Getting new Covid booster and RSV

I had COVID in Dec. 2020 at the age of 71. I have had long COVID ever since.
Got each mRNA shot as they became available, most recently on Friday, Oct. 13. I felt slightly feverish with aching joints the next day, which differed from my usual LC symptoms. Symptoms went away by Sunday.
I didn't know enough about RSV to accept the pharmacist's offer of a shot.

I cannot blame it on the vaccine. It may be just a coincidence. Or maybe my system just doesn't agree with the vaccine who knows. I just hope and pray that someday they come up with some type of healing for us who suffer with this whether it's daily or periodically it's still debilitating and annoying and scary. Meanwhile I will continue to make decisions along the way based on how I feel. Thank you for responding. You take care of yourself.

I got my flu shot, but am concerned about getting COVID vaccine. I guess it doesn't matter now since I was diagnosed 4 days ago with an active case of COVID.

Hi Patricia,

I'm so sorry that you had such an awful reaction to the newest vax!

Do you remember which vax you got this time?
Moderna and Pfiser are mrna vax and Novo (something, sorry) is traditional protein.

Did you get the same brand of vax this time as with your other, earlier shots?

Did you have any unusual reaction to your previous vax?

I intend to get the new vax when my medication schedule allows, but I'm a bit concerned about which one to get.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience. Hope you feel better soon.

Anne

@fmeronoff, thank you for initiating the conversation. It must've been a challenge to make the decision to get the new COVID vaccine after reading the comments. As I wrote earlier, on forums like this one, one can get the impression that more people have adverse reactions to a vaccine or negative side effects from a treatment than those who benefit.

However it is worth noting that people who do not experience side effects typically do not seek out support and few post on forums related to vaccine side effects. They go on with their lives. This is similar with any drug side effects.

Millions of people received the Covid, flu and RSV vaccines without adverse reactions. I don't disagree that people sharing here have experienced serious side effects. The impression of numbers, however, may be skewed.

It is a personal decision and each person's decision should include their personal risk factors and an open discussion with their doctor who knows their medical history and the medical evidence.

May I ask what tipped the scale for you and led you to decide to get the vaccine despite being fearful? What hesitation or concerns do you have about the RSV vaccine?

Hi Vic83,

I share your frustration!

But there are folks who have had unusual events after the vax. I just read a PubMed abstract of a study (2023) that acknowledges the possible connection between vax and autoimmune adverse reactions but cause-effect has yet to be established. The researchers still recommend the vax.

It is unfortunate that the scientific community cannot somehow pick up the pace of research, which frankly is probably not possible.

That said, it seems to me to be important to acknowledge the possible adverse effects. To not do so, I think, increases the likelihood of the spread of misunderstanding, misinformation and conspiracy theories. To ignore the anecdotal accounts, seems to me, is to ignore a potentially important source of data. It breeds distrust among the public too, unfortunately.

I think another large part of the vaccine-resistance problem is that, in the last 70 years or so, most Americans have had almost complete faith in our medical systems. Few Americans have had to make a risk-benefit analysis of a medication or procedure. This lack of experience makes them frightened and angry now when there is a new disease. They expect doctors to know everything and get mad when they don't. [I am plenty frustrated with a couple of my docs now-ha]

The advent of antibiotics has contributed to the widespread loss of understanding of public health and infectious disease control. I have had the benefit of my grandmother's stories of the horrors of the Spanish Flu epidemic in Philadelphia in 1918.

I am grateful, profoundly grateful, to the scientists and medical people who have worked so hard to care for the sick and to find answers.

Vic, sorry this got so long...Hope you stay healthy.

I am in a recovery program by Mayo Rochester and they say do not get the booster. Besides some hospitals and specialized Doctors there are many medical professionals who don't know how to treat Long COVID. I had a local Neurologist tell me "keep exercising at 45 minutes aerobic, you will feel better". That's absolutely the wrong thing to do. Moderation like an athlete recovering from an injury is key.

I received the Pfizer vaccine, similar to other vaccinations that I have had. I did have some reactions to some of the prior Covid immunizations, but nothing as severe as this one. At one point, I asked my daughter-in-law to take me home, even though I was already home.

That is interesting because at the UCSD Long Covid--they absolutely said I should get flu and covid vaccine as did my primary doctor. Different opinions on RSV. I agree moderation in exercise is important--I am in a respiratory program that emphasizes exercise in moderation and building up slowly. Good luck it feels like they don't really have a definitive answer. Fran

I have been up-to-date on all of my vaccines. I got the covid booster last year after being diagnosed with post covid syndrome and had no problem. For me, it is a higher risk to get infected again with covid than it is to deal with 24 hours of the vaccine. Google search is not reliable. Please discuss with your medical team instead.