Report from a Doctor in USA - An unexpected CO... - CLL Support

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Report from a Doctor in USA - An unexpected COVID-19 vaccine side effect

Jm954 profile image
Jm954Administrator
26 Replies

This is his first hand report.

"Today, I had my second shot of the Pfizer vaccine and suffered an unexpected and unreported side effect. That’s the problem with a new medical treatment; you never know what might happen.

Just a few seconds after the needle penetrated my arm, I felt a mild soreness, kind of like a flu shot. As I sat for the required 15 minutes of observation time, a wave of something engulfed my body. It was such a strange, unfamiliar sensation that I didn’t realize what was happening. I looked around the room at the other medical personnel getting their shots, and no one seemed to pay me any attention. I wasn’t changing color, short of breath, or breaking out into a sweat. I did harbor reservations about the safety of this new vaccine that seemed rushed to market. Was I about to become a statistic in the next FDA safety bulletin?

It seemed like forever, but finally, I divined what was happening to me -I felt different inside. A fundamental change had occurred deep within my body. I sensed that others in the room experienced a similar feeling. I struggled to recall the name of the emotion. It had been so long - it was happiness!

In fact, I was more than happy. I was joyful, almost euphoric. Today and every day could now be different. Anxiety would no longer shroud my being from morning until night. It was 2021, a new year, a beginning of a world without masks, face shields, gobs of sanitizer, and social distancing.

As I drove home, a giant smile erupted on my face and almost dislodged my mask. Unless I became an asymptomatic carrier, I would no longer pose a deadly threat to my family when I returned home from work each day. There was a 95 percent chance I had become invulnerable to this freak of nature. I now contributed to herd immunity and my vaccination would help protect everyone in the world who could not get vaccinated, even those who refused the potentially life-saving vaccine. For the first time, I could imagine a world without COVID-19"

....... and that would be wonderful wouldn't it? :)

Jackie

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Jm954
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26 Replies
sun_flower profile image
sun_flower

I was worried when l started reading this but how lovely as l read on fantastic news and positive, thankyou x

mrsjsmith profile image
mrsjsmith in reply tosun_flower

Me too sunflower. Glad the article had a happy end. I cried when I spoke to the woman who booked me in for mine last week, but happiness and relief.Colette

sun_flower profile image
sun_flower in reply tomrsjsmith

Can't wait to get mine but will have to wait 😷

BluMts profile image
BluMts

Thanks so much for that. I'm anxious about my shot due soon. Lovely post

Peggy4 profile image
Peggy4

Well that’s just lovely! ❤️

Coffeejenny profile image
Coffeejenny

Can’t wait for mine,can’t wait for some sort of normality in the future

Eucalyptus22 profile image
Eucalyptus22

You had me worried there - for just a minute!!!

Instead, a heart warming report. My husband had his first jab last week and you could see the anxiety just melt away from him. Only a temporary feeling until he gets his second jab!

stewie profile image
stewie

Got me there Jackie 😜 , thought here we go more bad news ,,,

Take care

Stewie

Shedman profile image
Shedman

Please everyone realise that there is really nil chance that anyone becomes ‘invulnerable’ through vaccination... That would be highly unlikely .. no, not 5% unlikely, more like 50% unlikely.

The vaccine aims to provide us with antibodies that can get to work if/when we get infected.

If when we get infected, there is nil knowing whether or not we will be infectious to other people.

Reality check! The vaccine, in 6-12 months time, will be excellent news, hopefully, assuming no nasty mutations arise..

But the most vulnerable will remain very vulnerable to COVID19.

The vaccination of other people won’t necessarily protect them from getting very ill.

The vaccination won’t necessarily prevent the vaccinated from giving COVID19 (and mutations) to the most vulnerable..

Sorry everyone - get vaccinated, be glad of the efforts to arrive at effective vaccines, and hope / pray that success in vaccinating most of the population of all countries of the world will see a huge change in our fortunes with this pandemic. It is reason for hope. It is reason for feeling good.

And with that good feeling, time to breathe, relax, appreciate that we are likely turning the corner with this virus, and be reminded to keep being duly cautious, limiting the number of our contacts in line with understanding how transmission occurs — most of all, breathing airborne virus in enclosed indoor spaces.

