If you’ve had myocarditis/pericarditis + the vaccine

[Rossypossy]

Have you been OK? As this is one of the recognised side effects (albeit very rare) I was wondering whether anyone who has suffered previously from myocarditis/pericarditis had any issues with taking Pfizer/moderna?

I have had two terrible episodes (a few years ago now) of pericarditis and it was very traumatic and gave me bad health anxiety for a long time after.

I’ve been putting off having my jab since I’ve been called (can’t have AZ due to my age) as I’m worried about this side effect and whether I’m at a higher risk as I’ve had it before.

Ultimately I want to be protected but have my concerns.

I had medium term myocarditis following scarlet fever about three years ago (after scarlet fever, covid doesn’t scare me at all, to be honest) and had the Pfizer vaccine. I checked whether I was more likely to have a repeat attack and was told there doesn’t appear to be any connection between previous attacks and those which have arisen (mostly in younger men) after the vaccine.

There have been something like 300 confirmed cases of myocarditis and pericarditis combined - and almost 180 million doses of Pfizer given. Obviously if you’ve previously had myocarditis and know what it’s like then the prospect of having it again is scary - but the risk really is minuscule.

36yo friend had 2 doses of AZ jab... this may be possible if you want.
Same friend also had spell of pericarditis 3 years ago -- jab didn't make it come back.

I had pericarditis a few years ago following a bout of flu. Took months to get over it.
Have had 2 Moderna jabs - 2nd one 2 days ago with no issues. (Well, sore arm, headache, nausea but no heart complaints/palpitations).

I had a "swollen heart" (I assume myocarditis in hindsight but I was in a foreign hospital!) as a result of a virus on my 21st birthday (so 19 years ago).

I've had pfeizer and it didn't even occur to me then or ever to mention it because I never had an actual diagnosis. Just a few days chilling in a private hospital!

If it helps at all, all of the reported cases of myocarditis have been mild and recovered within a few days. And as you have said it’s very rare. It also seems to be more common in men than women.

Myocarditis/pericarditis is also a complication of Covid so not having the vaccine with cases as high as they are isn’t a guarantee you would avoid it.

Suspect I had this as a result of actual COVID infection. Many reports of organ damage especially heart. Fortunately 16 months later it's much better but the risk from vaccine is going to be much much much lower than that of the virus.

I am undergoing tests for myocarditis, started 2 weeks after having vaccine but also had covid 7 months ago so don't know which/ if any caused it.

@TiddleTaddleTat sorry to hear you had myocarditis as a result of covid. How was it diagnosed? I'm waiting for an mri scan but they strongly suspect myocarditis,

Covid itself can lead to myocarditis.
You can have astra zeneka, it's just that under 40s are offered an alternative. My DC (22) had AZ before they changed the age and were fine.

@12Step12 it wasn't diagnosed in my case as I didn't get the scans required. Research studies have found this complication post covid (think it's coverscan)
I did have cardiology investigations and was diagnosed with pots, but the echocardiograms showed a lot of skipped beats

Family member had severe heart inflammation and infection which came on just 7 days after the AZ vaccine. He had to have open heart surgery to replace a damaged valve. Doctor claimed nothing to do with vaccine so he didn’t report it—but we did.

I had pericarditis 6 months ago and was also worried. Two jabs of moderna since then and absolutely no bad effects. I checked with my GP and the doctor at the vaccination centre - both said it was perfectly safe.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

If it helps at all, all of the reported cases of myocarditis have been mild and recovered within a few days. And as you have said it’s very rare. It also seems to be more common in men than women.

Myocarditis/pericarditis is also a complication of Covid so not having the vaccine with cases as high as they are isn’t a guarantee you would avoid it.

Yes all of this.

It's far more commonly associated with actual Covid than the small number of almost all mild vaccine side effects.

My son- than aged 17, had Myocarditis and Pericarditis combined. He's 26 now and this meant he had his vaccine pretty early on.

He had the Pfizer and had no issues whatsoever. Felt a bit grotty after the first one, which was more than likely just the effects of the vaccine.

Thanks for all your stories.

Also good point re the effects of COVID and how this can trigger it too. I read this on the British heart association website too.

I think I’m going to go for it, I want to start TTC in a couple of months and want to be protected as I had my first baby during the first wave and it was so horrible with the worry, so want to make sure i have as much protection as possible!

New findings published in medical journals is showing cases are not always mild and do have long term consequences.

www.jpeds.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0022-3476%2822%2900282-7

"We describe the evolution of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings in 16 patients, aged 12-17 years, with myopericarditis after the second dose of the Pfizer mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine. Although all patients showed rapid clinical improvement, many had persistent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings at 3- to 8-month follow-up. (J Pediatr 2022;245:233-7)."

I had pericarditis about 15 years ago and then had three doses of the Pfizer jab - I was fine. However I recovered quickly from the pericarditis and it was also a long time ago.

Have you read that paper (rather than copying and pasting the abstract), assessed it for quality, and considered it in line with all the literature which assesses the benefits versus risks of vaccination? @Zapabc

The British Heart Foundation recommend vaccination for those who have previously suffered from myo/pericarditis.

I've had myocarditis or pericarditis in the past, should I have a Covid vaccine?

Yes. Having had myocarditis or pericarditis (unrelated to the vaccine) doesn't mean you can't have the Covid vaccine. There is currently no evidence that people with a history of myocarditis or pericarditis are at increased risk of developing it following the Covid vaccine. If in doubt, ask your health professional for advice.

twitter.com/i/events/1560438052316598272

Unpublished study on COVID-19 vaccine side effects for teenagers has been misrepresented online, fact-checkers say

Yes - it is a peer reviewed journal, with cases diagnosed and followed by MRI. I copy and pasted the abstract (in quotes) to share their abstract, along with a link if anyone wats to read the whole thing. It raises some important issues regarding treatment and follow up.

@sonnex - I shared the abstract and a link for a peer reviewed journal article in 'The Journal of Pediatrics'. The study referred to in the twitter link is another paper being discussed on social media.

I know

DH had pericarditis after 2xAZ and one Pfizer, it was 5-6 months after having the Pfizer booster but a month after having Covid. The doctors thought Covid was to blame

@sonnex regarding your fact check link to a twitter post. The fact check sources are AP and REUTERS. Here is a deeper look at an interesting link between the information dispersed and the source...

https://www.pfizer.com/people/leadership/boardoffdirectors/jamessmith

Lots old threads about myocarditis and children being dredged up.

Why? Children aren't being offered an autumn booster.

We also now have far more recent data demonstrating that risk of cardiac complications from both COVID and the vaccines are both low, but that there is still a favourable benefit/risk profile for being vaccinated.

This does not mean anyone needs to go ahead with it if they don't want to.

I find it far more worrying that there seems to be a concerted effort to scaremonger about child vaccination on a parenting forum.

A prerequisite to an informed medical decision is data. I believe parents are trying to make the best decisions for their children at a time of disinformation and opacity. Where is the study you reference proving that covid induced myocarditis is more problematic than vaccine induced cardiac issues in children? I am honestly asking, not to argue, but to inform myself because that is contrary to what I have been told by my personal GP.

It's been like this since the good old days of that criminal Wakefield. Though, fortunately, HQ are pretty good at booting out the anti-vax lobby when they start their "friend of a friend ALMOST DIED" thing. Usually complete with links to loony.theories.com. Or tell you (this was a real poster, dunno if they are still spreading their lies) that 4 members of their close family have died after having the vaccine (this was back when there had been a total of 9 deaths possibly linked to the vaccine- so an unfortunate family that you'd think the press as well as the scientific community would have been interested in...