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Covid

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Original poster

AZ anxiety

21 replies

beachypeachy · 27/05/2021 19:44

My anxiety is through the roof since having the AZ jab. I was unsure when I went for it but when ahead and had it anyway. I'm not reading story after story about blood clots. I'm massively worried about some kind of delayed reaction (I know I'm probably being ridiculous). I am due my 2nd next week and have cancelled as the anxiety it is causing is worse than the thought of catching covid! Is anyone else feeling the same? I want to be told I'm being utterly ridiculous.

OP posts:

lollipop10 · 27/05/2021 19:57

I feel exactly the same. It’s making me feeling physically ill.
However I’m also equally as scared of Covid so for me I feel very stuck in limbo.

It’s a crap situation to be in.

I feel so upset being under 40 and my friends are having Pfizer / moderna.
They don’t have this worry of a clot risk with their first or second dose.

I so want to be fully vaccinated but I’m so frightened.

MarshaBradyo · 27/05/2021 20:00

Do you want people who feel the same or the latter ie it’s ridiculous

I don’t think it’s a good idea to cancel, but you’ve done it already?

It’s not ridiculous but I’ll be having the second and am in 40s

Boo36363 · 27/05/2021 20:07

Op, I was the exact same. Had my first dose in Feb and my second recently and I was extremely anxious about it! So much so I was making myself feel ill with anxiety. I changed my app twice then nearly cancelled. I did end up going reluctantly! The staff did try and reassure me and I spoke to my doctor who said it was very very rare and it's being heightened by the media etc.

I had my second one and I've been but I've been on edge thinking is that little headache a blood clot etc. My anxiety is easing as time goes on.

It's really up to you what you decide to do. The likelihood is if you were fine with the first you'll be fine with the second but again I would recommend speaking to a doctor which may reassure you!!

Original poster

beachypeachy · 27/05/2021 20:08

I really want people to tell me I'm being ridiculous as I'm convincing myself I'm going to drop down dead from a blood clot and my dc is going to be left without me (I'm a single parent). It's literally keeping me awake at night. I'm so worried there is going to me more to come (side effects months later).

OP posts:

MiddleClassMother · 27/05/2021 20:09

I've just had my second, feeling quite anxious as I just stumbled upon a news story where someone suffered a stroke. Hopefully someone will be along to reassure us!

AliceInCovidland · 27/05/2021 20:10

I feel a bit like this, but I had my second AZ 2 weeks ago tomorrow.

So far I haven't had any side effects, other than the anxiety about blood clots 😩

I am second guessing every twinge I feel but there is nothing I can do about it now, I am so aware of the blood clot issues I would definitely be at A&E if I had any of the symptoms of a blood clot.

I'm a 29 year old woman and had my first jab in Feb, I think I was called early because I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant.

I am still glad that I have had it though, if I didn't go through with it, I would be stressed about the Indian variant so either way I would be stressed out 😂

Original poster

beachypeachy · 27/05/2021 20:12

Can I ask is anyone else worried about the long term effects? In a year or 2? I'm also driving myself crazy thinking about that now too.

OP posts:

AliceInCovidland · 27/05/2021 20:17

I'm not worried about the long term effects really, I haven't given them much thought though tbh!

I just keep trying to tell myself that it's already done now, I can't change it. The majority of people are fine afterwards. But then as soon as I feel a twinge I stress and convince myself I'm going to die in my sleep 😩

It's a horrible situation to be in for all of us really, I don't know what the answer is.

MarshaBradyo · 27/05/2021 20:19

The long term effects don’t worry me. I don’t think about them.

More look out for headaches I reckon

Also hearing about people in hospital unvaccinated is a motivator

Original poster

beachypeachy · 27/05/2021 20:21

That's the thing, I'm not even clear on the 'symptoms'. Are people just dropping dread or is it a case of feeling ill for a few days? Also, has anyone suffered a clot more than a month after their jab?

OP posts:

AliceInCovidland · 27/05/2021 20:35

At my second jab i was given an updated leaflet with symptoms of the blood clots. I remember them being a severe headache, stomach pain, swelling in the legs. I'm sure there were more but those are the ones I am on high alert for!

