Tetanus shot

[desertmum]

I sustained a hand injury a few days ago. Basically I lifted a glass jar and it shattered. I have stitches and all that. The gp recommended I had a tetanus vaccine shot. I did'nt see the need for it as the jar was made of glass not metal, but I went ahead with it. The nurse said the shot would hurt and it did. My whole arm was hurting and after 3 days the are where I was 'stabbed' is very sore, and there is a 'lump' which is red and swollen. Is this normal?

[Butter]

Yes, it is. It should be all better in a couple more days.

[southcarolinamom]

Yes it's normal ... and I'm sorry! Did you feel fevery and achy? That's a possible side effect too. :grouphug:

[jenangelcat]

If they were concerned about tetanus from that injury they would have given you the tetanus immuno globulin not the vax. That said you can get tetanus from anything, not just rusty nails.

[desertmum]

Yes, it is. It should be all better in a couple more days.

 

Thanks. I thought there was something weird going on.

 

Yes it's normal ... and I'm sorry! Did you feel fevery and achy? That's a possible side effect too. :grouphug:

 

Feverish yes. Achy, oh YEAH. My whole arm. But thank God you all came back on this. I was going to complain to the doctor about the nurse being too rough. Sorry about the weird typing -not used to typing one-handed.:tongue_smilie:

[desertmum]

If they were concerned about tetanus from that injury they would have given you the tetanus immuno globulin not the vax. That said you can get tetanus from anything, not just rusty nails.

 

 

Well, I wish I the rx with me so I can check. The good thing is that because the jar was brand new I washed it with soap and hot water prior to using it (not that I ever got to 'use' it). :tongue_smilie:

[Butter]

Last time I got a tetanus shot my arm ached so much I couldn't lift it up all the way for a week. My daughter complained similarly when she got hers a couple years ago.

 

They almost definitely were not concerned at all about you getting tetanus from the injury. Instead, they use times like that to make sure people are up to date on their tetanus shots. Unless you can come up with a date of administration in the last 7 years, most doctors and nurses are going to assume you need another one and offer it.

[desertmum]

Last time I got a tetanus shot my arm ached so much I couldn't lift it up all the way for a week. My daughter complained similarly when she got hers a couple years ago.

 

They almost definitely were not concerned at all about you getting tetanus from the injury. Instead, they use times like that to make sure people are up to date on their tetanus shots. Unless you can come up with a date of administration in the last 7 years, most doctors and nurses are going to assume you need another one and offer it.

 

Great time to enforce herd immunity! And, yes, when asked I said my last tetanus shot was 10 years ago. :glare:

[PiCO]

Feverish yes. Achy, oh YEAH. My whole arm. But thank God you all came back on this. I was going to complain to the doctor about the nurse being too rough. Sorry about the weird typing -not used to typing one-handed.

 

In my experience, it will feel better sooner if you use the arm normally, and exercise. Helps dissipate the vaccine.

[Nakia]

Try icing it for 20 minutes a few times a day. And definitely don't "favor" it, as my mother used to say. Use it or it will take longer to heal up.

[dancer67]

Next time, get it in the butt. I was hesitant, as I had not had a tetanus shot in over 20 years. The nurse said getting it there minimizes the discomfort. She was SO right. I wasn't sore at all. Last time I got it in the arm I was sore for days.:grouphug:

[desertmum]

Try icing it for 20 minutes a few times a day. And definitely don't "favor" it, as my mother used to say. Use it or it will take longer to heal up.

 

I can't favor it because the other arm got the hand stitched up so I have to use my aching arm! :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Next time, get it in the butt. I was hesitant, as I had not had a tetanus shot in over 20 years. The nurse said getting it there minimizes the discomfort. She was SO right. I wasn't sore at all. Last time I got it in the arm I was sore for days.:grouphug:

 

I think the nurse didn't offer because a male doctor was there. But next time I'll speak up. ;)

[Laura Corin]

Great time to enforce herd immunity! And, yes, when asked I said my last tetanus shot was 10 years ago. :glare:

 

The NHS no longer recommends re-vaccination every ten years. They say that after five shots you are done. Before anyone assumes that this is to save costs: it must be much cheaper to vaccinate than to treat people deathly ill with tetanus. Scroll down on this page.

 

Laura