Vaccine...I've been told not to by my Drs but rethinking.

[YarnOver]

I am the most pro vaccine person around. My husband has had the covid vaccine because I'm immunosuppressed and he was offered it a while back because of that.
I was first offered the vaccine in January because I was in group 4 and I'm also an SEN teacher so I've been eligible all year.
I've not had it though. I've been advised not to have it by my drs but my husband mentioned last night...maybe you should have it ...the delta varient affects young people. Until that comment he has been 100% of the opinion, along with my drs that I shouldn't have it and now I'm confused about what I should do.
The reasons I have been told I cannot have it are as follows :

• I have a blood clotting disorder which is listed on the reasons not to have the AZ (although as I'm under 40 then I don't think I'd be offered that one anyway and my area now do pfizer)

• I have consistent severe drug allergies and reactions to most things that I have to take. This is a lot of things as I have multiple serious chronic illnesses. The reactions often mean I'm hospitalized and for a good chunk of them I've been told if I ever took them or a linked drug again it would likely be fatal.
• I react to most toiletries and all makeup I've ever tried but one but I have no idea what ingredients ever cause this
• with drug reactions it isn't always the active drug itself that causes the reaction but the carrier solution, therefore it's very feasible that it would be a non active ingredient in a covid vaccination that could cause a massive problem
• I've had covid (but not the delta varient that I know of) and it was milder than a cold.

Reasons to have it :

• delta varient is new / worse / more transmissible
• I'm technically immunosuppressed due to drugs ... However all along my drs have said I'm not actually as my blood tests always show that my immune system is functioning fine. I am about to up one drug that does make it a bit wonky for a while though...

And my main reason ;

• i work in an SEN school with medically vulnerable children and so for them, I would like to be vaccinated to protect them, not so much for me

I don't know what to do. All along I've been told not to by medical professionals ....and honestly I have alwsys thought that I would like to be because of my job (and also I don't want to die of covid but I do think that's highly unlikely - I was on a hospital ward for a month where everyone eventually ended up getting covid (and being moved to a covid ward) and I never did so I think Im pretty unlikely to???)
And now my husband said this because he is worried id get the new varient.

Opinions are so welcome (but I never thought I'd start a "should I vaccinate " thread!!)

Some hospitals (ours included) were giving vaccines (Pfizer) in the allergy clinic so people could be properly monitored and any reaction dealt with.
Might be worth seeing if that is an option and/or an opinion from an allergy Dr?

It seems like your risks are related to allergies and that it’s not completely certain what components you have had allergies to? Is it anaphylactic reactions you have experienced, do you carry an epipen? Is the doctor advising against vaccination your allergy specialist? A discussion with an allergy specialist around vaccines seems like a good idea.
I think you’re right that the clot/AZ risk no longer applies as that’s not what you’d be offered.
If you haven’t already read them these articles might be useful to look at. There’s a summary at the end that simplifies it to red, amber, green, maybe you’re in the amber zone?
www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/advising-individuals-with-allergies-on-their-suitability-for-covid-19-vaccine-moderna/
www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/advising-individuals-with-allergies-on-their-suitability-for-covid-19-vaccine-pfizer-biontech/

That's a very hard decision. Pro-vaccine here too... but I am one of the unlucky people who has been made very ill by my first vaccine (not clotting another issue) and won't have a second. I would follow the advice you have been given, be very careful and hope that more treatments come on line etc. especially as you have already had it.

Honestly op, the vaccines only protect for 6 months (maybe a little longer, they dont know yet) and theres new covid varieties are cropping up all the time. And you have already had covid so already have some protection. And what are the chances of you getting it in the next 6 months again anyway? Youd have to be pretty unlucky.

I think it's a bit mental to consider taking something that could potentially kill you in this situation tbh.

Your specialist is wrong and testing throws up so many false negatives. Honestly join a couple of Facebook groups for it and you'll see that it's far more than just skin reactions. So many doctors honestly don't have a clue about it.

My friend has serious reactions to all sorts of drugs and was on the CEV list for other health conditions. She had her immunisation in the hospital so they could monitor her immediately after. Would they do that if you want it?

I haven't discussed vaccination with my doctor because their advice will not change my decision not to have it. I have a history of clots, fibroids, anaphylactic reactions to drugs, allergies and migraine.

The pressure to have it is enormous but in my case I've decided that the risk of the vaccine outweighs the risk of Covid.

