Thank you and yes I reported on vsafe. @mwfan1921 sorry, i got confused it was vsafe that I reported symptoms. the vaers website was hard for me to report because im not a healthcare provider and since I went to urgent care they are required to report that so I didnt think anymore of it.
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Thank you and yes I dont wish that feeling on anybody!
Thatās great. I think this sort of data is important for them to know and track.
But glad you are feeling OK now.
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Sorry that happened to you and glad that you are okay now! Very scary.
My D has had multiple reactions along these lines including to unknown sources.
Did any of the providers have any thoughts on what could have triggered it or further steps to try to determine the root cause?
Appendix C of https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/clinical-considerations.html lists vaccine ingredients, if you and your physicians are trying to figure out the problematic ingredient.
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Same here. One of my kids has had unknown allergic reactions. Makes things scarier IMO. Wish we could check a list of ingredients. Fortunately, bad reactions havenāt been that common. The allergists canāt always pinpoint a cause.
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I am glad to know you are feeling better and was able to get medical assistance to alleviate your reaction. I am surprised though that people who received their first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines were only told to wait 15 mins. My daughter who has severe food/nut/fish allergies got her first Moderna shot two Fridays ago and was told the same thing. I asked her that day to text me as soon as she gets the shot. When I learned that she only needs to wait for 15 mins, I told her to sit there for 30 mins. When we received our first shot back in Dec, we waited for 30 mins. There was even a sign in and timer in a huge conference room in our hospital to make sure people will sit and wait it out. Same thing with my parents and in-laws last month. We waited for 30 mins in a drive through vaccination site in an airport hanger. The second shot though was for only 15 mins.
I started the thread for this reason, needing to connect with as many people as possible who are or have family members with allergies and asthma and facing uncertainties about the vaccine. I thought the more we learn about the vaccine, the more equipped we are to make informed decisions for ourselves and our love ones. Now that one of my kids received one shot while in college, and with NY expanding the vaccination to 16yo+ starting April 6, I plan to schedule my boys in May. My eldest is 20 but I think I would have him get his vaccine here at home as there is only 4 weeks left for spring semester. My youngest will turn 16 next month. Come summer time, every member of my family is fully vaccinated.
Best regards to everyone!
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I believe the lists of ingredients are available. The problem is as we have not been able to confirm to what all she is allergic thereās no way to be 100% comfortable that it isnāt one of the ingredients even if we do have ingredient list.
Yes, despite best efforts allergist canāt always pinpoint. Her allergist and our family went so far as to contact manufacturers of items to which we knew she was exposed within hour of reactions and still couldnāt pinpoint.
I know bad reactions arenāt that common but neither is having anaphylaxis several times with an undetermined cause. D is under 18 so not many options right now.
I was surprised they didnt have me stay 30 mins either. Knowing what I know now, I would have advocated for myself and stayed the 30. I am still pro vaccine, but definitely think that those who have a history of drug allergies should definitely talk to their doc about it before they get it.
@GetCollege19 Unfortunately, I dont know what in the vaccine I had a reaction to.
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We have the same issue exactly. So itās a random reaction.
@MamaBear2001 can you get the J and J shot for your second one? Also I have read that some allergists are doing desensitization programs for Pfizer and Moderna: you have to have the shots within two days of finishing the program.
Ingredients for all vaccines are available online. Pfizer says the amount of polyethylene glycol specifically but Moderna lists the total amount of lipids, which includes polyethylene glycol and other lipids.
I have been having esophagitis as a result of exposure to polyethylene glycol. As well as other reactions like chills and swollen glands, chest pressure. I would really like to get J and J even though effectiveness is listed as 42% for my age group w/comorbidities.
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@compmom I am not sure if I can. I intend to talk to my doctor about it though. Iāll update when I do.
Has your doctor said the J&J is ok for you?
My doc thinks J and J might be better in terms of reaction though polysorbate 80 is related to polyethylene glycol and I have reacted to it before but only for maybe an hour tops, as opposed to weeks with PEG. I am concerned about effectiveness though I read that is based on the fact that 66% of older folks with comorbidities did not have side effects, assuming side effects are a marker for effectiveness/immune response.
