Booster shots - how did yours go?

[Spryte]

7 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

@Spryte I'm glad to hear you're feeling better.

Update on mine: I had my Moderna booster around 1:30 pm yesterday. Last night I was cold all night and chalked it up to being a wimpy Floridian as our nighttime temperature fell below 70F. However, I've had some chills today too so now I'm pretty sure last night was a side effect of the vaccine. I have that sensitive skin feeling that makes your clothes hurt (I usually get that when I have a cold), I'm achy, and depending on which ear I choose I either have a fever of 101.7 or 100.1. My normal body temperature runs around 97.6-97.9, so this is a bit of a fever for me. 

I do actually feel okay, not tired or out of energy. It seems weird to have the above symptoms yet feel fine.

Oh, and my arm is mildly sore but nothing like the second shot. That one made my arm nearly useless for almost two weeks. 

I hope you feel better and better. Glad you got your booster!

[Scarlett]

I had mine yesterday at about 5:00 p.m.  Moderna.  My arm is sore from the tops of my shoulder on into my neck/back and down to my hand.  Very sore.  I had chills earlier but took 800 mg of ibuprofin and feel better but now I am sooooo sleepy.  I am hoping this is the worst of it.

[Lady Florida.]

Coming back to say my side effects didn't last long. I feel fine today. Totally worth it.

[Amira]

I had my Pfizer booster yesterday.  I didn’t have any side effects besides a sore arm for the first two shots. My arm wasn’t at all sore this time, and again, no other side effects.  

[KSera]

21 hours ago, Scarlett said:

I had mine yesterday at about 5:00 p.m.  Moderna.  My arm is sore from the tops of my shoulder on into my neck/back and down to my hand.  Very sore.  I had chills earlier but took 800 mg of ibuprofin and feel better but now I am sooooo sleepy.  I am hoping this is the worst of it.

How are you feeling today?

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, KSera said:

How are you feeling today?

Good. Arm is barely sore and no other side affects. 

[Jen500]

I got a Moderna booster on Monday evening. Tuesday I felt nauseous and extremely tired. Today I woke up feeling fine. 😀

I was surprised because it seemed like the side effects were different from the side effects I had after the second dose. 

[Scarlett]

45 minutes ago, Jen500 said:

I got a Moderna booster on Monday evening. Tuesday I felt nauseous and extremely tired. Today I woke up feeling fine. 😀

I was surprised because it seemed like the side effects were different from the side effects I had after the second dose. 

Same here.  

[JFSinIL]

My update from Monday mornings Moderna booster - spent Tuesday largely huddled under a blanket watching Netflix, as felt the fake flu symptoms of small fever, aches in legs, tiredness etc - but not nearly as debilitating as original shots!  Did get up to do dishes, laundry, etc in spurts before going back to rest. Fine today.  Arm never ached.

[Selkie]

Dh and I got our Moderna boosters yesterday morning. 

With each of the first two shots, I had about 24 hours of chills and aches and a very sore arm. This time, I'm not having any symptoms other than a mildly achy arm. I was tired yesterday, but I think that's because I was up most of the night before tending to a horse.

Dh had absolutely no reaction to the first two shots, but he's feeling cruddy after the booster. He's chilly and achy and said his sleep was very restless last night.

[PeterPan]

On 10/24/2021 at 12:13 PM, Spryte said:

massive inflammation.

So did your doctor have an answer or path forward on this? I still need to do my 2nd shot and the 1st left me with so much inflammation I developed viral pneumonia with the first teeny weeny upper respiratory virus. I'm still only 65% energy level from that, sigh. And my doc had ZERO offers of anything we'd do with the next one to take down inflammation. 

[PeterPan]

On 10/30/2021 at 12:28 PM, Spryte said:

The specialist had me taking lots of ibuprofen daily, using voltaren gel and lidocaine patches. She thought it was massive inflammation.

So how high are we talking? You waited a while after the shot? I took ibuprofen, but I think I waited 2-3 days. I never felt better till I got the prednisione 6 weeks later. However maybe I needed to take *more*?

[J-rap]

I'm not eligible for a booster in our state yet, but I just wanted to say thank you for those of you who really suffer severe side-effects from the vaccines, yet still choose to do it.  

