2nd AZ vaccine - not coping after having it

[mila]

Mila, thats unfair. I can only speak for myself, but I put considerable time into trying to assist you. As you've been a member on here for 16 years, though not a frequent poster in the last few, I thought maybe considering your thought processes about risk might be a helpful way to go on it, to really consider your 'thinking behaviour'. Its not nice that you are feeling this way, of course, and I'm sure there are many who have felt the same, but you can only get through the next 28 days without falling apart by applying some things yourself.

Carys, I have responded the way I did in response to Pulisa's post, not yours. I appreciate the effort you have put in to reply. It was not what I was looking for, nor I expect someone to be able to diagnose me, but I am still grateful. And I certainly do not want to go to A&E. What is so wrong in looking to talk to people who feel the same way? That is how some people deal with it, while others need to rationalise.

[mila]

Hi Mila, I have health anxiety so I understand the worry over things that realistically won’t happen. You will be ok, by getting that second dose you’ve protected yourself really well against catching COVID. You aren’t alone in worrying like this but you will be alright.

Hi green_tea, Thank you so much for reading and replying to my post. Sometimes we just need to share and hear some kind words to pick ourselves up.

[Carys]

What is so wrong in looking to talk to people who feel the same way? That is how some people deal with it, while others need to rationalise.

Well, ok, I suppose that just sharing fear is one way to go, but does it actually make you feel any better over the next 28 days ? People experiencing the same feelings as you are numerous, the threads on here are testament to that, the number of people turning up to A and E departments thinking they have the rare disorder are many (the media even commented on it). How far does knowing people feel the same way help you though ? Does it make your terror go ? Can it make you able to stop falling apart and crumbling ? Just talking about how much you are scared will reenforce those feelings and give them validity. Its not nice feeling as you do, so making it stop is better than just reiterating how bad it is ?

I had my second one on 31st May. 2 days later I had a headache. Tension headache as it happens, but at the time I wondered...... I didn't want to fall apart and feel dreadful for the remaining weeks, it would have been absolutely awful, so worked on counteracting my thinking.

[mila]

It is a safe place to open up, but you mustn’t just expect everyone to reassure you because that just fuels your/our need for further reassurance about our anxieties.

You’ve been given good answers but you’re ignoring the sense and just craving people who feel exactly the same as you do.

Think about what you would say to a friend or colleague if they were having the same thoughts. What would you recommend?

I had a headache on and off for a couple of days - I had my 2nd jab 10 days ago. It doesn’t feel like a different kind of headache than I’ve had before. Does yours? If so, ring 111 don’t just go straight to a&e.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would listen to my friend and try to understand what they need from me to feel better. Exactly what I would hope for as well. Just because people open up it doesn't mean they need you to fix them or that you have to have a solution. They just want a friendly ear. To open up to someone who is not going to think they are bonkers or being ridiculous.

I do try to appreciate all the replies, and I am happy for you that you were able to be so rational about your headache. I am sure you have something that you find hard to deal with since you are on this forum. This is something I find hard. We are all different.

[Green_tea]

It actually helps me just to talk about how I’m feeling and have a sympathetic ear from people who understand. Perhaps it’s unusual but it’s incredibly helpful for me.

[mila]

Well, ok, I suppose that just sharing fear is one way to go, but does it actually make you feel any better over the next 28 days ? People experiencing the same feelings as you are numerous, the threads on here are testament to that, the number of people turning up to A and E departments thinking they have the rare disorder are many (the media even commented on it). How far does knowing people feel the same way help you though ? Does it make your terror go ? Can it make you able to stop falling apart and crumbling ? Just talking about how much you are scared will reenforce those feelings and give them validity. Its not nice feeling as you do, so making it stop is better than just reiterating how bad it is ?

I had my second one on 31st May. 2 days later I had a headache. Tension headache as it happens, but at the time I wondered...... I didn't want to fall apart and feel dreadful for the remaining weeks, it would have been absolutely awful, so worked on counteracting my thinking.

