Just had first Moderna shot!

[cmc_ufl]

Great day! One step toward normalcy.

[hunter5582]

Hurray for a step toward normalcy! Hope the second shot goes well. Mine was no big deal.,

[mochapie in reply to hunter5582]

Hi Hunter you have always helped me throughout the years I've been on here and I'm in a bit of a pickle because I am scheduled this Monday for my first Pfizer and I do not do flu shots and I have not had any vaccines since I was a child and I'm currently 46 with thrombocytosis my platelets were five to six hundred four years now finally came down to 499 and I was jumping for joy I'm just afraid to high heck to get this vaccine I'm just hoping it doesn't mess up any of my blood counts and cause horror that side effects down the line but then again who wants this virus nobody my twenty-year-old had it and she even said Mom I don't want this again and one of my friends who is a few years younger than me and in good physical shape had it and said I don't think I could survive it again she still is in a lot of pain and can barely breathe from this virus so having thrombocytosis being 46 being on 100 mg metoprolol for high blood pressure about a hundred pounds overweight I'm just wondering if this is the right thing to do to get this on Monday any advice you have I greatly appreciate it's like I need an ego boost to get this and to know that I'm picking the right vaccine as here in Illinois where I am the Johnson & Johnson is being recalled like crazy and pulled. Plus Pfizer gives a high efficiency anyway. I hope I'm making right choice. My childhood friend and me are both scheduled to go on Monday and then my husband is going later in the evening. He has sleep apnea sees a pulmonologist and overweight with high blood pressure too. Thanks hunter and everyone else who is willing to weigh in with any arguments for or against either way. I love hearing both sides. I also have a lot of allergies indoor and outdoor and I've had a horrible reactions to Augmentin and Amoxicillin where it's even altered menstrual cycles for a couple of months and caused gastrointestinal problems so you can understand my skepticism at the vaccine is even more powerful than medication pills.

[Joetcalr in reply to mochapie]

Hi Mocha, I can hear how stressful it is. I can only say that I had the AZ vaccine, no problems, the possibility of getting the disease sounds far worse. I'm curious to know why J and Johnson is being recalled? Jo

[hunter5582 in reply to mochapie]

I think there are several issues/questions to deal with.

Get the COVID vaccine or not? This is weighing the risks of getting the vaccine vs the risk of contracting COVID. The MPN experts are very clear about this. Get the vaccine. It sound like you already know this and have already made a decision.

Which vaccine to get. I think it is a toss-up between Moderna or Pfizer. I personally would prefer one of those to the J&J vaccine. The J&J will be fine for many folks once the kinks are worked out, but I prefer the higher efficacy of the other two options. I had the Moderna vaccine. Dose 1 resulted in minor muscle soreness at injection site. Dose 2 resulted in minor fatigue and a mild histamine response (itchiness in torso). I took a Claritin and it went away. Next day I felt fine.

History of allergies. They will review this with you you are screened for the vaccine. They will red-flag you if your hx is high-risk. You will be asked to wait for about 15 minutes to monitor for a serious reaction, I did not ask, but I would think they have epipens on site. Suggest that if you carry one, to bring it. I did bring a dose of acetaminophen with me. I took it right after I had the second dose. (Not supposed to take it before).

Regarding the ego boost - know that you are making the best decision available in the circumstance we are in, both for yourself and for those in your household. It is starting to sound like the vaccine not only protects you but reduces the chance that you will spread COVID. With multiple family members in the high-risk group you are not only protecting yourself but your loved ones as well. In the bigger scheme, we all have to know that COVID will only be controlled when there is sufficient herd immunity. Until then, all of our lives will be impacted.

It is understandable that you would feel some anxiety about getting the vaccine, particularly in light of your reaction to other things. I think the vaccine mechanism of action is so different than Augmentin and Amoxicillin that it is not a big concern, but do be sure to review that with the people who really know. More to the point though is just to manage the fear. You may have seen one of my favorite quotes before, but it bears repeating.

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain." Frank Herbert, Dune

I hope things go well with getting the vaccine. Please do let us know how it goes.

All the best to you and yours.

[mochapie in reply to hunter5582]

Thank you Hunter I needed to hear that I'm actually going with my childhood friend on Monday we grew up next door to one another and both of our parents went to HighSchool together we're godparents to each other's children and we live in the same suburb and our Township is offering the Pfizer she is a teacher and I work in a library we've been friends for 46 years so we're doing this together I may cry a little

[mochapie in reply to hunter5582]

Hi Hunter just thought I'd put out an update I did get my Pfizer almost a week ago tomorrow and I have had diarrhea ever since the past 6 days. I had a feeling of almost ice in my arms and body within hours of the shot as well as the diarrhea within the hour tiredness muscle aches much better now 6 days later but the diarrhea still persists .I seen my cardiologist a few days ago all vitals were good he did say he suspects I've had this virus in the past which is why I probably reacted to the first shot which makes me panic stricken what the heck the second shot will be and I am reading a lot of statistics of people across the board of all three shots that are getting blood clots after their second series so I'm debating not going back and chancing it as he told me I now have 50 to 80% effectiveness against the virus . with the allergies & high platelet I have I am also debating to not go back and chance it as I just read about an x-ray technology specialist in California named Tim zook who died after his second Pfizer and I'm just doing a lot of online studying and I think three weeks later is just an overload too much too soon. what's wrong with waiting 3 months later like my cardiologist said I can wait because it's essentially a booster that you go back for and I'm reading a lot of people and seeing people that now have Diverticulitis and Colitis flare up after their second shot. A lot of friends and family are not letting their children get the shot because they're afraid of sterility in the future and when my cardiologist said we are seeing a lot of people that are fully vaccinated and now they have the virus it is not a lie it is not a joke or an over dramatization. to me I'm wondering if we're shooting our immune system down by going back a mere three weeks later we should be spreading it out . do we get a flu shot every 3 weeks. no we do not that goes once a year let me know what you think

[hunter5582 in reply to mochapie]

I think you know your own body best. You obviously had higher level adverse effects from the first shot. It seems reasonable to wait for the second longer than the standard three weeks. Perhaps the one shot will even be enough. I do believe you could be tested for the antibodies to see what your status is before you make a decision. Given everything you have described, I would consider a consult with an immunologist as well. I expect they are a might busy these days, but you have a legitimate emergent issue to review.

We chatted before about facts not fear. Now you have facts on which to base your decision. Sometimes we do have to take risks to get treatment benefits, but we also have to weigh the risks in relation to the putative benefits to make a decision. You now know how your body reacts to the vaccine. Suggest you make your decision based on what you now know.

Hope you feel better soon. Do please let us know what you decide and how you get on.

[lizzziep in reply to mochapie]

I have high blood pressure and am overweight, I had the Pfizer jab a few weeks ago, all of - so far! I decided the jab was better than covid. Hope all goes well for you.

[PrinceA]

Good for you.. I got Moderna too, got my 2nd shot two weeks ago..