Personal SARS-COV-2 vaccination experiences

[Not_a_Number]

8 minutes ago, happi duck said:

Do you mind sharing what you found out about not interfering with the immune response?  I saw to not pre medicate, no alcohol, be rested and hydrated.  I found conflicting info about Tylenol afterwards so I'll probably skip it.  My first dose is Thursday!

Do you know why the “no alcohol” rule?

[happi duck]

12 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

Do you know why the “no alcohol” rule?

It made several lists without much detail.  I think it went with rested and hydrated?  I figure it's doable so might as well, just in case.

[Laura Corin]

49 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

Do you know why the “no alcohol” rule?

This is where I found it.

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/professionals/press/drinkaware-issues-precautionary-advice-about-alcohol-and-the-covid-19-vaccine

It seems as if all the evidence is somewhat tangential

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/alcohol-and-the-covid-vaccine_uk_5ff2ddf3c5b6ec8ae0b40835

I don't drink much anyway, so I have been avoiding it around my vaccination.

[kbutton]

I received my first Pfizer vaccine yesterday and had only mild issues. Fatigue--I had some points yesterday I just wanted to crash (grain of salt: I have major sleep issues, so it might not be the shot, but the timing was suspicious for it). I had a feeling I cannot really quantify well, but I would describe it as, "If I keep feeling like this, I might start wheezing" and I don't wheeze, though I do have asthma. I got this feeling about 45 minutes after the shot, and it lasted maybe 45 minutes and was not dramatic--I didn't need my inhaler. I used to feel this way every time I got an allergy shot, FWIW. The injection site feels sore like a very small bruise, not sore like a tetanus shot, but if it was an actual bruise, I wouldn't be paying much attention to it and would assume I'd lightly bumped into the corner of a tall dresser or something. I didn't have any trouble sleeping on it. I think the tissue around the injection site feels slightly more firm, but I haven't discerned a lump (though my grandmother developed a lump about two weeks after her first Pfizer shot). 

Most of these symptoms would be a big nothing and might not be noticeable if they had occurred on a day I hadn't had a shot. 

[Kassia]

I spoke with my neighbors today and they recently got their second doses of Moderna.  They are both in their late 60s and did fine with their first.  The husband had an elevated temperature after the second and the wife had a fever of 102 and was miserable.  Both felt better after about 24 hours.  They have a mentally retarded daughter who is in her late 30s and she did fine with both doses.  At least no fever - they said she was irritable, but she often is anyway.

 

[Soror]

Someone told me their pharmacist said that he recommended J&J for the younger ones because they were more likely to have bad side effects from the mRNA shots. His reasoning was that older people had been exposed to more illnesses and would have more immunity because of that. I didn't think any of that made any sense but what do I know. The only thing I've heard IRT who has side effects was that women were more likely to have it worse and those that have had an infection prior. (although a quick search brought up an article that said younger people were more likely to get side effects) I don't understand how that could be related to exposure to other random illnesses. I thought the greater effects were due to the nature of the type of vaccine.

[SKL]

1 hour ago, Soror said:

Someone told me their pharmacist said that he recommended J&J for the younger ones because they were more likely to have bad side effects from the mRNA shots. His reasoning was that older people had been exposed to more illnesses and would have more immunity because of that. I didn't think any of that made any sense but what do I know. The only thing I've heard IRT who has side effects was that women were more likely to have it worse and those that have had an infection prior. (although a quick search brought up an article that said younger people were more likely to get side effects) I don't understand how that could be related to exposure to other random illnesses. I thought the greater effects were due to the nature of the type of vaccine.

I read that the side effects from Pfizer and Moderna are greater in people under 55, but what I read said that it was because older people's immune systems are weaker.  I have no idea how true that is.

From what I've read, it seems a person my age in good health has about as much chance of getting sick from the shot as from Covid.

This is one reason I was asking about what they're testing in kids (in the other thread, but nobody answered).  It seems kids' natural immune system may be better at fighting Covid, which IMO calls into question the wisdom of putting them through the side effects of the shots.

[ktgrok]

8 minutes ago, SKL said:

I read that the side effects from Pfizer and Moderna are greater in people under 55, but what I read said that it was because older people's immune systems are weaker.  I have no idea how true that is.

From what I've read, it seems a person my age in good health has about as much chance of getting sick from the shot as from Covid.

