New covid vaccine booster

Do most of you think it's a good idea to get a covid booster when you have a pacemaker  or not.?

 


8 Comments

COVID Vaccine

by Julros - 2023-09-20 17:06:02

I think it is a good idea to get a covid booster. I plan to get it myself when I get my flu vaccine in October. I will also urge everyone in my family to get it as well. 

Booster Shot

by benedeni - 2023-09-20 17:14:43

I have had every Covid shot that becomes available.  So far about 5 or 6.  Can't remember.  Neither my husband nor myself have become infected with the virus so Yes, I will have another booster.  Only reaction from these boosters has been a sore arm, no unusual arrhythmias or other heart issues.  

For me it's been working.  Third degree heart block and pacemaker since Aug. 2019.  

I think it's a no-brainer !

by IAN MC - 2023-09-20 17:38:00

I had a flu jab today and am having another Covid booster on Friday.

I challenge anyone to come up with a credible argument for not having the booster because they have a pacemaker. The pacemaker is totally irrelevant I.M.H.O.

Like benedini and her husband ; my wife and I have both escaped Covid infections so far . Thank you, Covid vaccines !

Ian

personal choice

by Tracey_E - 2023-09-20 17:47:17

Ask your doctor what's right for you. My doctor said get any booster that comes out. Just having a pacer doesn't make us higher risk but COVID can damage the heart. Last thing most of us need is more heart damage. I get flu also. 

I got COVID and now I have asthma. So, I really don't want to get it again. 

(buckle up, these posts usually bring out a LOT of opinions lol)

booster

by new to pace.... - 2023-09-20 17:49:49

I'm ready for this one, have had all the others.

new to pace 

Agree with Tracey

by Penguin - 2023-09-21 04:52:59

I agree with Tracey that a Covid booster vaccine is down to personal choice / risk from Covid / medical advice. In the UK it's also down to funding and whether or not you fall into the designated 'at risk' categories.

Edited: 

Here is the link to the article that Selwyn refers to below: 

https://www.bmj.com/content/382/bmj.p2097

It would be helpful to understand why the 50-64 yrs age group no longer qualify for Covid vaccinations.  The article says that prior infection or existing antibodies may provide protection. Is this why?  People in that age bracket were originally told that they were likely to suffer due to their age.

Covid and the heart

by Selwyn - 2023-09-21 08:27:39

Yes, I have just had my Covid booster this week. Although I am on the immune compromised list, I also qualify for my age.

I have had Covid twice - on each occasion Covid sent me into atrial flutter. ( 1 month, 2 weeks).

I narrowly missed cardioversion. The whole experience was exhausting and not pleasant. 

I spoke with my cardiologist about Covid and the heart. I was told that they were kept busy with a whole load of new patietns who's hearts had been damaged from Covid. This is confirmed by a study published in January of this year in the journal Cardiovascular Research, this  followed a group of over 7,500 people with and without pre-existing heart conditions, who caught Covid-19 between March and November 2020 (which is before the vaccine was available in the UK).

Compared to uninfected people, this group was around 40% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and five times more likely to die during the 18 months afterwards. People who had experienced severe infection were at even higher risk.

Both in the short-term and long-term, those previously infected were at higher risk of the following heart and circulatory system problems:

Heart attacks
Coronary heart disease
Heart failure
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
They were also at higher risk of stroke and atrial fibrillation in the short-term, but not the long-term.

Of course, Covid vaccination may cause myocarditiis and pericarditits, however the incidence is about 1 in 10000. Your chances of having Covid damage to the heart are a lot higher from the infection. At present, I have friends of which  two fit people have been quite ill with Covid. England reported 8961 cases of SARS-CoV-2 in the week to 2 September, up 22.6% (1649) on the previous week.

The new BA.2.86 variant of SARS-CoV-2—nicknamed “Pirola”—is now likely to be spreading in the community in the UK and is associated with hospital admission.

The US—which is expected to roll out its 2023-24 covid-19 vaccine from mid-September—reported an 8.7% rise in hospital admissions in the week to 2 September, while deaths increased by 10.5% over the same period. The CDC said that early analysis suggested that “existing antibodies work against the new BA.2.86 variant.” ( Says the British Medical Journal). There is not a lot of lateral flow testing going on as if you are not immunocompromised, in the UK, you have to purchase your tests. The result is a lot of Covid is going un-notified to the health authorities.

The British health service has brought forward its vaccination programme accordingly. My wife had her Covid vaccination yesterday ( her arm is a little sore today).  We are due to get our flu vaccinations next week. 

.

Covid Vaccine

by Aberdeen - 2023-09-21 18:51:45

I am going to get my 5th Covid vaccine and flu vaccination in October. The only side effect for me is painful arms which lasts about a day. I have had Covid once. I had a dry throat for a day and that was all. 

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I've seen many posts about people being concerned about exercise after having a device so thought I would let you know that yesterday I raced my first marathon since having my pacemaker fitted in fall 2004.