I Got Moderna’d
Posted on April 1, 2021 Posted by Athena Scalzi 94 Comments
That’s right, y’all, I have been vaccinated! To be more specific, I got my first dose of Moderna. I’m due for my second shot at the end of the month.
In case you didn’t see, I had corona back in early December. Though it wasn’t bad for me, I decided to get vaccinated anyways because there’s like different strains and sometimes you can get it twice and yada yada, so better safe than sorry!
While I am not the biggest fan of needles, it wasn’t that bad, it only hurt for a split second, which was when they first injected the needle. But then I didn’t even feel it when they pulled it out! Definitely worth being vaccinated over, anyways.
It’s been about four hours since I got it, and so far my only side effect is a sore arm. It’s very tender, mostly in the part of my arm I got the injection in, but I’m hoping that that will go away in a day or two.
Anyways, I’ve heard with Moderna that the second shot will really do me in in terms of side effects, but I was told I might not even experience any at all since I already had COVID! So here’s hoping, but I’ll probably update y’all when I get the second shot and let you know if it knocks me on my ass or not.
Have you had your shot(s) yet? Did it hurt? Did you have any side effects? Let me know in the comments, and have a great day!
-AMS
I’m glad you could get your first shot of the vaccine! I live in Mexico and under the plan here I won’t be eligible for the vaccine for another month (and being eligible and getting an appointment are not the same…).
My first shot (Pfizer) left me with a slightly sore arm, which was much more so the next day and gone by the day after. The second shot has definitely had anecdotally stronger side effects in my circle.
Good luck!
I got the Pfizer (second dose about five weeks ago now). The only side effects were slight soreness at the injection site for a day. My wife got Moderna (second shot two days ago). She had no significant effects from the first, but the second has caused some joint tenderness.
I have had the first dose, so far, of the AstraZeneca vaccine. My arm was quite sore for 24 hours and a little sore when pressed for another couple of days. I also had fatigue and muscle aches for most of the following day and spent a lot of that day sleeping.
I got the first Pfizer shot — sore arm that day, under the weather for the next few days, and a sour stomach that seems to be hanging on a week later….
Had my first Pfizer shot 3 hours and 39 minutes ago. So far no side effects, but I didn’t feel the needle go in, so maybe this is all an elaborate simulation?
Happy for you!
I don’t qualify until Monday. That’s when I’ll start spending my days hitting Refresh. My parents, siblings, and husband are all underway. That only leaves my 22 and 19 yr olds and they aren’t even on a future list yet (NJ).
Johnson and Johnson 5 hours ago. Or, at least the little bandaid says so. Barely felt the shot, doesn’t even hurt at the site. No special effects at all. Feel kind of cheated.
First Pfizer shot on March 29. No side effects other than a very small bit of soreness in the arm.
Second shot scheduled for April 16.
Yes, I got my first Moderna shot last week. My arm was sore for a couple of days. I am also a little concerned about the side effects of that second shot.
Moderna back in the middle of January (1a). Sore arm only, both times. I’ve read that the older you are, the less side effects, but I’ve seen both. My shingles shot was worse. I did have to send my NP home after her second Moderna. Serious muscle cramps. And she’s never called in sick before, like ever. Well technically that still holds.
Anyway the takeaway is ‘who knows’?
My husband (who works in a hospital) got his second Moderna about two months ago and was flat on his back for 48 hours afterwards. Now – he is very much of the “man pain” stereotype, but I have heard others also flattened. I’m curious to hear if having already had COVID makes you less susceptible to those side effects!
Congrats on the vaccination!!
Pfizer here. Zach was exhausted for 24 hours after his. We’ve both had sore arms – but nothing worse than a TDAP shot. I slept hard the first night but have been fine since.
His 2nd is on 4/17 and mine is 4/20. I’ve heard that we might be more sore/more tired after that, so we’ll see.
I also had Moderna. My aftereffects weren’t horrible either time, but definitely were more severe with the second dose.