This is one reason I was asking about what they're testing in kids (in the other thread, but nobody answered).  It seems kids' natural immune system may be better at fighting Covid, which IMO calls into question the wisdom of putting them through the side effects of the shots.

Th people I know that had Covid who are young and healthy still were sick for multiple days. The people I know who had side effects from the vaccine felt mildly crappy for less than 24 hours. So still better. And since we are now seeing that vaccination will help prevent transmission, they are not only protected themselves from Covid, but helping protect others who can't get the shot or don't have a full immune response to it. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by ktgrok

[SKL]

1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

Th people I know that had Covid who are young and healthy still were sick for multiple days. The people I know who had side effects from the vaccine felt mildly crappy for less than 24 hours. So still better. 

The people you know who had Covid, who knew they had it, and who told you about it ....

Edited March 24, 2021 by SKL

[ktgrok]

Just now, SKL said:

The people you know who had Covid, who knew they had it, and who told you about it ....

True enough - but it is enough people to know that getting sick for a week or so is a very possible outcome with Covid. Vs a few hours of mild aches or fever for the vaccine, which is the most anyone I know has had. 

[Not_a_Number]

10 minutes ago, SKL said:

This is one reason I was asking about what they're testing in kids (in the other thread, but nobody answered).  It seems kids' natural immune system may be better at fighting Covid, which IMO calls into question the wisdom of putting them through the side effects of the shots.

Maybe. Or maybe they don't have symptoms for other reasons. We already know that kids react differently to COVID than adults -- take MIS-C, for example, which is rare but only really got linked to COVID because there were so manY COVID cases. 

We have no clue how well kids are going to do post-COVID. It's a disease with known sequelae. Kids have a whole lot of their life left to live, so a sequela that would not be a big deal for a 70-year-old might be a disaster for a kid. 

If we KNEW that kids didn't have sequelae, there'd still be the issue of kids as vectors, but that would be a different calculation for me. But we don't. 

[Lecka]

I got my first dose today, Pfizer, so far so good 🙂

My sister was able to be vaccinated, too, yay!  

2 hours ago, SKL said:

It seems kids' natural immune system may be better at fighting Covid, which IMO calls into question the wisdom of putting them through the side effects of the shots.

Isn't this the same reason people give for taking their kids to chicken pox parties instead of getting a vaccine?  

I don't think it is true.  

If I hear that young children do have serious side effects, that will change things for me.  If I hear that there are side effects but usually limited to a sore arm and feeling sick for a day or two -- I do not think that is too great of a burden compared to the reward.  

[Kanin]

52 minutes ago, kand said:

If the point of the vaccine was just to reduce the chances of uncomfortable symptoms, that would make sense. The point of the vaccine is to prevent death,  serious illness, and potentially long Covid, and to reduce transmission so this pandemic can be over. Most people getting the vaccine are willing to put up with possibly being uncomfortable for a day or two in exchange for those enormous benefits. 

Well, you can't say it better than that! 

If COVID was just symptoms that went away after a few days, nobody would need a vaccine. Nobody would care about COVID. 

Maybe you'll have some temporary side effects from the vaccine. But then you can put your mind at ease knowing that you won't unwittingly spread it to others, who may have serious consequences from the disease.

[TexasProud]

10 minutes ago, Kanin said:

Well, you can't say it better than that! 

If COVID was just symptoms that went away after a few days, nobody would need a vaccine. Nobody would care about COVID. 

Maybe you'll have some temporary side effects from the vaccine. But then you can put your mind at ease knowing that you won't unwittingly spread it to others, who may have serious consequences from the disease.

Ok this is a little disingenuous. And I have gotten my first dose of vaccine, but the truth is we really do not know. I know several medicines that people thought was safe, and it took 5 years or more to find serious side effects.  We have a right to worry about that.  And if people don't want to get the vaccine I can get that.  Because yes, if children get Covid they may get long term effects.  The same may be true for the vaccine.  We just do not really know. If you say we do, you are lying. I got the vaccine because I was willing to take the risk to be able to see my mom and mother-in-law. It is worth the trade off for me to spend the next 5 years with them rather than waiting 5 years to verify if is safe. I also want to live life again with all of my friends. I cannot take another 5 years of isolation.  But I certainly will not judge people that choose not to take the vaccine because they are worried about safety, especially if they are cautious. ( wear masks, social distance, avoid large events)

[TexasProud]

Uggh...my mom got her shot 3 1/2 weeks ago.  She has no clue how to get her 2nd shot. She lives in ARlington and did it at the stadium. They gave her a card, but it has no follow up time on it. She has spent days trying to get someone on the phone. No luck.  She is driving up there today to try to talk to someone about how she can get her 2nd shot.

