Duration of Pfizer vaccine side effects for the 2nd shot

[Not_a_Number]

I've become super curious how long people's vaccine side effects have lasted 🙂 . I know @ktgrok had this question on her poll, but I don't think it was answered very well! I'm keeping this to Pfizer for consistency's sake. 

You should figure out the total length of symptom duration as best you can! If you want to state the specific symptoms, let me know in the thread! 

Edited May 20, 2021 by Not_a_Number

[SeaConquest]

What if you had no symptoms other than injection site pain?

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, SeaConquest said:

What if you had no symptoms other than injection site pain?

Then you'd say < 24 hours 😄. 0 < 24 seems reasonable! 

[SeaConquest]

But then it really makes it look like everyone had side effects other than injection site pain when that isn't actually the case, so I might add a separate option. Just because we still have so many vaccine hesitant people that might stumble onto this board through a Google search.

[Not_a_Number]

2 minutes ago, SeaConquest said:

But then it really makes it look like everyone had side effects other than injection site pain when that isn't actually the case, so I might add a separate option. Just because we still have so many vaccine hesitant people that might stumble onto this board through a Google search.

Fair point. Added onto the end. Sorry I can't make it the first option... 

[wathe]

Sore arm for about 2 days.

Myalgia and malaise for about 6 hours, starting 12 hours after the shot.  I could have worked through it, but was glad I didn't have to.

[Not_a_Number]

Hmmm, I see I'm going to be an outlier. Oh, joy 😛 . 

[Shoeless]

Are you looking for personal experience, or report of immediate family? DH got Pfizer and felt nothing after.  He lifted weights after his second shot, lol.

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, MissLemon said:

Are you looking for personal experience, or report of immediate family? DH got Pfizer and felt nothing after.  He lifted weights after his second shot, lol.

Personal, I think. It's always more reliable 🙂 . 

And lucky him! 😄 

[sbgrace]

I had side effects, not enough to interfere with my normal activity, from the evening of the shot through the next day.  So I voted 24-48.

But I was feeling better after 24 hours and woke up the morning of day 2 from the shot feeling entirely normal (aside from arm tenderness).

(I voted for myself. But 50% of my household--all Pfizer--had symptoms that didn't interfere with functioning at all and 50% had more substantial flu like stuff that did interfere somewhat..but all of us were worse that first day after and none of us had non arm related side effects stick around beyond 48 hours). 

Edited May 20, 2021 by sbgrace

[HSmomof2]

I had myalgia, fatigue, and felt warm (but no fever) about 6 hours after my second shot that lasted about 24-36 hours. I didn’t feel great, but it wasn’t severe either. I got it on a Friday, so I was able to rest over the weekend, but I could have worked if I had to. My arm became very sore on day 3 after my shot and lasted for about a day. On day 5, I woke up with a red, mildly itchy rash around the injection site. It cleared completely by day 7.

[SKL]

I was very uncomfortable for about 36 hours (body aches) as well as being very sleepy.  I've also had pain in my head and neck that still hasn't gone away, but it isn't severe.  I timed the shot with the idea that I'd be a mess on Sunday, but Monday wasn't so great either.

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, SKL said:

I was very uncomfortable for about 36 hours (body aches) as well as being very sleepy.  I've also had pain in my head and neck that still hasn't gone away, but it isn't severe.  I timed the shot with the idea that I'd be a mess on Sunday, but Monday wasn't so great either.

I had that stupid headache for a long, long time. It didn't interfere with normal activity past the first day, but it was still unpleasant. 

[SKL]

Just now, Not_a_Number said:

I had that stupid headache for a long, long time. It didn't interfereI with normal activity past the first day, but it was still unpleasant. 

I had the headache after the 1st shot too.

[RootAnn]

Still the headache, @Not_a_Number? Is it gone yet? I hope so.

It is gone for me, but I've been having my other kind more often lately. So, not shot-related, just annoying. 

[HSmomof2]

I had the headache after the first shot, but surprisingly not after the second. 