Ditto exactly @Michael I. First shot, not much, second on the 16th. We’ll see.
I got the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine yesterday, my experience mirrors yours. I hope the second dose in a few weeks isn’t too bad. I haven’t had covid and heard the second round can have more of a reaction. We’ll see, still worth it!
I’m 34 hours into dose #2 of Moderna. Currently, I have a sore arm, I’m having hot / cold flashes, I have a low grade fever, and I’m sleeping a lot. All of these bad things are mild, & I’ve never had COVID. I figure I’ll be over it by Saturday morning. I give all of these symptoms a rating of “meh”.
Congrats on getting vaccinated!
Good for you.
I’ve had both shots – both Pfizer. Nothing with the first; a little lightheaded with the second.
My wife had the Moderna vaccine: sore arm for 24 hrs with the first; a little like a mild flu (headache, fatigue, feeling a little “crappy”) for 24 hours with the second. Her doctor thinks she had straight up COVID-19 in August – loss of senses of taste and smell; wracking cough; fever and chills; feeling crappy with a capital “C” — but my wife was tested twice and was negative both times. Her doctor told her that one is more likely to get a false negative than a false positive. Regardless, she doesn’t want to risk being that sick again. Good luck to you and your family.
I had my 2nd Pfizer shot on March 15th. It knocked me out the next day with chills and a fever. It only lasted about 8 hours.
Welcome to House Moderna… my Lady is in House Phizer, I’ve yet to meet a Johnson & Johnson…
I’m just now 2 weeks from my second Moderna shot, so should be as immune as I’m going to get. My arm hurt for both, but nothing more for me — I maybe got sleepy a little earlier than I would have after the second one, but it’s hard to be sure.
My wife and I each got our first Pfizer shot about a week ago. Side effects for us consisted mainly of somewhat sore arms. For me it wasn’t quite as bad as the Shingles vaccine; that was my worst vaccine experience so far.
Michael S Brown, I like your “House Moderna” and “House Pfizer” wording. One friend is about to get J&J. Are you thinking House as in Dune, Game of Thrones, Jacksonian Houses, or some other mythos?
Congratulations on your vaccine!
I was astounded two days ago to be able to find an appointment today – I thought I’d be waiting until May or June. And once I booked it, I was astounded again by the flood of relief that washed over me, knowing that I would soon be protected. I didn’t realize until that moment just how stressed I was over not being able to find an appointment.
I had my first Pfizer today at noon, and so far have noticed nothing beyond a bit of soreness at the injection site. My second shot is scheduled for three weeks from today, and I have heard from many sources that post-vaccine symptoms are more likely after the second shot. I experienced that with my second shot of Shingrix last year, too.
My spouse had his first jab with Pfizer three weeks ago and is scheduled for his second this coming Saturday. He had virtually no symptoms from the first one, not even arm soreness.
My sibling had her first shot of Moderna a couple of weeks ago, and reported a very, very sore arm that lasted four days after the injection. It was the entire length of her arm, not just the injection site, and was bad enough that she really didn’t want to do anything with that arm for those four days. She had classic Covid symptoms in late March last year, when there were essentially no test supplies anywhere but in hospitals, so she wasn’t able to be tested. Her doc is pretty sure she had it, though.
I will say that the older the person is who gets the shot, the fewer symptoms they report afterward. It makes sense – a younger person’s immune system is more robust and responsive, and likelier to kick into high gear in the presence of a vaccine. Some doctors even advocate giving seniors over 65 a double dose of the seasonal flu vaccine for that reason.
I hope your symptoms are trivial, Athena, and that you make a full and fast recovery! Congratulations again on joining the vaccinated, and here’s to health all round!
I got my second Moderna shot on Monday and today was the first day I felt somewhat normal and spent most of the day out of bed and dressed. Chills, skin sensitivity, and fever the first night. Fatigue and body aches all day the second day, and fatigue the third. My arm isn’t quite as sore as the first shot though, although it is slightly swollen.
