Needing some encouragement

[Careful1]

So I really really want to get the vaccine, every day I say I’m gonna go get it and the day passes by without me going because my anxiety convinces me not to go 😟
Thing is I really do need to get it as I live in Florida and the virus is out of control here. It’s like almost everyone I know has it right now and I’m afraid I’m gonna get it.
I have decided to go in the morning but I fear that I won’t follow through.

[elizabethalice]

Hello,

What is it you're scared of?

I'm 28 and had covid in January. It was absolutely horrible. I only had a mild case, but it went on for weeks and I had to get my heart checked due to chest pains etc. All ok now luckily. My boyfriend is 30 and was much more unwell than me. He is ok now but it was very very scary. Neither of us have any underlying medical conditions.

We both got first dose of the vax in June. Because we have had covid, we did have a few mild side effects - mainly tiredness and achiness and my boyfriend had a fever. These were 100x better than how we felt when we had covid, they lasted a few days and by the end of the week we were back to usual activities (at the time we were hiking a lot). We have had the worst side effects of anyone I know, and I believe they were only because we had covid before.

I never ever ever want covid again (I am currently back in isolation as I've been in contact with a postive case and I feel so anxious about it), but I cannot WAIT to have my second jab (we have long gaps in the UK so I'll get mine when I'm out of isolation).

The vaccine is super safe. I know it can seem scary when you see vaccine deniers online, but their arguments are grounded in false logic. There are a tiny number of serious side effects of the vaccine - just like there are with any medication - but covid has so so many more possible serious health implications, even if you're young and healthy.

If you let me know what exactly it is you feel anxious about, I can try and debunk it for you

[Catkins]

Honestly the relief of having had it far outweighed the thought of it for me.

You can do this!

[Careful1]

I’m thinking it’s the possible side effects that worry me or the fact that I had never had the flu before to my knowledge and the one year I decided to get the vaccine cause they said it was a bad year I ended up getting it, never had the vaccine again and never had the flu again.

In late February of 2020 myself and my 6 year old got really sick. It was pretty bad maybe lasted a week or a tad over. I thought for the longest time it was probably COVID because I took my 6 year old to hospital and she had the starts of pneumonia but was negative for FLU A and B. We didn’t know anything about COVID being here at the time as it wasn’t until shortly after that they said it was here and things got crazy. Since I can’t recall having a cold like that before part of me thinks it was but only myself and my 6 year old were sick, my husband and other two adult children were fine so then part of me thinks it wasn’t cause they probably would have gotten sick too.

I do have medical problems, heart arrhythmia’s and also lung issues. I’m over weight and I’m struggling to quit smoking and so the thought of catching the virus terrify me.

I stay home for the most part with my youngest at the moment because things are so crazy. I will need the vaccine to eventually return to work as I work in a hospital. I worry that someone in my family is going to bring it home and infect me and my youngest. I have two adult children that work and go to college, my husband who is always on the go because he can’t sit still and I also have my mom and sister in law cause they lost their place and they are also out and about all day everyday. I don’t feel safe in my own home which is an extremely uncomfortable feeling. I do know both my mom and sister in law are fully vaccinated but I also know despite that being the case they can still become infected and pass along the virus.

Anyways, so I do think it’s maybe the possible side effects scaring me. I worry I will get the vaccine and then end up with the virus or that I will be one of the extremely unlucky ones that have one of the more serious side effects from the vaccine. This is horrible. I want the vaccine, I set out to get it but then I chicken out.

[Pamplemousse]

Basically, what Catkins said in her post.

I'm also one of those people who has a target painted on their back for this virus: I'm in my 50s, weigh 270lbs, I'm type 2 diabetic and hypertensive. If I got it before I was vaccinated I have no doubt it would kill me. However, that's why I got vaccinated (Pfizer, in my case); sure, if I was unfortunate enough to catch it now I'd probably still be very sick indeed - but hopefully, it won't kill me.

The sole side effects I had were a bit of soreness at the injection site (who doesn't get that?), a bit of tiredness the first time and a little stiffness in the arm I was injected in the second time... and that was it.

A lot of noise is made about side effects but seriously, they make news because they are so rare.

We'll virtually hold your hand if you want us to but do try and get this done. Remember, we've had 'Delta' longer than you guys and the vaccination programme does seem to be working here - it'd be frightening to think what it'd be like if it had evaded the vaccines. These days I refer to the voluntarily-unvaccinated as "the control group".

[elizabethalice]

Careful, for one if you get the vaccine and end up with the virus it will be much, much easier to deal with. From someone who had it before vaccines, trust me. So that shouldn't be a worry at all.

If you're worried about the side effects, know that the illness for me was 100x worse. It was horrible. I never want that virus again. The common side effects are easily manageable, but covid? It made my body feel so weird and was one of the most difficult things I've ever been through.

Yes, there are more serious side effects, but they are so so rare - like pamplemousse said, this is why they make the news! The good news is that drs are already very good at recognising and treating these, even though they are already so so rare.

However, the serious impacts of covid are unfortunately very common and theres a huge list of them!

If you're unvaccinated, you are at high risk for covid. I know which one I would prefer!

[Catkins]

I don't know if I should say this it sounds very fatalistic. But, I thought long and hard about the vaccine prior to getting my first one in December. One of the things I thought about was the side effects - it was early days so lots of speculation.

I felt I had to get it as soon as possible, if there were side effects I was fully prepared to accept them. Why? Because of my son, he is 24. If there was a side effect I would rather have got it myself than him have it. I f I got a side effect they could iron out before he had it, great.

I'm 54, even with severe bouts of anxiety from time to time I have travelled all over the world I've visited some amazing places and seen wonderful things. I wanted my son to have the chance to have a life and do what I've done. Without a widespread roll out of a vaccine his chance of being able to do that was greatly reduced.

To be totally honest last year I would have willingly volunteered to be a Guinea pig. My need to protect others was so strong. My son, my mum, my husband and all the vulnerable patients that I see through work.

I don't know if that will help you decide, but thinking of my son swung it for me.

[NancyW]

I was you exactly.
I had to work up the nerve to go. I went to a walk in, my good friend works at the pharmacy and she came with me and rubbed my shoulder while the pharmacist gave it to me. I was shocked how I did not feel the needle, how do they do that?

#1 Monday got the vaccine
Tuesday and Wednesday felt like sitting on the couch watching TV, stomach a little queezy.

#2 Monday got the vaccine.
Tuesday and Wednesday I felt a little worse than with #1 but not terrible.

By Wednesday evening both times I was fine.

I'm relieved its done, I think you will be too.

So much hype over all of this we're scared shitless to get it or not get it.

In the end, it was the right thing to do and I knew that.

[Careful1]

I was you exactly.
I had to work up the nerve to go. I went to a walk in, my good friend works at the pharmacy and she came with me and rubbed my shoulder while the pharmacist gave it to me. I was shocked how I did not feel the needle, how do they do that?

#1 Monday got the vaccine
Tuesday and Wednesday felt like sitting on the couch watching TV, stomach a little queezy.

#2 Monday got the vaccine.
Tuesday and Wednesday I felt a little worse than with #1 but not terrible.

By Wednesday evening both times I was fine.

I'm relieved its done, I think you will be too.

So much hype over all of this we're scared shitless to get it or not get it.

In the end, it was the right thing to do and I knew that.

Which one did you get and thank you for sharing your experience.

[NancyW]

Pfizer

You're welcome ox