Vaccines and Reactions: Thoughts please ?

There’s really no medical/physiological reason why a non-live vaccine would make anybody ill. It’s not active to cause any sort of reaction within the body.

Best do what the doctor says?

Well it certainly did! He couldn’t stop shivering and was too weak to stand up

I don't like to have vaccinations when I'm already "under the weather" but I don't honestly know if that's relevant.

Also, a doctor/researcher called Anna Phillips (University of Birmingham) discovered some years ago that morning flu vaccinations had better antibody development than afternoon vaccinations. She said to have the vaccination before 11 am.
I know she was going on to study other vaccinations so I'd probably "google scholar" her papers and see where that leads.

A US study decided that the best date statistically for maximum protection for a covid or flu vaccine was as close to Halloween as possible. This meant maximum antibodies by peak season.

Let us know if you find anything out please!
Good luck.

The people that I know who have had severe reactions to vaccines, (above and beyond the expected tenderness and aches in the arm) have found that having both injections in one arm, or even at the same time in both arms has engendered a stronger reaction. As someone with comprised immunity, who can only have injections in one arm I will take mine one at a time with at least a week gap between. I hope your GP can offer more medical based advice.

I had no reaction at all to any of the Covid vaccinations or the flu BUT everybody’s physiology is different hence different reactions…

I think any vaccine can have side-effects, Lathyrus

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20risks%20from%20inactivated%20influenza%20vaccine%3F,vaccine%20(the%20flu%20shot).

Thank you NotSpaghetti
I said to another GNetter yesterday, I wish that they’d be a little bit more open about reactions.
I know that they don’t want to put people off having vaccines, but I do think that they should be more open about it.
When DH has his first Covid vaccine, I was absolutely terrified by his response to it

Yes, it’s one of those puzzles.

Theoretically it shouldn’t and a blood/organ test will show no detectable changes within the body but people still suffer?

My husband had leukaemia for some years so I got awfully familiar with all this stuff. We just had to rely on what the doctors said.

That’s why I thought it was the best advice I could give.

I have had bad reactions to ‘flu jabs in the past. I was quite ill after my second Covid jab, so bad that Mr. B wanted to dial 999. 2 weeks in bed. No reaction apart from a sore arm after third Covid jab.

I had the ‘flu jab and the Covid jab in the same arm at the same time a couple of weeks ago. I can’t have them in the other arm. Apart from a sore arm and a somewhat ‘spaced out’ feeling for a day or two I was fine.

The advice seems to be to take a couple of paracetamol before you go. I can’t have paracetamol so don’t know if that works.

I have now had four Pfizer vaccines, every single time I have been laid low for a couple of days. Shivers, headache total lethargy.

I feel fine for the first 6-8 hours and then bam!!!

I'm relatively fit and healthy and have had no adverse reactions to any of the Covid vaccines - recently had the second booster.

However, 15 years ago when I was in my early 50s came off night duty and went along with colleagues for the flu vaccine, my first, and last! I became so ill within hours and took to my bed for a week - think I lost 10 pounds in as many days.

So, I don't have the flu vaccine and don't get flu - whether that continues who knows!

Blossoming

I have had bad reactions to ‘flu jabs in the past. I was quite ill after my second Covid jab, so bad that Mr. B wanted to dial 999. 2 weeks in bed. No reaction apart from a sore arm after third Covid jab.

I had the ‘flu jab and the Covid jab in the same arm at the same time a couple of weeks ago. I can’t have them in the other arm. Apart from a sore arm and a somewhat ‘spaced out’ feeling for a day or two I was fine.

The advice seems to be to take a couple of paracetamol before you go. I can’t have paracetamol so don’t know if that works.

I was specifically told not to take anything such as paracetamol before the vaccinations. OK after if you have symptoms.
Just googled it:

It's possible that taking a painkiller before getting a vaccine will result in a "decrease in antibody response," explained Dr. Gregory Poland, director of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

How about, say, the flu and shingles together, a week or so rest, then the covid one?

I didn't know that about taking paracetamol NotSpaghetti. Thanks.
My OH always has a strong reaction to vaccines.
I have M E. and was exhausted looking after him last week after flu/covid jabs..
I wonder how much research has been done. We aren't given enough information/advice about possible strong side effects
The only advice I can give is don't have vaccinations at the same time as your partner, in case you both have reactions.

Husband had been on chemo so had to have the “non live” shingles vaccines which had to be ordered in specially. Just a sore arm resulted. He has had Covid inj number 5 and flu inj at same time two weeks ago again only sore arm. We are all different with different reactions to medicines - must be awful suffering bad reaction.

I would ask his GP or the hospital he was admitted to for advice ?.

Lathyrus - most vaccines contain adjuvants www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/adjuvants.html which make the vaccine work better. Some of these ingredients can provoke a response in the body such as fever, chills and aches. Some people can react more strongly than others to these ingredients.

Rosie51

The people that I know who have had severe reactions to vaccines, (above and beyond the expected tenderness and aches in the arm) have found that having both injections in one arm, or even at the same time in both arms has engendered a stronger reaction. As someone with comprised immunity, who can only have injections in one arm I will take mine one at a time with at least a week gap between. I hope your GP can offer more medical based advice.

I agree with Rosie51

I was ill after having the winter flu and swine flu vaccines at the same time, never again.
It seems to cause consternation with the receptionists at the surgery when I request to have the vaccinations separately (most inconvenient!) but be firm.

Neither of us have had a reaction to a vaccine, yet.

Timing: we got the jabs when advised, Flu jab same day, other arm. Shingles another time, same month.

Sorry, I omitted that bit.

There only a few of us here and we may not be typical so I really would seek medical advice. The doctors see hundreds of patients and would have a much clearer picture than we would.

Firstly, discuss with your GP. They are likely to have enough information, and will have hospital reports etc. to consider as well.
Explain your concerns, and ask, if appropriate, for them to contact the consultant. They will usually be better able to initiate contact, and obviously better placed to discuss details.
If this ends up unsatisfactory (and it shouldn't!) you can try your nurse specialist if you have one, or the consultant's secretary.
The usual advice in these situations (and it must be sought individually) is that any reaction to the immunisation is likely to be much more manageable than the illness. But as that isn't always the case, you need advice from someone who can weigh it all up for you.
In the end there will be a few for whom immunisations and vaccinations are not advisable, but they are very few.

I just popped into my local pharmacy and she asked would I like my jab today. No queue, just into the booth, two minutes later all done. She makes sure she does it high enough into the deltoid muscle, some do it way too low. I asked about my Covid booster (shame she can't do that one too) and knowing me and a fair bit of my medical history she has given me some targeted advice. I trust her implicitly, she's never let me down. So far no reaction, can't even find the injection site, but it's only been an hour or so

Dh and I had our boosters this morning.
He doesn't even have a sore arm, never does.
I can barely move my arm, ache all over, cold and headache. Hopefully feel better tomorrow.
I have been like this with 2 Astra Zenica and today's Moderna, not with Pfizer which was my first booster.