As promised I'm updating on the vaccine situation. I had my vaccine this morning - it's the Astrazeneca one. My GP made it known they were doing Group 6 a week ago, so I called and got my slot this week. So far so good.
Usually with the flu jab my arm swells up and aches and I feel shattered. So far nothing of the sort has happened with the covid vaccine. No swelling on my arm at all. No redness. No tiredness. No pain. Very slight arm ache but nothing compared to what the flu vaccine usually does to me. All in all it seems to be pretty awesome.
I'll update when I have the second one or if the situation changes but so far no problems here - no flare and no reaction. Hoping this continues.
By way of background - I'm in my late 30s, I have lupus and sjogren's syndrome and was diagnosed through blood results and biopsy results about 6 years ago. I take hydroxychloroquine daily.
PS Fully appreciate I'm massively lucky right now - I feel absolutely dreadful for all of the people on here flaring and am sending you love and hope you recover soon.
*UPDATE 1*
Ok yes, I have experienced a delayed punch to the vaccine. Willow1414 - thank you for preparing me for this in the comments, you were spot on. I'm still glad I had it and it's nothing serious, but I have woken up with a sore and achey arm, fatigue and a bit of a headache. Still no temperature, no swelling and no redness at least. It's nothing that paracetamol can't fix. It reminds me of the days when I was a teenager and went clubbing. Basically it feels like I waved my arm around in the air too much while dancing, drank too much and didn't make it home until the early hours of the morning. I'd still take this 'vaccine hangover' over covid itself any day. I'll update later on how long it lasts.xxx
*UPDATE 2*
So the headache and the fatigue disappeared after I got out of bed and had some breakfast - so only lasted maybe a couple of hours at most. The sore and stiff arm remains. Otherwise everything else is fine. I can see people are frightened - I can understand it - but at least with the vaccine it's a controlled situation. Of course everyone should make their own decision, but I will say this, 24 hours on from having had the vaccine I'm still delighted I had it. Zero regrets. I'll update on when the sore arm passes.
*UPDATE 3*
48 hours in and still sore and stiff arm but less sore and stiff than yesterday. Oddly it's also a bit itchy. But it feels like things are moving in the right direction. So progress.
*FINAL UPDATE*
Hey folks so this will be my final update, I'll post again when I get the second dose. It is now day 3 since I was vaccinated. The only residual I have is covid-arm. It's not fun and it is a bit painful, it's basically a bit of shoulder joint pain and a stiff arm. My other joints are not in pain so I know I'm not flaring and I have no temperature. What I'm doing to keep it at bay is taking paracetamol and rubbing voltarol gel on my shoulder, elbow and wrist joint. I'm also keeping my arm as immobilised as I can within the confines of my day job. I expect after a few more days it will go and I'm not worried about it. Again I would choose this over covid so still feel like I got the better end of the deal!
Sending you all love in these tough times - the end is nigh and freedom beckons! I'll post when I get vaccine two in about 12 weeks time and let you know how that goes.
Vaccine 1 for me has been worth it - no regrets whatsoever only relief and gratitude that I am one of the lucky ones on the planet to have been vaccinated so quickly. I really hope the vaccine rolls out to our brothers and sisters in other nations soon too. xxx
Can confirm: end of day 4 no more covid arm and back to normal.
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Insomniacette
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I have Sjogrens Syndrome, connective tissue dis-order *similar to Lupus - half way Lupus* Rheumatologist diagnosed me, same as you with blood tests, biopsy.
I take Hydroxychloroquine daily.
I also react to yearly flu jab, like you too.
This has reassured me, as we seem to have the same condition.
May I ask, were you given choice of vaccine? or booked in specific for AstraZeneca Oxford jab? This is the only one I can have.
Hey Energy14, I didn't get offered a choice of vaccine - I'm not precious about it though so I didn't ask. They all seem to work enough to prevent death and that's what I'm after. Something that will make sure I don't end up on a ventilator. Best of luck with your jab! Let me know how it goes. I'm still feeling hunkydory so far so really hope that's the same for you! Sending you love!
Thank you for sharing! I’m so worried about the jab. I have Sjogrens Syndrome, Hashimoto’s, Esinophillic Oesophagitis, blood disorders and other things. I take Hydroxy and Budesonide steroid and several other things x
I can understand the concern Michelle. Maybe check in with your doctor for some reassurance? I find talking things through with my doctor (if it's a good doctor) helps me. For my part, I can say, I'm still very happy I had it done. I'm more frightened of covid than the vaccine. xxx
Yes I guess thats the crux of my mistrust. I did trust implicitly but not now after neglect and unnecessary interventions - blood transfusions against my will have made me really poorly. A NZ consultant wrote this to my British GP years ago and now I totally agree. After a lifetime of neglect I’m meant to trust them? And so many others neglected. Also why give it to people who’ve had covid and children who will develop their own immunity. I probably will have it as you have given me confidence having SS yourself but the whole mandatory thing is a huge worry x
I fully understand. I often feel enraged at poor or disinterested doctoring - why become a doctor if you have no interest in actually caring for or taking an interest in your patients' wellbeing?! Sigh. That said it's not all the individual rheumatologist's fault, the entire way lupus/sjogren's patients are cared for is off IMHO. So I understand the mistrust. My view, for what it's worth, is that the vaccine is being done in a controlled situation, whereas catching covid is completely uncontrolled, particularly given all the different variants. So of the two the vaccine seems to me to be the lesser of two evils and the safer option. Obviously there's also the wider societal good - the more people getting the vaccine the more protection for people who can't have it for other health reasons. But ultimately it's up to each individual what they do to their own body.
So sorry about your catching covid and then having long covid but pleased you're feeling happy and secure in your choice to get the vaccine Smckntsh3 ! May you feel better!!xx
Hi, had my first jab ( Oxford) 2 wwek ago, had headache following day, fatigue for most of week at work, sore heavy arm for a few days, then Monday I got a itchy hot rash appear were I had the jab, now Friday its about disappeared, apparently its common and called the Covid arm 😎
Hi Insom, the rash as now cleared so roughly a week, doc just said don't scratch the area just a gentle rub with palm of your hand to reduce causing infection, hope this helps and take care.
Let's hope this is the light at the end of the tunnel, but the next month will tell us that as we slowly start to get back to some normality 👍🙏
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