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[Cocobra]

Dear Forum members,

this is a question which I'd like to ask but I put a premise before I do: I am absolutely enthusiastic of the vaccine and received my first jab last Monday with joy and marvel at the speedy advancement of medical research.

My question is: have doctors and specialists made any claims in regards to the incidence of clotting with the vaccine in women on artificial hormones? I know clotting with AZ is extremely rare, but the incidence is mostly on women under 60. This past week a 32-year-old woman was taken to intensive care in Italy after suffering a brain haemorrhage 10 days after her first AZ jab - the press underlined she was taking contraceptive. It might be that we do not yet have enough data to judge either way, but should those of us on HRT be considered carefully at what type of vaccine we are given?

I was talking to my haematologist cousin (in Italy) who told me she was surprised I was never tested for blood coagulation before going on HRT. Perhaps this is something we should ask to our GP.

As I said, I'm very happy we are on the vaccine rollout; I'd simply ask whether anyone has any information on the matter.

Thank you and HAPPY EASTER, everyone!

[Joaniepat]

There should be no clot risk with transdermal products.

JP x

[CLKD]

What other health conditions did the Italian woman suffer with over the years?  We rarely get the whole story.

If worried fill in the Yellow Card?

[Kathleen]

Hello Cocobra.

I hope that data is being collected on those unfortunate enough to suffer blood clots so that we can determine who is at risk. Many women take tablet HRT and I don't suppose any of them have had blood coagulation tests.

I wonder if younger  women taking the contraceptive pill will be at risk of blood clots and perhaps they should have blood coagulation tests before taking the vaccine. I will certainly make this point to my daughter!

Wishing you well.

K.

[Cocobra]

Dear All,

many thanks, everyone! Yes, I suppose taking the patches lower the risks and I understand the pro-thrombotic nature of contraceptives is higher than it is for HRT more generally. I also completely agree that the press spouts out claims without giving the full clinical profile of the person talked about (the poor woman died today, tragically).

I'm also mindful that there's been an incidence in women largely because those receiving the first jab are health staff and teachers, a profession that includes more women than men.

Kathleen, as for coagulation tests, in Italy gynaecologists always make you take one before deciding whether you can take contraceptives. I don't know whether this is the case in the UK but if not, well worth considering demanding!

All best to everyone, Corinna

[Perinowpost]

I would have thought transdermal hrt would be a protective factor.

My ex MIL had a stroke 18 hours after receiving the AZ vaccination (she survived). That said the numbers of this happening in the UK are so low maybe she would have had one anyway - she’s 75.

[Cocobra]

I'm very sorry to hear about your MIL, Perinowpost. But I take your point entirely. It may be that lockdown has raised my anxiety levels! 

[Debs165]

I too have had my first dose of the AZ jab and due second one later this month. I can't use hrt as I was diagnosed with bilateral pe's 4 years ago that resulted in having major surgery at Papworth hospital. They are putting the cause of the pe's down to the hrt that I had been taking, I am now on blood thinner for life

[Moonflower]

Debs165, sorry to hear you had PEs. That must've been very scary.  What HRT were you taking at the time?

I'm concerned about taking the AZ vaccine as for the past few years, every time I have a blood test (I have had many) my platelets have clumped.  I'm beginning to think my blood could be reacting to the anticoagulant in the blood collection tube called EDTA.  I looked at the ingredients of the AZ vaccine and there is also an ingredient called EDTA! I have asked my haematologist again by email as he didn't seem sure when I spoke to him before (when I was referred to discuss whether I could have HRT).  The doctors at the surgery have never been able to explain and just tell me to get a re-test with another method and collection tube (thrombo-exact) and this way they can count my platelets.  So I will try and see if I can get an alternative vaccine and it seems like our next batch in the UK could be the Moderna vaccine anyway.

[Cocobra]

Debs165, that must have been frightening and I am very sorry to hear about this. Moonflower, this is important information, but I take it that you are well looked after if you have regular contact with a haematologist.
I think I will call my GP though I am not sure whether one can take a second dose with another vaccine. It would not be a bad idea perhaps to have a coagulation test done.

[Dorothy]

@Kathleen, when I was on the birth control pill, the leaflet it came with said there was an increased risk of blood clots and that if I were planning on taking any long distance flights, I should check with my GP about stopping it for the time I was travelling due to increased risk of DVT.  So I checked with my GP and she just said 'you shouldn't be on it in the first place if you're at risk of blood clots'. So not very helpful! But it might explain why younger women seem to be the ones mostly affected - although they still haven't found a definite link between the clotting and the jab.

I did read an article yesterday that pointed out that the risk of dying of Covid is still much greater.  7 in 1 million for the jab, whereas if you infected the same 1million with Covid instead, 250 would die.

I've got my first jab this week, and while I'm a little worried about side effects, I'm reminding myself that I'm probably more at risk driving to the vaccination centre than I am from having the jab!

[anais]

AZ and HRT is a concern for me since these adverse effects have been reported. I had my first AZ over 3 weeks ago and didn’t have any troublesome side effects besides a sore arm. Now we’ve had all the stories on the news and some countries suspending use of AZ in under-55s with the spotlight on younger women of reproductive age and possibly taking the contraceptive pill.

I’m 58 and I’m on full HRT so I feel on the periphery of what appears to be the higher risk demographic, which makes me somewhat hesitant.

I’m under the care of haematology because I have Haemochromatosis and I’m due to have a review with my consultant about 2 weeks before my second AZ. So far my platelet count has always been in the normal range but I don’t know if that’s even relevant with regard to the current concerns about the AZ vaccine. At least I will be getting these blood tests ahead of my second vaccination, and perhaps in a few weeks time we might know more about who should or shouldn’t have AZ. But I admit, I’m feeling quite unsettled with it all.

[Sparrow]

@Kathleen, when I was on the birth control pill, the leaflet it came with said there was an increased risk of blood clots and that if I were planning on taking any long distance flights, I should check with my GP about stopping it for the time I was travelling due to increased risk of DVT.  So I checked with my GP and she just said 'you shouldn't be on it in the first place if you're at risk of blood clots'. So not very helpful! But it might explain why younger women seem to be the ones mostly affected - although they still haven't found a definite link between the clotting and the jab.

I did read an article yesterday that pointed out that the risk of dying of Covid is still much greater.  7 in 1 million for the jab, whereas if you infected the same 1million with Covid instead, 250 would die.

I've got my first jab this week, and while I'm a little worried about side effects, I'm reminding myself that I'm probably more at risk driving to the vaccination centre than I am from having the jab!

A friend of mine had a clot whilst on the pill.  That's one of the reasons I decided against it.

But as you say it's about risk management.

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I have mentioned my concerns to my thirty one year old daughter as she takes the BCP. I have also suggested that she has a coagulation test pre jab if she can.

A friend of mine suffered a blood clot and died after routine knee surgery and I wasn't aware that she had any risk factors at the time.  I wonder if this complication is more common than we think. I believe that getting post op patients up and moving asap is one of the ways to reduce the possibility of a blood clot and I think compression stockings are also used but I could be wrong.

Now that this issue is being reported we can at least be better informed before we make our decisions about the vaccine. For the record, I have had my first AstraZeneca jab so will be happy to have the second one.

Take care ladies.

K.

[Cocobra]

Dear Kathleen,

I'm so sorry - that is terrible to hear about your friend: one never thinks of this for routine surgery even though we sign things off nonchalantly (at least I have done in the past).

I have actually written to my cousin who's an haematologist at one of Italy's best hospitals: she's young but she will have more insight on this which I will be glad to pass on.