Hi Carys, it actually really helps me. Voicing it out helps me, because I can see it differently. It is not just something I am fighting in my head. Hearing what you wrote about your headache also helps. More than any numbers. I know that eventually I will get tired of being afraid, way before 28 days. I never went to A&E after the first one even though, as you said, others flocked. In fact I have not visited A&E in years. But putting faces to people who died of this had a big impact and I was very anxious about getting the vaccine before I even got it, hence I am in this state right now.

[Carys]

I was very anxious about getting the vaccine before I even got it, hence I am in this state right now.

I can empathise, I was in the biggest state since I heard they were even working on creating vaccines. I have a medicine phobia, a very severe one. In the weeks running up to my first vaccine I was at times paralysed with fear, lost weight, couldn't sleep...and so on.....oh and I was a nightmare to live with too LOL I tried so so hard to use any mental skill I could find during this time to rationalise and reassure, but, it was all I could do to drag myself into that vacc room sweating, pale and shaking, certain I would seccumb to some awful outcome. Irrational isn't it, as here I am 3 weeks after the second one having wasted a *^&%& load of emotional energy on something that wasn't worth it. The second one I was determined I wouldn't let myself be that way.

A headache after the vaccine is the most common side effect, from tension or your immune system working away, but then you know this. Do a search on here for vaccine and headache, I should think you will come across many people who have experienced similar fears. You will be ok, and rest assured that so so many others feel the same, but I still recommend working on your thought processes

[pulisa]

I am not sure what kind of support I could expect outside of this forum when this is the responses I get for posting how I feel on here.

@Pulisa I was hoping for some understanding from fellow health anxiety sufferers who can relate. Maybe someone who had a headache after their vaccine. If you can't understand how I feel, I am not sure it is very helpful for you to reply. It actually makes people who are in a very vulnerable state feel much worse then they already do. It can push people over the edge.

I do accept assessments. They are facts. I work in clinical trials, so I know very well about the side effects of different drugs people are using without thinking twice, I understand statistics very well and know that clots are so much more likely from a variety of different drugs or activities. I can rationalise everything, I just always see the best and worst case scenario, and have difficulty letting go of the worst one. Being in a situation where you are basically told to watch out for a list of symptoms over a period of time puts me in a state of constant anxiety, no matter how unlikely that is. But not taking the vaccine was not an option either. I just need some help getting through this now and I was hoping that this was a safe place to open up, as I felt so hopeless, but I was wrong and the effect was certainly opposite of what I was hoping for.

I'm sorry if what I posted had the potential to push you over the edge. It was intended to challenge your thoughts. Working in clinical trials must be a poisoned chalice when it comes to vaccines and too much knowledge can be unhelpful with HA..as you know. Of course I understand your fears but you know that so many others feel the same and you are looking for some relief in your anxiety and challenging your thoughts could well be more helpful than sympathy and empathy alone? You have to do something practical as well from my experience of managing my own HA.

[NoraB]

I'm sorry if what I posted had the potential to push you over the edge. It was intended to challenge your thoughts.

Don't sweat it P. I had someone react to me recently for a similar approach. I think this Mila understands, deep down, that you only want to help.

People often react from emotion, (don't I know it) and that's what Mila's done - but if what you've said will cause her to actually challenge her thoughts, then it's job done. Often, it's when we feel pissed off that we motivate ourselves, right?

@Mila - I make no apologies for what I'm about to say..

Sympathy won't make you better. Nor will empathy. Reassurance is a short term fix to a long-term problem. Changing your thoughts will make you better, and that means that you challenge them - just as Pulisa was advising you to do, and just as any therapist worth their salt would advise you to do.

P is trying to hand you the tools to help you long-term - not just to see you through this spiral...

[BlueIris]

Apologies for chiming in here, but... yes.

Like many others here, I've suffered from evil health anxiety. Sympathy has never helped except on a superficial, short-term level. Yes, it makes things bearable in the moment, but all it really does is reinforce and reward the thought that something could really be wrong.

What actually stops health anxiety is tough love from others and positive action from yourself.