I think the hard part is that for some of us, the response of the immune system- which is desired- goes a bit awry! I have lupus too so who knows what is what. I am just very scared.
@MamaBear2001 you do have some good protection with one shot. I think eventually people like us can get the J and J as our second shot. I recently read that mixing and matching may even be more effective.
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https://www.fda.gov/media/146304/download
For age 60+ in the J&J trial:
33.3% had injection site pain
30.4% had headache
29.7% had fatigue
24.0% had myalgia
76.3% effectiveness against moderate+ COVID-19 14 days after
66.2% effectiveness against moderate+ COVID-19 28 days after
Effectiveness against severe+ COVID-19 was higher generally, and was higher for 28 days after versus 14 days after, but was not listed by age group. The 60+ age group was about a third of the size of the 18-59 age group.
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Here is the whole protocol with the stages based on age and for 60+ presence or not of comorbidities: https://www.jnj.com/coronavirus/ensemble-1-study-protocol
18-40 year olds were 20% of the study participants.
The sample size of those over 60 was 30% of the test participants, but over 75 was only 3.5% ( I am still trying to find that again). A chart comparing effectiveness for the āelderlyā has J and J at 42%. āElderlyā is not defined.
I am turning 70 so these numbers concern me.
Hereās one more:
In trial participants ages 18 to 55, a fever was reported as a side effect for 20 percent of those who received a low dose and 48 percent of those who received a high dose. Among those 65 and older, only 4 percent of low-dose recipients and 10 percent of high-dose recipients reported experiencing a fever.
My opinionā¦some protection is better than none. Itās why I get a flu shot every year.
In addition, in just about every state, the oldest residents were in the first phase of the vaccine rollout. If there was no decent efficacy, why would they have bothered with that?
Anyone with medical concerns should speak to their doctors and get their advice.
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Johnson and Johnson was not in the first rollout. It is hard to find. For someone like me, who has a known sensitivity to Pfizer and Moderna, but reads that the effectiveness of J and J may be below the 50% FDA mark, it is a decision whether to make the effort to seek out J and J (hard to find at this point) or take the risks of the mRNA shots.
If I were under 60 I would take the J and J in a heartbeat. I have consulted with PCP, allergist, rheumatologist, and neurologist. The decision is up to me as long as I have a shot near medical support.
Since I am also sensitive to the flu shot, I do not get one when effectiveness is 30% or other low value. But for COVID there are other options with higher efficacy for over 60. Moderna at 86% and Pfizer at 94%.
I would go by the results that ucbalumnus posted because those are the actual data, especially since you donāt know the source for the 42% number you cited.
Millions of people have received the JNJ vaccine now, with the majority being elderly. You very well might have side effects from the JNJ vaccine, but you arenāt going to die from it, whereas you have significant risk of severe outcomes and even death should you get covid. Best to get yourself protected. IMO of course, but I think you have posted that your docs say you should get vaccinated too. I hope you can keep your next appointment.
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Ucbalumnusā figures are for the entire study population. Those over 60 had lower rates of effectiveness.
I have a source for the 42% but the chart does not explain the rate of avoidance of hospitalization and death, which is much higher. I tried to copy and paste the chart but will have to find the link again.
I was responding originally to @MamaBear2001 .
J and J is not available to me.
I have an appointment at a hospital-bases site. Pharmacies may have J and J from time to time but they are fully booked and donāt have the same medical support.
My allergist said I could āwait for J and Jā if I was more comfortable but my mother is on hospice and I cannot wait.
I am not anti-vax or anti-any vax. Just waking up every morning trying to decide in the light of my extreme anxiety about PEG. I am going ahead with Pfizer but if J and J was offered I would consider it, yes.
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This happens to be the Salt lake Tribune but I have seen it on a lot of sites:
The estimate for Johnson & Johnson was much lower: researchers found that the vaccine was 42% effective in those over 60 ā among those with underlying conditions. The scientists also expressed that they were very uncertain about this number, because of a relatively small sample size. More study should be done here.