Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 17 January 2021

LINDY- just as I was reading your post a text message came in on my mobile. From GP surgery, reminding me of my appointment tomorrow morning. I've to phone from the car to check in and await instructions ! I can't remember giving them my mobile number but must have done, in days of yore !!

Lindy: I'm so glad you didn't faint and fall! Feeling lightheaded or fainting after getting a vaccine jab is common, so don't worry. Make sure you aren't dehydrated. Drink some water. Lie down and prop up your feet. Stay horizontal to keep the blood from pooling in your legs. The combination of dehydration, standing or sitting upright for a long time, and the stress/sudden pain of getting the jab may have caused a sudden drop in blood pressure (especially if you take diuretics). Also, you may have jerked your head when you got the jab, which put pressure on the carotid artery in your neck. I just didn't want you to be scared. That type of syncope generally isn't serious (unless you fall). Heather can yell at me and tell me off if I'm wrong above. LOL info: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/v/vasovagal-syncope.html

Lindy: I hope I didn't sound condescending. A video that's gone viral here shows a head nurse in Tennessee passing out after getting the vaccine jab. Social media has lost its mind. First, the video is heavily edited. Second, the conspiracy theories that are now spreading like wildfire here are ridiculous. They're reporting that the woman is dead (she's fine). She simply has an "overactive vagal response," which means she faints easily when she feels pain. Now, the spreaders of the video are claiming that the vaccine was developed as a weapon to commit "genocide" on our people. I just didn't want you to be terrified. I also didn't want others to hear that video nonsense and refuse the vaccine on that basis. If someone studies the legitimate scientific journals and makes a thoughtful decision not to get the vaccine yet, I respect that, but I don't know why Americans insist on being goofy.

https://www.factcheck.org/2020/12/anti-vaccine-posts-use-deceptively-edited-video-clip/

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-vaccine-genocide/fact-check-nurse-fainting-after-covid-19-vaccine-not-evidence-of-potential-mass-genocide-idUSKBN28S2F5

DIANE - you are always so knowledgeable and helpful, it is,always much appreciated.
My surgery have advised me about the 15 mins wait. My eldest daughter is collecting me and I'm hoping to do some shopping after the vaccination so I shall be extremely annoyed if I have a fainting session !! 
I hope that LINDY is feeling better, now.

Good luck, Heather!

Goodness, I've just come on here and found reaction to what I posted! Sorry if I scared anyone. I've been like this all my life: if I take even an aspirin, I only need one rather than two to get effect. If I get to be 'put under' for a procedure, I go out like a light! I was surprised, though to have a reaction but in the leaflet they gave me, it seems that one in ten people get reactions such as headaches, etc. EDIT - Diane it did not hurt at all.

All worth it, if course. I felt what I'd describe as feeling "spaced out' and as I was sitting in the car at the time, I was very glad I was sitting down. I opened the car window and listened to the radio to distract myself. After waiting more like 20 minutes in total, instead of the suggested 15 mins, I slowly started the car and drove carefully home. Now my OH says he will drive me to the next session. I still don't have any unusual feeling in my arm but apparently that happens tomorrow because the injection is into the muscle.

Heather, hope you've not been put off!!

Not at all LINDY! It's good to share. I'm pretty sensitive to meds also and have sometimes had a paradoxical reaction. After my son was delivered by Caesar section I was given barbiturates to sleep and found myself incredibly alert. So I refused them the next night and thereafter !

Thanks, Heather :-)

On lighter note, here is my granddaughter Rosie aged 18 months: "Starting early" said my d.in law!

So sweet LINDY x

Reminds me of an incident years ago. I was due to have a minor 'procedure' under general anaesthetic, so I decided that was the time to do an overnight shift on a voluntary helpline - after all, I was going to sleep the next day, wasn't !? I didn't think to tell anyone at the hospital When I came round from the anaesthetic they said they had had difficulty in waking me up. I told them about the 'overnight' - and they were quite cross that I hadn't told them. I didn't even think about it ... I was wrong!

I wonder how I will feel this time tomorrow? My jab is due in the afternoon ...