My husband got his first Pfizer injection yesterday.He reported slight soreness at the injection site and a slight headache (he never gets headaches). Same this morning.

arm is a little sore this more - about like a flu shot. No other issues

That’s good to know. I will receive my second dose on 2/11 and I will definitely receive the vaccine in my other arm.

Is Tylenol THE definite choice recommended in these cases by medical professionals, or is regular aspirin okay?

Oof. :( :( :(



The CDC brochure only seems to reference acetaminophen and ibuprofen. I read that we should NOT take any before the jab; but, instead wait until the immune response occurs, THEN you can take it. Normally, I take aspirin for most everything; but, decided to do Tylenol (acetaminophen) instead. The Tylenol didn't do much for my pain. I switched to ibuprofen (which doesn't usually work too well for me) and it worked pretty good. So, maybe you have to go with the one that your body will respond to.

CDC guideline: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...l_12.13.20.pdf

With any shot that goes into the muscle, the more you use the arm, the less it will hurt. People always say how much vitamin B12 shots hurt and this is why- it goes into the muscle. Flu shots, tetanus shots, into muscle. That's why they do it high on the arm- to ensure they get it into the Deltoid. Once someone told me this factoid about using the arm, I made sure I moved it around a lot and it really did make it better.

I used the moving around trick when my kiddo got his childhood vaccines - making sure to move his little legs around with regularity.

As my grandfather has now died from COVID, and both of my parents (his caretakers) now have it....it now seems almost bittersweet that I am scheduled for my first dose on January 28. I'm trying to silence this guilt over scheduling mine (as I'm teaching remotely), when there are so many in my county teaching in person - but as my husband reminded me, the district can really change their minds on plans at any time.

Maybe that is why I never have muscle soreness when I get the flu shot. I keep things moving.

I heard about the "keep your muscle moving" thing and I can 100% confirm that it didn't work for me. I tried to keep moving my arm until the pain was so great that I couldn't lift it anymore. The muscle simply stopped engaging. I then resorted to using my right hand to "pick up" my left arm and exercise it. :(

Got my first dose yesterday. I am 75 with one underlying condition and teach student nurses in a subacute facility. I got the injection and went to work. They suggested hydrating well so I did. My arm is sore if I bump it on something or sleep on it, but otherwise I don’t notice anything. My coworker who got the shot same time as I did has dizziness, nausea, and intense fatigue today. Those are what the nurse said they have seen most often for side effects. We got the Moderna. I was so, so glad to finally get this dose, and have no qualms about the second, but will take the advice and get it in the other arm. Those of you who had more severe effects and are planning on getting the second dose anyway are an inspiration. Thank you!

My partner got the first dose a couple weeks ago and is scheduled to get the second dose on Saturday. He got the Pfizer shot. No side effects from the first dose. He works for a hospital (though not in a medical position) and is in a couple high-risk groups (over 50 and diabetic), so he’s in the first group in our state.

I am much, much lower on the priority list (in my 40s, not a frontline worker, not in any of the high risk groups), so I don’t expect to be able to get the vaccine until next year sometime. (That way if it does become available to me this year, it will be a pleasant surprise.)

One of my sorority sisters just got her 2nd dose (health care worker). Had a sore arm for one day from the first vax. I believe she got the Pfizer shot

I just had my teeth cleaned today and my hygienist and the rest of the dental office staff just had their second Pfizer shot earlier this week -- no one had any serious after effects that precluded them from working and using their arms to clean teeth and do dental procedures.

I'm so sorry for your loss- I'll keep your parents in my prayers.

So.....my arm is sore again. :( I got the first dose of the vaccine on 1/14 and the debilitating pain in my arm lasted for 3 days and finally went away around 1/18. Then I was fine for 3-4 days. Yesterday, I noticed that there was a minor little spot of soreness in the area coming up again and paid it no attention. Well, overnight my deltoid muscle has become sore again. Sore enough that making my bed was uncomfortable this morning and I'm back on the ibuprofen. :(

My Dad is over 80yrs and received the Pfizer vaccine yesterday. He has no arm pain or any other symptoms. He lives outside of Cleveland in Medina county. My Dad went to a local drug store to receive his vaccine.

