Covid vaccine - promised I would update you guys

We live in NYC. It's densely populated and there are numerous things you cannot do if you are not vaccinated. A few examples are: attend sporting events, concerts, graduation events, etc... You get the idea. My son, who is now 18, just wanted to feel 'normal' and not explain why he wasn't vaccinated. He is also required to have it if he wants to attend his high school graduation, be a camp counselor (which he loves) and attend college in person.

I did not want him to get it. We all had Covid. Luckily none of us required hospitalization. My son had pretty bad Lyme that was almost in remission. Finally. Covid knocked him back down and he was really bad for six months (beginning March 2020 when we all have Covid). So he has Lyme and had Covid and just had his second Pfizer vaccine. He is completely fine. No side effects other than a little fatigue that evening. I pray that it stays this way.

My family is putting a lot of pressure on me to get vaccinated. I don't want to. I react to absolutely everything. We will see.

This is a personal and difficult decision for many of us.

I don't think my husband or son will because they are fully vaccinated now. I'm a little concerned with the new, more contagious variants. It's honestly causing a lot of anxiety: To be, or not to be, vaccinated. I was not anti-vax prior to LD. I just don't want new/old symptoms coming back. I also believe we will be asked to have boosters every six months, which I'm definitely not doing. The vaccine passports need to allow a place for people with antibodies or medical exemptions, but they do not. They are putting everyone into the 'you will be worse if you don't get it' category. Good luck and stay well!

I hear ya Girlie,

I've offered this before but if I lived where you live I would just wait.

I am in total agreement that I will be devastated if symptoms come back and/or worsen. I just can't go backwards, none of us can.

To forward motion and letting go of the anxiety this is causing (at least in me )

CD,

Our original LLMD does recommend the vaccine for his Lyme patients. Pfizer because it has less RMNA than Moderna. Our new Lyme doctors think if we have antibodies, and had Covid, we don't need to get it. They also know that we may have to get it - and they offer a support protocol, which I appreciate. They said no to J&J and then the news of J&J came out, so I believe them. They know their stuff. My son has been on homemade homeopathics from his doctor, to support his body throughout. Girlie, we need a tie-breaker. Please post after Dr. J. appointment.

Thank you. If it were just up to me I would not get. My husband and son keep saying "It's no big deal and I could get really sick, little old ladies and people with immunity issues get it and are fine..." I'm sure you all understand.

DCD,

Thank you. How do I check antibody levels? Do you mean the Covid antigen tests? I came out negative on mine, my son comes out positive. The nurse told me that at this point in time they are only reading one type of cell. I think the T cells (I may have these letters incorrect) but there are B cells that should also be tested. The nurse who did our antibody testing, as well as our Lyme doctors, believe anyone who had CV, has some immunity/antibodies - as you said. I get a lot of nerve pain and just had a terrible relapse from having to take antibiotics for something else. Now I'm more nervous than ever. I was doing really well and was willing to take the first vaccine June 1st but the relapse set me back so much that now I'm anxious. Thanks so much. Let's all keep each other posted.

Wow all of you know so much more than I ever will. You are a knowledgeable bunch. What you are saying is what the antigen-testing nurse and our doctors said. My son was positive, I was negative, but we had Covid exact same time so I think we both must have antibodies and agree with you. The issue is that we should be allowed to show: 1. Vaccine passport 2. Still have antibodies/had Covid 3. Medical exemption. Right now #2/3 are not happening and that is a bit concerning to me. Additionally, in NYC anyway, you are considered insane if you aren't vaccinated.

Sunny, Yes this is what the nurse was trying to explain, but that I couldn't articulate back to you guys. She said they need to start testing the 'other' cell, or the B cell. Right now it's only T.

The second Moderna shot hit me really hard the day after.. like a really bad flu with whole body aching, sensitive skin, headache.. I even vomited. I haven't felt sick like that since I was a kid!

Technically i didn't get a fever but my temp did rise a little. I didn't take ibuprofen or anything.

By evening I was feeling a little better, and then the next day I was completely back to baseline.. so no changes in Lyme symptoms for me.

If I could do it over again I would probably get the second shot 8-12 weeks after the first (rather than 4).. I've heard there are generally less/milder side effects that way. The intensity of the flu-like symptoms really took me by surprise.

Huddie: 1st shot I had only a sore arm and a mild headache. The second shot was on May 19 and as I said, it resulted in one really bad day.

I'm early 40s and have been off of treatment for about 7 months. I guess I'm in somewhat of a remission, but I don't feel it's very durable.. still have stretches of fatigue, heart palps.. nothing too bad.

I was not super sensitive to most treatments but I have more sensitivities in general than I did pre-lyme.

Prior to the covid vaccine I had never had a vaccine as an adult.

I think if you had covid back in March of 2020 you would benefit a good deal from at least one shot as a "booster" (I'm no expert and not sure if "prior infection + 1 shot" has really been studied). The age difference between you and your son might explain the different antibody test results, and I think antibody positive would signal more protection against the current "variants of concern".

Then again just 1 shot may not help you with your vaccine passport problem this summer.

..and it is also encouraging that you were able to fight off the virus 15 months ago without enduring a severe illness, and that you avoided long-term complications.

Best of luck with whatever you decide!!

Huddie said...
It lasted almost a month and we definitely have some long haul symptoms, mine are like mini relapses where I feel like I can't take a deep breath but then I'm fine.

Oh I didn't realize.. then another thing you may consider is the anecdotal reports of improvement by some with long covid after vax. We don't know how common it is or what symptoms it may help with, but it is currently being studied (taken seriously).

It's believed that long covid can be caused by either a persistent viral reservoir (maybe viral fragments) or by autoimmunity.. and that vax-induced antibodies can eliminate the viral reservoir, and/or vax can reprogram autoreactive lymphocytes.

Then again it could be that the acute infection left you with a little lung damage.. but I would think that symptoms would be more consistent in that case (rather than coming and going).

Huddie: For whatever it's worth, I recently read about a surgeon that took three doses of COVID vaccines. He had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine and one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The story follows, if you're interested.

Here's Why This Doc Got a Third Vaccine Dose
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/92698

Pnp,

I have read numerous articles about long haulers getting better. My son thinks (placebo?) he is feeling better. Who knows.

Dude, The story of the cardiologist is interesting for two reasons. Pfizer/Moderna are similar in RMNA and J&J is like the old fashioned type of vaccine type which gives you a bit of the virus which is why I think it then showed up. Additionally J&J has been linked to blood clots, which is one of the reasons I would never take that one so I'm surprised a cardiologist would do that. Perhaps it was before the news broke. Our Lyme doctors strongly advised against J&J and that was before the clotting issue.

Thanks and feel good everyone.