Although completely safe and effective, getting the COVID vaccine can be a nerve-wracking experience, and it can be even more stressful for those with underlying conditions. If you suffer from migraines in particular, you can ask yourself how the vaccine can make you feel and how to treat your symptoms, taking into account alerts from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Anthony Fauci, Doctor, and other health professionals about avoiding certain medications during vaccination. Therefore, experts suggest that you talk to your doctor before getting a COVID vaccine. Read on to find out what questions to ask before you get shot, and to see what else to avoid before getting vaccinated, go to Do not do it the night before your vaccination, experts say.
In a question and answer on its website, the American Migraine Foundation suggests that people with migraines talk to their doctor before getting the COVID vaccine about their treatments. During the clinical trials, participants could not receive any other vaccines within two weeks before or after the COVID vaccine. Although there is no evidence of this yet, the American Migraine Foundation says some experts suggest that there is a theoretical risk that ‘the immune response to the vaccine may be reduced’ as a result of other treatments, or the vaccine may treatments less effective. The foundation says, for example, “some headache specialists and movement disorders specialists who administer Botox for various neurological diseases have speculated that the vaccine may make Botox less effective. There is currently no direct evidence for this.”
Due to the uncertainty about how certain treatments may vary with the vaccine, the foundation suggests that patients discuss timing with their healthcare provider. “It would be wise to eliminate it with a week or two if possible, simply because they are all protein-based biologics and a high protein load on the same day can produce side effects,” says Peter McAllister, MD, the medical director of the New England Institute for Neurology and Headache. To see what you should stay away from before and before your shot, look Do not do this two hours before or after your vaccination, doctors warn.
With headaches as a known side effect, it’s a good idea for people with migraines to talk to their headache specialist about the side effects, McAllister says. Migraine sufferers are “more prone to any kind of headache (ice cream headache, genital headache, etc.), so theoretically they are more prone to headaches after vaccination,” he says.
Hydration, migraine-specific medication and rest can all be helpful in combating the side effect, but experts suggest making a formal plan with a doctor familiar with your specific migraine history. And subscribe to our daily newsletter for more up-to-date COVID news delivered directly to your inbox.
While COVID side effects are generally more common after a patient’s second dose, headaches in particular become more likely.
Neurologist Deena Kuruvilla, MD, which specializes in headache disorders, revealed to the Association of Migraine Disorders that about 41 percent of people report headaches after the first dose of Pfizer vaccine, and about 51 percent one after the second dose. Meanwhile, 35 percent of people report headaches after the first shot of Moderna’s vaccination, but that number jumps to more than 60 percent after the second shot. To see what you should stay away from after your doses, look Do not do this for up to a month after your COVID vaccine, experts warn.
The American Migraine Foundation explains: ‘We do not recommend that you use over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen or aspirin, alone or in combination with caffeine or ibuprofen, before or within 24 hours of receiving the vaccine, as these medicines may boost the immune response on the vaccine reduced. “This is in line with the recommendation of the CDC, which also includes antihistamines that also contain nixing.
Yet migraine-specific medications, such as triptans, ditans, or armor, “have absolutely no problem with the vaccine,” Kuruvilla says. She suggests that you make it part of your multi-step plan if you experience headaches after the vaccination. And to see how long the vaccine will work, go look at Dr. Fauci. Your COVID vaccine protects you for so long.