covid booster : just been reading that... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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covid booster

macymoo007 profile image
27 Replies

just been reading that the covid booster can bring on another episode of af in some people. Never even thought of that when I booked mine. I’m due to have it next Wednesday 2 days before I go on holiday. My last holiday last month was spent mostly in hospital due to another episode. This is why I’m having another holiday now as the last one was a disaster.

Does anyone know the stats on people with af having another episode following the booster?

I’m thinking I should cancel/postpone the jab?

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macymoo007 profile image
macymoo007
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27 Replies
TheBoys profile image
TheBoys

Hi

I ended up hospitalised last autumn after a booster - as ended up breathless and Arrythmic it totally scared me I don’t know the stats but you can get a vague sense by looking up NHS Yellow Card figures… I won’t be having any more.

jedimasterlincoln profile image
jedimasterlincoln

I don't know if any stats are out there specifically relating to AF but there must be data out there in the list of side effect by now, given that vaccination has been "a thing" for a couple of years.

I only had a raised HR when I contracted COVID proper, for the first time, in April 2020 and it took me a little longer to get over it than most. I was back at work on the front line within 4 weeks, my partner at the time was back inside 2 weeks.

I've had all the vaccinations available, including boosters, and my flu jab every year for the last 5 years at least that I can remember. I've not had an adverse reaction to any of them from an AF perspective, just the usual aching arm and a bit run down for a couple of days.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to jedimasterlincoln

The yellow card data list all sorts of arrhythmias under different headings like tachicardia, AF, ectopics, palpitations so it's very difficult to get true figures. I went looking for the same thin since last year I developed arrhythmia for 3 weeks immediately after my booster. Two months ago I was in hospital for 4 days with another bout which they said was "probably" caused by last year's booster ( my 5th) but they couldn't prove it. So I'm now on "wait and see if it happens again" but I will pass on this booster. It's your personal decision. I rarely leave the house so my risk is lower. I know I wouldn't go on holiday so soon after any vaccination purely because they all usually make me feel as if I have flu for several days.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

One of our members recently did a very unscientific straw pole on who had decided not to take any more vaccines because it triggered AF - Off the top of my head it was something like 59% decided not to take any further vaccines.

People are very troubled by this subject and many hold very strong views in both directions. I will not be having any further COVID vaccines, it’s a year since my last, I’ve had COVID for 2nd time 6 weeks ago and I was far less ill with COVID than after the jab which took me three weeks to recover from but that is only my personal experience, yours may be very different.

It seems to me that until we have the jab we really don’t know how we personally will respond so you can read as many thoughts and opinions it will not really help you decide.

As we are given no information prior to being in the room ready to receive it - which version it is going to be IF I was inclined to take another I would insist on knowing as I have heard that some people are receiving the old Pfizer booster without the protection against the latest strains.

There has to be more benefit to risk involved and for me personally, even though I am immune suppressed I surmise there are more risks with minimal benefit.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply to CDreamer

Given the latest real world data that has come out on the rapidly waning efficacy of the 2022 autumn booster when it was targeted at last year's strains it seems very odd that they would give it again - unless they want to use up leftover doses!

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply to Auriculaire

Agreed + being ineffective, given the new data which Prof Dalgleish seems to be disclosing it would suppress T cell activity which is a lot more useful than antibodies. But I know he is a very controversial figure.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply to CDreamer

I listened to a podcast he gave on the channel of an orthopaedic surgeon called Ahmad Malik - a young man of 47 who has had his medical career destroyed due to speaking out against the vaccine narrative and the handling of the covid epidemic in general. What he had to say about government and media censorship in the UK was very disturbing but I have read of the same problems here in France.The latest scandal emerging over the Pfizer jabs is about the manufacturing process. Apparently the jabs that were rolled out to the public were barely tested in the clinical trials. What was tested was made by what is being called Process 1. But this was not suitable for the mass production that was needed for billions of jabs. So another process was devised to cope with the amount needed. Process 2. But this second process resulted in a different product - one with far greater proportions of truncated mRNA and contaminants from the manufacturing process. These contaminants were meant to be filtered out of the final product. Some naughty scientists have analysed vials and found them still present. The regulatory bodies knew about this change of manufacturing process and the EMA stipulated that some trial participants must get Process2 vax. Out of 22 000 participants who received the vax only 250 got Process 2 and no results appear to have been published for them. As for the truncated mRNA they lowered the requirement for intact mRNA to 55%. It had been 70- 85 % in the Process1 vax. Oh and guess which one Pfizer employees got?

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply to Auriculaire

I am also very disturbed, especially about the amount of gagging that is going on. An NHS consultant friend of mine wrote a very interesting article at the start about the inadvisability of these vaccines, being a specialist in immunology they did know a bit about the subject but as you know I was very in favour in the first stages of the pandemic, no longer. I wish I had paid more attention to what was then said.

On the plus side - I am learning a huge amount about how our immune systems work and what is really important - all of which matches my experience with autoimmune and COVID. We were classed as extremely vulnerable, turns out that having autoimmune is not necessarily a bad thing as far as COVID is concerned - 🤷‍♀️

My neurologist and I joke that if I get another dose my autoimmune might be cured.

Very strange.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply to CDreamer

We are lucky here to have FranceSoir an independent news outlet whose editor in chief is a mathematician. Right from the beginning they have published articles by dissenting scientists and in depth interviews. The technical scientific detail is far greater than anything I have ever seen in the UK MSM such as Guardian or BBC. They were quickly tarred by the rest of the MSM here as a conspiracy site but funnily enough most of their " conspiracies" have turned out to be true .

