Booster shots - how did yours go?

[ktgrok]

9 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said:

I'm wondering now if I should get the booster in my opposite arm. Do muscles need time to recover from the "trauma" of a vaccine? You would think 8 months would be enough but I really don't know how it all works.

It shoudn't matter. I did alternate but only by accident, not on purpose, lol. Just how I was sitting each time. 

[Mom_to3]

I always use my non-dominant arm for all shots  - just in case there is a reaction...

Edited October 8, 2021 by Mom_to3

[Spryte]

Wow. This booster has absolutely knocked my socks off. I even react to flu shots, but — wow. Hope this means it’s working.

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, Spryte said:

Wow. This booster has absolutely knocked my socks off. I even react to flu shots, but — wow. Hope this means it’s working.

I’m sure it does!! 

I got super achy with both the second and third doses. Definitely immune response.

[Spryte]

10 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

I’m sure it does!! 

I got super achy with both the second and third doses. Definitely immune response.

How long did it last?

My first shot was misery, second a bit better. I think this one may be the most intense yet. Body aches, muscle aches, joint pain, headache. I don’t want to move. Yikes.

Better than actually having Covid, so I’m not complaining.

[Not_a_Number]

1 minute ago, Spryte said:

How long did it last?

My first shot was misery, second a bit better. I think this one may be the most intense yet. Body aches, muscle aches, joint pain, headache. I don’t want to move. Yikes.

Better than actually having Covid, so I’m not complaining.

I think the aches resolved in a day or two. The headache always lingered for me, but I’m prone to headaches.

[Ditto]

I had my 3rd dose 2 weeks ago.   I got it the day after my flu shot and in the same arm so my arm was more sore than the first 2 doses.  I was super tired later that day and the next day.  After that all was back to normal.  I had a sore throat after the first 2 shots and expected it this time but never got one.  It is such a relief to have this 3rd dose done!   

[Starr]

16 hours ago, Spryte said:

How long did it last?

My first shot was misery, second a bit better. I think this one may be the most intense yet. Body aches, muscle aches, joint pain, headache. I don’t want to move. Yikes.

Better than actually having Covid, so I’m not complaining.

I was miserable three days after my second shot and then it just went away. My booster I was only half as miserable for a good two days. 

[rebcoola]

Got my booster Monday. No reaction other than a sore spot on my arm.  

[Spryte]

Glad it’s been going well for most!

I seem to possibly be having an adverse reaction, or an odd immune response. ER over the weekend, first of three specialists tomorrow to try to figure it out. 

Still glad I got it, but it’s been a rough ride.

[Kassia]

Definitely a rough ride, @Spryte.  I'm so sorry!  😞  

[mommyoffive]

10 hours ago, Spryte said:

Glad it’s been going well for most!

I seem to possibly be having an adverse reaction, or an odd immune response. ER over the weekend, first of three specialists tomorrow to try to figure it out. 

Still glad I got it, but it’s been a rough ride.

Oh I am so sorry.  I hope they are able to figure it out and you are not in a lot of pain.

[Spryte]

1 minute ago, mommyoffive said:

Oh I am so sorry.  I hope they are able to figure it out and you are not in a lot of pain.

Thanks!

I’m trying to look at the bright side—at least I’ll have a jump on weight loss. Last time was more severe and I went down 12 lbs in just over a week. Huge, for me. I know it’s not healthy, but literally anything that’s a positive makes me feel a tad bit better. 

[TechWife]

Very timely thread for me, thank you. I just changed my appointment from Mon to Thurs because I'm lead in a meeting on Tues and I can't risk not feeling well enough.

[El...]

Just got dh a shot appointment for tomorrow! He had J&J, and will get Moderna as the second shot. I'm delighted by how quickly our county health department is rolling things along.

[goldberry]

On 10/7/2021 at 2:11 PM, Katy said:

It sounds like they literally hit a nerve.  Try ice. 

 

This happened to my daughter with her second varicella.  She said it felt like nothing she had ever felt before with a shot.  Radiating pain that lasted over 24 hours.

[J-rap]

Our state seems to be pretty specific/careful about who gets the booster, so no booster for me yet.  But, my dh was able to get it two weeks ago for health reasons.  His pattern:  1st shot- no symptoms except a sore arm.  2nd shot- hit hard with flu-like symptoms for about 18 hours, then over it.  Booster- felt "loopy, out-of-it" for the day and into the night, but not the flu-like symptoms like 2nd shot.  Fine the next day.