Ok....you all are probably annoyed with me; but, I am sharing my experience here in hopes that it might help someone else later.

So, in my last post I mentioned that the arm soreness came back. To recap -- I had the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on 1/14/21. For 3 days I had debilitating arm pain. The pain subsided and I had little to no pain at all for about 4 days. Then, on 1/23/21, I noticed that my shoulder was becoming sore again. It's not as debilitating as it was before; but, it is very uncomfortable and is disrupting my ability to function in my daily life. I have trouble sleeping because there is no position of comfort. I struggle to turn the steering wheel when I drive. I have difficulty taking a shower. I was up all night last night due to the arm soreness disrupting my sleep. Since it has now been 12 days since the vaccine, I decided it was time to seek help and I went to urgent care this morning.

Because the pain and soreness went away for a few days and then came back, the physician ruled out a mechanical injury. Meaning, she doesn't think the needle stick hit a nerve, etc. She believes I am having a delayed [immune] response - my body is still trying to respond to the vaccine. She didn't mention if this is rare; but, it seemed like it didn't surprise her too much. I asked her why the response would go away and then come back a few days later. She said that this vaccine is new and they are still learning about it.

She checked my range of motion and was concerned that my shoulder unit was experiencing pain and limited movement outside of the deltoid muscle where the injection was placed. Basically, because of the "injury" to my deltoid muscle, my entire shoulder unit has clenched up in an attempt to protect itself. That is causing non-involved auxiliary muscles to hurt as well.

She prescribed me a strong anti-inflammatory and also a muscle relaxer. In two days she wants me to begin at-home physical therapy exercises to open up my range of motion. If I don't see improvement, I may have to go for in-person physical therapy. I may also have to stay home from work (firefighter) while my shoulder rehabs. The doctor recommended me to register a vaccine injury with the government Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which I have done. Because I got the vaccine at work, I need to file an injury claim with my employer as well.

Even today, I had yet another well-meaning friend tell me, "...well my elderly mom and dad got their vaccinations and *they* were fine." :( That's nice for you and them; but, that's not relevant. What is relevant is that *I* am one of the people who had a problem with the vaccine. People have been acting like I am imagining things or overexaggerating. I have been examined by a doctor. She noted inflammation and decreased mobility. The vaccine is causing a problem. So, please please please be kind to friends, family, coworkers who are in the small percentage of people who are having a reaction and are hurting. (Please?)


Let's help the researchers and as many people as we can! Register for V-Safe when you get your first shot so that you can report on your side effects (if any). If you had any kind of a more serious issue, please submit a report to VAERS so that the scientists can try to work out how to make this work for as many people as possible.


V-SAFE: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...ety/vsafe.html

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) - https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/en...ers/index.html


Edited to add: My comment wasn't directed to you, PKT4LIFE! Apparently you were posting at the same time I was. I am glad to hear your daddy is doing good so far!

Hugs! I am sorry you are not feeling well. This vaccine is affecting people in many different ways. Some have post symptoms, which can last for a while, others have no symptoms. I still think the Moderna vaccine is more aggressive on our body than the pfizer. I registered with V-Safe and reported my symptoms. Thanks for mentioning V-Safe.

Yes, THANK YOU navane! After reading over your post yesterday, I screen shot it and sent it out to friends and family whose first shot is quickly upcoming—mine is tomorrow morning. All were grateful for your detailed reaction diary and also for the V-SAFE info.
Any new information is indeed welcome.

I just returned from getting my FIRST covid shot—the Pfizer vaccine. It’s been two hours and I admit I was a bit woozy—but I ate a little lunch and I’m okay. Granted it’s not been long, but I’ll update as time passes. The hospital clinic (I’m in IN) made my last shot appointment immediately after: Feb 19, 7:20 a.m.