Use mitigations - ventilation, air purifiers, face masks.. see that infected people isolate from us until they are well - ideally, until they get a negative test.

Sorry, the vaccine does not suddenly change everything, not even for those who receive both doses of a vaccine. First to give it 3-6 weeks to develop your immune response (and CLL patients likely don’t get full immune response) and then to await vaccination of >60% of the population.

Stay cautious and safe. This is a very nasty virus.

SofiaDeo profile image
SofiaDeo in reply toShedman

I don't think the intent was to convey that anything changed physically in real time immediately regarding Covid prevention, it's the emotional response of knowing you finished jab #2, the first physical step towards that world of no masks, face shields, etc. It's akin to waking up after the surgery they thought you might not get through.....there's still a long road ahead to complete recovery, but crossing that peak, it's euphoric indeed!

Jm954 profile image
Jm954Administrator in reply toSofiaDeo

Exactly, :)

stewie profile image
stewie

Hi Shadman , I think most people realise this but it will go a long way to the infections coming down , which in turn makes it less likely to catch this horrid virus , we all still need to be really careful for many months to come but there is hope My consultant ( professor) cll said we should get some response from the vaccine , this in turn will give us a certain amount of protection hopefully stop any severe form of covid , trials showed older patients also received a good response I know they don't have CLL but it can be a good guide , this is not my statement ......this is what he was telling me

Take care and stay safe2021

Stewie

LeoPa profile image
LeoPa

That's the optimistic version. Now with all these new mutations in the picture, Brazil, SAR and probably more in the making, who knows how long that immunity will last. 🙁. My wife got her first Pfizer shot a week ago as a healthcare worker. A little soreness in the arm was all to it. Now I can feel a bit safer too.

very profile image
very

What a lovely post, we are hoping to get our shots soon.jenny uk

bettyba profile image
bettyba

Wonderful readx

Meamiaam10 profile image
Meamiaam10

Thank you for this! I’m eagerly waiting for my “call here”... so nice to see positive stories as so many are bleak right now.

Sometimes we forget that side effects can be caused by one's state of mind. I hope to have Ode to Joy running thru my head after I get vaccinated on Friday.

Jm954 profile image
Jm954Administrator in reply toThe-Man-with-a-Plan

Sounds good to me! :)

Dancelu profile image
Dancelu

beautiful. I get my first shot next week and already feel different just knowing I have an appointment. Thanks for that uplifting letter.

Srta profile image
Srta

I believe it takes 14 days for this to fully work so still take care.

SofiaDeo profile image
SofiaDeo in reply toSrta

It can be longer than 14 days, and likely is, in immune compromised people such as ourselves. And until most everyone is vaccinated, we shouldn't let down our guard/preventative measures.

Dawn-Marie profile image
Dawn-Marie

I got my 2nd covid vaccine this week also. As I sat for my 15 minutes. I felt my body get warm and was also thinking will I have a reaction. I was told by some others the 2nd vaccine was worse???? My anxiety was high! Self talking! I trust science! I have been in health care for 30 years. I love science courses in college. My best grades were in science. I am so glad that I made the decision to get the vaccine. With of course doing as much research as possible. I am 13q cll dx in 2017. I am grateful today! Thank you Jesus❤️

Suzie42 profile image
Suzie42

Cannot wait to experience that, fingers crossed my day will come very soon. Thank you for your lovely uplifting post

BeckyLUSA profile image
BeckyLUSA

I understand exactly how you feel. This is not a head in the sand, ignoring the science kind of feeling, but a good feeling knowing one has done all they can do on their part to help the situation! I got my first shot (Phizer) on Tuesday and the atmosphere in the Coliseum venue was amazing, even with an appointment it took aver two hours, but no one got upset, everyone was jovial, and when it was finished people were almost euphoric. Maybe not back to normal, but the beginning of a new normal, a normal that is better than what we have just been through. And if you are reading this, you have survived COVID thus far and therefore are better of than the millions that have died. I have the deepest sympathy for those that did not survive and their families. This is not over; unfortunately more will die. But I can at least say I have done what I can do to make a difference. BeckyL USA

Jm954 profile image
Jm954Administrator

Good to hear Becky :)

Smac29 profile image
Smac29

That’s a wonderful feeling!! So happy for you!

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