Reassurance for people with anxiety about possible reactions to the 2nd vaccine.

[LuckyCharms]

Based on my own personal experience, so of course, my comments do not apply to everyone.

1st Pfizer dose Febuary 20. No reaction except for a very sore arm.

2nd dose yesterday 330 pm.

Zero pain from either needle. I didn't feel them at all.

Very sore arm about one minute after the first dose. Resolved itself after a day or so.

No immediate effects after the 2nd dose until about 12 hours later in the early morning.

Can't move arm, feel like dogshit.

Feel feverish, but I have not taken my temperature. Entire body aches. Also, over the last year, I've had some weird stuff going on with my eyes...redness, swelling, blurry vision that eventually went away, but now has reappeared.

Now, here's the reassuring part. Even though I feel like I have the flu, I do not feel like I am going to croak...like I do when I actually get the flu. In fact, in a way, I feel fantastic because I know that I will feel better in a day or so, and I know that my immune response is working. Therefore, I have zero fear or anxiety.

First time in my life that I can say that I feel great, while at the same time, feeling like I was hit by a truck.

Have no fear about any possible reactions.

Have a nice day.

[Goonch]

1. Thanks. I'll be looking forward to

your post tomorrow.

[woodsprite]

2. I have my first appt set for tomorrow

After my Friday CAT scan, not sure if I should follow through with it. Scan showed 2 kidney stones, and “something concerning”. Going to try to contact my doc early in the morning to see if I should go through with it or cancel. I’m in the higher risk group (diabetes, 14 yr cancer survivor) and involved with education. I’d rather get the vaccine but don’t want to interfere with diagnosis or treatment of whatever is lurking from the scan.

Poor timing all around since my 2nd shot is scheduled for the day before my b’day. But I’m ready for it. Now all this other crap.

[LuckyCharms]

3. woodsprite...

I had something very similar happen 20 years ago. Try not to worry too much at this point.

I had just started a new job. On the second day of the job, I experienced a little blood in my urine. The next day, I was peeing mud.

I went to the ER, and they did just an xray. The xray showed something unusual where the ureter enters the kidney. The urologist did a scope and couldn't
find anything there. He installed a kidney stent for 3 weeks because I was still bleeding.

I was scared because he couldn't figure out what was going on.

The bleeding resolved without me ever finding out what the problem was. The urologist continued to run urine cytologies on me for awhile to make sure there was no cancer that he was not finding.

I ended up being referred to an out of town urologist at a university hospital. He thought the bleeding was simply due to damage from passed kidney stones that was not found during the scoping process. As far as what was shown on the xray, he had no idea what that was, but subsequent xrays and CT scans showed nothing. Everything eventually resolved.

Being a cancer survivor, I can understand your worry. However, please try not to worry until you have to. My urologist always used to say that there are a lot of things that can show up on a scan that are not cancer. I think that having kidney stones really screws things up in your urinary system. I freaked out in my urologist's office when he first showed me the xray. I remember him laughing and saying "Calm down, calm down...could be anything....we'll figure it out".

My wish for you is that it turns out to be nothing serious. If it is something serious, there are things that can be done, as you surely know based upon your own experience.

As far as the vaccine, you are doing the right thing by asking your doc. I would do whatever he/she advises.

Try not to worry!

Best wishes and good luck!

[woodsprite]

41. Thank you. I've been trying, but going between being simmering calm and hair on fire with worry.

I figure the "something concerning" wasn't urology/kidney related because they suggested I call my primary care doc. I had a reaction to Bactrim (nasty sulpha based antibiotic for my kidney infection) the night before my cat scan -- swollen lymph nodes in my neck, a fever, fine rash, lip swollen up like a Botox job gone wrong, etc. Benadryl took care of it, but not before I went for the scan. Best case I can think of is that maybe my other lymph nodes were swollen and showed up on the scan. Worst case - cancer. I have no female organs left in the area to be affected, so I know it's not anything with that.

Then there's the whole vaccine causes node swelling and advise against any scans for a month or so afterwards.

And of course all this stuff was coming up on Friday while I was trying to do my part of my performance appraisal. I work for Univ of DE and they had just told us that morning wherever we had to go for the vaccine was excused absence. They stressed there was no meeting, project, or other work that should stand in our way of scheduling the vaccination.

