Booster shot + flare up?

Hi all,

I used to be on this site back in 2014 when I was first diagnosed with UC (pancolitis).

I'm wondering if anyone has had any negative experiences from getting the COVID-19 booster shot (Pfizer or Moderna).

After my first COVID shot (Pfizer), I went into a pretty significant flare after being in remission for quite a while. I received my second shot while flaring and went on Budesonide to put me back into remission. I finally achieved it back in September, after being on Budesonide since May.

I qualify for the booster shot, but I'm worried about getting another flare. I'm currently on Lialda and mesalamine enemas, which is working well. I'm wondering if anyone here had a bad reaction to their booster shot -- one that either potentially caused or aggravated UC flare symptoms. Any input is appreciated!

Post Edited (gotablankspace) : 11/26/2021 1:14:58 PM (GMT-7)

I have had 3 doses without issue, but if I had flared right after the vaccine I would also be worried.
I would be curious to hear from folks who flared after the initial two doses but got the booster. Hopefully someone will respond and help you out.

Hope you feel better soon clo! And sorry for the losses in your family!

My main reaction to 3rd Moderna dose was fever and joint aches. Lasted 2 days. Nothing GI at all.

My GI doctor has been very honest with me in saying that a significant number of his patients have flared following just one shot, some of them have had severe flares. He cites cases with people who have been in remission for 10+ years and are now in terrible flares. My regular GP said that she currently has 8 active patients with UC and more than half flared following the shot. So, I take this info seriously.

Since my flares tend to be severe, I am avoiding all covid shots. They are experimental anyway and I want to see more conclusive long term data before I ever commit to something that could tweak my immune system and make me flare.

Great idea poopydoop. I will try again next time I go in...but that isn't until February. (Unless I have some more issues...but even then there has to be lots of mucus or blood for me to actually go in. The only reason I went in this time was because it had been a year and he was threatening to withhold my Remicade if he didn't actually see me. Been doing the virtual visits...lol)

I tried to get numbers but my GI was not willing to go there. He just said that some people had mini flares and that they all had recovered....and that was when we were speaking about the 3rd shot...not the first 2. That relieved my concerns. It was said in a manner that, to me, indicated that even if you did flare it didn't last too too long and that they all recovered. But TBH...I was so freaked out by the people in the waiting room and all the masks worn under people's noses that I was sorta a mess.

I am the only Crohn's patient my PCP has so that's not helpful.

I did ask my Infectious Disease doctor--who does my infusions-- and he indicated that he had heard of a few people flaring but he thought they were all back to where they were before the 3rd shot.

So I dunno. But I will ask. Hopefully others will too.

If I had spoken to VanJordans doc... Well it might have caused me to pause for a moment-- but then I would picture my sister in law gasping for breath, begging for oxygen... And I would have done it anyway. She didn't make it. The visuals and sounds will haunt me forever-even if they were experienced thru an ipad.

I know that some others just can't take the vaccine...I respect that. I have family members that can not take any of the vaccines because of other health issues...so I get it. I just want everyone to be safe. I hope those antiviral pills come out soon.

Clo

Post Edited (clo2014) : 11/15/2021 7:42:42 PM (GMT-7)

I've had 3 doses. Sore arm after all 3. Chills and severe fatigue for 24 hours after the 2nd. No other symptoms. No affect on UC.

Poopydoop -- that's a good idea. I see my GI next month. Will ask him for a percentage of people who flared after the shots. I do know that both my GI and PCP advised me to get the 3rd dose.

VanJordan,

Yikes!! If I had been thru Covid I would probably view things differently.

I didn't mean to make you feel bad about not getting the vaccine. I apologize.

Hopefully you have natural immunity against it now. Have you had your antibodies tested? That might help you feel alittle safer....

Clo

poopydoop said...
VanJordan I thought you had covid at the beginning of the pandemic?
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=4192615
I can understand then you might feel less urge to take a vaccine since you know you already survived it and probably have some natural immunity.

That's right.

Even if I didn't have covid previously, I would not take these shots. Too many unanswered questions, which don't meet my requirements. What my doctors told me was the nail in the coffin for my decision. It's one thing to read about it in support groups but to hear my medical team actually say "Yeah, in your case I wouldn't", settles it.

Anyway, I don't want to belabor this further. I was just adding my two cents. People will make different choices than me and that's cool. Good luck!

Van -- you keep saying the vaccines are experimental. They are not ... at least Pfizer has full FDA authorization. Not sure whether the others have full approval yet or not. These vaccines have been more widely distributed than any trial would ever have. MRNA isn't something brand new -- it's been around for several years. If you don't want the vaccine, don't take it. Just please stop spreading misinformation.

I agree with Vanjordan im on entyvio havnt been this good in 7 years why take a chance with the vaccine shot I had covid natural immunity unfortunaly Im in a blue state

IamCurious said...
But since there haven't been any long term studies for the Covid vaccines I don't think it is fair to criticize those who are hesitant to get vaccinated especially now when there are alternatives such as monoclonal antibodies and other therapeutics available.

So many of my friends and family have been vaccinated that I hope that they really are completely safe and effective.

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/timeline
A typical vaccine development timeline takes 5 to 10 years, and sometimes longer, to assess whether the vaccine is safe and efficacious in clinical trials, complete the regulatory approval processes, and manufacture sufficient quantity of vaccine doses for widespread distribution.

Not to mention all the studies showing natural immunity is superior to the vax, which I have, yet they lie constantly and deny this fact, so people like me can't get a vax pass. It's a joke. I'm supposed to risk my health further by getting a vaccine when I already survived covid itself. They are doing anything and everything to push this one-solution on everybody, when there are so many other effective strategies. People are losing their jobs, their livelihoods, because they are using their sovereign right to make health decisions for themselves. Now they want to give this stuff to children who don't even get covid.

Like I said, people are free to do what they want with their bodies, but I won't pretend the truth isn't the truth, especially with the politics getting so dark these days.

I hope your friends and family are safe. I don't wish illness on anyone in any form. What I do wish is that people would wake up and use some critical thinking. We should have vaccines + many other strategies, along with some risk tolerance, rather than cramming this stuff down everyone's throats like it's good for everyone.

CCinPA said...
Van -- you keep saying the vaccines are experimental. They are not ... at least Pfizer has full FDA authorization. Not sure whether the others have full approval yet or not. These vaccines have been more widely distributed than any trial would ever have. MRNA isn't something brand new -- it's been around for several years. If you don't want the vaccine, don't take it. Just please stop spreading misinformation.

CC,

Don’t contradict their narratives with silly things like facts, studies, and science stuff.

IamCurious said...

But since there haven't been any long term studies for the Covid vaccines I don't think it is fair to criticize those who are hesitant to get vaccinated especially now when there are alternatives such as monoclonal antibodies and other therapeutics available.

So many of my friends and family have been vaccinated that I hope that they really are completely safe and effective.

Cool narrative, bro. You know what effects haven’t been studied long-term? The effects of Covid infections. You know… the same infection that has killed over 750,000 Americans. The one that causes inflammation in your organs and body. The one that causes people to lose their sense of smell and taste. The one that causes strokes. The one that has disabled some people for 18+ months and they think that they’ll never be the same again, aka Long Covid.