[quote nex18]It seems like your risks are related to allergies and that it’s not completely certain what components you have had allergies to? Is it anaphylactic reactions you have experienced, do you carry an epipen? Is the doctor advising against vaccination your allergy specialist? A discussion with an allergy specialist around vaccines seems like a good idea.
I think you’re right that the clot/AZ risk no longer applies as that’s not what you’d be offered.
If you haven’t already read them these articles might be useful to look at. There’s a summary at the end that simplifies it to red, amber, green, maybe you’re in the amber zone?
www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/advising-individuals-with-allergies-on-their-suitability-for-covid-19-vaccine-moderna/
www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/advising-individuals-with-allergies-on-their-suitability-for-covid-19-vaccine-pfizer-biontech/[/quote]
Some reactions have been anaphylactic "like" but were never diagnoses as anaphylaxis. Some of them have been different to that and causes all manner of strange and horrible reactions.
I have seen multiple different allergy drs yes so I wouldn't see another one - one of them advised me (which was prior to covid ) to not get any vaccines or take any meds which were not absolutely necessary and for which the benefits
would 100% outweigh the risks (of which there are many).
So the fact is that I am not able to take a huge number of medications for the conditions that I definitely do have all the time - which leaves me now with only one possible drug left to try before multiple major surgeries to remove my bowel. So when I say drs don't prescribe me things unless they really have to.... It really is the case.

I don't know what I'm allergic to and it can be quite literally anything, like I say once it's been some component in the carrier of a drug that caused the problem. So I couldn't identify anything that may or may not be in a covid jab....

If by doctor, you mean GP, then their advice is worthless - it's well beyond their expertise, they're just guessing.

It sounds like you really need to get see a specialist and get an expert opinion on this.

@strangeshapedpotato

If by doctor, you mean GP, then their advice is worthless - it's well beyond their expertise, they're just guessing.

It sounds like you really need to get see a specialist and get an expert opinion on this.

No I don't mean GP. I mean my rheumatologist, gastroenterologist, consultant pain management specialist and allergy specialist.

@strangeshapedpotato

Why do I need an expert opinion? I've made my decision. I know my body, I know my medical history, I've looked at the trial results and the MHRA yellow card reports of adverse reactions. For me the risk of the vaccine outweighs the risk of Covid.

@Allllchange

My friend has serious reactions to all sorts of drugs and was on the CEV list for other health conditions. She had her immunisation in the hospital so they could monitor her immediately after. Would they do that if you want it?

Im sure they would do but the problem is some of the reactions are not that sort of reaction. This isn't something I want to put on a public forum because some of this is very sensitive but whilst they could definitely monitor for some and deal with them, some they couldn't so that wouldn't help everything.

@romdowa

Your specialist is wrong and testing throws up so many false negatives. Honestly join a couple of Facebook groups for it and you'll see that it's far more than just skin reactions. So many doctors honestly don't have a clue about it.

No, with respect I'm confident with what he tested and what was explained to me. I have no real reason to think I have mcas and I genuinely don't think I have. He was one of the lead drs for MCAS in the UK and recommended to my by one of the UK MCAS charities when I asked them (as I had been sign posted them by another consultant) so I have absolutely no reason to doubt what I was told.

Well if your allergy specialist has said no then its a bit of a waste of time the rest of us commenting.

@hitsvilleuk

Well if your allergy specialist has said no then its a bit of a waste of time the rest of us commenting.

I saw him before covid though So his advice wasn't given amid a global pandemic .... Anyway it's ok, everyone's said no and that's been my overriding feeling... I just feel like a total shit because I want to protect others and I can't.

@YarnOver

I am the most pro vaccine person around. My husband has had the covid vaccine because I'm immunosuppressed and he was offered it a while back because of that. I was first offered the vaccine in January because I was in group 4 and I'm also an SEN teacher so I've been eligible all year. I've not had it though. I've been advised not to have it by my drs but my husband mentioned last night...maybe you should have it ...the delta varient affects young people. Until that comment he has been 100% of the opinion, along with my drs that I shouldn't have it and now I'm confused about what I should do. The reasons I have been told I cannot have it are as follows :

• I have a blood clotting disorder which is listed on the reasons not to have the AZ (although as I'm under 40 then I don't think I'd be offered that one anyway and my area now do pfizer)

• I have consistent severe drug allergies and reactions to most things that I have to take. This is a lot of things as I have multiple serious chronic illnesses. The reactions often mean I'm hospitalized and for a good chunk of them I've been told if I ever took them or a linked drug again it would likely be fatal.
• I react to most toiletries and all makeup I've ever tried but one but I have no idea what ingredients ever cause this
• with drug reactions it isn't always the active drug itself that causes the reaction but the carrier solution, therefore it's very feasible that it would be a non active ingredient in a covid vaccination that could cause a massive problem
• I've had covid (but not the delta varient that I know of) and it was milder than a cold.

