Which Covid booster should I be given? (Ended up being rushed into hospital 2 1/2 hours after last Pfizer one as I couldn't walk)

[DancingBonny]

I am diabetic type 2, asthmatic, suffer Uti's , and a distended stomach and been in hospital 4 times in the last year with suspected heart problems and had heart monitor implanted, so most concerned about Covid booster. Have written to surgery but no reply as yet. Is there more than 1 booster? Any advice from you wonderfully knowledgeable ppl pse.

[piglette]

In U.K. they seem to be using Moderna and Pfizer at the moment. I had a bad reaction to my last Pfizer booster.

[Seacat30]

I am in the UK.

I had a Pfizer Bivalent yesterday. I felt a bit tired and now have a very sore arm. Nothing worse so far. (I am awake at 2.30am because the latest storm is hurling dustbins up and down the street outside my big windows.)

My older sisters both had Moderna Bivalent about a month ago without trouble. (Neither of them is in perfect health. One had a rare tumour in her heart and has undergone and recovered from open heart surgery. The other has severe breathing difficulties.)

I didn't feel brilliant after the previous booster which was the standard Moderna but got over it in a couple of weeks.

[DancingBonny in reply to Seacat30]

Hi Seacat30 Hope you managed to get back to sleep! Thanks for your response. I am waiting for a reply from the surgery - one of the admin rang and said they were working on it. Have noted your sisters had Moderna Bivalent without trouble. Many thanks

[Seacat30 in reply to DancingBonny]

The banging and crashing got worse. I made a cup of coffee. That made me even less likely to doze off. I am very sleep deprived. Good luck with making your decision

[SheffieldJane]

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

This might help. The choice is probably not ours to make. Good luck.

[DancingBonny in reply to SheffieldJane]

Many thanks SheffieldJane. Very grateful for the Heart Matters article - I tried to sign up but I couldn't get it to accept a special character in my password! Still no reply from surgery but I know they are working on it. Thanks again.

[Rose54]

l have always been asked if l have had any reactions to previous vaccines.

And it says on my invite after consultation it will be decided which vaccine will be used .

Hope you get on ok

[DancingBonny in reply to Rose54]

Many Thanks Rose54. No reply from Surgery yet but I know they are working on it.

[MrsNails]

Hi - how many Jabs have you had so far & was it just the last one that caused a reaction?

I think you would need input from a Doctor before you go ahead with the next one.

If you just went to the clinic & you explained what happened last time, l doubt they would go ahead without further input.

What did they say at the hospital?

Kind Regards

MrsN

[Seacat30 in reply to MrsNails]

This is true. Mention of a previous reaction triggers a string of questions about my health, medications, dosage whether I am 'under a consultant' and have they written to state that I should be vaccinated? The nurse then goes to speak to a doctor who examines my medical files. She then asks me to state that I want to be given the vaccine.

[DancingBonny in reply to MrsNails]

Hi MrsN Many thanks for your reply. Yes, it was just the last Pfizer one that caused a reaction. Whilst at the hospital my husband spoke to the consultant and he agreed that he thought it was a reaction to the vaccine. As regards this latest one, I have had the flu jab and I wrote to the surgery and explained my situation but no reply as yet, but I had a phone call to say they will get back to me. Thanks again. Dancing Bonny

[MrsNails in reply to DancingBonny]

You really need a Medic to say wether you should have the next one or not…..

[DancingBonny in reply to MrsNails]

Yes thank you - one of the admin ppl said he would follow it up with the doctor and get back to me - so I am patiently waiting!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Way outside our field of competence I'm afraid. Normally after a reaction that bad, another administration should be in hospital where they have appropriate medical support. So you do need to speak to a doctor. I don't know enough about the UK system - here I have an interview with a doctor who is part of the vaccination system so fully briefed before every jab.

[MrsNails in reply to PMRpro]

Martin was admitted to hospital for his first two jabs because of his anaphylaxis (& the lady in the bed opposite had a serious reaction)

He was seen by a panel of experts before he went ahead.