[Spryte]

Just now, PeterPan said:

So how high are we talking? You waited a while after the shot? I took ibuprofen, but I think I waited 2-3 days. I never felt better till I got the prednisione 6 weeks later. However maybe I needed to take *more*?

What’s high for me won’t be high for you. I normally do not take NSAIDS at all, per this doc. She had me take 600 mg ibuprofen am and pm. Voltaren gel twice daily and lidocaine patches for pain. 

This was the GI doc, who treated me in hospital after the first round, and the follow up is coming up soon. I am, however, feeling better. I have not seen my regular PCP, who may have more ideas on inflammation.

As for waiting — yes, I waited. Again, though, I don’t take NSAIDS at all normally so I’m not a good comparison. It’s somewhere in this thread, but I had my initial side effects and then the alleged inflammation kicked in maybe a week post-shot, a few days after the side effects were mostly gone. I saw the GI doc soon after that and started her plan. I’m still sleeping with a heating pad, but mostly pain free now. But, yeh, I think I would start the NSAIDS earlier next time. The issue, for me, is that taking NSAIDS like this means a doc needs to order a liver panel, so it’s a PITA.

 

[KSera]

23 minutes ago, J-rap said:

 

I'm not eligible for a booster in our state yet

 

Just as a PSA for those that want boosters but don’t think they qualify (not directed at you), new qualifications continue to be added, including recently, mental health conditions. They gave me a hard time when I brought my 20-year-old in and said they weren’t giving boosters to people her age for no reason, which was frustrating to me because there’s an awfully high number of people in that age group who have qualifying mental health conditions. Mine does qualify and did end up getting it, but they made her feel bad first by acting like she wasn’t supposed to have one.

[J-rap]

Just now, KSera said:

Just as a PSA for those that want boosters but don’t think they qualify (not directed at you), new qualifications continue to be added, including recently, mental health conditions. They gave me a hard time when I brought my 20-year-old in and said they weren’t giving boosters to people her age for no reason, which was frustrating to me because there’s an awfully high number of people in that age group who have qualifying mental health conditions. Mine does qualify and did end up getting it, but they made her feel bad first by acting like she wasn’t supposed to have one.

I'm really glad your dd was able to get one, but sad that it had to be done in a way that made her feel badly.  

I do check our state health department every other day to see if I qualify yet.  My dh is undergoing cancer treatments plus multiple TBI-related appointments every week, and cannot drive himself.  So it's kind of weird that I don't qualify!  But our state has always closely followed CDC policies.  So far they are telling me no...  Hopefully that will change soon!

[Selkie]

7 minutes ago, KSera said:

Just as a PSA for those that want boosters but don’t think they qualify (not directed at you), new qualifications continue to be added, including recently, mental health conditions. They gave me a hard time when I brought my 20-year-old in and said they weren’t giving boosters to people her age for no reason, which was frustrating to me because there’s an awfully high number of people in that age group who have qualifying mental health conditions. Mine does qualify and did end up getting it, but they made her feel bad first by acting like she wasn’t supposed to have one.

The pharmacy where we got our shots is not being picky about who can get boosters. Dh and I had to sign a form saying we were eligible, but we did not have to specify the reason and nobody asked. They were swamped with adults of all ages getting boosters. I asked the tech about whether my three healthy college kids could get boosters, and she said yes.

[Not_a_Number]

12 minutes ago, KSera said:

Just as a PSA for those that want boosters but don’t think they qualify (not directed at you), new qualifications continue to be added, including recently, mental health conditions. They gave me a hard time when I brought my 20-year-old in and said they weren’t giving boosters to people her age for no reason, which was frustrating to me because there’s an awfully high number of people in that age group who have qualifying mental health conditions. Mine does qualify and did end up getting it, but they made her feel bad first by acting like she wasn’t supposed to have one.

That's disappointing 😞 . 

[Danae]

Got my Moderna booster this morning.  So far no symptoms. 

[TCB]

I got a Moderna booster on Tuesday and so far only side effect was a sore arm for the first 24 hours. My fingers felt a bit tingly for a few hours, but, then again, if I was busy doing something I forgot all about it, so maybe that was mostly in my head. I had Pfizer for the first 2, had a sore arm, and then 5 days after the first dose felt totally exhausted for a day, so exhausted that I went and got tested for Covid, but it was negative. Waiting to see if anything happens in the next few days.