Worth it, though!
Down here in OZ I got my first shot of AstraZenika a week ago. No real symptoms. 2nd shot is 12 weeks.
I’ve been double Pfizer’d and the waiting period expires next Wednesday. I’m planning on going to Planet Fitness for the first time in a year.
First shot, no symptoms.
Second shot, some nausea day one, arm hurt day two , and several days of fatigue.
Ive been double Pfizered. The first dose came with basically no reaction. The second dose had no reaction until +17h. Then the side effects started mild, and quickly got stronger. I realized what was happening, put on some music, went to sleep, and awoke 90 minutes later, feeling great.
Generally speaking, that is what happens when my body detects a no-gooder inside and promptly goes to war (fabricating tons of antibodies) to vanquish it.
So, I approve of that reaction :)
Congrats on your first shot!
Got my second Pfizer today. First one left me with a pretty sore arm, and maybe some tiredness but not much. Arm is sore again, no surprise, but we’ll see if anything else crops up in the next day.
I had both Moderna shots and had no side-effects at all. Not even a sore arm. I had not had Covid-19, either. My wife has had the first shot and had some arm pain the next day, but nothing else.
Now, the shingles vaccine was a different story. I was sick the next day after both shots of that one. So, I’m not immune to side-effects, just not affected by the Moderna vaccine. (Yah!)
I am not vaccinated yet, only because – as a 52-year old nonessential worker in good health living in a blue state where a good percent of the population does want their shots -I’ve only just this week become eligible to even pre-register. We’ll see how long it takes to actually get an appointment…
I got my first Moderna shot this past Sunday afternoon
I began to notice shoulder soreness that evening
It was definitely sore on
Monday and Tuesday which I treated with aspirin and a heating pad
I had headaches on Tuesday and Wednesday and fatigue for one day as well
Otherwise things were back to nominal by Thursday evening
I get my first shot on the third. I’m assuming it will be Pfizer, at least the confirmation screen at the signup website had a link to the Pfizer info sheet.
A friend of mine works at the Union Pacific HQ, and they ran a Moderna vaccine clinic for employees. He didn’t have any side effects worth noting, but one of his co-workers missed a couple days of work after shot 2. Hope you and your immune system have an easy time of it.
Got my first just over a week ago (Pfizer) and felt a little dumpty for a couple days; next one in two weeks. I’ve had flu shots hit me worse but I get mine every year.
I got Moderna and felt like I had a cold the next day after the second shot. But others have had no symptoms.
Had my second Moderna on Sunday.
Twelve hours after the shot, the chills came, but it felt more like an acid trip than anything. (Knew the eighties were good for something.) Electric blanket and large dog kept me comfortable, and Tylenol helped a lot when I remembered to take it. Fatigue kicked in after the chills, but nothing serious couch time didn’t cure. I would not have been comfortable driving, though.
By Tuesday I was back to normal. I am so damn grateful for getting the vaccine.
easy-peasy for both me and my better half’s social security qualifying 1st and 2nd moderna doses. [only side effect is burning anger at antivax agiprop]
Had both of the Pfizer vaccine, first shot no issues, second shot I was useless for two days but recovered on the third day. Congratulations.
Got my 2nd Moderna shot Monday afternoon and haven’t noticed a lot of difference in the side effects. Of course, I am 70 years old and maybe my immune system is not what it once was, or maybe because it’s the middle of tax season and I don’t have time to be sick, I’m doing okay. Sore arm at the injection site for a couple of days, but that’s better now. My husband though, same age as I am, complained of chills and aches. He took some ibuprofen and that seemed to fix him up. So relieved to finally be safe from serious illness and hospitalization from COVID-19.
The hubs and I have both had one dose of Pfizer so far. He had sore arm and tiredness for a couple of days. I had a sore arm and a SPLITTING headache for the entire day afterwards, which then thankfully went away. Not looking forward to what happens after the second shot, but I’m still glad we can get them. I had to re-up my DTaP shot in 2017 and had literally no symptoms — turn up, get jabbed, go home, finis. Odd how different this one is, but I think it’s more similar to the flu shot which also gives me side effects.
