Advice about vaccines

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hi. I’m hoping that someone can signpost me towards advice about vaccinations. Sorry for the ramble below.

About 12 years ago, I was diagnosed with ADEM after a lesion on my brain-stem caused sensory issues which progressed until most of my left side was numb. It started within a couple of weeks of a stomach bug. The neurologist prescribed steroids and said then that there was a 20% chance of it being MS. It mostly resolved itself over the next six months.

A month ago, two days after a flu vaccine, I started to experience sensory issues again, but this time it’s tingling/numbness on both sides in various locations but starting with my hands. Steroids stopped things progressing again but I will have a long wait before I see a neurologist to find out what exactly is going on this time.

My main concern in the interim is the COVID vaccine which I am due to have. Most of what I’ve read suggests that the vaccine has less chance of making causing an autoimmune response than catching COVID. But I am not sure whether I should wait for a while after what’s just happened. Any thoughts gratefully received.

2

I presume you’ve already had some Covid vaccines? The best information I know on the internet is a very recent discussion with Paul Offit on This Week In Virology about the new boosters. It might help you reach a more informed decision. Probably the most balanced and informed debate you are likely to come across. They are in the US so discussing the US options, but most is relevant to our situation here in the UK.

This should open at the point they start discussing the boosters.

3

Thanks for that. I’ll go and take a look.