[Shoeless]

Have my booster scheduled for Monday! I am a little nervous. I seem to have developed some shot anxiety lately. As soon as the shot goes in, my mouth goes dry and my brain says "Well, that means you are probably gonna die". Which isn't true at all, and I know it! But I can't logic my way out of it when it happens. 😞

[PeterPan]

31 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

As soon as the shot goes in,

Maybe you just need something better to think about, like a cruise! 😄 Seriously, that's what I did. I went in with my favorite cruising t-shirt on (easy arm access, woo!) and just said to myself over and over 'I'm doing this so I can cruise". It wasn't completely true, as obviously, I'd like to avoid ICU, etc. etc., but that's the major thing I'm looking forward to. 

A milkshake might do almost as well. Just something

Oh, and I guess I can fess up that I also took buspar (an anxiety med) that morning. That works too. 😄 

[mlktwins]

DH and I get our Pfizer boosters tomorrow at 3:30.  Nervous, but gonna get it done.  We don't have anything planned for the weekend except to get kids to a swim practice so we can rest if needed.

[MEmama]

6 hours ago, J-rap said:

I'm not eligible for a booster in our state yet, but I just wanted to say thank you for those of you who really suffer severe side-effects from the vaccines, yet still choose to do it.  

I’m just at my 6 months today (I was off by a month when planning—oops), but not eligible either. I’m surprised so many people are, it seems like the CDC list is pretty limiting. 🤷‍♀️
 

DH is scheduled for Saturday. He is only technically eligible— just inside the age limit. 

[Shoeless]

1 hour ago, PeterPan said:

Maybe you just need something better to think about, like a cruise! 😄 Seriously, that's what I did. I went in with my favorite cruising t-shirt on (easy arm access, woo!) and just said to myself over and over 'I'm doing this so I can cruise". It wasn't completely true, as obviously, I'd like to avoid ICU, etc. etc., but that's the major thing I'm looking forward to. 

A milkshake might do almost as well. Just something

Oh, and I guess I can fess up that I also took buspar (an anxiety med) that morning. That works too. 😄 

Hmm, maybe I'll try watching a funny video on my phone when they give the shot. I have a couple of ridiculous bird videos saved.

 

19 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I’m just at my 6 months today (I was off by a month when planning—oops), but not eligible either. I’m surprised so many people are, it seems like the CDC list is pretty limiting. 🤷‍♀️
 

DH is scheduled for Saturday. He is only technically eligible— just inside the age limit. 

My BMI, while much lower than it was 7 months ago, still puts me in an elevated risk category and makes me eligible.

[mlktwins]

45 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I’m just at my 6 months today (I was off by a month when planning—oops), but not eligible either. I’m surprised so many people are, it seems like the CDC list is pretty limiting. 🤷‍♀️
 

DH is scheduled for Saturday. He is only technically eligible— just inside the age limit. 

I am eligible because of my BMI.  DH is also but he is just a tall, big boned, strong guy.  He still falls within the eligibility requirements for BMI.

Edited November 4, 2021 by mlktwins

[mlktwins]

23 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

Hmm, maybe I'll try watching a funny video on my phone when they give the shot. I have a couple of ridiculous bird videos saved.

 

My BMI, while much lower than it was 7 months ago, still puts me in an elevated risk category and makes me eligible.

You’ve got this!!!!!

[Selkie]

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

I am eligible because of my BMI.  DH is also but he is just a tall, big boned, strong guy.  He still falls within the eligibility requirements for BMI.

My dh also qualified because of BMI, even though he is super fit and muscular. 

[J-rap]

5 hours ago, MEmama said:

I’m just at my 6 months today (I was off by a month when planning—oops), but not eligible either. I’m surprised so many people are, it seems like the CDC list is pretty limiting. 🤷‍♀️
 

DH is scheduled for Saturday. He is only technically eligible— just inside the age limit. 

This is what I've been thinking as well!

[rebcoola]

I mean bmi over 25 is a lot of people.  All current and former smokers.  Asthma sufferers.  Those are all really common things.  Than you add in risk from workplace or communal living.