I got my first Pfizer two weeks ago and will get my second two weeks from today. I had a sore arm for a couple of days, and mild symptoms – slight chills, a little achy, tired. I’m expecting to feel pretty rough after the second, though. I always react strongly to vaccines. As a couple of others have said, my shingles vaccine really knocked me out, and my smallpox vaccine made me extremely sick, almost to the point of needing hospitalized. But it’s better than covid!
I have had both rounds of Pfizer and my wife has had both rounds of Moderna. Neither of us have had a significant response to either. Some soreness in the arm; maybe a headache. That was it.
Had mine today! Shoulder hurts a bit and that’s all so far!
——jeff
Someone sent these pictures of House Vaccines around my work: https://fullmoon.typepad.com/whirlwind/2021/03/house-of-vaccines.html
House Pfizer here and I had ZERO side effects both times and I just had my second shot two days ago. I’m so relieved. I can hopefully go back to feeling less crazy and afraid in 12 more days!!!!
Scheduled next week and can’t wait. I have been told that side effects are sometimes actually worse for those who have previously had COVID. I picture the immune system saying grimly, “Oh, god, no, not YOU again,” like seeing a neighborhood nuisance animal sauntering into the yard, and getting out there making a big fuss.
Congratulations! Pfizer- no side effects from either shirt. I was careful to take it easy for a few days, post-shot.
First Moderna shot on 3/27–3nd scheduled for 4/24. No side effects at all for either me or my husband.
Since I suppose one does not do April jokes with that topic I hereby express my #vaccinationenvy and say congrats. Three month after the official start in Germany (formerly known as the country handling mass operations efficently) we still struggle to vaccinate the prio group 2 of 4 aka age 70+ …
First Pfizer shot on Wednesday. Arm was slightly sore and I had dry mouth for a couple of hours. Otherwise, I’m fine.
Congratulations!
To be honest, from across the pond in Europe the vaccine rollout in the US an UK is becoming increasingly hard to watch. Even my parents (69 with pre-existing conditions) still have to wait weeks before they can get their shots. It is pretty clear that for the Netherlands, that is due to a lack of available doses. However, I guess we have to be patient and hope we will be in the same position soon.
Please don’t feel guilty though. It is good to see you share your experiences with the vaccine!
I’ll be getting either the Moderna or the J&J (don’t know which, and I don’t want to bug the people at the clinic as I don’t really care much) on Wednesday. My boyfriend got the second Pfizer shot a couple of days ago and is doing fine.
The light at the end of the tunnel is real, though it’s still going to be a while.
As Geertje I’m in the Netherlands and months away from getting near a shot. It’s astounding to see how badly the EU’s joint procurement strategy was F-ed up
Happy for all of you! We’ll get there in time
Got my second Pfizer on Tuesday. A kind of body ache like when you have the flu, but very mild and short lived. A little soreness in the arm, but not enough to complain about. Glad that I’ll be considered fully vaxxed on April 13.
Three days past my first Moderna shot, and the (mild) soreness in my arm is fading out. I didn’t feel the needle at all, though I understand people’s mileage varies greatly on that count.
My info packet included a sheet about registering at vsafe.cdc.gov — where the CDC is tracking side effects for a big-picture understanding. Once a day for a week, then once a week for a few weeks, then at 3 & 6 months, they’ll ping you with a survey asking about symptoms and such.
Congratulations on getting the shot, Athena. I don’t know for sure that I had it (Covid, that is), but I tested positive last May before I was supposed to have ambulatory surgery, so I have to assume I did. I never had ANY – and I mean any – symptoms, and my wife tested negative, but…whatever. Anyway, the roundabout point I was going to make is, we had our Pfizer shots in February, and while I had a slightly sore arm with the first jab, I didn’t feel the second at all and again had ZERO side effects. My wife did have chills and fatigue and other minor things for a couple of days, so was this because I had it previously? You make the call. Hope your second shot goes just as well.
