Has anyone had an asthma flare up after a covid vaccine (astrazeneca)? It could be complete coincidence, but my asthma is being an absolute pain and not responding as well as normal to ventolin (though interestingly is responding to extra formoterol). I am wondering if there's a link, as my asthma has otherwise been pretty good for the past few months.
For context, I had an awful reaction to the vaccine, fainting 6 hours afterwards, horrendous pain all over, and developing a fever of 40-41 degrees that wouldn't come down and required a trip to A&E for monitoring and to try to bring it down because it was dangerously high. (Apparently bad reactions are more common in people in their 20s, if anyone else has had reactions like this)
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Mine was a little affected, but not to the extent you describe. I had a temp of 39 and lots of other flu like symptoms. My peak flow dropped and I was a little short of breath at times.
I wasn't really sure if it was coincidence or direct cause either!
I was the same! Within hours of having the Astrazenica I came down with flu symptoms including a fever for about 48 hours.
I then had a severe asthma attack.
I very foolishly decided to deal with myself rather than call an ambulance. After the worst of the wheezing passed, I had symptoms (including being unable to say more than a few words without gasping) for nearly two weeks and had three more (less severe) asthma attacks.
Phone consultation with both doctor and clinical pharmacist suspected a ‘viral induced’ attack and to increase my preventer inhaler daily. That seemed to eventually do the trick.
I’d book an appointment with your doctor/ asthma nurse/ surgery pharmacist and see if they can help you through it. Seems like they’re aware it is a possible impact on some (not all) asthma sufferers.
I’m just about back to my ‘normal’ with asthma now. (woo!)
I did have acute side effects lasting 24 hours. But I'm wondering wether the astra jab has longer term side effects for asthmatics lasting weeks. Had astra jab 2 months ago and haven't stopped wheezing, was ok before the jab, now my clenil modulite is ineffective and I have to use ventolin, which I normally don't need.
If you haven't then you need to ask your GP or nurse for an urgent asthma review. Needing more ventolin than normal is a red flag for that and obviously you are symptomatic. It may be that you just need a short course of oral steroids to reset things and that your Clenil is ok (or will be after the after some steroids). Or it may be that your preventer needs increasing or changing to something different. But you definitely need to speak to someone.
I am with you Wheezycat. 70+ and asthma /COPD flare after first and second Moderna dose. Near a month now after second and still having breathing issues.
That is worse than it was for me. My breathing wasn’t affected, just felt distinctly achey and sleepless, then flat and listless the day after, and a bit after that, but that was all. I took it as a sign the vaccine was working - no bad thing!
I had the Pfizer vaccine and it affected my asthma, increased coughing and shortness of breath, it took a couple of weeks before I could walk up a hill (one that I frequently walk up) without feeling out of puff. The flu vaccine affects my asthma too although without the shortness of breath.
I had the Pfizer too. Had a severe attack....still not controlled after 3 weeks. I've been given Fostair to try. My doctor didn't feel it was to do with vaccine but this is my first severe attack since diagnosed with mild asthma 20 years ago. Hope you are feeling better.
Sorry to hear you been so unwell with your vaccine jab mine was quite the opposite it stimulated my immune system so much I haven't had to use my inhalers or nebulizer for 4 weeks and the chronic cough I have had for 12 yrs has also subsided hopefully for good after having a chest infection for the past 3 months I'm keeping my fingers crossed. only side effect was a slightly sore arm, keep safe hun, and take care
Sorry to hear this and hope youre feeling better now. Had my astrazeneca vaccine last thursday and had no effect on my asthma. Did get a dry cough for about an hour and needed my reiver but thankfully it passed. I did have a very bad fever for almost 2 days. Freezing cold, hot and achey. It calmed down by saturday but since been feeling dizzy on and off with a little nausea but not alot. Still dizzy today, (but may also be from allergies as im currently around a lot of flowers!). Hoping the dizziness and tiredness goes away soon! im also 34 years old.