[Terabith]

I got Pfizer for initial series but got Moderna booster at 1 pm last night.  Then I chaperoned a choir concert that involved sitting on the ground for several hours in 40 degree weather and just a sweater because I was an idiot.  I had pretty bad chills by the time I got home that didn’t clear up with heat, soup, or hot shower.   Became clear I have a fever.  I’m taking ibuprofen but still VERY achy, pounding head, alternating chills and hot, exhausted but can’t sleep, but kinda dizzy when I try to get up.  Can’t drive safely so husband is taking Cat to school.  I feel like I have a bad case of flu. Hopefully it will go away soon. 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Terabith

[Danae]

21 hours post-booster. My arm is very sore. The skin feels stretched like it’s swollen even though I don’t see any swelling, it’s stiff all the way down to my wrist, and it feels like someone is poking me in the armpit with a stick.  
 

Headache, about the level of a mild dehydration headache.  (Might even be a mild dehydration headache since I forgot to intentionally drink extra yesterday and was really busy so probably drank less than normal.)

 

[Terabith]

My side effects were really only pronounced for about 3-4 hours, though I slept a lot yesterday.  I felt fine when I got up this morning, tho I'm starting to feel kinda chilled and achy again, so I might take another dose of ibuprofen.  

Totally worth it for increased immunity!

[mlktwins]

I am a 1/2 hour shy of 24 hours post Pfizer booster.  No symptoms yesterday.  Woke up with a sore arm this morning and later my armpit (shot arm) became sore.  Otherwise, nothing.

[Danae]

My arm is still slightly sore, but notably better this morning. No other symptoms.  I might have been slightly more tired than usual yesterday — I yawned a lot in the afternoon, but no nap and no fever. Much better than dose two.

[Junie]

I got a full-strength Moderna for my 3rd dose this morning.  I had Pfizer for the first two.  They double-checked with me twice to make sure that this was what I wanted.  They were puzzled when I asked for a full-strength Moderna and asked if I was immunocompromised.  Yep.  And I was happy to know that i don't look like I am. :)

My arm is sore.  We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

[mlktwins]

2 hours ago, mlktwins said:

I am a 1/2 hour shy of 24 hours post Pfizer booster.  No symptoms yesterday.  Woke up with a sore arm this morning and later my armpit (shot arm) became sore.  Otherwise, nothing.

It is a couple of hours later and now I am feeling achy and feverish although I don't have a fever.  Gonna take some meds and chill for the night.  

My 1st Pfizer I just had a sore arm.  My 2nd Pfizer I had a sore arm and also felt like I do now for a day or two.  Nothing too bad - just feeling a little under the weather.  Hope it doesn't get worse than this.  I tend to get weepy when I have even a low grade fever 😆.  DH and my boys know when I have a fever because of that!

 

[Junie]

So the ickiness kicked in earlier than I was expecting (about 9 hours post Moderna).  I was shopping with dd17 and started feeling hot, so I put my coat in the cart.  That was fine until we were checking out 15 minutes later.  I felt feverish and lethargic.  I thought that I might have to call dh to come get us (dd17 doesn't drive yet because of the covid year).  We sat in the car with a window down for about 5 minutes and I felt much improved.  I was able to drive home without any problems.

I have no fever, but I'm exhausted.  I think I will take a shower and go to bed early.

 

[MEmama]

DH got his second shingles vax and his booster yesterday around noon. He felt fine all day, maybe a little tired but didn’t even take a nap. Felt very cold and shivery in the night for a couple hours but didn’t have a fever, and is fine this morning other than he’s tired because he didn’t sleep well. 
 

His booster was Pfizer, same as his other shots. 

[Junie]

I did end up going to bed early, but I slept very fitfully.  First I was too cold, and then too hot, over and over again.  And I had a raging headache (but those are fairly common for me, so I don't know if was vaccine related).

I will say it was serendipity that this weekend was the time change and I got an extra hour of sleep. :)

I'm still feeling pretty tired, but other than that I feel pretty good.

I hope that I feel well tomorrow.  I take dd11 for her first Pfizer and I have a feeling it's going to be a struggle. 😞  I'm tempted to play up how terrible I feel so that dh has to take her.  But I love them both too much to do that to either of them. :)

 

[sangtarah]

Got my booster today. Mr 8 got his first.  One more kid to go - Ms 4, and we will be a fully vaxed family! 

The pharmacists giving our shots said that 12-15s are eligible for booster shots at 6 months if they have auto-immune conditions. I hadn’t heard that before!  So Ms 15 can be boosted next month, and Ms 12 a month later. 