Now that the mix-and-match is a possibility, I'm hoping to get a different one for the booster when the time comes.

[1234]

Dh and I had ours yesterday. I feel awful. Not quite as bad as I did after the second but this time my arm is much more sore and even my eyelids hurt. Hope I don’t have to do this again or I’m at least waiting a year next time. Dh is fine like always though. 🙄

[Kassia]

32 minutes ago, Joker2 said:

Dh and I had ours yesterday. I feel awful. Not quite as bad as I did after the second but this time my arm is much more sore and even my eyelids hurt. Hope I don’t have to do this again or I’m at least waiting a year next time. Dh is fine like always though. 🙄

I'm sorry you are feeling so awful.  What kind did you get?

[wendyroo]

I got my booster yesterday.
I originally got Pfizer, and scheduled my booster six months to the day after my second shot.

My first shot was a non-event - slightly sore arm, slight fatigue that evening, nothing more.

My second shot was a dumpster fire - intense pain at the injection site, severe headache, stomach ache, muscle aches, joint pain, fatigue and mental fuzziness/confusion. All starting about 12 hours after the shot and lasting 3+ days.

I am now 18 hours post booster, and so far it is a non-event - slightly sore arm, teeny-tiny headache.

[Spryte]

1 hour ago, Joker2 said:

Dh and I had ours yesterday. I feel awful. Not quite as bad as I did after the second but this time my arm is much more sore and even my eyelids hurt. Hope I don’t have to do this again or I’m at least waiting a year next time. Dh is fine like always though. 🙄

I hope you feel better soon. 

[1234]

43 minutes ago, Kassia said:

I'm sorry you are feeling so awful.  What kind did you get?

Pfizer all three times.

[kbutton]

I couldn’t find this thread when I reported booster shot side effects, so I put mine in the vaccine thread.

I had a shorter reaction with the booster than with the second shot, but I had similar symptoms. Some shaking in my sleep (like fever and chills but no fever and no serious chills), body aches (but it was also weather that makes me ache), minor itchy spot on my arm (small vs. large welt), soreness in my arm when touched, very slight soreness when I moved my arm for a few hours (could’ve missed it if I wasn’t aware of the shot). I was a little tired and had a minor headache. Ibuprofen fixed it all.

With my second shot, these symptoms played out slower.

[Katy]

I had J&J originally and got a Moderna booster this morning. The pharmacist said it was a half-dose, and that for now all boosters are unless you’re immunocompromised. I could barely feel the needle today and didn’t feel the shot at all.  I have a mild dehydration type of headache even though I’m very hydrated. 

[mellifera33]

First dose caused a headache, second dose a sore arm, but the third dose + flu vax is kicking my butt. My husband is laughing because I’m man sick, but he brought me some orange juice and ibuprofen so I forgive him. 😄

[HSmomof2]

Dh and I had Pfizer boosters yesterday afternoon. He just has a sore arm today. I have a sore arm, headache, achy, super tired, low fever (100) and have a slight sore throat (I had a slight sore throat after the first two as well). Glad I did it on a Friday again….

[AmandaVT]

I had Moderna for my first two and just got my Moderna booster this morning. So far so good! No side effects yet, but it took 18+ hours for the side effects to kick in for the first two shots, so I won't expect anything until tomorrow if  get any.

[VickiMNE]

I had a Pfizer booster (after two doses of AZ) on Tuesday morning.  By late Tuesday afternoon, I could feel some pain at the injection site and my arm hurt a bit to move around.  Continued onto Wednesday--nothing unbearable, but noticeable.  By Thursday, I only felt a small bit of pain if my injection site was pressed.  So, pretty mild reaction (which is my norm).

[Tree Frog]

I had Pfizer for all 3. I had the booster at the same time as the flu shot this week. Slightly more pain in my booster arm than in my flu arm. Slight fever periodically, but very fatigued the next day. Pretty much back to normal within 48 hours. One interesting thing is that my booster arm didn't itch until I removed the band-aid about 48 hours post booster. It's itched on and off for the last 24 hours. I also had some shortness of breath prior to receiving the shots. Shortness of breath comes and goes in my life and was checked out about 3 years ago. Dr ok'ed me getting the booster. Shortness of breath is gone again. Don't know if that's due to the shots or it was just time for it to go, but it's nice that it's gone again!