Congratulations!
Both shots, Pfizer here–and delighted to be able to spend time with (also vaccinated) family this weekend!
Second Moderna 6 days ago. First had only extremely mild arm soreness the first day. Second had much greater arm soreness (also a little red and swollen) but it’s wearing off now. A bit tired and headachy the day after, but not knocked out. As others have said, better than the shingles vax; my second of that gave me a sore arm that lasted two full weeks.
My husband finished his (team Pfizer) a month or two ago. My adult daughter with intellectual disabilities had hers the same day I did. Now just my healthy adult daughter to worry about; she’s in another state and she said she’ll be eligible in a week or two and then will start preregistering everywhere.
Another person in a country where it’s going to take months. The U.S. needs it much more badly than we do, so I’m comfortable with that – but yeah, I’m hoping for July.
Halfway to being Pfizerated. Second shot next Wednesday (4/7).
Didn’t have a choice or ask for a choice. I preregistered the Saturday before my age group hit the fan, got a call on Monday, scheduled for Wednesday.
No fuss, no muss, even with the horror stories from a few weeks before, everything ran smoothly. It took an hour to get through the big mass inoculation parking lot gymkhana.
Even that was less time than I was led to believe.
And Thank You for stepping up and baring your arm. Living in Florida I have seen way too many younger folk who are against the vaccine.
I got my first dose of Moderna on the 30th. Didn’t feel a thing for several hours, then had the sore/tender injection site for about 2 days or so. Otherwise, no side effects yet. I’ve also heard the same thing about round 2 being much worse with the side effects, so will see at the end of this month how that goes…
My first shot (Pfizer) hurt going in (I believe I had a student doing the shooting), but the second shot didn’t. The first shot gave me a mild fever in the upper arm around the injection, but that disappeared that same day. The second shot made my arm sore, which lasted a coupla days, especially when I tried to sleep on it, but it’s all good now. I’ve still got ten days before I’m allegedly fully protected, and then I’m going to see my sister for the first time since thanksgiving.
Got the J&J jab two weeks ago, felt a bit more fatigued than usual for 2~3 days.
My first dose was on Monday. My appointment was in the local mall, where Sears used to be located. It was really simple: walk in, thirty seconds later the worker was filling out my vaccine card, a minute after that a quick little jab, then sitting playing on my phone for half an hour waiting to see if I had any adverse reaction. [Narrator: He did not.]
The only side effect I noticed is that my arm was sore until Wednesday. If I push on the injection site now it’s a tiny bit tender, but not too bad. And I already have my appointment for dose #2 for the end of the month, and I expect the process to be much the same.
“White” “male” 50 YO, moderna, first poke
From 8-24 hrs after poke, I had some gastrointestinal pain, but I have a chronic variable gastrointestinal issue, so that symptom might be unique to me. Also mild nausea, which “felt like” a side-effect, if you know what I mean. General malaise, an icky in my tum-tum, basically. Four days of noticable pain at the injection site and limited motion in that arm. Since then, no noticable effects.
Maybe useful, maybe just noise for you. Some day we’ll have a thorough genotypic profile to offer and like-alleles and such can be more helpful to each other in these situations. Till then, phenotype will have to suffice. Medicine is almost past the dark ages. So close….
Good luck to everyone. I’m impatient to get my second poke in the bag, so to speak, so I can start putting the pieces of my life back together.
We’re vaccine twins! I got Moderna’d yesterday as well and still have a rather sore arm at the injection site.
I got jabbed at the Bronx High School of Science, one of the city’s main vaccine sites– there was about a 2 1/2 hour wait (and that’s with everyone having an appointment), but it really was a happy and chill vibe in line, despite the wait. Everyone just seemed happy and relieved to be there. One of the workers came by waving pom-poms cheering, “It’s vaccination day! Yay!” Yay, indeed!
Glad to hear it, Athena!