Edited November 8, 2021 by sangtarah

[happi duck]

Thanks for all this great info!

I think I qualify but am waiting to get it through my hospital like the first two doses.

I don't think dh, dd or ds qualify yet. (My dc are in their 20s). 

[TCB]

It’s been a week since I got my Moderna booster ( after Pfizer 2 dose initially) and the only side affect was a sore arm for 24 hours. I was wondering if anything else would happen but I guess not.

[Spryte]

12 hours ago, sangtarah said:

Got my booster today. Mr 8 got his first.  One more kid to go - Ms 4, and we will be a fully vaxed family! 

The pharmacists giving our shots said that 12-15s are eligible for booster shots at 6 months if they have auto-immune conditions. I hadn’t heard that before!  So Ms 15 can be boosted next month, and Ms 12 a month later. 

Congrats on the shots!

Wow, I hadn’t heard that any kids are eligible for boosters! We have a 17 yr old  anxiously awaiting his 18th bday in a few months to get a booster. Multiple health issues. I wonder if he can get one now? 

Has anyone seen info on this?

[sangtarah]

33 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Congrats on the shots!

Wow, I hadn’t heard that any kids are eligible for boosters! We have a 17 yr old  anxiously awaiting his 18th bday in a few months to get a booster. Multiple health issues. I wonder if he can get one now? 

Has anyone seen info on this?

We were at Walgreens, if it helps. I don't know if its an official policy or what. 

[Corraleno]

Pfizer is now applying for an EUA for boosters for everyone 18 and over, and it may go through since multiple members of the FDA and CDC advisory committees who originally voted against it have changed their minds, saying that recent data show it's safe and that it significantly reduces infections and severe illness. Data from Israel has shown that 3 doses were 93% more effective than 2 doses against hospitalization and 81% more effective against death. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/08/pfizer-biontech-coronavirus-booster-authorization-18-and-older/

[MEmama]

1 minute ago, Corraleno said:

Pfizer is now applying for an EUA for boosters for everyone 18 and over, and it may go through since multiple members of the FDA and CDC advisory committees who originally voted against it have changed their minds, saying that recent data show it's safe and that it significantly reduces infections and severe illness. Data from Israel has shown that 3 doses were 93% more effective than 2 doses against hospitalization and 81% more effective against death. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/08/pfizer-biontech-coronavirus-booster-authorization-18-and-older/

That would be excellent. I think making a blanket, age based policy will reduce a lot of confusion and the desire for people to make excuses (both to get the booster when they don’t yet qualify, and to get out it if they don’t want the booster but should get it). The “should” and “may” categories that exist right now are weird and not terribly useful, IMO. 
 

I hope this get passed soon. 

[Loowit]

Update on my booster (pfizer).  I am a little over a week out and doing fine now.  The injection site was red, hot, itchy, and swollen over my whole upper arm for almost a week.  I think I just react that way to shots now though.  My flu shot I got on Friday is doing the same thing.  I also had fatigue lasted several days as did an on and off headache.  But I am prone to headaches, so I am not sure it was a reaction to the shot.  Overall, I think I had less downtime with the booster.  I still have ringing in my ears, I think it is permanent now.  It got really bad starting just after the injection, but is now back to tolerable.  I keep telling myself that I would likely have gotten the same thing with covid.

DD and DH got their boosters.  DD had no reaction and DH was just a bit tired the next day for a few hours.  Youngest will get his shot on Wednesday and he is really excited about it (not the shot itself, but the protection of getting a booster).  Middle kid doesn't qualify, which he is actually happy about.  He has spent months and several visits to specialists to prove to the military that he is fit for duty with no health problems.  He will get his booster/vaccine when he goes to boot camp in a few months.

[goldberry]

Got Moderna booster Friday.  

With my second shot I was pretty sick for a solid three days.  Chills, aches.  With the booster I was not feeling that great for the first Friday night and part of Saturday, mostly achey, no chills.  Then all better!  So about 24 hours.  Even my arm was not as sore as it was with the second shot.

Very relieved since I was at 10 months out. 

[wathe]

I finally qualify:  eligibility was expanded here to include healthcare and over 70's more than 6 months since second dose as of Saturday.  My last dose was in early February.  I'm booked for tomorrow - yay!