E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

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DistinguishedHeathen
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E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by DistinguishedHeathen »

I'm a 38 year-old 3/4 who received my first dose of the Moderna vaccine (for an unrelated congenital kidney condition) on Feb. 15. In addition to having an incredibly strong reaction to the first dose (extreme muscle and joint pain all down my arm, swelling from the base of my neck to my elbow), I also experienced a delayed, secondary reaction 8 days later known as "COVID Arm" in which the redness and swelling returned to the muscles and joints of my left arm along with a red, raised, itchy rash lasting 48 hours.

Evidently, just 1% of those who got the Moderna vaccine reported this secondary reaction and I wondered if it might be more common in E4s. Though this is purely anecdotal, I'm curious: Has anyone else here who has been vaccinated also experienced an unusually strong reaction (primary or delayed) to the FIRST dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine?
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

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DistinguishedHeathen wrote:Evidently, just 1% of those who got the Moderna vaccine reported this secondary reaction and I wondered if it might be more common in E4s. Though this is purely anecdotal, I'm curious: Has anyone else here who has been vaccinated also experienced an unusually strong reaction (primary or delayed) to the FIRST dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine?
I'm 65 & had dose 1 of Pfizer a week ago. Zero noticeable reaction. If I pressed hard enough on the injection site, I could barely feel it. As I have had paroxysmal (very intermittent) afib for nearly 17 years, I commonly record a 30 second ECG most mornings. The ECG reported "Wide QRS" for a couple of days (not clinically significant). I also use a finger tip pulse wave velocity (PVW) device. Slower is better. It reports in "PWV age" as well as m/s. My "PWV age" was 19 seven or eight hours after the shot. The lower "PWV age" persisted for a couple of days. Also notice a very minor (few 10ths of degree) oral temperature increase as well as a somewhat elevated heart rate for a couple of days.
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by rws »

The obvious explanation for an unusual reaction is an immune system that already has some "knowledge" about the antigen. That does not necessarily mean you already had an asymptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2. It could also have been an earlier infection with one of the other four common-cold coronaviruses.
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

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Side effects mean you have a robust, healthy immune system.
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SusanJ
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by SusanJ »

DistinguishedHeathen wrote:Though this is purely anecdotal, I'm curious: Has anyone else here who has been vaccinated also experienced an unusually strong reaction (primary or delayed) to the FIRST dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine?
I'm 65 and had the first Moderna shot in early February. I had a very sore arm for about 4 days, well beyond the injection site. Then about 8 days later had itchy red skin around the injection site, about the size of my hand, for just a couple hours. I assumed it was just my immune system doing it's job. When I looked up side effects, the delayed rash is not common, but listed as a possible side effect. My husband also got a delayed rash, much larger area, but it also went away after a day.

That said, I won't schedule anything after my second shot, in case my immune system ups the ante.
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by Fc1345linville »

I'm 78, 4/4, and had both Moderna vaccinations with nothing more than a sore shoulder.
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by NewRon »

I commonly record a 30 second ECG most mornings/ I also use a finger tip pulse wave velocity (PVW) device.
Ooooh, new toys!

I've sent you a PM.
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by ApropoE4 »

My wife is a 3/3 and had covid arm a week after the first shot. I'm 4/4 and I had it after the second shot :)
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by Lifein3/4time »

My personal experience (3/4) is I had no reaction to either dose of the Pfizer vaccine other than some very minor injection site soreness. After the second dose my sleep tracking ring said my temperature went up 0.1 degrees overnight. Clearly no issues.
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Re: E4 Reactions to COVID Vaccine

Post by Tincup »

NewRon wrote: Ooooh, new toys!
I've sent you a PM.
Don't see it, though happy to respond to one.

FWIW, the devices are the single lead Kardia and the iHeart pulse wave velocity device.

For what it is used for, the Kardia is quite good. The iHeart is variable, though I can see the variability in the pulse waveform. I'm always 15 years younger than my age (65) or younger. Commonly in the 30's or 40's, but sometimes in the 20's and infrequently in the teens.
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