[1234]

Two days after my booster and I have the armpit pain due to swollen lymph nodes like I did after the second shot. It’s also making me unable to sleep again so I’ll try melatonin again tonight. If we need a yearly booster, I may try Moderna to see if it affects me as much as Pfizer or of it’s a bit better for me.

[kbutton]

DH had his Moderna booster last night. He was a little achy in the night, and today, if he didn't know he had the shot, he would wonder if he maybe overdid some exercise. He is a little more tired than usual. His arm is mildly sore. 

Nothing was as dramatic as his second shot, but the reaction was drawn out a little longer. (Second dose was an intense mini flu with fever/chills, shaking the whole couch, etc. for about six hours, but then all done.)

[El...]

Dh had Moderna yesterday, following up his J&J from April. He had a sore arm and took a nap yesterday afternoon, but has had no other side effects. 

[TheReader]

What are everyone's thoughts on sticking with what you got originally vs. mixing & matching??

I had Moderna the first time, as did all the rest of us except for youngest (he is 16, so had to have Pfizer) -- as a teacher, I'm eligible due to higher contact levels, so will be getting my booster next week.....trying to decide go same or different. 

DH thinks switch, but can't articulate why. 

[Terabith]

Evidence from Your Neighborhood Epidemiologist seems to indicate that if you got Moderna, you should stick with it.  

[Syllieann]

1 hour ago, TheReader said:

What are everyone's thoughts on sticking with what you got originally vs. mixing & matching??

I had Moderna the first time, as did all the rest of us except for youngest (he is 16, so had to have Pfizer) -- as a teacher, I'm eligible due to higher contact levels, so will be getting my booster next week.....trying to decide go same or different. 

DH thinks switch, but can't articulate why. 

The Moderna is a higher dose than Pfizer so imo most over-50s who didn't have bad side effects from the first two doses should get that.  I would do Pfizer if side effects were really bad or for males under 40ish without covid risk factors.  I 'd consider j&j for males under 30 without risk factors and who aren't living with someone at high risk or unvaccinated.

I had Pfizer but am scheduled for a Moderna booster.

Edited October 24, 2021 by Syllieann

[kokotg]

Got my Moderna booster today (after 2 doses of moderna in the spring). Very quick and easy at a CVS inside a Target; I had to drive about 15 minutes to find Moderna--there were several closer places with pfizer. Slightly sore arm so far (I had nothing but a sore arm and some mild fatigue after the second dose). My 18 year old had his pfizer booster the other day; he had a sorer arm than with the first two and felt a little tired the night after, but otherwise all good. I'd have waited to schedule if I'd realized he'd be able to get a moderna that way, but not a big deal. DH already had a third dose awhile ago because he's on an immunosuppressant, so that's all the antibodies we can get around here at the moment. My 20 year old who's in school in Minnesota might go get a booster on his own, or he might wait until he's home for winter break. 

[KSera]

2 hours ago, kokotg said:

My 20 year old who's in school in Minnesota might go get a booster on his own, or he might wait until he's home for winter break. 

Is your 20yo using congregate living as his reason? I’m thinking that’s what my college kids will do. 

[AmandaVT]

18 hours ago, AmandaVT said:

I had Moderna for my first two and just got my Moderna booster this morning. So far so good! No side effects yet, but it took 18+ hours for the side effects to kick in for the first two shots, so I won't expect anything until tomorrow if  get any.

Quoting myself to update - a little bit of arm pain, but much milder than shot #2 (felt like I had been stabbed in the arm bone for that one) and my hands are hurting again. This also happened after shot #2 - super weird. It feels like my hands should be swollen like club hands but they're not. They just hurt. No other side effects. So similar to shot #2, but more mild it seems. 

[kokotg]

7 hours ago, KSera said:

Is your 20yo using congregate living as his reason? I’m thinking that’s what my college kids will do. 

That would be the reason, but I've done CVS for both booster appointments I've made so far, and they don't ask for a reason (or any confirmation of eligibility). It just says in fairly small print that by making the appointment you're saying you're eligible. 

[MEmama]

53 minutes ago, kokotg said:

That would be the reason, but I've done CVS for both booster appointments I've made so far, and they don't ask for a reason (or any confirmation of eligibility). It just says in fairly small print that by making the appointment you're saying you're eligible. 

Good to know. My DS is planning to get his booster when he comes home for winter break too. I’m not sure if his asthma is “enough” of a reason (should they ask or care) but between that and living on campus I don’t expect any problems.