[LuckyCharms]

43. I understand...

It's so hard not to worry.

Worse case...if it is cancer, you'll beat it again. You know what I'm saying because you've been through it, you worried, and you came through.

I'm a worrier...I understand.

All the best to you...please keep us updated.

PS...I once had my primary care doc at the time tell me that I needed a hip replacement. He did an xray and said "Bone on bone." I was sent to an orthopedic guy. He came in and said "so I see from your xray that your hip is fine, you have a bit of bursitis".

It's terrible when you hear words like "something concerning" and get sent to someone else.

Hang in there!

[wnylib]

42. I had the same thing happen to me

a couple years ago. Peeing blood, breathtaking pain in side. Swelling around the kidney. Bleeding stopped on its own. Passed a few small stones while the stent was in place. Doc thought the small stones might have been grouped together before passing, or a larger one had passed without being seen. No cancer. No problems since then.

The doc recommended watching what I eat. For weeks before that incident, I'd been snacking a lot on almonds coated in dark chocolate for what I thought were "health benefits" of both dark chocolate and almonds. (Also because they tasted GOOD)

The doc said that both chocolate and almonds are often culprits in the development of kidney stones, due to their chemical composition.

[woodsprite]

44. I had no idea about the almonds! I was told

That for calcium oxylate stones, black tea was better than green tea.

Guess what my go to snack has been throughout this pandemic? Diamond ghost pepper almonds with sour cherries.

[wnylib]

47. There are a few types of stones.

Three types, if I remember right. Calcium is a culprit in one type. Chocolate and almonds are the problem in another type.

Doesn't mean people can't eat those foods, just do it in more moderation than I did. Also, he said I need to drink more water.

[ChazII]

4. My friend who is a teacher

and 36 had the same experience said she was happy because those aches and pains meant the vaccine was doing it job and that her immune system was doing its job.

[LuckyCharms]

5. .

It's kind of a surreal feeling. I think a lot of what makes a significant illness worse is the anxiety that comes along with it. Feeling ill without the anxiety is strange. I'm happy for your friend!

[roamer65]

6. All better than an ICU and a ventilator.

[LuckyCharms]

7. You bet!

[roamer65]

8. ..

Hope u feel better soon!

[LuckyCharms]

9. I'm thinking that tomorrow or Tuesday...

I will go back to my normal daily situation of feeling like complete shit due to my other multiple health problems.

[Chautauquas]

10. Not worried about the 2nd shot

because I'm still waiting for the first shot

[LuckyCharms]

11. Hang in there...

In New York State anyway, things ar really starting to open up as far as the vaccine distribution. At least locally, that is the situation here. I hope you will soon be able to get your first dose.

[wnylib]

45. Yes, things are improving in NY,

which is good since improvement is needed.

I was frustrated trying to find a site to sign up for an appointment after becoming eligible weeks ago. I live in a seniors apartment building complex. This past week we were notified that Rite Aid would be on hand at one of our buildings for the Moderna shot. Got my first one two days ago on Friday. They will be back next month for the second one.

My only concern about the second shot is that I have umpteen allergies. There is nothing in the shot that I'm allergic to, but I wonder if, since my immune system overreacts when stimulated by allergens, could it go into overdrive from the second shot, producing a reaction similar to a cytokine storm? I have tried to find online info on this, but with no luck. I'll message my NP about it.

[LuckyCharms]

46. Talk to a doctor before your second shot.

I would talk to your doctor. I had a few different concerns, and I was able to speak to one of several doctors prior to my shots who were at the vaccination facility. In your case, I would contact my family doctor.

From what I've heard, you're pretty safe if you have general allergies but have not had a bad reaction to a vaccine before. However, I would still ask my doc.

Good luck!

[Jerryatric]

12. I got my second one Friday.

Yesterday I felt more tired than I ever had before in my entire life, I had a headache, felt sore all over, and had about a two degree fever. Today I woke up feeling fine. The side effects don't last long and they're most definitely worth it.

[Nay]

13. I've got my second shot next week, and plan to be coddling myself for a few days. But

I'm happy to have the shots! Better than being one of the unlucky ones who die of COVID.

[LuckyCharms]

14. Good luck!

I have a couple of in-laws who had ZERO reaction to either dose. Nothing.

