Post Vaccine Lung Function

[StobiMan]

Upon receiving my second Pfizer shot in Feb I began noticing my lung capacity was reduced when performing any exercise or work-related activity. My Fitbit heart rate during walking jumped from the mid-90s to 110 to 120. In addition, my sleep pattern, which was already poor, is worse. I found I have problems sleeping on my left side and it requires me to adjust my arm above my head. And as someone who dealt with asthma attacks before meds brought it under control, this is eerily familiar. I've had my primary prescribe rescue inhalers, but was curious if anyone else was experiencing lower lung functions post-vaccine?

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

I have not heard of a reaction to the Covid Vaccines similar to the one you are describing. Also, the lung situation seems to have been well after the vaccine was administered and not an anaphylactic type reaction, which is something that is stated may (rarely) occur.

There are many asthma triggers listed in the linked article. The majority of the triggers are airborne--and the last paragraph mentions infections like influenza, cold, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can trigger asthma attacks. It would be helpful for you to have the test that can identify the source of your situation. The RSV test can be done in the same manner as the Covid test is done--swabbing the nasal passages.

cdc.gov/asthma/triggers.html

[StobiMan in reply to cllady01]

Thank You cllady01.

I experienced severe reactions with every vaccine shot. In fact, after reviewing the list of vaccine side effects, I don't recall one that I didn't experience. My armpit lymph nodes swelled to 9 to 10 cm (not mm) and have never returned to normal. The booster kept me in bed for a week. The 100 or so sinus infections that led to my asthma issues were airborne related (work environment) but since I retired in 2011 I've only suffered one and that was three years ago in the Balkans.

I have an appt with the doctor that has treated my allergies/asthma for 25 years, so I'm curious as to his diagnosis.

Thanks again

[Titian72 in reply to cllady01]

I had severe side effects with both vaccines, to the point that I am really relluctant to get the booster shot. My armpit gland swelled to about a golf ball size but did reduce after 3 months. Apart for literally all the listed side effects, I also had numbness on the upper part of my body and arms. My breathing was like yours but it got better after a few weeks but since the second shot I can feel swelled glands on my jaw line which are small but have not gone away, not sure if they are the vaccine side effect or CLL progression (I am on W&W 1 year). Good luck !

[StobiMan in reply to Titian72]

I'm hoping to visit the UK next year. The first pint is on me. You take care.

[Titian72 in reply to StobiMan]

Second pint on me sir!

[Shedman]

I had quite similar reaction to all 3 jabs: 2x AZ, latest Pfizer..Worst was probably first jab..

Chills and shakes coming on after 5-10 hours..

24hours of tachycardia, with a need for bed rest.

Interesting aspect of Pfizer was seeing my blood oxygen drop alongside the tachycardia.. which suggests to me (guesswork) that all that spike protein production work resulted in inflammation and a reduction in muscle performances, thus lower heart volume and worsened oxygen exchange..

Hence tachycardia and blood oxygen.

A few days later, and I briskly walked 5 miles yesterday. No asthma exacerbation; my asthma is controlled, though a cold virus or air pollution will readily cause me problems.

I aim to eat wisely to limit diet related inflammation: low sugar, low carbohydrate, no seed oil, a good amount of saturated fats, of fatty fish and of green leafy veg.

Thanks for sharing. Hope you find that it improves.

[CLLCalifornia-USA]

I had such severe side effects on Moderna that I will not be doing a booster. I did get my flu shot with no problems. Let us know what your doctor has to say. Best of luck. Sally

[StobiMan in reply to CLLCalifornia-USA]

Thank you, Sally

[marcyh]

My Pfizers are triggering old problems. The amazing success of my (heart) ablation last spring has suffered (heart racing, rhythm problems are back) and my autoimmune symptoms are markedly worse. I know of others for whom this is the case and there are many reports to this effect. You are not alone.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to marcyh]

Marcy, it's interesting that you mention this. From this recent US National Institutes of Health study report, Autoimmune response found in many with COVID-19,

"At a Glance

- In a small study, about half of people hospitalized with COVID-19 had antibodies in their blood that could mistakenly attack the body’s own proteins and tissues.

- More work is needed to see if these autoantibodies contribute to the symptoms of “long COVID,” or have other effects later in life."

nih.gov/news-events/nih-res...

Note in particular, with my emphasis, "The researchers found that about half of the people hospitalized with severe COVID-19 had at least one type of autoantibody circulating in their bloodstream. In contrast, only 15% of healthy controls had such antibodies.

About 50 of the people with COVID-19 had blood samples drawn on more than one day, including the day they were first hospitalized. The scientists found that about 20% of these didn’t have any autoantibodies when they were first admitted but developed them over the course of their illness.

In some people, the levels of autoantibodies were very high, close to the levels seen in autoimmune diseases. Common targets of these misdirected antibodies included immune system proteins such as cytokines, which normally help coordinate the immune response.

:

Excessive inflammation could also boost production of autoantibodies that had previously only existed in the body at very low levels. Vaccination against COVID-19 is much less inflammatory than infection with the virus. In a separate study that looked at COVID vaccination, none of the healthy volunteers developed autoantibodies.

“Patients who, in response to vaccination, quickly mount appropriate antibody responses to the viral spike protein should be less likely to develop autoantibodies,” Utz says.

Neil

[StobiMan in reply to marcyh]

Thanks Marcy

[bonbeat]

I had 2 shots of the Moderna vaccine and got particularly sick after the second shot. I had fever, chills, aches and a cough/wheeze. The cough/wheeze lingered for months. My hematologist sent me to a pulmonary specialist and after everything else was ruled out, it was determined that the new respiratory symptoms were triggered by the vaccine. It was explained to me that because of my CLL and compromised immune system, anything out of the ordinary can trigger responses in the body. I did test positive for some plant/mold allergies and it appears that the vaccine may have triggered the symptoms, and even though these allergies may have been present in the past, I did not have any symptoms until after the vaccine. . I also feel a difference in my lung capacity as you have also described. I was started on daily inhalers which I did not tolerate due to stomach irritation. I am happy to say that it has been 6 months since I had the vaccine and cough/wheeze is greatly improved and I am attempting to build my lung capacity through exercise. My General Practitioner suspected the vaccine as the cause of my symptoms from the start. He told me that many people are having lingering symptoms from both Covid infection and from the Covid Vaccine.

[StobiMan in reply to bonbeat]

Good info, Thanks,