Reasons to have it :

• delta varient is new / worse / more transmissible
• I'm technically immunosuppressed due to drugs ... However all along my drs have said I'm not actually as my blood tests always show that my immune system is functioning fine. I am about to up one drug that does make it a bit wonky for a while though...

And my main reason ;

• i work in an SEN school with medically vulnerable children and so for them, I would like to be vaccinated to protect them, not so much for me

I don't know what to do. All along I've been told not to by medical professionals ....and honestly I have alwsys thought that I would like to be because of my job (and also I don't want to die of covid but I do think that's highly unlikely - I was on a hospital ward for a month where everyone eventually ended up getting covid (and being moved to a covid ward) and I never did so I think Im pretty unlikely to???)
And now my husband said this because he is worried id get the new varient.

Opinions are so welcome (but I never thought I'd start a "should I vaccinate " thread!!)

Ask your GP to contact the immunisation team at Public Health England. They are the vaccine experts: each area has its own team

See your allergy specialist again.

My friend is allergic to so many things, she carries epi pens and there are certain things we can't do on the day we see her in case our having eaten/used certain things affects her. But she works as a carer, has a child in school and really wanted to be vaccinated as she felt unsafe continuing to work without it, so her allergy consultant spent ages - weeks - going through all the information he could find to figure out whether she'd be ok. She eventually did have the AZ, in hospital so she could be monitored. She was fine, thankfully.

You really need to talk to a specialist. But it's possible you're unlucky enough to be one of the people who instead need protection through herd immunity in the population.

@takemetomars oh ok I'll do that. I had no idea that was an option.
I really do want to try and exhaust all possible options of finding out.

@whatswithtodaytoday I don't mind for me in the slightest like I say I've had covid and it was very mild. I don't mind if I'm protected or not. It's others that I want to do my bit for!!

You have already had covid and medical advice is you shouldn’t have the vaccine. Bonkers even to consider it. Are you quite mad?!

@Roonerspismed

You have already had covid and medical advice is you shouldn’t have the vaccine. Bonkers even to consider it. Are you quite mad?!

I must be. But like I say when I had covid it was the first ever sort from the ski resorts so is that even relevant now? (,I don't really know)

And yes the advice I've been given is don't have it but I think also that's because people just don't know and don't want to risk telling me to do it...... But I could make that choice myself ...

[quote YarnOver]@takemetomars oh ok I'll do that. I had no idea that was an option.
I really do want to try and exhaust all possible options of finding out.

@whatswithtodaytoday I don't mind for me in the slightest like I say I've had covid and it was very mild. I don't mind if I'm protected or not. It's others that I want to do my bit for!![/quote]
The others?

I dont think they know if the jag reduces the spread of covid yet (or at least, they don't know by how much). You could still have covid in your system and be our spreading it about without knowing even with the jag.

Dont take daft risks on a jag you probably don't need.

The clotting rules out Astra Zeneca and with Pfizer there's a risk of anaphylactic shock for people with a history of severe allergies. I'm not sure about the third one but presumably there must be a reason that's ruled out.
I work with someone who is immunosuppressed because she had had a kidney transplant. She had no other risk factors so was offered it early but with the caveat that there's not enough evidence to prove it's effective for people who are immunosuppressed. It seems like a big risk to take for something that might not work for you.

I don't understand this - if you saw your allergy specialist before Covid how have they advised you regarding a Covid vaccine?

Ask again or just move on if you cant have it ( and given you have already had Covid) it's not a major issue.

This thread is exactly the reason that all of us who can get vaccinated should get vaccinated, so that people like OP can be protected.

Exactly.

What @takemetomars said. It turned out the allergy advice my DM was given by her doctor was incorrect - it didn't matter for her, she still got a jab.

But for you, you need it from an actual vaccine expert.

All your advice seems to relate to Pfizer and AZ and not even consider Moderna, which doesn't have clotting or allergy caveats.