZ in March. Like @AppleJane says, it was probably easier in my case as I had had a documented long-term reaction (months of headaches, fast heart rate, pains in legs) which I had sought medical advice for.

In the event, I thought it was going to be a huge battle, but my GP offered Pfizer as soon as I mentioned headaches.

Had jab on Friday, felt bloody awful on Saturday (sweats, headaches, joint aches). Bit tired Sunday, wiped out Monday, right as rain today.

And now, bearing in mind I've also had Covid, I'm super-immune

@Maia77

Every time I read about another woman dying from thrombosis, it's a woman in her 40s, yet no alternative vaccine is offered to 40s age group. Unbelievable.

Yes, this. It's really quite telling.

@Maia77

Every time I read about another woman dying from thrombosis, it's a woman in her 40s, yet no alternative vaccine is offered to 40s age group. Unbelievable.

Noticed this all along, and I wonder why?

@SheilaTakeABow were you still experiencing side effects from first when you had your second or had they subsided?

@Tittlemouse1212, no, they'd finally eased by then.

I see that the figures of the rare blood clots are reading as below- re the gov site - AZ package leaflet : Information for the recipient

'Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)

Following widespread use of the vaccine there have been extremely rare reports of blood clots in combination with low level of blood platelets. When these blood clots do occur, they may be in unusual or atypical locations (e.g. brain, liver, bowel, spleen).'

www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca/information-for-uk-recipients-on-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca

Very interesting...the nurse told me 1 in a million chance of a clot...