[Not_a_Number]

17 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Because yes, if children get Covid they may get long term effects.  The same may be true for the vaccine. 

It may be true for the vaccine, but we don't have any evidence that this happens. I guess one can imagine that it activates one's immune system in a way that causes an auto-immune disease (and in fact, I think that would be how most vaccines that have had side effects function, right?), but otherwise, it's less involved than a virus actually invading your body, since it's not the same kind of process. Especially for the mRNA vaccines, which just tell your cells to make the spike protein. 

On the other hand, we have very good evidence that the disease has negative effects for adults, and we have some anecdotal data that this may be true for at least some kids. It is much easier to imagine how this could be happening with a virus -- after all, we know lots of viruses that stay dormant in the body, and we know COVID attacks lots of tissues. 

So, yes, you're right, we aren't SURE of anything here. But if you're going to think scientifically, right now, the preponderance of the evidence suggests that the disease is much more likely to be harmful in the long term than the vaccine. 

[TexasProud]

1 minute ago, Not_a_Number said:

It may be true for the vaccine, but we don't have any evidence that this happens. I guess one can imagine that it activates one's immune system in a way that causes an auto-immune disease (and in fact, I think that would be how most vaccines that have had side effects function, right?), but otherwise, it's less involved than a virus actually invading your body, since it's not the same kind of process. Especially for the mRNA vaccines, which just tell your cells to make the spike protein. 

On the other hand, we have very good evidence that the disease has negative effects for adults, and we have some anecdotal data that this may be true for at least some kids. It is much easier to imagine how this could be happening with a virus -- after all, we know lots of viruses that stay dormant in the body, and we know COVID attacks lots of tissues. 

So, yes, you're right, we aren't SURE of anything here. But if you're going to think scientifically, right now, the preponderance of the evidence suggests that the disease is much more likely to be harmful in the long term than the vaccine. 

My friend who is a doctor disagrees with this.  But anyway, don't want to argue.  No point. I will not change my opinion. Doesn't matter, I've already gotten it. Quit trying to change my mind or I will block you.

[Kanin]

26 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Ok this is a little disingenuous. And I have gotten my first dose of vaccine, but the truth is we really do not know. I know several medicines that people thought was safe, and it took 5 years or more to find serious side effects.  We have a right to worry about that.  And if people don't want to get the vaccine I can get that. 

I hear you, and I agree... for myself, I think the known dangers of covid outweigh the dangers of the vaccine, particularly because of this: 

15 minutes ago, kand said:

almost every vaccine that has had side effects has them happen shortly after administration, and the few that have had more delayed response have been on a time scale on the order of weeks, not years. The vaccine itself doesn’t persist in the body for all that long, only the antibodies that your body makes against the disease persist.

 

[Not_a_Number]

21 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

My friend who is a doctor disagrees with this.  But anyway, don't want to argue.  No point. I will not change my opinion. Doesn't matter, I've already gotten it. Quit trying to change my mind or I will block you.

... well, that escalated quickly. 

Feel free not to change your mind. I wasn't trying to change minds as much as have a discussion. But I do like finding out which people aren't able to have scientific discussions or for some bizarre reason take them personally. 

You can block me if you like. I certainly have plenty of people who annoy me blocked. If that style of discussion is irritating to you, you will enjoy very few of my posts. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Not_a_Number

[1234]

Dh had his first dose of Pfizer today. So far there are zero issues. The hospital he got his at said they are doing 500 shots a day and it ran really smoothly. No line or anything. When it opens up for 16 and over next week, that’s where I’m going to book both dc. 