[kokotg]

Just now, MEmama said:

Good to know. My DS is planning to get his booster when he comes home for winter break too. I’m not sure if his asthma is “enough” of a reason (should they ask or care) but between that and living on campus I don’t expect any problems.

I don't think my 18 year old was technically eligible, but he has enough exposure that I definitely wanted him to get boosted (and there are plenty of appointments available around here, so I was confident he wasn't taking a slot away from someone else). He went by himself and I left it up to him what to say if they asked: "you can just say you play a wind instrument in orchestras so you have high exposure and see what happens, or you can lie and say you work at a grocery store." But they didn't ask. I think it's silly that you can be a healthy young adult and in a high exposure setting, but you're eligible only if you're getting paid for it. If you're in the exact same setting for free, you're not (in this case, if he were one of the 2 or 3 years older college students WORKING with his youth symphony, he'd be eligible no problem because it's at a school). So there's my rationalization. But no one asked 🙂 

[AmandaVT]

29 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Good to know. My DS is planning to get his booster when he comes home for winter break too. I’m not sure if his asthma is “enough” of a reason (should they ask or care) but between that and living on campus I don’t expect any problems.

 

21 minutes ago, kokotg said:

I don't think my 18 year old was technically eligible, but he has enough exposure that I definitely wanted him to get boosted (and there are plenty of appointments available around here, so I was confident he wasn't taking a slot away from someone else). He went by himself and I left it up to him what to say if they asked: "you can just say you play a wind instrument in orchestras so you have high exposure and see what happens, or you can lie and say you work at a grocery store." But they didn't ask. I think it's silly that you can be a healthy young adult and in a high exposure setting, but you're eligible only if you're getting paid for it. If you're in the exact same setting for free, you're not (in this case, if he were one of the 2 or 3 years older college students WORKING with his youth symphony, he'd be eligible no problem because it's at a school). So there's my rationalization. But no one asked 🙂 

DH and I were not asked about our reasons for getting a booster. We walked in and they asked "are you here for a booster?" There was Moderna/J&J line and a Pfizer line. They asked for our original vaccine cards but said they could recreate them if needed. On the paperwork, there was a "reasons" checklist - we both checked off 18-64 and need one for job/living reasons or something along those lines. Super easy. 

[MEmama]

2 minutes ago, AmandaVT said:

 

DH and I were not asked about our reasons for getting a booster. We walked in and they asked "are you here for a booster?" There was Moderna/J&J line and a Pfizer line. They asked for our original vaccine cards but said they could recreate them if needed. On the paperwork, there was a "reasons" checklist - we both checked off 18-64 and need one for job/living reasons or something along those lines. Super easy. 

Good to know. I’m going to see if I can make an appointment for next weekend. DH and I are alternating weeks in case we have bad reactions and need extra attention from the other. 🙂 This week he gets his second shingles vax. 

[TravelingChris]

I didn't do the booster.  I got a third shot in August due to autoimmune issues/medications.  My first two were Pfizer but for my third, I decided to go with Moderna,  It was a full dose Moderna because the Moderna booster shots weren't available until now and those are 1/3 the potency since Moderna originally gave much higher doses than Pfizer and was still much more effective for most people.  I am super happy I got the full Moderna.  Anyway, I got it the Friday night after  the CDC said we could that afternoon.  The following 2 days I had some slight pain in the spot if I really thought about it.  My normal pain level right now is unfortunately normally about 5 or 6, with every single pain medication in use== Voltaren gel, lidocaine patches, muscle relaxant, Norco.  I have  4 autoimmune arthritides throughout my body, autoimmune fibromyalgia, and my AS causes pain in the itises- bursitis, tendinitis, fasciitis as well as in spine, ribs, neck, sacroiliac joints, so vaccine inj pains or after pains are so minor compared to my regular that I don't care about them.

The other side effect I had was slightly more fatigue for three days.

[Spryte]

Update on my potential adverse reaction. 

To recap, after my first Pfizer shot I had significant side effects and felt very flu-ish for around 4 day (or so). On Day 7 I started having right flank pain and ended up hospitalized for 4 days. 2nd shot — not as bad, but I had right flank pain for a good 6 weeks, hospitalized once more. We never linked this to the shot and theorized the reason for hospitalization was from a different med, possibly the pain med they gave me at the first ER trip — ELE from that.

3rd shot — Right flank pain started on Day 7, by Day 10 I was at the ER. Same deal, but this time I refused all pain meds and even ibuprofen.

Specialist now thinks the pain is caused by massive inflammation. 

