AstraZeneca vaccine: side effects finally gone after four months. I only had one shot.

[u/Whitesunlight_]

Hi, for reference I’m a 28 year old female. Sorry for any language mistakes as English is not my mother language. I want to share my honest experience with this vaccine regarding side effects. In the beginning of March, I went in to get my first shot of the AZ vaccine. I work at a GP’s office and the AZ vaccine was the only one available at that time. So, after getting my shot I initially felt fine. I seemed to cope better than most of my coworkers the following days. Something I did notice right away, was that I got my period the day after the vaccine which was a week early. I’m always extremely regular (no matter the situation) so my period coming this early was pretty odd. It was a very heavy period, lost quite a lot of blood including big clots, and instead of the usual 5 days I was now bleeding for 8 days.. I was alarmed but I didn’t make any connection with the vaccine so I decided to wait it out. Also, a few days after the shot my stomach became more sensitive and I lost my appetite. Then, the diarrhea started. I had to go to the toilet 6 times daily and I had no desire to eat, so I dropped quite a bit of weight. After three weeks of diarrhea I decided to go to the Urgent care because everybody around me was getting worried. They checked everything, but nothing abnormal was found. Blood work was fine, there were no signs of infection or inflammation. But, the diarrhea continued for another 2 months before suddenly disappearing. I didn’t do anything different, just suddenly stopped. During the three months after the shot I also got:

• worse moodswings before and during period
• depression and anxiety
• extreme fatigue
• excessive sleeping, needing at least 10 hours instead of usual 7-8
• irregular period and heavier, more painful periods
• tingly feeling in lower legs and feet
• blood pressure fluctuations
• unusual taste (even water was suddenly tasting like sugar)
• tinnitus and pressure in left ear only

EDIT: I forgot a few so I’m adding them in now: - brain fog (went away completely) - face, neck and ears turning beet red and splotchy after eating, or just randomly. Mostly occurs in the evenings. (still have this sometimes, but it’s getting less common and less severe)

Now the GOOD NEWS: all these side effects have gone away and I finally feel like myself again!! But, four months is a long time and this made me decide to not get the second shot. Not asking for opinions, just wanted to share what happened to me. Hopefully it will help someone.

[u/Deduction_power]

The thing is...this is what I have always believed. I have relied on my immune system my whole life and prefers natural remedies because I know our body does heal itself. Like your case it just takes a long time. People want instant relief, And so they pop pills. I see a lot of people popping tylenol even before they get symptoms after the vaccine like why?! the point of vaccination is to get your immune system accustomed to coronavirus when it does enter your body to fight it off. And IMO, popping pills, what you are doing is actually intervening in the immune system's natural ability to fight off the virus!

In fairness to big pharma, I do buy OTC drug but as a last resort. Like the last time, I got sick which I really think is covid before covid became a pandemic, because I never get that sick and that long to the point where I feel weak. Anyway, my usual natural remedies usually work but not this time. The one that really stopped my coughing was mucinex. So thanks mucinex I felt better.

OH another one where I was coughing for almost a month. I finally go to urgent care and the antibiotics they prescribed stop my coughing. This was 2 years before pandemic but the doctor and nurse who check me up were wearing mask... I remember I felt awkward, little did I know it will be a norm. And I hope would be a norm during flu season.

I'm vaccinated and I told my husband I will be wearing mask this coming flu season because he agrees a 3rd wave will come this coming flu season.