[Nay]

20. It's possible I might be that lucky, too -- the first shot only gave me a very slight soreness

in my arm, which was gone the next day.

[kskiska]

15. I've had both Pfizer shots

I'm 76 and I had no adverse effects from either, except for a sore arm. My son just received his first Pfizer shot and had no reaction, either.

[LisaL]

16. I got first shot of Moderna.

My side effect was a sore arm, but not too bad.
I will have to wait 4 weeks to see what happens after the second shot.

[LuckyCharms]

18. My wife had Moderna, I had Pfizer...

She had no reaction from the first one, and a moderate headache with the second one. She said the headache was just a bit annoying, but she was able to carry on as normal.

Good luck!

[LisaL]

27. My sore arm is pretty much over after a couple of days.

I don't usually get reactions to vaccines. So I am not too worried about the second dose, although Moderna and Pfizer seem to be more reactogenic than many other vaccines, especially after the second dose.

[FailureToCommunicate]

17. Thanks. I'm looking forward to feeling lousy...for 24 hours or so. My son had your reactions...

(26 year old but works in medical setting) but got over is in 24 hours.

Now just remember that you are not "invincible" till several weeks AFTER your second shot, they say.

[LuckyCharms]

21. The nurse who gave me the shot said the same thing.

He also advised to continue to wear a mask when around people, especially when indoors, and even after immunity kicks in.

He said that it would take awhile for things to approach something more "normal", as researchers find out about how long immunity lasts, whether booster shots are needed, impact of the variants, etc.

I have an appointment with a specialist 11 days from yesterday, but I figure by that time, the immunity will be ramping up pretty good. Also, we both take good precautions.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

19. Thank you, Got my 2nd Moderna last week, no problems with either, a week away from full effect

Pharmacist that gave shot said some people were not showing up for 2nd!

Dont do that! After jumping through all the hoops to get the first one? Makes no sense!

[LuckyCharms]

22. Wow. I can't imagine not showing up for the second dose

considering the work that you have to do just to get the first one!

[Siwsan]

29. I guess some people have had really rough reactions to the Moderna jab

My brother did, but he also had Covid, last year, and said the reaction to the 1st jab was almost as bad as having the virus. His reaction to the 2nd jab was rough, but not nearly as bad as the first and by the next day he was feeling MUCH better. He's now 1 week away from being 'fully' protected.

I wonder if they are warning people about what to watch for, and reassuring them it's just a temporary discomfort.

[Siwsan]

23. My 2nd Pfizer jab is set for Thursday at 11:45.

Except for my initial small pox vaccination when I was a baby, I've never had a reaction to any of the many other vaccinations I've received. I'm optimistic I won't have any reaction this time, either, but I'll be prepared, just in case.

[The Jungle 1]

24. Blurred vision

So I got my second shot and when I was driving home noticed my vision was blurred.
So I did the right thing and stopped to call the office where I got the shot
The nurse asked me if my wife was still with me. I said yes.
She says I should let my wife drive me back to the office to pick my glasses.
Why were they all snickering?

[LuckyCharms]

38. LOL

I do that all the time!

WTF, I can't see!

"You have your glasses flipped up and resting on the top of your head".

[Fritz Walter]

25. The reactions to the 2nd vaccine does is explained in this article

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/02/second-vaccine-side-effects/617892/

Side effects are a natural part of the vaccination process, as my colleague Sarah Zhang has written. Not everyone will experience them. But the two COVID-19 vaccines cleared for emergency use in the United States, made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, already have reputations for raising the hackles of the immune system: In both companies’ clinical trials, at least a third of the volunteers ended up with symptoms such as headaches and fatigue; fevers like my husband’s were less common.

Dose No. 2 is more likely to pack a punch—in large part because the effects of the second shot build iteratively on the first. My husband, who’s a neurologist at Yale New Haven Hospital, is one of many who had a worse experience with his second shot than his first.

But much like any other learning process, in this one repetition is key. When hit with the second injection, the immune system recognizes the onslaught, and starts to take it even more seriously. The body’s encore act, uncomfortable though it might be, is evidence that the immune system is solidifying its defenses against the virus.

Emphasis added

Published on February 2, before J&J vaccine became available.

Hang in there, Lucky! And to all DUers who are still waiting, please keep trying!

