Fully Vaxxed and Grateful: Johnson... - Allergic to Glycols

Allergic to Glycols

Fully Vaxxed and Grateful

linabella profile image
linabellaAdministrator
3 Replies

Johnson & Johnson's COVID vaccine does not contain PEG or PG, but it does contain polysorbate. Some of us with glycol allergies react to polysorbate and some don't.

I had no information about whether or not I'd react to polysorbate because it wasn't on my radar to avoid until recently. I was getting pretty freaked that I might have to spend the rest of my adult life in my house so I looked up the inactives on every medication I take to see if I'd been taking anything with polysorbate.

Luckily I discovered polysorbate in my eye drops. I was able to get the J&J vaccine in May and just had my booster last week. No hives, no allergic reaction, just the normal fatigue and achiness for a few days.

I tell you this in case you know you are allergic to glycols, but don't yet know about polysorbate - you might be able to use the J&J vaccine.

I know that many of us with allergies still don't have a vaccine, and I encourage you all, even if you are fortunate enough to have been vaccinated without a reaction, to continue to lobby drug manufacturers to find glycol-free alternatives to life-saving vaccines and medications.

Stay safe, all of you. The world needs your wisdom.

Amber

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firsttriplet profile image
firsttriplet

Thanks Amber for your post. It's encouraging to know that you could get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. I'm new to this glycol allergy! My allergist has diagnosed me by way of process of elimination and the common denominator of what is in the medications that make me not breathe. I have an appointment in January to actually get tested for the allergy AND they have an allergist there that has treated glycol allergy patients! It has been a nightmare to try to find someone that can test and treat it. I love my allergist, but he hasn't had a patient with this allergy before. When I ask him a question, I can hear him typing away at the computer trying to come up with an answer. I want a doctor that is familiar with it. Hopefully, by the end of January I will have more answers.

River-daughter profile image
River-daughter

Another one here with a PEG allergy that didn’t react to J&J. My allergist had me premeditate with Claritin 24 hour on a given schedule, and I was fine.

linabella profile image
linabellaAdministrator in reply toRiver-daughter

I’m so happy to hear that! Amber

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