I had no side effects to the Pfizer jab, just a sore shoulder for a day or so, whether there'll be more of a reaction after the second does we'll have to see – think there was a train of thought that those who had a large reaction to the first AZ would have less of a reaction to the second dose and vice versa but that's to be seen I would guess
Hi I've had a really bad reaction. I think. I've had very mild asthma for 20 years, never had a bad attack, it's allergic asthma but never had to use reliever. The day after my Pfizer jab I woke up with a stuffy nose and chest a little tight. From then I went downhill, had a severe attack, couldn't say a sentence without pausing for breath. I saw my doctor given steroids etc but now being tried on a new Fostair inhaler as the asthma hasn't settled 3 weeks later.I mentioned I'd never had an attack like this before and I had just had my covid vaccine but doctor didn't really react. Is it a coincidence? I really don't know. I've never felt this ill before and am interested to know if anyone else has been affected or if it was just coincidental.
It might feel severe compared to what you had previously experienced but, in the grand scheme of things, it may not have been severe - that would usually require emergency hospital treatment. I don't mean to minimise what happened because people can only base things relative to their own experiences - but needing steroids for a flare up or exacerbation is very common in asthma - oral steroids are basically a first line in treatment for that if ventolin isn't helping.
Whether it was the vaccine or not, you'll never know, but often one doesn't know what triggers things and, essentially, it doesn't matter - the important thing is it's dealt with, which it was with the steroids.
The Fostair should help (after it's had about 8 weeks to kick in properly) if it's asthma that's causing the issues, although we can often be left with weird breathing patterns after an exacerbation, especially if it's a new experience for us, because the body forgets how to breathe properly while it's dealing with the flare up. Furthermore, with it all being new, weird, different, frightening for you, it could be that anxiety is part of the issue now because it's dragging on. Breathing pattern issues and anxiety won't be improved by inhalers but any asthma remaining uncontrolled will be.
Yes I do take on board that my attack may well have been severe for me but perhaps not in comparison to others who have had to go to hospital. I do appreciate that and apologise if used the wrong wording. I guess to me it was severe. I agree that whatever caused it does not really matter and taking the medication to get better is what matters now.I appreciate that my anxiety due to this going on so long could well be part of the issue.
I am now trying to relax more and give the Fostair time to build up in my body.
Whatever it felt like to you, if that was worse than normal then absolutely to you that would be severe, particularly if previously you didn't have issues with your asthma. Apologies if what I said came across as dismissive - and please don't think you used the wrong wording or anything because, relative to yourself, it was more severe than normal - I was just trying to reassure you that where you were at at the time was very common in asthma and so things should come back under control. But it can be very frightening, whether it's mild and someone needs their blue inhaler for the first time ever.....right up to needing intubation in hospital.
And any anxiety, at any time, for any reason, is always tricky to manage - many of us have been there too so there will always be people to answer questions or give support if you need it.
I haven’t been on here for a long time but as I’m still below par I was looking for anything suggesting a possible link between asthma deterioration and the vaccine.
I had COVID in early March 2020 (pre lockdown and masks) and experienced myriad, as then unacknowledged, symptoms. My partner got it from me and was very ill with more typical symptoms but thankfully avoided hospital.
In 2021 my 2 Astrazeneca jabs coincided with Sahara dust - middle of February and the end of April; (I became aware of dust via red sludge in my bird bath! still low levels of it). Living near the coast & Lands End the wind gets here first!
Like you I had unchanging low level asthma for 20 years + but since the jabs/dust I’ve had various treatments and this led to Fostair at double the dose.
I found the resultant coughing, gross catarrh and exhaustion debilitating and couldn’t manage to do any of my usual exercise of walking the cliff path for months.
I currently have a blocked ear, (waiting for micro suction), chronic cough & catarrh (but thankfully no longer making me vomit) and I still have breathlessness which reduces my level of activity.
My nurse considers the vaccine was the trigger for this deterioration.
I hope you’re now recovered and I look forward to the day when I feel ‘normal’ again.
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