I was happy to know that I’d be jabbed with a third dose just days before the sixth month since my second dose had passed. My wife, Caryn, had received her booster dose a few weeks earlier, as she is a frontline worker in a healthcare facility with many immunocompromised individuals. RELATED: 10 Biggest COVID-19 Vaccine Myths
My Personal Side Effect Experience
Our side effect profiles had been quite mild and fairly equal over our combined initial four doses. A sore arm (more so than the annual flu jab), a bit of fatigue and lethargy for 24 to 36 hours, mild headache, and a little difficulty sleeping for me (although not for her). I was a bit surprised when a mild fever and chills accompanied my sleepless night after the third dose. And since a raised body temperature can have a pseudoexacerbation effect on my multiple sclerosis (MS), the next day was spent doing not very much. But by day two, I was back to baseline, none the worse for the wear, and thankful for the science that has brought us this and so many other lifesaving, life-changing vaccines.
How the Study on Vaccine Side Effects Was Done
A recent study, published in November 2021 in Neurology, endeavored to see if people with MS — particularly those on a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) — had a different side effect profile than a group of control subjects. Limited data on this subject has been published up to this point, as the vaccine and the mRNA technology used to create the vaccine are both novel. The study included 719 people living with MS — 70 percent with relapsing-remitting MS, 18 percent with secondary-progressive MS, 9 percent with primary-progressive MS, and 2 percent with clinically isolated syndrome — with a mean disease duration of 14 years since diagnosis. All were participants in the iConquerMS research network. The participants reported their side effects after both the first and second doses of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Moderna vaccines. Those who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine reported side effects after the single dose. RELATED: What You Need to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines
How Bad Were the Side Effects? And Who Had Them?
The side effects were reported as either mild (47 percent first dose, 52 percent second dose) or severe (17 percent, 22 percent second dose). These included pain at the injection site (54 percent), fatigue (34 percent), headache (28 percent), and malaise (21 percent) for both first and second doses. People with more severe impairment due to their MS had a slightly higher rate of reporting reactions, while younger people with MS and those on certain DMTs (namely Gilenya, Mayzent, and Zeposia) were “significantly less likely to report” side effects from either of their jabs, according to the study. Like 25 percent of those studied, I am not currently using a DMT (with my neurologist’s understanding). The other 75 percent of the subjects reported being on one DMT or another (although a surprising number of patients’ last treatment dates were far outside of the recommended treatment frequency guidelines).
In Terms of Vaccine Side Effects, We’re Normal
So, the good news: We’re normal! The rate of reported side effects — both mild and severe — were similar to what’s found in the general population. I know it could be considered hyperbole to shout about relative normality, but for people with MS trying to figure out how to live with a “new normal,” regular normal is something of a win. In fact, for those who are on certain MS DMTs, their normal may be even better than “regular” normal. We don’t get a lot of marks in the “win” column, so I’m happy to note this one as at least a draw, and that’s better than a “lose” any day! Wishing you and your family the best of health. Cheers, Trevis
