Covid injection side effects

[Jacqui2017]

Since having my Oxford jab,some 6 weeks ago now my various arthritis's are much worse and just won't settle back to normal, I just wondered if anyone else has experienced the same? My costoscondritis is much worse, dry eyes and rheumatoid arthritis too.

[janmary]

I have had bad flares after both Pfizer jabs - may or may not be related as my M/X was reduced previously.

[Wobbies]

Had no real ill effects after. Mind you was really struggling when I went in a great lot of pain and still am, so would not have noticed any difference.

[Grubbypaws]

I had my first AZ on 18th March and last Thursday I noticed a rash developing on my lower legs. I ignored it until Sunday when I noticed it had spread to my inner thigh. Because I started taking plaquenil about 6 weeks ago, I assumed that was the cause. Saw the rheumatologist yesterday and he didn't think that plaquenil was the cause but, he said, more likely to be the RA itself - but I have no pain so didn't understand if a rash could be considered a flare.

Now, reading your post, I am wondering if it can be from the AZ shot? But so long afterwards? I want to get my second shot but I think there's a lot of unknowns regarding autoimmune disease and the vaccine.

Have you seen your rheumatologist and asked his/her advice? Hope you feel better soon.

[allanah in reply to Grubbypaws]

I would agrre with your rheumy x

[Jacqui2017 in reply to Grubbypaws]

I've had no rashes, I'm on planquenil and lefluidimide . Unless my ESR is sky high rheumatoid never very interested unfortunately. They would just say pain killers, rest, ride the storm.

[KittyJ]

Sorry I didn’t notice any difference in my RA, I’ve had both AZ jabs.

[DRunnerchick]

academic.oup.com/rheumatolo...

This is a link to a journal article published last week regarding shingles being potentially activated by the SARS-CoV2 (COVID) vaccine. It is a very small number but it is being monitored. Perhaps you’ll find it useful.

D🏃🏽‍♀️

[allanah in reply to DRunnerchick]

Tiny study ... too small to come to any real concludions.

[DRunnerchick in reply to allanah]

That’s why it is a case study, but it is being reported in real time since we know the COVID vaccines were approved for emergency use and fast tracked, so some of these conditions are being reported now. They are still very safe, and the 1.3 or 1.6% , whatever it is, could be incidental to an older population or specific to a population with rheumatic diseases, prompting a suggestion that they be vaccinated for shingles before COVID to prevent this complication. Shingles, however is not usually fatal in our population and COVID definitely can be.

[allanah in reply to DRunnerchick]

And we have antivirals for shingles . I know which one id be more worried about 🤣

[Jacqui2017 in reply to DRunnerchick]

That's interesting as I have had shingles twice. Both sites have been more troublesome since the injection, that could account for the immune response. Thanks.

[Pinkypie2018]

Yes I started to flare after my first vaccine too, but I did stop methotrexate for two weeks. Rheumatologist feels it was a break in meds that caused it, but who knows?

[DRunnerchick in reply to Pinkypie2018]

Pinkypie,

I thought it was interesting when I was reading various studies and Journals, the vaccine research was conducted with all kinds of people and medications were not stopped but also weren’t noted. I think this is why some of these more specific things are coming out now. Everyone was lumped together before and only separated by age/sex and whatever other very basic demographic criteria. Now they will find out more specifics because they will be known conditions now. They would have been included in research to some degree but now more specific groups are added in the mix now that the vaccines are more thoroughly tested. These are not new vaccines 💉. They have actually been working on them for 10 years. It is only the SARSCoV2 part that is new. They have actually been developing this type of research for a decade or so.

D🏃🏽‍♀️

[rounder]

My RA flared big time after my second Pfizer vaccine, it's settling now, 3 weeks on, but when I called the rheumy helpline last week about on going pain I was told they have spoken to quite a few flaring patients and it seems to be taking several weeks to settle. As usual the advice was extra pain relief and resting when possible. I hope yours settles soon. X

[medway-lady in reply to rounder]

Same here an awful time and although must go for 2nd jab I'm dreading it.

[rounder in reply to medway-lady]

I really do think it's worth it for the safety it offers us, I guess many of us are well used to juggling stiffness worthwhile or life enhancing with the payback that follows😅. Hopefully you're not going to have a big payback. Xxx

[Jacqui2017]

Many thanks for your reply, glad to hear I'm not alone with this

[rounder]

Anecdotally I am told Pfizer side effects are often worst with the 2nd vaccination, but the AZ had bigger side effects 1st time but less likely with the 2nd.