This is one small step toward normalcy.
I got my second shot of Pfizer on Wednesday. My first shot was basically a sore arm and the need for a nap. The second one was more knuckle punch and a coma. I was so tired when I got off work Thursday I basically came home and slept in my work clothes because I was to tired to change.
I’m about three weeks post my second Moderna shot. Slight injection-site soreness after the first, some aches and low fever the day after my second. But that’s my body saying “we need to do something about this,” and it’s worth it!
@Steve L: ex-Pyramid Mall? We may have gotten our shots in the same place, if at different times. Definitely well run.
Oh wow, I’m happy for you (and a bit jealous). Here in Belgium it’s finally my 87 year old grandma’s turn. I’ll probably be vaccinated during the summer or after since I’m 34 years old and healthy.
I have had both Moderna shots, with the second shot the day before the Super Bowl. I had the requisite sore arm, plus I felt like I had been run down by a truck for about 3 days. No fever, just exhausted.
House Moderna here, double-shot. Like other people have said, first dose was a little arm pain and, for me, heated skin at the injection site (but not full-body fever). Both started probably 8-10 hours after the injection. Second dose had a similar delay in symptoms and included injection site pain, fever and chills overnight and feeling a little groggy/brain foggy in the morning. I took that as a cue to go back to sleep and woke up in the afternoon fully recovered.
My honey is one Moderna dose in with the second coming up in about a week, so we’ll see how that goes.
I also second Logophage’s recommendation of signing up with the CDC check in. We were offered the QR code to register during the post-shot wait. It was quick to sign up, the text reminders and check-in questions are simple and unobtrusive, and as a science nerd, I’m glad to provide extra data.
Got my 2nd Moderna shot March 31st. Not much in the way of side effects. No side effects at all from the first shot, and from the second, about 2 hours after getting the shot, there was swelling of the collarbone area lymph nodes and my arm was sore. The swelling went away over night and the arm stayed sore the next day. Otherwise, nothing.
Congratulations on joining the Moderna Alliance. (Our patron goddess is Dolly Parton, who donated $1 million of her own money to get it developed!)
I became a member of Team Moderna about a week ago, when I got my first shot at Denver Health Lowry Clinic. I didn’t notice any effects from the shot. Of course, if the second one is the one that knocks you for a loop, that’s still about three weeks in my future.
Next Tuesday, my roommate has an appointment to become a member of Team Johnson & Johnson (the one-shot-goodbye vaccine). This will give us a way to compare the two effects.
Spuse and I both got our first Pfizer shots this past weekend. She reports no side effects. I had nothing other than the sort of mild soreness that I get from a flu shot. Some other pain stuff that might be related, but I have weird muscle/tendon issues in that arm so I don’t know…
I too have recieved the Moderna vaccine.
Hubby & I both recieved our second dose last Saturday.
I simply had a sore arm for about a day and a half. My husband’s arm seemed to be sorer than mine, and he also experienced fatigue for about 72 hours afterward.
Otherwise, no adverse reactions.
Good luck with your 2nd dose.
Congratulations! I, too, am Moderna’d. My second shot was three weeks ago, so normally I would be antibodied-up, but my body doesn’t really produce antibodies, so it’s anybody’s guess what would happen if I were actually exposed to Covid. But I get vaccinated when possible and we hope for the best.
So. I got my shot on a Sunday. I was fine all day Sunday after the second shot, aside from the sore arm. Monday, however, low-grade fever, approx +2.5 degrees F. I went in to work (small university library) because we only have two permanent employees on any given day, plus zero to two student work-studies at any given time and we don’t like to leave them alone. I ended up leaving an hour early that day, but at least my co-worker got her lunch. Got home, slept on the couch for four hours before going to bed and sleeping soundly for another 8-9 hours.
