Anxiety after covid vaccination

[StressedEric]

I am interested if anyone else has noticed that their anxiety levels have increased after having a dose of the covid vaccination.

I suffer from GAD and have done for many years and up until having the jab I was managing my anxiety relatively well. I had my first dose 5 days ago and after a day my anxiety increased a lot and has stayed there and finding difficult to cope.

I am debating if to register this as a covid vaccine side effect thats why I am interested if anyone else has experienced the same?

I haven't seen a doc yet as it is difficult getting an appointment.

[ankietyjoe]

Your immune response would have been triggered which includes side effects such as increased heart rate etc.

Does your anxiety increase if you catch a cold etc?

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[StressedEric]

I dont usually get increased anxiety after colds and flu. I did stop taking citalopram the end of last year as felt that i could cope and was managing the anxiety ok. I have tho had some pretty stressful times in work recently but managed to control the anxiety although those stressful times and then added immune response that you mention prob have overwhelmed me. I trying to ignore the anxiety but it got a firm grip on me and i cant break out of it. Worried that cant start citalopram again as dont know how if that will react with the covid jab and if i could cope with the added side effects of the cit. I could see if i feel a bit better when the immune response subsides but it been 5 days already now since the jab.

[ankietyjoe]

I suspect it's nothing more than the jab adding just that bit more stress which has triggered (rather than caused) an anxiety response. There's also the great Covid vaccine fear mongering going on that may well have caused some kind of subconscious reaction in you too.

I've always found that once a bout of anxiety is triggered, it can take a while to subside again. The vaccine side effects can leave your system a long time before the anxiety will calm down again, and it sounds like you may well be in the cycle of anxiety because of anxiety again, at least in part.

I'm sure it'll pass soon enough, just try not to focus on it and judge it as 'here to stay'.

[Pamplemousse]

Worried that cant start citalopram again as dont know how if that will react with the covid jab and if i could cope with the added side effects of the cit.

I think the answer to that is "it won't be a problem", but obviously I'm not qualified to say that. If it helps you, then get back on it :) Can you call either your GP or a pharmacist to ask them?

I'm just starting the final withdrawal phase of citalopram after twelve years on ultimately, 30mg of it: it had stopped working for me.

[StressedEric]

I am thinking of going back on citalopram as this has helped me twice in the past and I dont think going to manage this anxiety without some help from the med. I am starting to lose weight due to the constant anxiety. Luckily I hae been monitored by the local hospital dietition the last couple of years after my last period of high anxiety so at leastI can contact them about my concerns. I have contacted docs and they say it would be ok for me to start taking citalopram again.

[Fishmanpa]

Kudos for being pro-active with your anxiety. You got this!

Positive thoughts

[Pamplemousse]

Yep, all good stuff.

You'll be fine - you see :)

[StressedEric]

Started Citalopram 4 days ago. From 2nd day can't sleep all night have continuous rushes of adrenaline and sweating. The exhaustion is so bad I am now really struggling to get out of bed. I just want to stay in bed all day Got no appetite at all and no urge to eat i have to force myself to eat anything and only manage small meals and I losing weight. Have no emotions just feel like an empty shell. Feel so ill. I am not signed off work everyone thinks it just tiredness. I don't know how I can go on like this

[Fishmanpa]

Started Citalopram 4 days ago. From 2nd day can't sleep all night have continuous rushes of adrenaline and sweating. The exhaustion is so bad I am now really struggling to get out of bed. I just want to stay in bed all day Got no appetite at all and no urge to eat i have to force myself to eat anything and only manage small meals and I losing weight. Have no emotions just feel like an empty shell. Feel so ill. I am not signed off work everyone thinks it just tiredness. I don't know how I can go on like this

Hang in there. Its pretty common to have an initial increase of anxiety as a side effect of the meds. Give it a few weeks. Check the meds section here too and you'll see many have gone through the same thing but when they finally kicked in, it was a world of difference.

Positive thoughts

[StressedEric]

This is my 3rd time on citalopram in 10 years the other two times I didn't feel as bad as this when I started on it.

[Lencoboy]

I suspect it's nothing more than the jab adding just that bit more stress which has triggered (rather than caused) an anxiety response. There's also the great Covid vaccine fear mongering going on that may well have caused some kind of subconscious reaction in you too.

I've always found that once a bout of anxiety is triggered, it can take a while to subside again. The vaccine side effects can leave your system a long time before the anxiety will calm down again, and it sounds like you may well be in the cycle of anxiety because of anxiety again, at least in part.

I'm sure it'll pass soon enough, just try not to focus on it and judge it as 'here to stay'.

It does seem that the mass media circus over the vaccine blood clot scares has quietened down a fair bit over the past few days.

[JustVal]

I was just looking online to find out if psychological symptoms can increase after the vaccine. I had mine yesterday and today I feel as anxious and depressed as I did the last time I had to go to the hospital, and that was 20 years ago. Maybe the possible psychological effects after the vaccine should be recorded and considered. I have bipolar and have been maintaining well. Today I feel overwhelmed by symptoms.

[Melonpony]

I just had my 1st dose of Pfizer today, and right before administering the dose, my nurse told me a bunch of potential side effects I might have, and "malaise or depression" was one he mentioned. I took that to also include anxiety for me personally, since depression and anxiety are closely related for me.

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[Pamplemousse]

I just had my 1st dose of Pfizer today, and right before administering the dose, my nurse told me a bunch of potential side effects I might have, and "malaise or depression" was one he mentioned.

Now, that's a new one on me?

[PiaR]

Yes - I had my vaccine (AstraZeneca) 7 days ago and definitely found that my anxiety is worse. Of course I felt quite poorly the first couple days after the vaccine, then as I began to feel better, but I’ve now caught a cold from my nieces and nephew, which has added to the feeling of stress (headaches, sneezing, sore throat and runny nose). That also and the fear of developing a blood clot, I’m 31 and had the jab as I’m an unpaid carer but I am so convinced I will be one of the unlucky ones to get a clot. Read today that 169 clots have now been reported in the UK. Conveniently, I’ve also started to experience pain in my calf, which comes and goes. Can’t tell if it’s in my mind or something is actually wrong but it’s exhausting.

[Carys]

I think we need to be careful thinking that anxiety is a side effect of a vaccine, whereas being anxious after a vaccine is from the person themselves and not a physical response. Feeling a bit 'under the weather' along with worrying about side effects, stressing about blood clots and other vaccine related issues, will surely be the cause of being anxious.

[Melonpony]

Now, that's a new one on me?I know, I was surprised he mentioned it as a side effect. It stood out for sure.

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[PiaR]

I agree, I don’t think it’s a side effect from the vaccine itself, rather having the vaccine can cause a rise in anxiety.