Covid-19 vaccination experiences

I am battling with myself over whether to have the flu vaccine. I haven't missed a year for about the last 20 years, but am suffering great indecision this time.

The problem is the reaction I had to the 3 covid vaccines. I am very frightened that something similar will happen.

I have not fully recovered from 2 xAZ and 1 xPf. I had severe symptoms after both v1 and v3. First was " almost anaphylaxis" ( quote from GP letter referring me to teaching hospital for third.) I think third was a full anaphylaxis ( good job I was in hospital), occurring within 15 mins, rushed to A and E, vomiting, passed out. After being pressed to have all three I was then advised not to have another because it could be " dangerous" maybe fatal but this advice was not repeated the next time I saw the GP.

Since then I have been refused knee joint surgery by a senior surgeon at the same hospital because it would be 'too risky', " fraught with danger" ( from the Consultant letter). The immediate reaction to v was terrifying and I don't plan on any more vaccines of any sort. I have lost trust in the system. I don't think enough care/ planning/ research was carried out and anyone claiming to be suffering from v induced symptoms was gaslighted. The yellow card system doesn't seem to work. I am concerned why AZ stopped being given in the UK. I am concerned at the lack of information on adverse events and angry at the failure to make clear that covid isn't over.

Then there are the post v symptoms. For the several months after v I had many. I kept a log for many moths. Many symptoms have eased but I still have severe joint pain not there before v. Orthopaedic Consultant said he had had a number of patients saying this. Brain fog and word finding are appalling; in fact whole orthostatic issues are worse. I am less stable when I walk the few steps I do in a day. I'm now 2 vs behind. I am almost 12 months after last v. I did have last winter's flu v eventually in Dec but cannot decide this year.

@SNT Gatchaman "The basic science is showing a number of pathways where the spike protein can cause pathology: whether viral or vaccine in origin. The assumption that the vaccine-induced spike protein remains local and has no systemic effect beyond immune training seems to have been misplaced." Thank you for posting this. It provides an explanation for the systemic effects. Why wasn't this found before offering vs to the population?

So what do I do about flu v? I've never had any problem with any v other than covid.

 

I'm having the same conversation with myself. Do I get the flu shot or is it too risky? Like you, I've never had a problem with any vaccine, not as a baby, a kid, a teen, or as an adult getting the yearly flu shot. Just the covid vaccines (2 Moderna and a Pfizer booster) have been the issue. I've come across several people who have had the flu shot and much to their surprise, it cleared up the adverse reactions from the covid vaccines. Being pretty much housebound most days since April, I think it is too risky at the moment for me to even consider another shot of any kind.

 

@Tiger!ilea- hard luck. I hope you can improve so as to go out soon.
I have been going out by wheelchair but visiting gardens and having any drinks outside. I did invite a friend to visit for an hour but she did an LFT and masked.

I have always had a flu jab even from being relatively young so it feels odd not to have one. I won't have any more covid ones. Mr B has a heavy cold at the moment and is regularly testing with LFTs, so I'm waiting to see what will happen.

 

You can't really know how you'll respond, which makes it difficult. Might it be easier to think about the likelihood of being exposed to 'flu, and what might happen if you did catch it?

People who're very young, elderly, or who have some underlying conditions can be really quite vulnerable to 'flu, whereas for others it's a horribly unpleasant experience but there's a low risk of long term consequences.

I don't know whether it was known or not, but I doubt it would have made any difference. Many more people would have died if it hadn't been for the immunisation programmes, and researchers and health professionals knew that. When you're making decisions for populations rather than for individuals, the strong likelihood that a minority will suffer ongoing post-immunisation effects is unlikely to trump the alternative, which is a minority losing their lives altogether.

 

I have never had a flu shot and I'm 60 yrs old. I'm more concerned about Covid right now b/c cases are going up again. I've picked up the phone 3 times to book n app't for a home visit and then I hang up.

 

@Mij -sending you all good wishes. Tough decision.