Get up Tuesday, no bueno. Still had a mild fever, felt like absolute garbage. Fortunately my boss was able to come in, it was her week to work from home. She got her second Moderna shot on Saturday the day before I got mine and she had a mild fever/chills reaction Sunday and was fine Monday. She also had paperwork that she needed to attack, she covered for me Tuesday and I got to sleep lots and lots and lots.
I was absolutely fine Wednesday and subsequent.
This is my story, your mileage may vary, past returns are not representative of future fund performance. Do not tease Mister Happy Ball.
Get lots of rest for a couple of days before and after the second shot, keep well-hydrated, and I’d suggest going high-protein before and after the second shot as your body is going to be building antibodies which requires protein. Take it easy. And remember that an immune reaction may not happen immediately afterwards: it could be a couple of weeks later!
Best of luck, and again, congrats!
Congrats on getting your shot!
I work for the 211 Info line in my state answering people’s questions about covid. The data that comes to us about side effects from vaccines amounts to this: one strong reaction per customer. No guarantees about which shot it will arrive with, and some people miss out entirely on their strong reaction, poor dears, but almost nobody gets two of them.
It’s gratifying to see that the reports in this thread bear out the observation.
Good for you getting vaccinated! I had my first Pfizer shot three weeks ago; second one scheduled for tomorrow. My side effects were pretty minor after the first shot: trouble sleeping (maybe a minor fever) the night I got the shot, and a sore arm lasting through the next day. We’ll see how I feel this weekend. People say the second shot tends to be worse, especially if you haven’t had COVID.
Got my second Wednesday; arm felt like it had been punched REALLY hard, and I was achy and wimpy for a couple of days. Slept a lot, fine now.
Athena, I’m glad you got your first shot!
But it makes me very sad about how bad we in the EU are fucking up the vaccination process. Over in the US, someone like you, in their early twenties, is already getting a shot. Whilst where I live, my parents, who are in their early seventies, might get theirs two weeks from now…
Got my shot #1 of AstraZeneca on Monday. I had a sore arm for a few days (in fact, it still smarts a little) and had a fever of up to 38.6°C (101.5 Fahrenheit) for 24 hours. That was an interesting night shift, I can tell you ;P
Wife and I got our first Moderna back in Feb, after an ice storm that had the whole county without power… but the Clinic was fully operational on big Kohler generators. No big deal.
Then 2 weeks ago we got the second shot — wife was OK, a little sore in her arm. It was a pretty spring day, so it was a drive thru event. I asked as we waited in the parking lot to be sure we didn’t have an allergic reaction did they have anyone with a reaction that required medical intervention? Nope, not one since they started back in January.
Again, Wife had mild reaction, a sore arm. I slept 14 hours that night, took a nap the next afternoon, slept another 12-14 hours the second night, with a nap the next afternoon…
Then a day or two later on, I had a stiff back. I’ve been prone to muscle spasms, mostly lower back, for a long time. This was different, with very tight muscle cramps in places where I’ve never had them. Heating pad, liniment, appear to help a lot.
I’m an old, 70, and have had several whole body injuries, as in hit by a car while on a 10-speed bike, which I’m sure is part of the story. And I would take that vaccination again, no hesitation, knowing what I know today.
Glad you’re getting your vaccinations, Athena. Hang in there everyone!!
Good thing I had my first jab on a Friday night, because I had lots of symptoms.
Muscle soreness, which I only noticed in the morning and going down stairs;
Fatigue;
During a nap I woke up violently shivering, although I have a warm room, and then I had to put on lots of layers like for a real bad cold;
I guess I was fine by Monday.
This for the Oxford-astrazeneca.
Hey, I got my first dose (Pfizer) on April 1, too! My arm was definitely sore starting a few hours later, and is still sore (32 hours later). I felt quite fatigued last night and slept 9 hours (rare for me) and would have slept longer if it wasn’t for having to get up and go to work. Still felt run down most of today. I would compare it to my normal reaction after a flu shot, but a little stronger. We’ll see what the second dose does to me in 3 weeks!