[Not_a_Number]

23 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

Still the headache, @Not_a_Number? Is it gone yet? I hope so.

It is gone for me, but I've been having my other kind more often lately. So, not shot-related, just annoying. 

It's gone, fingers crossed. It stuck around for about 3 days 3 weeks after the vaccine, which was unexpected and really annoying! 

I have a lot of headaches in general, so I sympathize... they aren't fun 😞. 

[Shoeless]

3 hours ago, Not_a_Number said:

Personal, I think. It's always more reliable 🙂 . 

And lucky him! 😄 

Yes, I grumped at him that it was not fair he had no side effects and I got walloped by Moderna #2.  He was like "Blame the patriarchy" 🤣

[gardenmom5]

Someone on an EBV group  posted her functional med (who also does vaccines, and has access to med sites for feedback), said Pfizer is showing signs of actually helping EBV.  (Only Pfizer).  Some of the people on the group had Pfizer, and said it helped, or they hadn't noticed a difference. So, I have had my first dose.  That's all I know for anecdotal.  I was off for a few hours the day I had it and needed to rest,  some pain and swelling at the injection site.   My  2nd dose is in June.

[gardenmom5]

4 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

Yes, I grumped at him that it was not fair he had no side effects and I got walloped by Moderna #2.  He was like "Blame the patriarchy" 🤣

My dsil was walloped by Modern #2.  He was at work, and lied about his symptoms because he didn't want them calling an ambulance.  He came home and napped.  (this was during my visit.)  Then he was mostly fine.

he does have an autoimmune disorder, so I wonder if that's part of it.

[Loowit]

Main symptoms were fatigue, headache, and nausea for about a week after my second shot.  I also had a large hot red swollen itchy welt at the injection site that lasted about a week and half.  I have ongoing tinnitus that started within hours of the first shot and has gotten a bit worse after the second.  It has been just over three weeks since my second shot. 

Edited May 20, 2021 by Loowit

[MEmama]

I had just a bit of skin sensitivity and joint and muscle soreness for a few hours the following day,  nothing that would have impeded normal activity. I might not have really noticed had I not been paying attention. 

[1234]

Dh had zero side effects. Both dc and I were off our normal for about two days. The first day after we all felt like we had the flu - all over body aches, headaches, brain fog, not wanting to eat. The second day was just recovering from feeling so bad and not eating and drinking very much the day prior. 

My sleep was messed up and my heart rate was low for about a week as well. It was weird but it eventually worked itself out.

[Not_a_Number]

Bump!

[Dmmetler]

L-age 16, had less than 24 hours of side effects for each day

 

DH had 3-4 days of just not feeling good after each shot, including one day of basically sleeping through life. 

 

I had about 2-3 days of "my immune system is activated" synptoms-for me, that was mostly hives. I could plow through, but had done both shots on Friday so I didn't have much to have to plow through. 

[Not_a_Number]

@Spy Car, here's the poll. It's just for Pfizer for the 2nd shot to keep things easy. 

[Spy Car]

Just now, Not_a_Number said:

@Spy Car, here's the poll. It's just for Pfizer for the 2nd shot to keep things easy. 

Link?

Wife and son had Pfizer, I had Moderna. Do you want first-hand only?

Wife/son had very similar reactions. A day largely spent in bed.

Bill

 

[Not_a_Number]

2 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Link?

Wife and son had Pfizer, I had Moderna. Do you want first-hand only?

Wife/son had very similar reactions. A day largely spent in bed.

Bill

 

What do you want a link for?

Yes, I prefer first-hand only. Way more reliable. 

I'll do a Moderna one in a bit. 

[Spy Car]

5 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

What do you want a link for?

Yes, I prefer first-hand only. Way more reliable. 

I'll do a Moderna one in a bit. 

A link for the poll. You said "here is the poll," did I miss something?

Bill

[Not_a_Number]

2 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

A link for the poll. You said "here is the poll," did I miss something?