[dsmith]

I had my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine today at one of the mega sites in NJ. I was worried about long lines like dh and ds experienced, plus I tend to get out of breath easily in a mask and have trouble standing lately from MS. I was even a bit panicky off and on today to be honest. There was no line at all!! They almost didn’t let dh come in with me but he explained that I needed him there and it was fine. I can’t even explain the relief I felt. It was so well organized and I was in recovery 25 minutes after walking in the doors. Another plus was the awesome ventilation, which kept me from overheating in my mask. Apparently they only had 3100 doses for today so there were minimal to no lines all day. My next appointment is early am, which I was told is the best time to come to avoid lines. I feel a big headache coming on, not sure if it’s from the vaccine or from all the stress I had for the last few days. By May 1st our whole family will be at full immune levels from the vaccine, and after losing my father-in-law to Covid I can’t even explain how awesome that will be.

[ScoutTN]

Just got my second shot of Moderna minutes ago!

Will report back tomorrow with after effects. Cleared my calendar for Fri and Sat, in case I feel crummy. 
 

Eta: definitely feeling crummy. Headache last night, very sore arm. I drank lots of water, took tylenol and went to bed. Persistent headache, low grade fever/chills, body aches like the flu, very sore arm all night and this morning. I ate some b’fast and took some ibuprofen. We’ll see....

Edited March 26, 2021 by ScoutTN

[teachermom2834]

22 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

Just got my second shot of Moderna minutes ago!

Will report back tomorrow with after effects. Cleared my calendar for Fri and Sat, in case I feel crummy. 

Oh I hope you feel ok. Let us know. I am very nervous about my second Moderna shot (two weeks from today).

[Kassia]

44 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

Oh I hope you feel ok. Let us know. I am very nervous about my second Moderna shot (two weeks from today).

I am nervous about mine, too (3 weeks from today).  Please report back after yours!  

[Jaybee]

So happy to report that ds20 just got his first Pfizer. Because he is a college student, he actually was eligible before dh. I'm proud of him for doing this, because getting the vaccine is not a popular choice in the younger crowds (and much of the older crowds) where we live.

[mommyoffive]

I got my first dose of Moderna this morning.  After sitting there for 15 mins my arm was already getting sore.  My arm is sore now too.  I am tired, but I slept like crap last night because I was so excited, worried I would over sleep and miss my appointment, and just worried for some reason I wouldn't get it. 

But I had the shot in my arm less than 5 mins after walking in the door.   No wait at all for me. 

Dh got his too. 

[teachermom2834]

18 yo ds just got his first Phizer shot. He works at a grocery store and was on the list for unused vaccines at the end of the day but then our county announced yesterday that they were opening to 16+ today. So I’m not sure if the store is just trying to get employees vaccinated or how it came to pass. But he texted me that he got it. Nice that he is 18 and was able to just get it without his parent. 

[PinkTulip]

DS and I got our first Pfizer shot this morning. I am feeling a very slightly sore arm, but similar to what I feel when getting a flu shot. So far, so good. 

[slackermom]

I got shot #2 today. I went to the same place, an indoor track, but the line went so fast this time I barely had time to stand on the six foot dots.

It was less painful going in, but this time the needle was inserted rather than an overhand stab like last time. 

I got my celebration take out (a lobster roll) on the way home from the shot, since last time I got super nauseated the day after.

My state opens up to everyone 16+ starting on April 19th.

[melmichigan]

I received my second dose of Moderna yesterday.  Last night the pain in my arm was very widespread.  I figured out flexing the muscle regularly really helped, otherwise it got significantly stiff and painful to try and raise my arm.  The one time I ignored it for a few hours it got really bad, but stretching and flexing really made a difference. Looking back maybe I should have gone with my dominant arm.  I began to run a low fever about 8 hours after my shot, similar time frame to the first, but a few hours later it became a full on fever.  I've run a 101 for almost 24 hours now. My arm is just a bit sore compared to yesterday, a little swollen.  I'm exhausted.  I can't honestly say how much of that is the fever impacting my MS.  I've pretty much slept the last 24 hours or so and am ready to go back to bed when my husband gets back from errands.  I was pretty tired after my first shot, but this is just plain exhaustion. Hydration really helps, so keep drinking fluids!

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by melmichigan

[Ali in OR]

22 hours ago, Jaybee said:

So happy to report that ds20 just got his first Pfizer. Because he is a college student, he actually was eligible before dh. I'm proud of him for doing this, because getting the vaccine is not a popular choice in the younger crowds (and much of the older crowds) where we live.

