Sat outside the vaccination centre.. I can’t go in

[Louby08]

I don’t even know why I’m posting on
here.

I’ve been on the phone to 111 and to an NHS mental health support team, but I may as well have not bothered.

I’m sat outside the vaccination centre to get my second AZ and I just cannot go in.
I’ve never felt fear / panic like I am feeling right now. I’m so frightened about getting a blood clot.

I’m so desperate to be fully vaccinated but I’m absolutely petrified to have my second dose.
I feel like walking in there is a death sentence, I equally feel staying out here to catch Covid, is a death sentence.

There’s been such a buzz at work recently amongst colleagues getting their vaccines (we’re all under 40) but all I feed is dread and fear.

I can’t live my life like this. I just can’t.

It’s a terrible fucking situation to be in and I’m not happy with either option I face.
I just don’t know what to do anymore :(

Not being silly I hope here are some random suggestions.

Talk to GP about the anxiety. Say what you said here. You might be able to get what I have- propranolol- or something like valium to calm you for this. Then get help for the health anxiety.

Take a friend and hold their hand!

Have 3 pints or something first. To get Dutch courage but not drunk. If you drink. And that feels like the sort of thing that might work! (It would for plenty of people!)

That's all I can think of.

I'm sure I'll get told off for the booze idea but it's tried and tested and been used for centuries.

@chillychangchoo can i ask where you founf the info re no deaths under 50s
op im in the same boat as you have cancelled 2nd which should have been last week and now due this week am paralysed with fear too

So sorry to hear you are really struggling with having your 2nd dose of AZ. This is the most up to date information from the MHRA regarding VITT (the specific clots reported after AZ) that is published weekly on a Thursday. Whilst the current rate is 349 in 24.5 million first doses (1 in 70,200) it’s extremely rare for second doses - 23 in 15.7 million doses (1 in 560,000). Also, no deaths reported from the 2nd dose.
Its even better for your age group - for ages 18-49 there have been 3.3 million second doses and only 0.6 cases reported per million doses, less than 1 in a million - so only around 2 cases.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-adverse-reactions/coronavirus-vaccine-summary-of-yellow-card-reporting
It may be worth looking at Professor Michael Makris Twitter account @ProfMakris - he is a Professor of Haemostasis & Thrombosis at Sheffield University and is following/advising on VITT. He is only convinced about one case in the UK after the second dose.
I totally get how difficult this is for you (and so many others who had the first dose of AZ before the problems were known and now the younger age group is offered an alternative vaccine) but as you were ok with the first dose it’s a really, really tiny chance of a problem with your second dose.

@Mumtwoboys90

I found them on the gov website, plus the MHRA yellow card, and my sisters a vax nurse and they’ve also had the same info.

There have been 0 clots under age of 50 for the second. I did my research as being 32 with no risk factors I was considering not having my second dose.

Ive had my second dose of AZ and im fine.

Get a grip, go in and get it done

When I had the second jab the GP told me there have been no clots after the second dose. Get in there @Louby08!

Also this was the ladies first vaccine, whilst incredibly tragic the second shots are a lot safer.

@Lightout I think you should ask for your post to be deleted and start a separate thread. It doesn’t belong here.

@babbaloushka & @ElizabethTudor the problem now is, even if HQ deleted the unhelpful post, you’ve both quote-posted it.

@MNHQ - you can delete my post too. I’ll report it.
@RickiTarr - v good point.

I hope OP is okay. She was only posting for about half an hour. The whole thing must of been stressful.

Op im so sorry for how you are feeling.

You clearly know that you should have the vaccine because you made the appointment and went but your feelings overwhelmed you at the final hurdle.

I can’t link because it’s an old article but there was one published recently with hospital doctors talking about how they understand so much more about the AZ blood clots now and how to treat them. So it looks like the rusk of dying is actually now a lot lower.

One good source of information is a podcast called coronacast. It’s Australian so some episodes are irrelevant but they have a lot of information from experts on issues like AZ clots. They publish every day, about 10 minutes each so easy listening. Would something like that help you?

I’d also see your gp for some help with the anxiety. Wishing you all the best

The point I was trying to make was that ....
I too , was so anxious , worried and fearful about getting my second vaccine.

I felt physically sick standing in the queue. My stomach was tied up in knots. Once at the booth I was so upset that they got another nurse to go through everything with me. I had to make sure it was the right decision for me.
I have researched more than anyone the implications and statistics about the vaccine.

I really hope that Louby08 had the strength to go in and at least have a discussion. But if she didn’t, then that’s ok 💐

I know someone who had a blood clot and died when they had COVID itself.

My friend was given diazepam to calm her down before she had her vaccine. Can you ask the doctor for that next time - presume you didn’t have it op.

@Chillychangchoo

The first vaccine the risk of a clot is higher for younger people but you’ve already had this jab, the second one defo is safer. Good luck.

I'm really not sure that's true. I suspect the risk of a clot is higher as you get older.

@StealthPolarBear

It’s on the gov website. The data is there, it’s why they are no longer recommending AZ for under 40s. Your risk of a clot is higher the younger you are with the first vaccine.

I assumed that was because they traded it off againt the harms, which are lower in younger people.
I'd be interested to see please.

@StealthPolarBear

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.ft.com/content/dfaff95b-8f64-4963-9483-494498c55863

OK thanks, I can't access the article but will take your word for it. Its an odd cardiovascular disease where the risks decrease with age.

OP I was worried to get my second AZ too after all the reports. There's blood clots in my family and I had thrombocytopenia when pregnant.
I had it based on the knowledge that the risk of blood clots is very very small, and that I knew that the risk from covid is higher (including the risk of covid causing blood clots). I made sure I knew what the symptoms of blood clots were so that I could get prompt treatment if I did get any problems. I spoke to the nurse about it and she said that the vast majority of people who had issues were with the first dose, so if you had the first dose ok, likelihood of you getting problems for the second dose is even lower (other things I have read seem to back this up). Having said that she didn't pressure me and gave me the option to walk away as well.
Mine was four weeks ago tomorrow and touch wood no problems.
I don't know if this article would be any help www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/second-dose-of-the-astrazeneca-vaccine_uk_607971b8e4b0bc5a3a55a899
Good luck for whatever you decide.

I didn’t go in. I just couldn’t do it.

I’m so mentally exhausted. I came home and
got into bed. 😔

Hugs OP, I can completely understand your turmoil .