I signed up just so I could comment here. I checked this thread multiple times (obsessively) in the days ahead of my vaccinations. Thank you all for posting your experiences! It made me feel a lot better and more prepared for what was to come. I have had both Pfizer vaccines now and my side effects were very mild. First shot I had upset stomach for 2 days, horrible heartburn, chills and nausea at 1-2am every night for about 1 week and super sensitive skin. I anticipated my side effects to be worse for the second shot. I was pleasantly surprised when all I got was awful heartburn (which I was prepared for this time) and then chills and nausea around 1am for a week. My arm didn't hurt much but I did massage the injection site and idk if that is why it didn't hurt later but I'm just throwing it out there for anyone who wants to try it. I have asthma, environmental allergies, allergic to wheat and peanuts and also allergic to fire ants. I had no allergic reaction to this vaccine. Thanks again everyone, you all made me feel much more comfortable about getting it.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Experience
- Thread starter AustinIllini
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My state opened up vaccine appointments to all starting today. My local pharmacy opened up their system at 7am. I kept watching the page refresh until I was able to get an appointment for Monday. The whole thing felt like waiting for an iphone launch to go live. Haha
Pfizer Vaccine.. Worst experience of my life.. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Took the first shot. By the next day I had a sore throat, then fever, headache, head congestion and began coughing. By day three.. Extreme fatigue, headache, head congestion and coughing up Phlegm. 14 days later. Headaches, fatigue, head congestion and coughing up phlegm. No one has answers and no return messages from CDC. I'm a health nut that eats right, exercises twice a day and rarely ever even gets a cold. There is no way I'm getting the second shot and wish I would not have gotten the first.
I had bad side effects too with Pfizer, but only after the 2nd dose. It cleared up after the second day.
But in your case, I still wouldn't skip the 2nd dose, though maybe check with your doctor first. Symptoms should not have lasted 14 days. But if possible, I'd complete the regimen and get the 95% protection by completing all doses. A bit of suffering may save the grief of catching the actual virus, which can have life-long and lasting damage.
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Moderation Note
A number of posts, many of them from the last few days, were moved to:
forums.macrumors.com
Per the 1st post in this thread, please limit your posts here only to discussing your experiences with getting the vaccine.
Please put any other topics, such as vaccine safety, effectiveness, costs, deployment rate, etc. in the other thread.
Thank you.
A number of posts, many of them from the last few days, were moved to:
Coronavirus non-political DISCUSSION thread
I don't think people are taking this thing seriously. At the supermarket yesterday, the two women in front of me didn't have masks, and the two women behind me wouldn't keep a reasonable distance. And roughly half the people at the post-office did not have face masks. (Both the supermarket and...
forums.macrumors.com
Per the 1st post in this thread, please limit your posts here only to discussing your experiences with getting the vaccine.
Please put any other topics, such as vaccine safety, effectiveness, costs, deployment rate, etc. in the other thread.
Thank you.
I received my second vaccine shot today and afterward took 1200mg of Tylenol to reduce any side effects like my first shot. I did not have any side efforts the first time.
Looks like you actually got Covid, remember you are not protected until at least 2 weeks later, those symptoms you describe are Covid symptoms
Good point. Though an unusual coincidence, it is possible to catch the virus at the same time as starting the vaccine regimen.
2nd Pfizer yesterday.
By a sheer stroke of luck, the county health department switched appointment sites at the last minute. Although my original location was closer, it just so happened that they moved me to the college where I work, and in my building.
I made a day of going into the office, my first in a while, then got the shot at the end of the day.
Woke up with my arm fairly sore this morning, and have been feeling "off" today and running a low grade fever when the Tylenol wears off.
Overall, though, I'll take this over getting it!
By a sheer stroke of luck, the county health department switched appointment sites at the last minute. Although my original location was closer, it just so happened that they moved me to the college where I work, and in my building.
I made a day of going into the office, my first in a while, then got the shot at the end of the day.
Woke up with my arm fairly sore this morning, and have been feeling "off" today and running a low grade fever when the Tylenol wears off.
Overall, though, I'll take this over getting it!
My sister-in-law and her husband both have had the 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and except for a little arm soreness, no side effects at all! As I mentioned above, though, my wife and I, after our second Moderna shots, had some side effects (in addition to a sore arm). But yeah, like you said, my wife and I have gladly taken that versus getting it!
It's best, though, even after having both doses, to continue being vigilant: wear your mask, stay 6 feet apart, etc. This virus is still not under control yet!
Got my second Moderna shot on Saturday morning. After the first shot, I felt somewhat fatigued for a couple of days and my arm was quite store. This time, I started feeling moderate flu-like symptoms — fever, chills, muscle aches — in the middle of the night. I took some Tylenol to help with the fever and the aches and just stayed in bed all day. 48 hours after the injection, the flu-like symptoms were gone, but I still felt somewhat fatigued and had less appetite than normal. My energy and appetite levels are slowly but steadily improving still. My arm soreness also resolved much more quickly this time than after the first shot.
Totally worth the short term inconvenience.
Totally worth the short term inconvenience.
Yes, that was exactly what my wife and I experienced with the first Moderna shot. In fact, we did not feel anything at all. A little soreness around the injection site he next day, but nothing major. But with the second dose, I did feel it a little, the soreness around the injection site lasted a few more days, and I felt tired for 3 days after the shot. My wife had a similar experience with the soreness, but she had flu-like symptoms for 3 days.