His booster he just had at the Surgery where there was back up.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to MrsNails]

Seems strange they assume things are OK just because you were OK for previous ones ...

[MrsNails in reply to PMRpro]

They'd stopped the hospital admission by the time he was due his booster…..

But he was OK 🙏🏼

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Usually just discussed with vaccine administrator, but here is a doctor on hand for queries like this...but best to know before you actually turn up for vaccine, so agree DancingBonny need to discuss beforehand.

[DancingBonny in reply to DorsetLady]

Many thanks for your reply. Yes, it was just the last Pfizer one that caused a reaction. Whilst at the hospital my husband spoke to the consultant and he agreed that he thought it was a reaction to the vaccine. As regards this latest one, I have had the flu jab and I wrote to the surgery and explained my situation but no reply as yet, but I had a phone call to say they will get back to me. Thanks again. Dancing Bonny

[2013mayo]

hi,

I too became very I’ll after the last Pfizer vac, it’s obviously got some new variants in it that doesn’t suit everyone, I’m still taking antibiotics for 4weeks due to severe chest infection, uti and generally feeling very poorly. The Moderna had the least problems with me. I’d ask your doc for that one if possible.

[DancingBonny in reply to 2013mayo]

Many thanks for your response. I am still waiting for a response from the surgery. I understand they are working on it, so I will have to be patient! Do hope you feel better soon.

[PMRZ]

My partner had a severe reaction similar to yours with his first AZ jab and it was that that finally identified the diagnosis of PMR. He had the second AZ jab in a hospital, and had absolutely no reaction to that.

He has subsequently had Moderna twice and yesterday had the new Pfizer vaccine with no ill effects other than a sore arm. So it’s very difficult to know what the outcome might be – but if you are advised to go ahead, I definitely would ask for yours delivered in a hospital environment.

[DancingBonny in reply to PMRZ]

Many thanks for your response. I am still waiting for a response from the surgery. I understand they are working on it, so I will have to be patient!

[DancingBonny in reply to PMRZ]

Many thanks for your response. I am still waiting for a response from the surgery. I understand they are working on it, so I will have to be patient!

[Artnmusiclover]

I am quite an allergic person and they refused the Pfizer for me. However I had an awful reaction to Moderna and couldn't stop vomiting. Very reluctant to have any right now. It's obviously a personal choice but agree with the experts on here that it's something a doctor could help with. Good luck

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Artnmusiclover]

Blowed if I can see why they thought the Moderna one was less "allergic" than the Pfizer one! Both of them contain PEG which is the primary problem!

[Artnmusiclover]

Seriously! ....no-one has ever told me that...I had 3 Astra zeneca, then the 4th and 5th Moderna because the staff doing it said it was better than Pfizer for allergic people! The 5th Moderna made me more ill than the 4th! That left me considering not having any despite reminders for number 6! I don't have any faith in these people any more ...thank goodness for this forum because I'd be flippin blind to a lot of what I have learned here! Thanks as always!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Artnmusiclover]

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/348...

"Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is the excipient found in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. We previously demonstrated PEG allergy was a cause of severe anaphylaxis to the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. PEG is widely used in many household products, cosmetics and medicines. However PEG allergy is rare, there have been few confirmed cases of PEG allergy. The excipient of potential concern in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is polysorbate 80 (PS80). Cross-reactivity between PEG and polysorbate has been suggested, based on their composition and skin-test data. The aim of this study was to determine whether PEG-allergic patients could be vaccinated with the PS80 containing AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine."

However - true PEG allergy is pretty rare and I think all the vaccines at the start had it but were approved by the allergy community.

allergy.org.au/patients/asc....

But I really am left to wonder how much whoever told you that really knew. And of course if it was an allergic response, albeit fairly mild in the great scheme of things, then the second time you met would be worse than the first. You don't react to something the first time you meet it - you have to generate the immune response in the first place.