I am not sure if anyone has had one more than a month after the jab either.

I tell myself that if I got a blood clot from the AZ, then the chances are, catching Covid would have given me one too, and that makes me more sure about my choice to get the second jab. At least with the jab, my body would only have to deal with a clot, rather than a clot plus Covid/being ventilated/pneumonia.

This is how I try and keep myself calm, feeling like I've chosen the lesser of the two evils. I realise I probably sound demented 😂

MiddleClassMother · 27/05/2021 20:46

@AliceInCovidland
I like this thinking, I'll be reminding myself of this!

bumhug · 27/05/2021 20:54

People have had blood clots with the Pfizer jabs as well (although not as many). The AZ is a tried and tested traditional type of vaccine. The Pfizer and Moderna are new technologies so long term effects less known.

Your risk of a blood clot with your 2nd jab is around 0.0004%. If you catch Covid it's closer to 16%. These are the figures the GP gave me.

Minstermouse · 27/05/2021 20:59

If you had AZ 10/11weeks ago and had no ill-effects, you are infinitesimally unlikely to have a reaction to your second jab. As I understand it, all serious side effects from AZ have occurred soon after the first jab.

I’ve had both, no ill effects and consider myself extremely lucky.

Notthemessiah · 27/05/2021 21:29

@Minstermouse

I’ve had both, no ill effects and consider myself extremely lucky.

That's just not true unfortunately. Current figures have it that you have a 1 in 80,000 chance of a blood clot with low platelets after the first dose of AZ and a 1 in 800,000 after the second, though both numbers are getting smaller as time goes by - a week or so ago it was 1 in 1,000,000 for the second dose.

So yes, much less of a chance with the second shot but not infinitesimally small by any stretch.

Swimbikerunmummy · 27/05/2021 21:36

I had my first jab at the weekend after a lot of pressure from the government where I live for over 40’s to come forward where they had been holding back. My anxiety since is horrific (as I knew it would be)
Today I came up in a pin prick rash on my stomach so went to A&E. Platelets are ok but I am terrified. I will not have a second dose.

bumhug · 27/05/2021 21:37

Or to put it differently, you have a 0.00000125% chance of having a blood clot with your second jab.

The numbers of course will increase as more people are jabbed.

Griefmonster · 27/05/2021 21:46

@beachypeachy I am late 40s and had AZ. I am not worried and had no side effects. I don't like telling people they are being ridiculous but I do think you are catasrophising. Nothing in life is without risk. Literally nothing. But we mostly balance and calculate risks automatically because they are familiar risks - crossing roads and driving for example. The vaccine is a new experience and follows a very intense year. Of course it will feel more unfamiliar and therefore will feel riskier.

You should have been given an information leaflet after the vaccine that tells you what to look out for. Those are the indications of blood clot as well as other side effects that may be of concern.

Some people are reporting feeling more unwell after their second jab than their first so keep an eye out for symptoms, contact GP or emergency number of you have any and please consider rebooking your second dose. You can let them know you are feeling anxious.

Take care

ICanSmellSummerComing · 27/05/2021 23:40

Op you poor thing, it's Just awful, we are being squeezed from both sides and whilst we are a couple we don't have family support for our dc.

I've spent winter paranoid about health and now I'm panicked about this second vaccine, someone in our town will get it.

RoseWineTime · 27/05/2021 23:47

I think it would be better for you to worry for 2-4 weeks about the extremely unlikely blood clot risk than to have a year(s) of worry about catching covid and the increased possibility of blood clots from that plus multiple other serious issues.

Anniissa · 28/05/2021 00:08

I guess it’s all a matter of perspective. I’ve had friends saying they want to opt for Pfizer or Moderna over AZ but the only serious side effects I’ve seen ( swollen leg so bad they were on crutches for a week and still limping two weeks later and two emergency hospital admissions) were for the Pfizer and moderna. Everything comes with a risk but everyone I know prefers to be vaccinated than risk the issues with long Covid which can be quite frankly horrific!

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