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Original poster

Advice please - to get booster or not?

37 replies

Ahhbiscuits · 04/01/2022 22:00

I had Covid in 2020 and was nowhere near as ill as I was after both vaccines.
The vaccines made me so incredibly unwell and gave me the most absolutely HORRENDOUS migraines I’ve ever had. To the point with the first vaccine I was seriously contemplating calling an ambulance as I couldn’t move.
As a lone parent with two children under 5, I really really cannot face going through it a third time for a booster.
My boosters booked for next week but cannot decide whether to cancel it or not.
Any thoughts or advice welcomed.

OP posts:
LilyPond2 · 04/01/2022 22:06

Which vaccine did you have for your first two jabs?

TopCatsTopHat · 04/01/2022 22:11

I don't have any advice, I've heard people who said the vaccine was bad but the booster was nothing and others saying the polar opposite.
I don't think you'll know, except with hindsight, what you're in for, so making a decision is hard as you are making a blind guess.
I wouldn't blame you whichever way you jumped given your situation.
To try to put a shape to the decision, the risk with no booster is that if you catch the virus it could be very serious (though the chances of that are very low) with potential lasting damage to health. But with the booster you're fairly likely to have a debilitating reaction but it will be temporary.

TopCatsTopHat · 04/01/2022 22:13

I'm booked for my booster tomorrow... Feeling nervous though given how many people I know who sailed through the vaccine but were totally kyboshed by the booster. 😬

ollyollyoxenfree · 04/01/2022 22:17

@Ahhbiscuits

I had Covid in 2020 and was nowhere near as ill as I was after both vaccines. The vaccines made me so incredibly unwell and gave me the most absolutely HORRENDOUS migraines I’ve ever had. To the point with the first vaccine I was seriously contemplating calling an ambulance as I couldn’t move. As a lone parent with two children under 5, I really really cannot face going through it a third time for a booster. My boosters booked for next week but cannot decide whether to cancel it or not. Any thoughts or advice welcomed.
I think if you'd recently had COVID I'd say don't bother, but an infection that long ago with an earlier variant is unlikely to confer any substantial benefit so you would be better off in terms of immunity by having it.

I completely understand the fear as I'm a migraine-type person and was worried I'd have one triggered but fortunately was fine after all three.

Do you have medication? If approved by your doctor you could take something like preventative frovatriptan (normally used by women as a prevenative measure for menstrual migraine) which could reduce the risk of you having one this time.

Serenschintte · 04/01/2022 22:22

Some people will say have the booster. Some will say do not.
My perspective- after a month of side affects from shot 2 - is that the vaccine companies are not liable, it would be a fight to get any compensation and no one seems to be able/willing to explain why these dreadful side affects occur.
So my plan is not to have a booster unless I am forced into it - I live in a different country from my family in the Uk and travel without quarantining isn’t possible to the Uk. And we have Covid passports here.
But IMO it isn’t a fair bargin.

Geamhradh · 04/01/2022 22:25

I had the most awful migraine of my life after my second vaccine. 2 days off work. Had the jab on Tuesday and by Thursday night was contemplating going to A&E.
Had my booster in November and just had a sore arm for the rest of that day.

DeclareThePenniesOnYourEyes · 04/01/2022 22:26

The vaccines both triggered really bad migraines for me (AZ) and I had to really be persuaded to have the booster. However, bizarrely, the booster had no effect on me whatsoever…. The only thing that I can think is that I had no side effects because it was the Pfizer rather than the AZ.

That said, I got Covid less than a week later and was really unwell so 🤷🏼‍♀️ But perhaps I would have been iller without the vaccine/booster. Basically it’s a gamble but on balance you’re better off having it.

Original poster
Ahhbiscuits · 04/01/2022 22:35

Thank you all, I had the Pfizer vaccines.
As I said I’m a lone parent and have gone through all the colds/flus/d&v’s/general illnesses/etc etc (!) by myself whilst looking after two children. But the vaccines really were horrendous, two days both times of being completely out of action, couldn’t get out of bed the second time, felt so unwell it actually scared me. I’ve never experienced anything like it!

I just can’t see if the benefits of a booster outweigh the fact there’s a very good chance I’ll be horrendously ill for two days. It scared my children and my eldest was crying saying “mummy needs an ambulance, mummy are you dying?” I generally think I’m pretty tough at getting by, but they literally floored me.
If omicron is mild and I’m healthy and double jabbed, is it worth getting the booster.
It’s so difficult to know, especially with the media and PM constantly saying how vital boosters are.

OP posts:
buckeejit · 04/01/2022 22:35

Zoe SD knot your gp

buckeejit · 04/01/2022 22:35

*speak to your gp

LilyPond2 · 04/01/2022 22:47

How old are you, OP? Presumably quite young if you have two children under five! Do you have any medical conditions that put you at higher risk? Do you have regular contact with anyone particularly vulnerable to Covid?

