Source
r/medical•
GreatNull

Q (second opinion): Strong reaction to 1. dose of vaxzervia, should continue or press for alternative?

Update: Got second second dose two days ago and surprise - no major side effects or discomfort, besides slight muscle pain. Still pissed about lack of information, but if you are hesitating, go for it.

Hello everyone a thanks for stopping by, I would like to ask for second opinion on whether I should avoid getting second dose of Astra Zeneca vaccine.

Why am I asking? There is little official information available beyond the most serious side effects (blood clots etc.) and vaccination program in my country is very inflexible. That combined with my unusually strong reaction to this vaccination makes me very uneasy.

To describe the situation, I am 34y old male (overweight but not completely sedentary). After receiving the first dose I have experienced:
** 40°+C fever most of the first night, even after taking maximum allowable dose of paracetamol + strong mental confusion
** high 38° to 39+° fever the next day, still under max. paracetamol
** 3-5th day after fever subsided, replaced with strong light sensitive migraines and briefly skin on hands and feet showed subcutaneous spots like old people on blood thinners. Thankfully that aesthetic weirdness disappeared as quickly as it came.

I am not afraid of vaccination, having 20+ under my belt, but I have never experienced anything like this before.
Doctor knows this, since I called him scared out my wits after first night, but fever is supposedly good to go.

So, I am overreacting? If this is the wrong forum, I welcome tips or repost.

Posted Jun 30, 2021, 9:11 AM UTC · edited

13
eafrika•

A fever after the Covid vaccination is normal. Everyones bodies react differently. It is an immune response to the vaccine which needs to happen for the vaccine to work. I wouldn't skip the second dose of I was you, but that's just me.

1
GreatNullOP•

I fully intend to get second dose, it's the reaction to AZ that unnerved me.

I didn't expect delirious hallucinations that first day or that max. permissible dose paracetamol would do squat.

1
Joshuainlimbo•

A lot of people describe less severe reactions after the second dose. Unfortunately, all of what you describe here is within the realm of normal for vaccine reactions. These vaccines can really knock some people on their butts and there is no way to know how you will react to any given one. I suffered through both vaccine dosages of mRNA and am just glad to have them done.

There is no reason here to press for an alternative. Have paracetamol handy and take a day off work so you know for sure you can actually relax and rest.

1