Second Pfizer shot today, we'll see how the next 24 hours go.
A tip - Staples (and maybe Office Max/Office Depot) will laminate a completed card for free. However - it is not suggested to laminate the actual card, my local Staples copied mine (both sides even though it's not really needed), trimmed the copy and laminated the copy for less than $3. I just wish the card was a TAD smaller so it would fit better in my every-day carry wallet...
A tip - Staples (and maybe Office Max/Office Depot) will laminate a completed card for free. However - it is not suggested to laminate the actual card, my local Staples copied mine (both sides even though it's not really needed), trimmed the copy and laminated the copy for less than $3. I just wish the card was a TAD smaller so it would fit better in my every-day carry wallet...
Did she have any symptoms BEFORE ? Most people (like 70% to 97%) do not ever have symptoms unless they get shot. Just wondering.
I got the Moderna vaccine on 3/18 and like you I'm still having side effects. Workout every day, eat well and rarely ever get sick but this vaccine is kicking my butt. I'm due for my 2nd shot on 4/15. My plan is to postpone it to the last minute of the window and then decide. I'm seriously thinking of not getting it or asking to see if the J&J one can be given instead.
My husband got his 3 days ago, and outside of some side numbness and sore arm he has been good to go.
There is another forum where others are going through the same issues. Mayoclinic.org has an article on Moderna Vaccine stating other side effects and precautions. The precautions sections includes other possible side effects including: fainting, vision changes, numbness or tingling in arms, hands and feet, (what I'm getting as a side effect besides nausea and pain), jerky movements of arm and legs.
It felt to me there were more reports of side effects from the Moderna shot compared to Pfizer. Then I read that the Moderna vaccine has three times the dose of Pfizer:
Both companies apparently took educated guesses as to what was needed. I wonder if the larger dose could lead to more side effects?
Both companies apparently took educated guesses as to what was needed. I wonder if the larger dose could lead to more side effects?
Your choice, but I would make it a last resort.
Doubtful. If you're going back to the same place they're likely being given a certain supplier and only that one. It's also been advised NOT to mix vaccines, especially if J&J is one as that one works different from the other two.
The side effects of the vaccines seem to vary wildly. My dad got Pfizer, it kicked his butt for a couple days after each dose. My mom got Moderna, I don't think she had much in the way of side effects after the first shot (second is this week). Co-worker had Moderna, minimal side effects after dose 1, had to leave work early the day after dose 2 as he felt like garbage but was back the next day. I had Pfizer and just had a sore arm from the first dose, I just got the second today. All 4 of us had COVID back in January and recovered "naturally" (just OTC stuff for symptoms for the most part).
I would not laminate the original card in case you have to get a booster. A copy of the card, sure.
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Sorry to hear about your trouble. Having a bad reaction to the first vaccine doesn't mean you will have a bad one to the next:
Also, most people get a reaction to the second shot, because the body is aware of the infection and mounts an attack. There seems to be some evidence that if you get a strong reaction to the first shot, it may be because this is your second exposure... i.e. you may have unknowingly had COVID previously. Which would also mean the second shot would be safe.
See:
Strong reaction to first COVID-19 vaccine may signal previous infection, experts say
Initial data suggested that most reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines occurred after the second dose, but now experts say that those with a previous infection will likely react after the first one.
References:
Antibody response to first BNT162b2 dose in previously SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals
Rapid vaccine-induced population immunity is a key global strategy to control COVID-19. Vaccination programmes must maximise early impact, particularly with accelerated spread of new variants.1 Most vaccine platforms use a two-dose prime-boost approach to generate an immune response against the...
www.thelancet.com
One dose of COVID-19 vaccine provokes strong immune response in those previously infected
Researchers report preliminary evidence that people previously infected with COVID-19 responded very strongly to one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, regardless of when they were infected and whether or not they had detectable antibodies against COVID-19 prior to receiving the vaccine. The response...
www.eurekalert.org
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I had the Pfizer 1st shot on 3/4. A little fatigue, felt warm, light sensitivity leading to headache, injection site pain but nothing needing any Tylenol. 2nd shot on 3/24. I had more side effects. Light sensitivity leading to headache was slightly worse but kept bright lights to a minimum, slightly runny nose, fatigue, etc... but again, nothing that needed Tylenol for.
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Which is why I noted the part about Staples copying it and trimming/laminating the COPY rather than the original.
Received the first dose of Moderna on January 11th. No reaction, just a little soreness in my arm the next day, but that was gone on the third day. Got the second dose on February 9th. My arm was pretty sore by that evening. The second day, I had mild fever and chills, and I felt so exhausted that I stayed in bed all day, and my arm was still very sore. By the third day, I felt fine.
The facility where I received the vaccine was, in my opinion, operated with military precision. I was in and out within 25 minutes the first time, and 20 minutes the second time.
I was so grateful to get the vaccine, since I lost my only brother to COVID on January 5th.
The side effects were a minor inconvenience considering the possible alternative, and I would do it again in an instant.
The facility where I received the vaccine was, in my opinion, operated with military precision. I was in and out within 25 minutes the first time, and 20 minutes the second time.
I was so grateful to get the vaccine, since I lost my only brother to COVID on January 5th.
The side effects were a minor inconvenience considering the possible alternative, and I would do it again in an instant.
Sorry for your loss.
Same with my wife and I how well organized the place was where we got the vaccine. Times were is were about 30 minutes, but 15 minutes of it was having to stay around after we got each shot.