[Julie_R]

I am not going to give you my whole story here. See my other posts regarding severe systemic RD (and MS/fibro) vs low dose naltrexone. (But, in short, decades worth of AI conditions; SRD differentiated with a vengeance in 2015; LDN put the RD into 90% remission.)

My journey with COVID: I attended a conference in early Feb 2020 and might picked up a very mild case of (early Asian strain) COVID. The sx included a one-sided rash (opposite side from my shingles outbreak in early 2016), mild fever, fatigue, worse-than-usual COVID/RD toes, etc. I probably gave it to someone who became presumed COVID ("the sickest I've been in a decades," hospital said no tests available and stay home until she couldn't breathe well) and then long COVID. I had a negative antibody test in May; she couldn't get one. (She was told too many false positives; I suspect politics.) Lock-down was tough in itself, so I wasn't surprised when I wasn't in great shape for my abbreviated field season. In late summer/fall, I had some very minor breakthrough of RD sx along with my usual MS uptick with the warmer wx.

My naturopath and I were concerned about what could happen if I got a more aggressive case or variant, and the possibility the excellent remission created by the LDN could be broken. She referred me to a Jan 2021 medical journal article concerning cross-reactivity of the COVID virus (and specifically the spike protein) which explains a lot about atypical COVID cases, long-, and post-COVID:

frontiersin.org/articles/10... & paste; I don't know how to make a link on this site.) It is pretty technical; focus on the abstract and results. At the end of the article, the authors note that the vaccine theoretically also could cause flares, and this study could be used to select for the most critical portions of the virus while dropping those that cause the "side effects." Unfortunately, we now know that may not be possible without sacrificing effectiveness across a broad range of variants, and could take time we don't have.

So we weighed the risks of the two vaccines available in the US at the time. I got Pfizer COVID vaccine on 10 Mar 2021. First an across-my-belly several-day rash which I figure was a typical allergic rxn. Then flare of my MS/fibro, with sx I hadn't had for decades. Then my RD kicked back in, with sx I haven't had since before the LDN. We postponed my second shot and are still monitoring. My sister who is more aggressive/progressive multi-AI had a worse response than me with the first Pfizer shot, and a very bad flare of her conditions on the second shot. My other siblings who have minor AI issues had much less (and more typical) response. My friend with long COVID had a rough rxn to the J&J vaccine, but nothing like her presumed COVID... then energy and a clear mind for the first time in a year.

This is what I am hearing; of those who may have had COVID already, the vaccine makes some better, some worse, but most have a more robust COVID rxn, especially on the first shot, because the body recognizes the virus. And for those with AI conditions, I figure those of us with worse flares are the ones who need the vaccine protection the most.

However, if the scientists/governments don't own up to the possibility of AI flare vaccine side effects, the vaccine hesitant (and conspiracy theorists) among us will use that as an argument not to get the vaccine. And as a scientist myself, I know that the discovery of the truth/reality is what helps us learn and take appropriate action. I keep seeing assurances in the news that there is only "theoretical" possibility of immune flares, but not much evidence of it. It is up to us (or our docs) to file Adverse Event reports. I filed mine on the Pfizer site at 5 weeks.

I am still glad I got the first shot. My RD almost killed me in 2015. I am taking good care of myself now while the LDN helps my immune system to re-set, as it did in late 2015/2016. It worked slowly (months) when I started it so I am optimistic it will tone down my flares eventually this time, too. And with one Pfizer shot, I understand I have 80% protection as opposed to 90%, but that is a lot better than virtually none. And since so many Americans don't want to get vaccinated, and new variants are circulating, that is really important.

Hang in there, folks.

[Julie_R]

Let's try that link again:

frontiersin.org/articles/10...

[majobo69]

Hi, I was given my first Astra-zeneka jab in March and felt rough for 5 days, but all R.A. symptoms disappeared for 8 weeks, before gradually returning. When I had the 2nd jab in June, R.A stayed the same and did not fade. I was on Hydroxychloroquine until last week, and now starting Leflunomide, so will be interesting to see what the reaction (if any) will happen when I have jab number 3...