Living in central Indiana, it makes me happy to see so many people happy to get their vaccine. (Although the hospital where I got mine was processing people in and out very efficiently and stayed busy the entire 45 minutes I was there.)
House Pfizer here. First dose the morning of March 28th. Sore arm by late afternoon; quite sore by evening possibly exacerbated by barely moving it for hours during a seder. Mild soreness the next morning, gone by noon/after exercise. I’ve slept very, very well all week, much longer than usual each night, but I can’t tell whether that was a side effect or just relief from stress. Second shot scheduled for April 18th.
My friend (age 55) had Covid (symptomatic, fairly bad but no hospitalization, still has loss of taste) in early January, and after her J&J shot, she had two days of fever (102) and body aches bad enough to keep her in bed. I’m adding this because you having had Covid fairly recently, your immune system might also be hair-triggered by the vaccine with the second shot.
I am so sorry for our friends in the EU and elsewhere who are unable to access doses. My state in the USA is apparently best in the nation at getting doses out there. We are very grateful and relieved. She is a K-12 educator (easy to understand for US residents, but for those that don’t know, primary and secondary (not college or university) education; and I work at a college. I do have an immune compromising condition, as I am TID (Type One Diabetic). We got Pfizer shot #2 yesterday, and both report only arm pain. I felt some ookiness after shot one 3 weeks ago, but only subtly so this time.
Clearly, people are having quite different experiences, sometimes, which is fine. My wish is for everyone to have easy experiences and easy access to the vaccine as soon as possible.
Also, Vaccines are cool.
I get my 2nd of Modena next week; I m oddly looking forward to feeling like krap next weekend. With the first shot I had some unusual arm pain–still hurts 3 weeks later–but I’ll take that over getting sick any day. Fingers crossed all you get is a bit sore!
Welcome to being able to go out again safely soon!
What I’ve heard about getting the vax after having Covid is that the first shot will hit you hard; its normal job is to prime your immune system for the second one, but the disease also does that.
In my case, 1st Pfizer dose hit me harder than the 2nd, but I might have already been fighting a cold; I’ve had no reason to assume I’ve had the disease. (First one was a bit worse than Shingrix, second just made me sleepy but no fever and minimal arm pain.) My wife gets hers next week; not sure if it’s a two-dose or J&J but we’re ok with either.
Yay! Congrats on getting vaccinated!
I got my first shot of Moderna today! I have the second appt scheduled for the end of the month. Easy-peasy experience. My appointment was at my local pharmacy, so I was comfortable with the people, and the tech was full of info and anecdotes, and left me lots of space if I had questions (I didn’t, but I felt like I could have comfortably asked them if I had!) 9+ hrs later all I’m noticing is the vaguest of little arm pain, more like a tiny bruise than the deep ache I associate with flu shot. But we’ll see tomorrow!
After reading about various symptoms of those getting the shots, I am really starting to worry about my own LACK of symptoms. Does that mean the vaccine is not working for me? I still have to get the second Moderna shot on 4/24 though.
I never comment but….whoever told you you were LESS likely to experience side effects after having COVID before is just plain wrong. I’m a family doc and we’ve been doing moderna vaccine clinics since December (healthcare workers only at first). The more times your body sees an immune stimulus, the stronger the reaction. That’s why the second dose tends to be worse. If you’ve had COVID before it’s like giving yourself a third booster.
Congrats on getting it! Hope you really don’t experience anything bad :)
The first Moderna knocked me out for the whole next day. The second one just made me feel meh for a few hours.
From all anecdotal evidence, one of them is gonna get ya. Not both.
First shot: nothing day 1, day 2 and 3 sore arm, back to normal day 4.
Second shot: nothing day 1, day 2 felt very sick, headache, chills, day 3 felt GREAT (which is unusual because usually after being sick I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus after I nominally get better, here I felt the benefit of a full night sleep and taking it easy the day before).
I’m completely vaccinated this Wednesday(!) I am celebrating by getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist. Then I’m going to go back to single-masking at work instead of double masking, which my ears will appreciate.
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