I've had my first dose of the vaccine, at last! I had to fight for it, but that's another story, a long one too. Anyhow, I had the Oxford/Astra Zeneca and It has knocked me about a bit for a couple of days, tiredness, nausea, vertigo, lack of appetite all which are improving slightly now. Apart from my tremors, they got noticeably worse and haven't improved at all yet
I just wondered if anyone else had experienced this with the Oxford/Astra Zeneca or is it just coincidental, because of ataxia ?
Mel x
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memielou
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I think many people with or without ataxia have experienced these symptoms from the vaccine, so I shouldn't worry.
I too had these symptoms, and my headache transformed into a bad migraine, which I suffer regularly from. I think I suffer from migraines because I've oesto arthritis in my neck, more than the ataxia.
I guess we're weaker than "normal" people so we're more likely to have the reactions. Better than getting the covid though! 😉
Thank you for replying, Yes it has got to be so much better than getting Covid an i am NOT complaining. Now I will be able see my friends and family again, my children had put me on house arrest for fear of me contracting it, (my underlying conditions are not just cerebellar ataxia but I wont go into that) and I live on my own, it's been so frustrating. I'm soooo glad I have had the vaccine.I Just wondered if anyone else had noticed their tremors had got worse after having the AZ vaccine?
Hi memielou I had the Astra Zeneca one a week ago. I have had similar side effects to you. I haven’t got tremors but I hope the increase in these fade into the background. You are right I look on it as step one towards my passport to freedom. I will still apply caution and the usual steps to avoid it. I have met up with a friend outside for a socially distance walk. This was lovely. I don’t know about the eating outside which we will be able to soon. It will take a while before I am ready to do that. A picnic sounds a good idea though and I did take a couple of coffees from home this week as well. X
I had COVID in March last year. This lasted well over 2 weeks but the first couple of weeks were the first. I had cough, fever, shortness of breath. The strange thing about it for me was I didn’t lose my appetite and tea even tasted normal so it wasn’t flu. My son and his wife also had it just before me I was self isolating luckily and my symptoms started 12 days after theirs. They didn’t have tests then but my son called 111 as he was so concerned about me as my fever didn’t go even with maximum paracetamol and cold flannel on my head. A few weeks later my daughter in law had tests at the hospital for something unrelated and they did an antibody test for COVID. This confirmed it.
I was very anxious about going out after this in case I caught it again and still remain so.
My vaccine that I was so pleased to have was the Astra Zeneca one. With that I have had headaches and nausea, no pain at injection site. This comes and goes through the day and usually isn’t there until I eat or go to eat. Sometimes I cook and then can face my dinner I put it in the microwave and reheat it when I can face it. I have skipped meals because of this and I didn’t even put on lockdown weight but still need to lose some.
They do know that people who have had it may have a stronger response to the vaccine therefore they have more side effects.
I complete a symptom study and you I need to log side effects this goes into the data in the UK which is helpful to others. It also has a full list of symptoms. This is called the Zoe study app and they are asking more people in the uk to join it. It logs people who have tests as well this gives them an idea of the usual picture of health effects from COVID.
This is a blue icon and is available on IOS or Android phones. There is also a weekly update from a professor at Oxford University I think Tim Spector.
They look at all of the vaccines out there and give people undated info on all of them so are really useful.
I hope some people reading this want to take part as it really helps give good data. If they think you might have it you are also offered a test that they will send to your home. So all good as otherwise you need to be suffering from certain symptoms of lie that you do which is crazy.
I will update when my side effects are gone. They are NOWHERE near as bad as Covid and it would not put me off the 2nd vaccine. I am told that this gives people a sense of protection when they do venture out. But you are not protected for 3 weeks afterwards as it takes that time to build immunity in your system.
Please remember the length of time the side effects if any last depend on the person and maybe whether or not you have had the virus. I have had friends who haven’t had any side effects and theirs only lasted a day or two.
If you are reading this and haven’t had the vaccine or are nervous about it please speak to your GP they well put your mind at rest or look up Professor Tim Spector of GP Dr Sarah Jarvis they will allay your fears. All if the GPS on TV do and they are from all ethnic backgrounds.
Hi, yes I had bad side effects from it. My temperature was 39.1 and my head was banging. It took it three days to come back down and all week I have felt ill. It made my tremors worse too, feeling exhausted, off food and had shivers. I feeling a bit better now. I contacted my doctor, he told me they might be able to give a different type next time and they are researching it and should know in a few weeks. Not sure how I feel about that though.
Thank you for your reply Susie, and I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering too. Personally, I find the tremors I have, to be one of the most annoying symptoms of my ataxia and now they have got worse! I hope they return to the mild state that they were before. For you too.Like you, even though the AZ has knocked me about, I'm not sure that I would want to have a different type of vaccine for the next dose either, you wouldn't want one vaccine fighting with the other? it's a tough decision.
The side effects of the second Astra Zeneca one are less I have heard and the Pfizer one have less side effects on the first but more on the second. Read up on this first. I’ll see if I can find the link to show this comes from a reliable source for you. I hope you feel better soon x
Sorry I should have mentioned I have not got ataxia but I was interested in the thread.
Hi, my partner (no ataxia) had the Astra/Zeneca vaccine and was quite ill afterwards and my father-in-law (no ataxia) also had major headache afterwards. Both are better now.
Thank you for your reply... it seems to be the luck of the draw and I was one of the unlucky ones 🙄 story of my life ... only joking things could be worse, mustn't grumble 😊Mel x
Thanks Sue and good for you too. I had a right game convincing my new surgery to put me in this category 🙄 I had already educated my previous doctors, these new ones still have some learning to do 🤗 Best wishes,
Me too. Thanks for writing and letting us know. I too had the Astra zenica vaccine and feeling everything you mention except vertigo. Today is day 37 since I had vaccine and I am still feeling bad. What about jab 2 - mine is in April.
Thanks, I did report it to my GP, and he told me to write down what is happening because it could be ataxia or an infection. he wants rule out everything.
Hi I too had the AZ left me soooo fatigued heady no appetite and with migraines ( prone to them) also deep aches all over and feeling very cold lasted just over a weak I have CA but I’m back to my original self and so pleased I have had the vaccine I’m sorry to hear you have suffered/are suffering but hopefully not for long take care I wish you all the very best xx
Yes I had that one and had migraine, fever, and throwing up. It does say 1 in 10 get these side effects so not sure it was ataxia related. It only lasted a couple of days. I have had friends with those symptoms too who don’t have ataxia.
Yes Memielou, the vaccination resulted essentially in the worsening of my ataxia symptoms. My unsteadiness became positively perilous, my eyesight more unreliable etc etc. The condition remained like that for around forty eight hours. It inevitably must be viewed in the light of the fact that I'm seventy seven years old that must be factored in. Not anticipating the vaccine's effect I had unwisely chosen to remain downstairs for the evening. The consequence of this was that my wife and son had to virtually carry me to bed. After the top up jab I shall go to the bedroom on my return home, so hopefully avoiding that situation. Best Wishes
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