Hello. I’ve not posted for a while and tend to just read others posts.
I just wanted to say I had the Pfizer Vaccine yesterday afternoon (I live in North Wales). I called the health board and booked my own appointment at the mass vaccination centre.
My upper arm is sore today but no headaches/shivers etc. Before bed I took 2 paracetamol. My dad has Polycythaemia Vera too and had the Oxford Vaccine last week (he lives around the corner from me and went to the GP surgery). He did have headache/shivers but only for 24 hours.
The gentleman who vaccinated me suggested I contact my consultant to check if I should be having my 2nd jab in 3 weeks (rather than 12 weeks) given the nature of the PV - has anyone else been advised of this?
Sue
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SusiePlums
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Hi Susie ,Good you were ok after vac,I did not have sore arm but was rather poorly for 3 days.I am PV take Jakavi.Have my second vac in 3 weeks. All at my usual hospital so they have all my details .Keep well.
Thank you for replying and sorry to hear you were unwell after your first vaccine. I do hope you don’t experience that again and you’re not too worried about the second jab.
I’ve put an email in to my consultant just asking if I should be having the next one in 3 weeks.
Mmmm,yes .Is it better sooner or later? I am hoping my hospital knows the best thing to do,it & my lovely kind Consultant have looked after me for nearly 12 years.Always the nagging worry tho isn't it. Best xx
Hi Sue, I had my vaccination (Pfizer like you) at Guy's Hospital in London and it was the MPN unit there that booked me in , so I assume they know what they are doing wrt PV. The second dose was booked for 12 weeks after the first, as standard practice here in the UK. Be well and keep safe.
Hi I also have Polycythaemia rubra Vera just on aspirin at the moment platelets around 1000 all the time. I have been told that I am class 6 for the vaccine so will be one of the last to have it can anyone tell me if this is correct .
Hi, I have PV and only on aspirin but was classed as extremely vulnerable and in Group 4, so already had the first dose of vaccine. I thought everyone with a MPN would be in Group 4 as officially it is a blood cancer.
Hi Sue, I also had the Pfizer vaccine (in late January) and no side effects other than a sore arm. Second dose booked for April only, I had the vaccine in the hospital I attend for my haematology clinic and they are automatically booking everyone 12 weeks after for the second jab. It would be nice to have it earlier of course but I can see why this longer interval was adopted as policy. All the best to you, Susana
Hi Susana, it seems 12 weeks is the norm. I’ve marked on the calendar in case I don’t hear anything. Happy to wait 12 weeks as I’d like to see everyone who wants it to receive their first dose. Would also like teachers/police/fire fighters and similar categories to have theirs soon. My boys are desperate to go back to school but we need our teachers safe.
In US we get the Pfizer vaccine 3 weeks apart and the Moderna 4 weeks. They said it was ok to go a bit longer but I would think 12 weeks would be too long .
The vaccine interval is a public health choice. While personally it would be better to have the second jab after 3 weeks to get the full 90% plus protection, in terms of public health it is more beneficial to roll out the first jab very quickly to more people as it still offers very good protection (around 65% according to some trials). Trade offs need to be made between breadth and depth of vaccine roll out as there are not enough jabs to do both. This has been the thinking here in the U.K. where the interval between jabs has been set at 12 weeks so that more people can have some protection more quickly. This policy has the support of our chief medical officer and public health bodies. Over 15 million people have now been vaccinated here which is almost 28% of the adult population. In my view the vaccine roll out has been the only success story in our tackling of this virus over here!
Here in the U.S. it is a three week interval. I had my second dose of the Pfizer Tuesday. Bad headaches and sore arm but that’s it so far. As an aside, I am only 57. I received a vaccine because my friend who runs an assisted living center called me at the last minute. When the state showed up to administer the vaccine, more than half of her staff refused and the vials had already been defrosted so she was calling friends and family so at least it would not be wasted. I still can’t understand why folks don’t want the vaccine but I known it’s complicated. Still a very cultural and political issue here in the states.
Oh that’s great you’ve had your second dose. I know people who don’t want the vaccine 🤷🏻♀️ We had a similar situation here last week with an over supply, the staff from the vaccination centre went to the local supermarkets and announced over the tannoy for over 60s and 70s to pop in as 1500 doses were available. All those in the centre were working til 11pm and used all the doses.
My husband had the Pfizer vaccine at St Thomas, set up by MPN team at Guys. Apart from a sore arm he had no obvious side affects. His 2nd vaccine was booked at same time as first for 12 weeks. As they are the leading MPN team in the country I would imagine that they would know whether it should be a gap of 3 or 12 weeks. I think you have us all wondering now Susie! Glad yours has gone well.
Hi, it does seem the norm 12 weeks, and it makes sense to try and get all groups vaccinated with their first dose. Let’s hope they keep rolling the vaccines out quick it would be nice to have some ‘normal’ back!
I ranted on previously in another mail, that I had other medical matters to worry about, after when I first received my first jab A/Z, two days ago, but wham! it hit me this morning, I'd slept well enough 10 hours, but woke up feeling badly fatigued, muscles all sore, thought I should go back to sleep, realised side effect of vaccine, stuck myself under the shower for about 15 mts, realised back in the land of the living. Weary all day but definitely side effect of vaccine, why? I am taking various medications, but this reaction definitely noted! My next jab in 11 weeks! I live in Northern Ireland. Stay Safe and sleep well!
Sorry Tico, I strayed into the wrong section, although having a wide 'colourful' medical history, I have been informed I do not fall into the MPN agenda. My sincere apologies!
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