Bill

You're in the poll thread. Welcome 😛 

[Spy Car]

Just now, Not_a_Number said:

You're in the poll thread. Welcome 😛 

Sorry, I'm a dope. 

Bill

[Spy Car]

2 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

You're in the poll thread. Welcome 😛 

When you do the Moderna version, how do I answer the second question? I had a crummy night's sleep that I think was vaccine-related and woke up with a considerable headache. But I got up and had coffee (a considerable amount of coffee, which seemed therapeutic) along with heavy hydration and jaw-boned with you all. 

So "normal" activities in an objective sense. Not bedridden. But a half-a-day of feeling less than spectacularly well. Kind of tired. Had a "response."

Bill

[Not_a_Number]

48 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

When you do the Moderna version, how do I answer the second question? I had a crummy night's sleep that I think was vaccine-related and woke up with a considerable headache. But I got up and had coffee (a considerable amount of coffee, which seemed therapeutic) along with heavy hydration and jaw-boned with you all. 

So "normal" activities in an objective sense. Not bedridden. But a half-a-day of feeling less than spectacularly well. Kind of tired. Had a "response."

Bill

I’ll let people judge as best they can 🙂 . It’s hard to draw solid lines here.

[edelweiss]

I had absolutely no side effects for either shot except for mild discomfort at the injection site and some tenderness in my armpits. 

DH had no side effects except for injection site soreness (mild).

DD18 had the same side effects as I did (virtually nothing).

DD20 had mild chills and a mild headache which lasted for a couple of hours.

[Lady Florida.]

I had Moderna but ds had Pfizer so I answered the poll for him. Not counting his sore arm which lasted more than a week (as did mine and dh's with Moderna), he was just very, very tired for a short time. He had the shot at 10:30 am and it hit him at 5pm. He slept until 8pm, woke up, had a quick bite to eat, then went right back to sleep until around 2pm the next day. He woke up alert and fine with no more tiredness and no other side effects.

Editing to say he's 23 if that matters.

Edited May 20, 2021 by Lady Florida.

[kbutton]

I had Pfizer and had body aches and headaches for 2-4 days. It was not super intense the entire time, but spread out. I also had more fatigue than usual. It definitely hampered my productivity. I could've worked through it, but I would not have been very productive except in short bursts, so I mostly vegged on the couch.

 

[Not_a_Number]

24 minutes ago, kbutton said:

I had Pfizer and had body aches and headaches for 2-4 days. It was not super intense the entire time, but spread out. I also had more fatigue than usual. It definitely hampered my productivity. I could've worked through it, but I would not have been very productive except in short bursts, so I mostly vegged on the couch.

 

Sounds unpleasant. 

I ranked my headaches as not getting in the way of normal activity, although they were definitely annoying and made me short-tempered. 

[eternallytired]

DH got the Pfizer shot.  He said his arm was actually less sore the second time.  He was worried that he must not be building an immune response because he didn't have any reaction to it--other than being possibly a bit more tired at bedtime (he got the shot at 9am).  😆  My sister and BIL had the same experience--less sore the second time, and no adverse reaction at all.

[Not_a_Number]

Here's the Moderna one, for anyone who needs it, by the way. 

[SoCal_Bear]

On night 2, my arm was sore and achy/muscle tightness across my upper left quadrant which was the injection side that made it hard to sleep until I took ibuprofen. Day 2 & 3, I had fatigue. On Day 3, I was pretty tired as well but considering I couldn't sleep on night 2...that seemed like a possible cause rather than a side effect of the shot.

[Not_a_Number]

@kokotg, here's the poll! 😄 We were talking about this on the other thread, right? 

[kokotg]

2 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

@kokotg, here's the poll! 😄 We were talking about this on the other thread, right? 

yep--I saw it! I responded to the moderna one for me 🙂 

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, kokotg said:

yep--I saw it! I responded to the moderna one for me 🙂 

We're getting a median of about a day, too, so that should make us feel good, lol.