[Artnmusiclover in reply to PMRpro]

😳...Great information thanks, and very interesting! I carry EpiPen and have had 2 Anaphylactic shocks, one to penicillin and the other unknown (following a hot cross bun 🤔)...think this is what scared them, also allergic to ibuprofen, dust, pollen and probably many other things in a mild way. I'll have a read of the links thanks and take this along to my GP (who embraces my info) ...thank you

[Karendeena]

I have tried tirelessly to find the moderna but no luck. I started with polymyalgia after the second pfizir but had no problem with Moderna last December. Looks like going to have to take the Pfizir

[DancingBonny in reply to Karendeena]

Good luck! Still waiting to hear from my surgery as to which they think I should have. Thx for your advice.

[Karendeena in reply to DancingBonny]

Hi DancingBonny, bit the bullet and had the Pfizir this morning. I did manage to find the Moderna but it was miles away in Birmingham.

[DancingBonny in reply to Karendeena]

Good luck! Hope you don't get any bad reactions.

I have been recommended the Bivalent booster which offers protection against the new strain of Covid BQ 1.1 - but still nothing from the surgery yet! Going to ask the surgery on Monday.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to DancingBonny]

I think you need to nudge surgery - they should have replied to you by now…….been nearly a week since you wrote post.

[DancingBonny in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks for your response. Yes I intend to ring them tomorrow morning to ask what is going on. As you say it is almost a week since I posted. I feel I should have one, but don't know which.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to DancingBonny]

Well you’ll have to remind them of your reaction to Pfizer one -and say you’d rather not have it. It can’t be beyond them finding out which one they are being supplied with -and if necessary finding out where the Moderna was is being offered, if they aren’t getting that one….

[DancingBonny in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes, I will. Many thanks for your concern.

[Karendeena in reply to DancingBonny]

Hi DancingBonny, just a bit of tenderness on my arm where I had the jab, so far so good 🤞

[DancingBonny in reply to Karendeena]

Good luck! I have just put out an update to everyone who replied (all 43) - at least I hope I have !

[Karendeena in reply to DancingBonny]

Thanks

[Bcol]

My last Covid Vaccine (5th), about a month ago was the Moderna Spikevax Bivalent. As usual it was at my doctors surgery where they check your notes/record before administering the vaccine. I had a slightly tender upper arm where I had the injection for a day but no other reaction. Managed to get Covid three weeks later, but not too badly.

[DancingBonny in reply to Bcol]

Thx for your reply. My surgery have told me they are working on it so will just have to be patient!

[Groovykindoflove1992]

My first 3 jabs were fine, 2 x Astra Zeneca and 1 x pfizer. My 4th jab was Moderna and I thought I was going to call an ambulance as I couldn't even walk and felt so ill. I had my 5th jab on Tuesday (Pfizer) and was really ill on Weds and felt like I was having a full on flare by Thursday, but fortunately today I'm starting to feel a bit better 💁

[DancingBonny in reply to Groovykindoflove1992]

Do hope u feel better soon. Really does make you worry about having another booster doesn't it? I am still waiting for a response from my surgery as to which one if any, I should have. Good luck!

[Groovykindoflove1992 in reply to DancingBonny]

It does, yes, but there's no way I wouldn't have them. I suppose it's to be expected when we are asking our immune system to kick into action to mount a response to the jab, when from a PMR view, we are trying to keep our immune system nice and quiet!

[DancingBonny]

Many thanks to everyone (all 43 of you!) who replied. I am very grateful. At the moment I am no further forward. I followed up with our surgery who said that the main doctor was aware of my email and problem I had but they weren't sure if my reaction was an anaphylactic one or some other reason, and suggested I ring 119 which I did, but they said they were only receptionists and I needed to speak to a doctor so I rang our surgery back and found our doctor is on annual leave atm). However he will call me on 23 November. I did get a recommendation last week to get a Bivalent Booster that gives protection against this latest and really nasty Covid strain called BQ.1.1. Any other vaccines will not give this protection apparently. So I must continue to wait!

Thanks again, Dancing Bonny

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to DancingBonny]

Is there no other GP within the surgery who can advise? Everything should be on your notes, so no excuse...