I've been thinking "they" should prioritize college students. Living in a college town, the vast majority of our cases are in the 18-29 age range. Like enough cases in February to keep our county in the extreme risk category as neighboring counties were dropping down (we've now dropped down one level to high risk). I understand the argument to vaccinate the most vulnerable, but if you could also vaccinate where the transmission is happening, that helps the whole county. And I would love to see colleges require the vaccine this fall as they do the meningitis vaccines.

[Pawz4me]

25 minutes ago, Ali in OR said:

And I would love to see colleges require the vaccine this fall as they do the meningitis vaccines.

Rutgers has announced that they will require students who live on campus or attend in person classes in the fall to be vaccinated. They're allowing medical and religious exemptions.

DS22 had his second Pfizer yesterday morning. He's about 27 hours post-vaccine now and says it's pretty much the same as the first one--if he thinks really hard he maybe could convince himself his arm is just a tiny bit sore. That's it.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Pawz4me

[teachermom2834]

24 hours post first Phizer shot for my 18 yo ds and all he has had is soreness similar to a flu shot. 

[kokotg]

DS17 got his first dose today! 3 of us down, and 3 to go. My 19 year old is in Minnesota for college, and they just announced they're opening to everyone 16+ on Tuesday...but I suspect it's going to be a little while until he can find an appointment anywhere, particularly since he doesn't have a car. Today we were at a health department run site in a county about 45 minutes north, and things went really smoothly--we probably waited 5 minutes before he got the shot, and then they scheduled his next appointment during his 15 minute waiting period after. DH goes to get his second dose tomorrow in Alabama, and mine is Friday in Tennessee--I'm really hoping my oldest can find one in Minnesota so that we can say the 4 of us were vaccinated in 4 different states 🙂

[Lecka]

I am on my second day after getting a first dose of Pfizer -- I have really had no side effects.  I could feel a place about half an inch below the injection site if I rubbed hard on it, but -- that has been all.  Definitely at the point where I am pressing on my arm to see if I am sore anywhere, not the point where I notice I am sore.  

I didn't know about it because I already had my appointment, with an hour drive, which was totally fine for me..... but locally a vaccine clinic opened their shots up to anyone 16 and up, outside of the current tiers, because not enough people signed up.  I believe they opened it up on a Monday for a Wednesday clinic, after having been open for sign-ups since the previous Wednesday.  

I am in a college town also, and also hoping that a lot of college students will get it.  This clinic was made open to college students, but the location would require a car.  

[Guest]

I am two days past my first Moderna. My arm was very sore but that seems to be abating. It felt like someone punched me in the arm. I had some fleeting headaches yesterday, but none today. I am tired but I had a very poor night’s sleep due to worrying about dh. 

The lady who performed the vax was really terrific. I can tell she is very experienced. I almost did not feel the shot; literally I could hardly tell. 

Afterwards, I wondered if I made an unwise decision by having them do my left arm, because that is my bre@st cancer side. I forgot I’m not supposed to subject that side to lymphatic strain if I can help it. I think for the second shot, it would be better to use my right arm, even though it is dominant. 

[Pawz4me]

1 hour ago, Quill said:

I think for the second shot, it would be better to use my right arm, even though it is dominant. 

I've always been told that the dominant arm is the preferred one for vaccines. Because you use it more it tends to work any soreness out faster. I just got a Shingrix shot today and the nurse recommended having it in my dominate arm (which I'd already planned on anyway).

[ScoutTN]

20 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

I've always been told that the dominant arm is the preferred one for vaccines. Because you use it more it tends to work any soreness out faster. I just got a Shingrix shot today and the nurse recommended having it in my dominate arm (which I'd already planned on anyway).

Ooh, the shingles shots made my arm hurt badly for days.

[Pawz4me]

1 minute ago, ScoutTN said:

Ooh, the shingles shots made my arm hurt badly for days.

My first one wasn't too bad. It got very red and a little swollen, but it looked worse than it felt. I'll wait until tomorrow to render judgment on this (second) one! 😉 

[ScoutTN]

30 hrs post my second Moderna shot and I feel ok. Sore arm and teeny headache. Tired. No more fever or body aches. 
 

Glad I didn’t need to do anything last night or earlier today, because I felt awful for a while. 

[ScoutTN]

I have been in a Walmart Neighborhood Market and in CVS in the last couple days and they both have a steady line at the pharmacy for vaccinations. Encouraging. 

