Has anyone had their covid injection? Has there been any information on whether it is safe to have this in parkinsons. Are we at risk of reactions to it?
Hi @Littleoldme,
We have a lot of helpful information on the Parkinsonās UK website about the Covid-19 vaccination which you can find here: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/news/coronavirus-vaccine-and-parkinsons
However, to answer your question specifically, our Clinical Director, Dr Donald Grosset, advises:
āThe vaccine is safe for people with Parkinsonās. There is no interaction with Parkinsonās medication. Parkinsonās is specifically included as one of the conditions that is in a āclinical risk groupā and every adult with Parkinsonās should get the vaccine.ā
For more information and support on this, please feel free to speak to helpline team on 0808 800 0303.
Best wishes,
Reah
Thank you. I didnāt realise Dr Grosset was the clinical consultant. Heās my consultant, a lovely man.
A whole bunch of us PWP in the 70+ group, in West Berkshire have had the Astra Zeneca jab, and really look forward to having the second in early May.
No serious side effects reported.
Thats great glad you are all okay
Cheers, the experience thus far is that itās all O.K.
There is a great āsense of reliefā amongst us ( we have Zoom virtual meetings 5 or 6 times a week, so keep up to date on all sorts of things.)
Regards.
Hi @Littleoldme,
I am 58 and had my vaccination on Wednesday morning at my GP surgery. Everything well organised and I have had no side effects at all not even a sore arm. 
1 Like
Thats great it went well 
thanks 
HI
Husband had his first vaccination in December and is due second one in 2 weeks, hurrah! No side effects at all although I understand second dose may have be different . Time will tell but anything that will enable us to see family without them worrying so much will be wonderful especially as my husband has developed Parkinsonās Dementia during lockdown.
Hi My husband had his first Astra Zeneca jab 3 weeks ago and no side effects.
In fact I was the one who felt a bit āoffā for a couple of days and Iām supposed to be healthy
Hope all goes well for you
Hi,
A few weeks ago, my wife got a text from our doctors surgery. It was asking if she was a paid carer. In other words, was I on high rate pip.
I am actually on low rate, but nothing for mobility. I can only assume, that although pwp are considered clinically at risk. The reality is, you must also be in receipt of high rate DLA or PIP. Which also means a partner can receive carers allowance.
What upsets me more, is the fact that I was completely bypassed as a person. Am i not relevant. Do I not have a voice of my own, an opinion.
The surgery could have asked me via text to my phone, asking what rate of PIP I am on. I have a fully functioning brain.
The thing is we know of numerous people who have had the vaccine early, they must be on high rate PIP. We also know of those who basically hoodwink the DLA, PIP assessors. I myself find the assessment process totally unfair, often biased and sometimes degrading. I posted a poem on here a while back about the experience
Anyway, yesterday we received our vaccine invite for the 56 to 60 age group. So are now booked in for Saturday morning.
It just seems to me that there are inconsistencies in the vaccination process,and the treatment of pwp as a person by professional health bodies can leave a lot to be desired.
Based on my experiences
Titan
Hi I am a young 39 year old man who was diagnosed with Parkinsonās in October last year. Iām still trying to get my head around it and get the right medication sorted as my tremors in my left arm and some left leg are just as bad as ever,if not worse. Iāve had to give up my job in the building trade as my hand tremors restrict me in doing most of my jobs. The question I want to ask, will the tremors ever stop and also would I qualify for the vaccine early??? Many thanks Damian
@titan the inequality and lack of information along with reams of literature makes finding the truth about unpaid careers and their right to receive the vaccination as part of group 6 was / is appaling.
It was never widely in my view publicised ie not put on national news or many social media platforms.
It was agreed at the JCVI meeting on 29 December and published on 30th December that unpaid careers are entitled to be in group 6 (sorry late info I know now) itās hurried away in footnote 3. We knew about the advice but our surgery didnāt and I provided them with JCVI advice with footnote 3 highlighted. They said they would look in to it. We only knew for sure that my wife would be vaccinated at the same time as myself, when our surgery called both myself (59) and my wife who is registered with surgery as my main unpaid career for our vaccinations on the 17/02/2021.
Below are links from Parkinsons.org.uk, gov.uk and Carersuk
As I said sorry the info provided has come too late for you but it might helpmothers. I do know that @Reah did publish this in February on the forum. But why it was not published by mainstream news broadcasters or mention in a number 10 briefing is a mystery.
Pleased to hear that you are finally getting your vaccination on Saturday
Hi jps1926,
Thanks for the reply. On reading the links you provided. There definitely appears to be confusion in the carers and in the at risk sections of the various literature and covid vaccine guidance available.
I think carers UK thought that this issue was all sorted, yet evidently not. What I think has happened in my case. Although on the face of things, my wife and I perhaps should have been included in the group 6 section of priority. The GP surgery have gone by this piece of guidance in our case
Now allows GPS to predict which patients in this group are at highest risk, by taking into account their personal factors.
Like you say, we are booked in now anyway. To be honest, I am okay with waiting for my age group anyway. I just don't like inequality or the thought that some people are being ignored or above others, or ineptitude.
Incedently, your initials jps are my initials. I have been diagnosed with pd since 2009.I am now 56.
Hi skinzo81,
We all vary on how well we respond to medication or treatment. Generally, once embarked on the correct meds for you, specifically for tremor. Which is the same for me. You should find some if not complete relief whilst taking them, however we all differ. As for qualifying for early vaccine. I would advise you to read the latest links posted here for guidance.
All the best
Titan
Hi jps1926,
A section of what I posted seems to have been placed on here in an odd format. Here is the section repeated.
Now allows GPs to predict which patients in this group are at risk, by taking into account all of their personal factors.
Like you say, we are booked in now anyway. To be honest, I was okay with waiting for the correct age group. I just donāt like inequality or the thought that people are being ignored, placed above others, or ineptitude.
Hi @titan,
I agree with not liking inequities and I will always call them out when I come across them. Post code health lottery is one of my biggest bug bears and I struggle to see why individuals should be treated differently from one area to another. It is something I have campaigned on for many years.
Currently my spare energy which often is not enough is aimed at the pathetic pay rise for the NHS. Response so far from parliamentrians on all sides are to say the least are ridiculous and in some cases condescending. I am still knocking on the doors as well about inequalities in free prescription charges and access to health care for PWP.
Both JPS a nice coincidence - Keep safe and best wishes John Paul
Hi jps1926,
Well we match with the j and the p, there is no way on this planet that the s can match.
I remember as a kid, when often at school, words would be made up out of initials. Mine was John Player Special.
I have just received a text from NHS saying I am eligible for the vaccine due to an underlying health condition. Much too late, as you know, I am already booked in first thing tomorrow 56 to 60 category.
I know they are doing wonders with the numbers being vaccinated. But I do think that they are stumbling over each others feet. Or perhaps too many cooks spoil the broth.
Anyway, going to just count myself lucky Iām getting it and hopefully there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
All the best
Titan
1 Like
Hi,
Itās been 11 days since my wife and I had the AZ vaccine. We are both fine. The only thing that happened was, after approximately 10 hours. I had sensitive skin. The type of thing with flu.Was fine by morning. My wife felt nauseous, flu like sweats and spent the next day in bed.
Titan
I have had both doses and have had no side effects with either.