 

The last time the flu hit hard around BC back in about 2018 or 2019 (I can't remember which year now) it was the people in their 50s who were dying from the flu that year. And these were people who appeared to be healthy and they don't know why it happened.

 

Got my latest COVID booster on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

In addition to the sore arm I had a few days of body aches (took max dose of ibuprofen) and feeling more crap than usual, lots more exhaustion. But no fever. And no nausea, thank goodness! (side effect that I got from Shingles vaccine)

So I think that's about the same reaction as previous COVID booster, lasting about 3-4 days.

I seem to be back to baseline today.

 

For what it's worth, I had this year's (Southern Hemisphere) flu vaccine back in April. I've had it every year for the last 16 and this year like all previous years was no problem whatsoever for me.

 

I've been told that this year's flu vaccine is particularly well-targeted, so to speak - can anyone confirm?

 

Just thought I'd share here. Got the bivalent booster some 2.5 days ago and have had fevers and chills, sweats, feeling drunk and foggy, mild chest pain, increased POTS symptoms, some shortness of breath on walking that I did not have pre vaccine. None of that happened with my 2 vaccines and booster.

I hope it goes away.

 

A year ago today I was in the A and E department of a large teaching hospital experiencing a severe reaction to my 3rd v dose. I felt more ill than I had ever felt in my life.

Today that hospital has put out a message advising patients not to attend the A and E department unless they are very severely ill because they are overwhelmed: and it's only Oct 2nd.

eta: headline in article in the Observer "Patients told to stay away from A and E as virus admissions soar by 37%."

 

So...an 'Accident and Emergency' department has told people involved in accidents, or who have a medical emergency, not to go there?

That only people who are severely ill should go.

I wonder, does having, say, a car accident, that results something unimportant, like a person's left leg, being severed, does this count as an accident (yes), an emergency (yes), a very severe illness (no) - so such people should not go to A&E?

Well that's okay then, just as long as things are clear.

(Although maybe they should change the sign, from 'accident and emergency' to something else....)

 

this is another topic, but locally we are being told to not use emergency rooms for things that could be dealt with in primary care. The problem is that oftentimes, the family practitioner is out of reach (appointment weeks away) and there is no intermediate for semi-urgent matters (say, gallbladder issues, bladder infections for instance). Until there is after hours services, people will keep on going to emergency rooms for care as they need

 

Same in the UK: ring NHS Direct or whatever they're called these days, and you'll probably be triaged to go to A&E regardless. (I got sent there for what was diagnosed as a case of gastroenteritis, I think. Really good idea taking that into a room full of people.) Have a mental health crisis? Straight to A&E. Need any sort of out-of-hours attention? A&E.

 

I've just written to my doctor to ask if I can get the autumn booster. He added me to group 6 for the initial vaccine so hoping I'll be able to get this one too.

I've never had the flu vaccine.

 

Another issue is that many Canadians don't have a GP, they are going to the ER for non urgent care.

Here at CHEO (children hospital of eastern Ontario) they're telling parents to bring 'toys, snacks and blankets' b/c the wait times are getting longer. The ER are making the sickest a priority.

 

There are approximately 900,000 British Columbians without a GP. I'll be one of those people in the next year as my doctor wants to retire. She had planned on retiring this year, but, like other doctors in BC, can't find a doctor to buy her practice. So now her plans are to stay for another year or two with a locum covering for her when she wants time off. Last year 100,000 moved to BC so I hate to think how bad the problem is going to be in a few years time. There are so many GPs here who plan on retiring in the next few years.

 

My GP of 36 years retired last year. Her retirement announcement letter was very thoughtful and she mentioned that she understood how difficult it was to find a new GP, so she waited a little longer to retire. Thankfully she found a replacement! I'm meeting my new GP in a couple of weeks. At this point I don't even care if she thinks M.E is whatever. I'm just thankful I have a GP!

@TigerLilea how long do you think it will take to find a new GP? Do you have an approximate time?