[PinkTulip]

Checking back in: I’m about 32 hours post Pfizer first dose and still feeling good. Sore arm, but only similar to what I feel with a flu shot. DS18 has felt slightly dizzy and nauseous today, with a little more fatigue than usual, but has welcomed the opportunity to sit on the couch and watch movies for most of the day. 

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

I've always been told that the dominant arm is the preferred one for vaccines. Because you use it more it tends to work any soreness out faster. I just got a Shingrix shot today and the nurse recommended having it in my dominate arm (which I'd already planned on anyway).

I’m guessing it doesn’t matter which arm was for first shot, which for second, if they are different? If it doesn’t matter, I’ll use my right arm next time. 

[edelweiss]

DD17 got her first shot (Pfizer, of course) today.  So happy that she is able to get it already! She feels completely normal-- no side effects at all.

Now 3 of the 4 of us have started the vaccination process.  DD20 is in Florida, so she hasn't gotten it yet.  She will be coming home toward the end of April.  Not sure if she will be able to get a shot in FL before she comes home or if she will have to wait until then.  I want everyone vaccinated as soon as possible!

 

[mommyoffive]

I had my first Moderna vaccine yesterday.  Only thing that I can say is that I have a sore arm.  I think I should have moved it around more.  I went with non dominate because I sleep on that side and I would have not gotten to sleep at all on my other side.   Sore arm, but feels like a flu shot does for me. 

[Pawz4me]

34 minutes ago, Quill said:

I’m guessing it doesn’t matter which arm was for first shot, which for second, if they are different? If it doesn’t matter, I’ll use my right arm next time. 

I doubt it matters which arm (or arms) the injections are given in, but I'll certainly defer to one of our medical people on that.

[kbutton]

So, my third day after Pfizer first injection. My armpits are sore like when my lymph nodes are fighting something off. I don't feel swelling yet, but the soreness started in the side I used for vaccination, and it's worse on that side. Ugh. I was hoping to avoid swollen lymph nodes as I have permanently swollen lymph nodes on one side from allergy shots. 

I am also having some minor symptoms that seem like allergies, which is right on time for our area, but it's frustrating to not know what is shot and what is pollen/mold. 

[dsmith]

I thought I'd give an update - I had the first Pfizer dose on Wednesday. Wednesday night I had a headache, again, it could have been stress related. I slept about 5 hours and woke up from arm pain early Thursday morning. It was a pretty sharp pain that radiated down my whole arm, up the side of my neck and into my jaw a bit. It became worse as the day went on. I was pretty tired all day. Thursday night I couldn't sleep at all! I couldn't get comfortable and my glands started hurting. By the morning my neck was blown up and even my thyroid was inflamed. I also had a 'thyroid cough'. (I have Hashimoto's) I had a low-grade fever this morning and today, but I managed to sleep from 8 am until 2 pm and woke up feeling better. I still have arm pain but not as bad, glands are not as swollen, thyroid is not as swollen. MS symptoms are a bit worse, which happens when I have a fever - numbness creeping up my leg, spasticity in my arm, eye pain. I would say early morning was the worst of it and I feel so much better tonight. I'm a little worried about the second dose being worse, but it's worth it! My mil gets the second Moderna shot tomorrow and hopefully she won't feel horrible afterwards. 

[HSmomof2]

I’m so jealous of everyone getting their vaccines! Dh and I are both high risk for Covid with multiple comorbidities, yet our stupid state is sticking with their tier system. We aren’t even eligible for another week, yet the news is reporting vaccine events with many leftover vaccines (like 400 extra). So frustrated with our governor.

[dsmith]

15 minutes ago, kbutton said:

So, my third day after Pfizer first injection. My armpits are sore like when my lymph nodes are fighting something off. I don't feel swelling yet, but the soreness started in the side I used for vaccination, and it's worse on that side. Ugh. I was hoping to avoid swollen lymph nodes as I have permanently swollen lymph nodes on one side from allergy shots. 

I am also having some minor symptoms that seem like allergies, which is right on time for our area, but it's frustrating to not know what is shot and what is pollen/mold. 

I noticed the lymph node swelling/soreness was worse on the side of the injection. Even the MS symptoms I've been having since the injection (low-grade fever likely the cause) are on that side, which is really weird.