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to CDreamer

My friend had a very bad reaction to her last pfizer shot; she's been t old not to have pfizer again but is finding it impossible to find where she can get moderna or another one that's come out. They just don't know which they will have until it arrives.

wilsond profile image
wilsond

I'd rebook ,as I'd be fretting about it after last time. I'd still get it done ASAP though.

10gingercats profile image
10gingercats

Based upon my own experience I would go ahead and have the jab.There will be a lot of social mixing on holiday plus as you are travelling so plenty of time to pick up Covid. Best to have some protection. But that is my opinion.I have had them all with, so far, no problems .

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly

I had a burst of AF after the flu jab but ok so far after the latest ‘best Covid vaccine, latest Pfizer’ according to the nurse. I agree it would be good to know beforehand what you’re getting. I agree with postponing it and hope you avoid the real thing!

Autumn_Leaves profile image
Autumn_Leaves

The risk benefit analysis that you need to weigh up is the risks of having the vaccine versus the risks of being ill with Covid. I’m sorry to say that we don’t have the choice to live in a world where Covid isn’t a reality. The “do nothing” option ie choosing not to have the vaccine also is about risk v benefit. The purpose of the vaccine is to prevent severe illness, hospitalisation and death in the vulnerable population. It doesn’t prevent infection but illness severity and complications.

The Covid booster is not available to the general population under the age of 65 except for those in vulnerable categories. You need to consider your own individual risk factors, not mine, not anyone else’s, not the decisions of strangers on the internet. Covid vaccination may provoke an episode of AF. Covid infection may provoke an episode of AF. I would agree that either way it’s not that much of a choice but sadly the pre-Covid world isn’t a reality. You’re going to get Covid regardless, but what’s your risk of severity? It’s entirely your decision.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply to Autumn_Leaves

Well put.

mjames1 profile image
mjames1 in reply to Autumn_Leaves

Well said! Covid triggered my afib, not the vaccine. Also the vaccine arguably kept me out of the hospital, or worse.

Jim

mjames1 profile image
mjames1

There are pro and con views of taking the booster, but I'll just deal with the timing issue you raised.

The negative of taking the booster right before your vacation, is that any insult/change to the force can precipitate an afib episode. The positive is that you might have more protection during your trip. If your afib is triggered very easily, maybe wait until you come back to be boosted. On the other hand, if you feel you need the protection, that might be worth the chance.

Jim

Desanthony profile image
Desanthony

I had mine on Friday and no problems - not even a sore arm. though as you are going on holiday so soon afterwards then I think it best you re-book for when you come back as any problem even if it's not AF you don't want to get whilst away and hopefully enjoying yourself. In the mean time get everything planned and packed well before hand so that you are not stressing and rushing at the last minute and relax so that you can enjoy your holiday.

Bagrat profile image
Bagrat

My understanding is that protection starts one to two weeks after a booster, I cancelled mine before a weekend away because of this.

secondtry profile image
secondtry

Great post relevant to many here. I would certainly postpone and if it was me cancel the booster.

Why.......I have read too much here and elsewhere on the heart and other risks. I appreciate I am in the minority but all I can say is I haven't seen any convincing reports showing that having the booster reduces the severity.

Evidently, there have been different batches of the same branded vaccine used , which may go some way to explaining why some have anecdotally suffered more than others. In short, this whole sorry saga is a dog's breakfast.

Thomas45 profile image
Thomas45

I had mine in one arm and flu in the other. No effects from either. I have now had, I think, 7 or 8 covid jabs or boosters, and probably 30 flu jabs, over the last 30 years, without any side effects. I am in permanent AF, though asymptotic, not caused by vaccines.

AF won't kill you but both covid and influenza could.

EyesWideNow profile image
EyesWideNow in reply to Thomas45

AF has had a very bad effect on my brother and probably will shorten his life-he’s only 57 and struggling! Sometimes the benefits are outweighed by the adverse reactions and it’s looking that way for some sections of people and vaccines unfortunately 🥴

Thomas45 profile image
Thomas45 in reply to EyesWideNow

Sorry to hear that. I've suffered from AF since I was 49, it started as paroxysmal and ended up as continuous and permanent, every second of every hour of every day. I have had asthma since I was 29. I am now 78. With the right treatment there is no reason why AF should shorten anyone's life. It will not kill you but it raises the likelihood of debilitating strokes, hence why anticoagulants are prescribed.

EyesWideNow profile image
EyesWideNow

This happened to my brother-he had the 2 jabs of Astra-zenica no problem but his next jab was mRNA Moderna and he hasn’t been well since. He used to be able to track back out of AF but he’s been in constant AF along with other problems since. I have decided along with him to not continue with Covid jabs as we have both had Covid since and hearing/reading about more and more long term issues coming to light 🥴

Thomas45 profile image
Thomas45 in reply to EyesWideNow

So you've both had covid, which presumably wasn't that bad because the vaccine protected you. I've not had covid, but I have previously had influenza and I don't want any strain of it again., or any strain of covid.

macymoo007 profile image
macymoo007

I am going to have the jab but going to wait till I get back off holiday.

doodle68 profile image
doodle68

Just booked my spring Covid booster, I didn't think there was one this year.

I am a bit concerned about doing anything to aggravated my AF having had an ablation in October and with the help of daily flecainide I am enjoying being in NSR after 8 months of almost constant symptomatic AF which was hell .

We will see, if there is an adverse effect I will deal with it .

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