I have no idea if this is shot related, but the timing is suspicious. It’s essentially the same as the first shot.

So — two more specialists to go and hopefully I’ll have some answers and a plan for next time (if there is one) we need boosters.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Just got my booster and flu shot on Friday.  I was pretty flattened by my first shot (Pfizer) - extreme fatigue and a little achy for about 36 hours that started 24 hours after my shot.  The 2nd shot was no biggie ... a little sore and tired, but was able to do normal activities.  I had originally scheduled my booster a couple of weeks ago at a clinic at the hospital where I work.  But I was scheduled to work the next day and a coworker had hers and needed to go home the next day, cancelling all her patients.  All the other clinics at work were on days when I worked at a different facility so I went to Walgreens on a day when I didn't have to work the next day.  I got the Pfizer again.  They didn't ask if I wanted the Moderna.  

So, I ran a bunch of errands after my shot (10 am) and by 1pm, I was toast.  I almost started crying from fatigue at the Apple store where I was waiting for my phone repair to be done.  The 2 block walk back to my car was pretty hard.  I had some fatigue and some neck and backaches (but those aches may have been work related - had a patient the previous day who couldn't follow instructions and I was using rather poor ergonomics to get the exam done.)   I did nothing that day but a light arm workout to keep the soreness down.  I always find that if I move my arm a lot after a shot, the soreness is minimal.  And it was despite getting 2 shots.  

I felt pretty lazy the next morning, but got a burst of energy and did some organizing that I had been putting off.  Pretty much back to normal today.  

Edited October 24, 2021 by dirty ethel rackham

[kbutton]

18 hours ago, kbutton said:

DH had his Moderna booster last night. He was a little achy in the night, and today, if he didn't know he had the shot, he would wonder if he maybe overdid some exercise. He is a little more tired than usual. His arm is mildly sore. 

Nothing was as dramatic as his second shot, but the reaction was drawn out a little longer. (Second dose was an intense mini flu with fever/chills, shaking the whole couch, etc. for about six hours, but then all done.)

Well, he had fever and chills last night, unexpectedly. We're thinking that maybe his recent flu shot left him a little susceptible to a more drawn out reaction this time. 

[Katy]

I don’t think I broke into a fever last night, but I definitely alternated between too hot and too cold frequently. I’m mostly just tired. My arm feels bruised.  I think I’m better then get up, do too much, and go back to bed.  Otherwise I’m fine.

[AmandaVT]

7 hours ago, AmandaVT said:

Quoting myself to update - a little bit of arm pain, but much milder than shot #2 (felt like I had been stabbed in the arm bone for that one) and my hands are hurting again. This also happened after shot #2 - super weird. It feels like my hands should be swollen like club hands but they're not. They just hurt. No other side effects. So similar to shot #2, but more mild it seems. 

Afternoon update - arm pain is almost gone. Hands and wrists are still stiff, but Advil/Tylenol seems to be keeping the pain mostly at bay. DH hit a wall around lunchtime and has been curled up on the couch w/ a fever and body aches all afternoon. Very similar to his 1st and 2nd shots, except not as severe. He was down down with those. This seems milder, which makes sense given the smaller dosage I think.

[Garga]

On 10/7/2021 at 5:35 PM, Spryte said:

Pfizer here, too.

Where is your mom’s pain? Arm? Everywhere? I hope they both feel better soon! Glad they got it.

I have a bad day or two just from flu shots, and I think my first two Covid shots gave me a rough 3-4 days. But those I barely felt go in. This felt like a poorly given shot, and now I’m feeling a bit achey and crummy on top of it. Blech!

Ice helps. 

I’m late to the thread, but I wanted to say that my first Pfizer shot, back in April, was horrible going in. The woman jabbed my arm really hard and it HURT.  The thought, “She just hit my BONE,” flashed into my head, and she exclaimed, “Oh, you don’t have a lot of fat on your arm, do you?”

I believe it was a badly given shot and it hurt for a day or two—not the normal “I had an immunization that hurt” pain, but “someone jabbed a needle into my bone” pain. It felt like an injury type of pain and not the pain from the body responding to the contents of the needle.  (It probably didn’t go in the bone, but it was badly administered and it hurt.)

Most other people said that the actual needle didn’t hurt at all, and some people didn’t feel it. But for me it was immediate sharp and intense pain.

For my second shot, I told the person what had happened with the first and asked them to please not jab me too hard, and they didn’t and it felt like a getting a normal shot—a tiny pinch and done.