Original poster
Ahhbiscuits · 04/01/2022 22:49

34 years old. No contact with anyone vunerable. I told my GP but got the very unhelpful response of “I’m sure it was a coicidence” 😔

OP posts:
roses2 · 04/01/2022 22:50

@Serenschintte

Some people will say have the booster. Some will say do not. My perspective- after a month of side affects from shot 2 - is that the vaccine companies are not liable, it would be a fight to get any compensation and no one seems to be able/willing to explain why these dreadful side affects occur. So my plan is not to have a booster unless I am forced into it - I live in a different country from my family in the Uk and travel without quarantining isn’t possible to the Uk. And we have Covid passports here. But IMO it isn’t a fair bargin.
I'm with you on this one and Pfizer in particular seem to be trying their hardest at suppressing any negative press. Ive had my first two and I'll take any booster if I have to eg travel but otherwise I'll hold off especially since the vaccines are based on the first variant!
KL92xxxx · 04/01/2022 22:56

I had awful reactions after both jabs, felt like my body was just failing me in every way, cried most days. Happened about a week after my vaccine for about 7-10 days. Just had Covid and going through something similar now. I’m not getting the booster I can’t put myself through this again.

SidSparrow · 04/01/2022 23:04

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gogohm · 04/01/2022 23:04

All I can tell you is I got no side effects from moderna, nor did dd1 or dp. Dsd and dd2 had Pfizer booster and both felt a bit rough the next day. Dd2 had all 3 Pfizer whereas dsd had two az and a Pfizer.

Personally I would get boosted, most people in hospital aren't boosted!

alienalan · 05/01/2022 08:29

I say get it but plan carefully

bluetongue · 05/01/2022 08:42

I wouldn’t get it in your situation. Your side effects sound awful to the point of being worse than Covid for many people (especially with a Omicron).

190190tnt · 05/01/2022 08:51

I had covid in November 2020, pretty rough. No problems with vaccines both AZ, but had Pfizer booster in November 2021 and felt so ill after, fever, shaking, fatigue, weak bladder - just like covid all over again! Was shocked as did not expect that....this has put me off having any more boosters. Have to add though that most people I know had no problems with the booster, can only think it's because I had covid delta variant previously.

thewhatsit · 05/01/2022 09:07

Probably in your situation I might not because likely you’ll have Pfizer again or have a similar reaction to Moderna. The only problem is that 3 will count as fully vaxxed soon so you’ll need to figure that out if vaccine passports become an issue.

I know people who sailed through Covid pre vaccination who had an awful time with AZ in particular. I spoke to one who was committed to doing his 2 jabs for the greater good but were clear they couldn’t go through another.. luckily boosters were Pfizer/ Moderna only so it all worked out.

I didn’t have any reaction whatsoever to my booster so I’m very lucky and I could keep having them as far as I’m concerned but if you’re someone who has had a difficult time with them I don’t think you need to feel under any obligation any more .. but that’s my opinion.

puppeteer · 05/01/2022 09:29

I would assess it from the point of view of your own personal risk profile.

You don’t say if you are vulnerable or older. But those are the starting headlines, after which it’s obesity, and so on.

It also seems that if you have managed to evade infection, then you might not be as well positioned immunologically as if you had been exposed. So if you have been being very careful and have n ever tested positive, perhaps you should consider it despite the side effect risk.

If you’re doubtful of your risk assessment, and even if you decide to take it, it does seem worth getting a second medical opinion. Your GP seems unhelpfully dismissive.

CalmDownBoris72 · 05/01/2022 09:44

I’m the same age, same experience after my 2 Pfizer but the headaches and general awful feeling lasted for weeks. I’m certain it was the vaccine, I just feel I was getting over my issues after vaccine 1 as I had vaccine 2. I still don’t feel 100%.

I’m really, really worried about the booster and really don’t want it but feel like I have no choice on the matter or I’ll be ‘selfish’ or will get the worst covid ever.

I have found Drs unwilling to discuss a link between this and vaccine too. It’s exhausting and I’m fed up of thinking about it.

Ohpulltheotherone · 05/01/2022 09:54

In your circumstances I personally wouldn’t m get the booster just yet.
Omicron is proving to be a much milder strain so on the balance of risk I’d probably avoid having the booster right now.

That’s not to say if another strain pops up, especially one more like delta, I’d probably have to bite the bullet and get it and plan to get support / childcare in place.

dogwog · 05/01/2022 14:58

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Nostrings457 · 05/01/2022 15:03

My experience

Had vaccine - 5 days later got covid and was very unwell

Had 2nd vaccine

Got covid a few months after and it was very mild

Got covid for the 3rd time and not much more than a cold. I am by no means anti-vax but am not really seeing the point in getting a booster