[world wide wally]

26. I had the same reaction to my second Moderna shot, but it's been 3 days now and I am coming

out of it now. I will chalk it up to a lost weekend on the couch, but it will be well worth it when the fog clears. Did anybody get that truck's license plate number?

[ashredux]

28. The second dose reactions lasted about 12-14 hours

Fever of 101 and overall body aches. But I was fine by noon of the next day. Well worth it. Take the shots!

[Disaffected]

30. My neighbour is a family physician

and he sez he does not know of anyone personally who has experienced any sort of a notable reaction from either the first or second doses.

Anecdotal evidence has to be taken with many grains of salt in its relationship to the general populace....

[NNadir]

31. My second dose of the Moderna, yesterday, is less dramatic than the first dose.

Headache, lethargy - but nothing like dose one - and feeling a little dopey. I feel liberated from fear.

[Turbineguy]

32. My Wife and I took the Moderna shots.

We are aged 67 and 70.

Mild pain on the arm. For a day or so. That's it.

[mnhtnbb]

33. Second Moderna for me tomorrow.

Sore arm, fatigue and a little light headedness the day after first shot. I did fine with taking several naps for a day or two.

[mountain grammy]

34. Spouse and I got our first Moderna shots early in Feb..

and second shot first week of March. No reactions whatsoever except for a sore arm.

Most people I know had little or no reaction. Chills and fever lasting a couple of hours relieved by ibuprofen was the most serious I heard of.

[mac2766]

35. I got my 1st Moderna shot 5 days ago...

My shoulder still has a slight pain, but the pain from the physical shot was never a bother at all. Some pain, but nothing that was even remotely unmanageable.

The issue though... I think, is that I went back to work too soon after the shot. Like stated earlier in this thread, my immune system was working over-time to do the job that it is supposed to do. I am an electrician and my job is fairly labor intensive. I found that my muscles were overly sore and I was extremely fatigued. Yesterday morning I woke up and felt much better than days before, and again this morning, woke up feeling better than I did yesterday.

My wife's experience was much like many others describe. No real issues with shot 1, but about a 36 to 48 hour slight illness after the 2nd.

Everyone that I know who has gotten their vaccines have taken the Moderna shots. None of them have had any real issues. I'm afraid to tell them all what I've gone through for fear they'll think I'm a weakling (just a joke).

If I had any advice, it would be to take it easy for about 48 hours after you take either shot. Don't go straight back to work and demolish a house like you were in your 20's an hour after you take your shot. Relax and take a couple of days off.

[Bobstandard]

36. No bad reaction? Fake it!

After my second Moderna shot I woke up the next morning feeling slightly hungover. I parlayed that into an entire day in bed. It was great.

[Wishful-Thinking]

37. Had my second Moderna on Wednesday - finally feeling good today

I’m over 70 and had much more reaction to second shot. I didn’t even feel the first shot going in, and had only minor soreness in arm the first time and very low fever of 99 for one day. Nothing else. Second shot hurt from the minute I got stuck and felt like bursitis in the shoulder. Couldn’t lift my arm to do hair for about 36 hours without lots of discomfort. Much muscle soreness, like someone said, it felt like I got hit by a truck. Lower back pain and tiredness lasted for 3 days. But today...what a great sense of relief, much more than I thought about before....and I hope to see my grandkids for big hugs in about 10 days!

[Tree Lady]

39. Did you guys take Tylenol for the fever?

I have my second shot in a week.

[LuckyCharms]

40. Not medical advice, but I'll relay what the vaccine nurse told me...

"Don't take pain or fever reducing medications on a preemptive basis. Wait until the symptoms start and continue for a bit before taking anything. You want to avoid masking symptoms which may worsen".

Unless I feel much worse than I do now, I don't plan on taking anything, since it will hopefully be short lived.

Good luck, you'll do fine!

[LuckyCharms]

48. UPDATE @ 42 hours after the 2nd shot...

Feeling about 70% better than I did last night when the symptoms peaked at about shot time + 32 hours.

The worst of the symptoms got a little rough, but did not last long. Alternating between freezing and burning up, bad body aches, especially my back.

Feeling better by the minute now, and I expect to be back to normal by this evening.

I did not take any pain or fever reducing medication...just rode it out.