Migraine and covid19 vaccine side effects

[Katya3]

Hi all, I had the Astra Zeneca vaccine on Sunday and am in to my 4th day of side effects. These include nausea, extreme tiredness, skin itching, headache across forehead (not vertical through one eye like a migraine) and body aches. All of these are included in the list of common side effects (ie 1 in 10 people get them), What does not seem to be common is the length of time it is going on for, Other people I have spoken to had this for 24 hrs whereas my symptoms are still going strong 4 days later. Unlike migraine, symptoms respond to ordinary pain killers. I would be interested to know if other migraine sufferers have had the same experience as me. Hopefully not, but if this is a common phenomenon could there be an interaction between migraine and COVID vaccines which needs investigating?

And a word of warning, don't assume you can just carry on with routine activities having had the vaccine, Even 24 hrs of these side effects wipe you out completely. Time to get help with childcare (HA HA) and cooking and not have any pressing work deadlines.

[Frodo]

Hi, I have migraine with autoimmune disorder, and while I didn't have severe acute side effects (Pfizer) I have felt generally unwell with headache going on and on, more than usual tiredness, now three weeks later. The same happened with the flu vaccine, although with that it was a bit different: I had initial mild side effects as expected, then three really good days, then relapsed and felt generally unwell for a few weeks - it seemed to me that both vaccines triggered my usual symptoms and made them worse, is the best way to describe it. However, I was still pleased to have the vaccines as I don't want to get severe flu or coronavirus. That would be far worse.

The other possibility is that you caught the virus, or another virus, while getting the vaccine, or a few days before?

[Mavary]

Hi Katy. I had the Astra Veneca vaccine. I woke up that night burning up. I took a couple of paracetamols and went back to sleep. I got up the next morning feeling fine. I walked to our local garage to get my car, came home, had my lunch and sat down. I then started to shiver. I took my temperature and it was up slightly so took another couple of paracetamols and after that I was fine. I know other people have been quite ill with it though. Still at least we are partly covered from this awful virus. Sorry to hear it has effected you so badly.

[bamboo89]

I had the AZ vaccine last Tuesday - I'm still getting some side effects and I note the leaflet I was given does say these can go on for up to a week. The headache isn't so much of an issue, its no longer permanent, more comes and goes, its the slight fever in the evenings, achy joints, fatigue and need to sleep a lot and last night I noticed the injection site was achy and itchy, though there are no visible signs of anything on the skin.

I assume it will all pass eventually and comfort myself with the thought that it beats having Covid into a cocked hat - my son went through that 6 months back, very unpleasant. Its also a possibility you may have had Covid previously (whether you knew it or not), which means vaccine side effects exacerbated . I had something very Covid like in late January 2020 which at the time was not thought to be 'this new virus' because I 'hadn't been to China', so no idea if it was or not, but it was ghastly, feeling so ill and not being able to breath properly for a couple of months. However it might explain why I'm still feeling off after the vaccine... or it might not, it might just be my over sensitive system...

Fingers crossed it passes soon for you

Miriam

[Swim21]

I had pfizer vaccine 30 hours agoAnd feel like ive been run over by a bus. My 10 month long chronic migraine has exacerbated and i ache everywhere and feel as weak as a kitten with no energy at all. Hope it soon passes.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to Swim21]

Thanks for letting us know. I would say gove it 48 hours and if not contact your doctor. Many people have similar symptoms. Hope you feel better soon

[ACritical in reply to Swim21]

I hope you are now feeling much better!

[DogMama]

I have other health conditions: CRPS, fibro, arthritis & asthma and after receiving the AZ vaccine, I had flu-like symptoms for 8 or 9 days afterwards.

The headache was severe and one of the worst symptoms, but not a migraine. I took ibuprofen for my symptoms.

Hope you feel better soon!