I feel VERY fortunate and hopeful but still hesitant and a bit fearful—if that makes sense. The nurse DID tell me that while everybody is different, the most often-reported issue with the Pfizer vaccine is the day or two after the second shot: mini flu symptoms including a fever, drowsiness and a headache lasting a day or so. But again, she said some people report almost nothing.

Good luck to all the rest of our brothers and sisters—this is ONE benefit of being a bit more—“ahem!”—senior status!

I just got back from getting my first one. This was Moderna. So far, no issues,

I had my first yesterday - Moderna. The health department will e-mail after February 4th so I can schedule my next dose (as they ran out of the single use QR codes they were using for people to scan to schedule their second doses)

Last night my arm was very sore and I had a hard time getting to sleep.
Today I am exhausted. My arm is sore. I have a headache and chills. That tells me that I definitely have to schedule out for the day after my second dose - if the first one is hitting me like a freight train, I expect that one will hit harder. I usually get a bit sore, cranky, and tired after a flu jab - this is like 3x that so far.

I'm not scheduled to get mine until August at the earliest I'm in Phase 4 of a 4 phase vaccine roll out), but I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!

I had my first shot last week (Pfizer). Arm was sore the next day and then back to normal. I have my appointment scheduled for the second.

My 95 yo mother had her first shot 2 days before me. She didn't even have a sore arm (she had Moderna).

Hopefully shot 2 will go as easily.

DaffyKD

My 88 year old mother had her first shot (Pfizer) last week -- no issues so far.

Got second shot yesterday. Some arm soreness this morning but is gone now. No other side effects!

Today I received my second dose of Moderna. My arm was sore 2 hours post injection. No other side effects.

Hoping to get my second one in 2 weeks!

Day 1 after my second Moderna vaccine:

*Arm pain 5/10, a lot less pain than the first vaccine.
*I had a slight pressure type headache on my forehead when I woke up this morning.
*No fever, thank goodness.

I got my first dose (Pfizer) on Jan. 22. My only side effect was a sore arm the next day, but it dissipated in less than 24 hours. (Actually, I had quite a bit of fatigue about 3 days later, but I also have an autoimmune condition that causes fatigue, so I can't say it was caused by a delayed vaccine response.)

I get my second dose tomorrow! I'm so happy that I'll have both doses soon. I've been teaching in person since Aug. 14. I also registered with V-Safe to monitor symptoms.

I am trying hard to be patient but am very ready to be vaccinated. I don't think we'll get to phase 1C for at least another month or two though.

I feel your pain, my dad who is in his 70s is finally getting his first shot today. The roll out of vaccinations has been a mess and at least from my point of view the how or where vaccines get distributed to especially in my state has been anything but transparent.

What's more frustrating I have a friend who works for a hospital system and who is 100% remote and isn't even interacting with patients managed to get vaccinated. I was like WTF?

I am a nurse but I don't work with patients I'm more on the admin end of things, and I don't work in a clinical setting so I'm waiting on 1c to open up. For me there are so many people at much higher risk than I so I'd rather they get theirs first.

2 local hospitals are in big trouble because they vaccinated staff family members who weren't in the target group.

Was it because there was extra vaccine left in the bottles at the end of the day and instead of wasting the vaccine, hospital staff opted to call people in to receive it? This is going on a lot.........

Seems to me they should have a stand by list where you may be called last minute at the end of the day and you have 30 minutes to arrive for your appointment. Kaiser here in the bay area is doing this.

Day 2 post Moderna vaccine #2:

My arm pain is gone tonight. That is all.........

No. The newspaper said that they were setting up appointments for them. I had wondered what was going on. I called a month ago to try to get an appointment and the receptionist said that they were only vaccinating staff members and their relatives. I didn't realize that it meant relatives who were young and perfectly healthy!

I think the system is so locally controlled, there are a lot of people jumping the line...just from the anecdotes I'm hearing from some colleagues who've been vaccinated and the reasons they give for getting a slot. In Michigan, it depends on your location, too. Areas with a high population of socially vulnerable people are getting more doses.

Meanwhile, my husband got his second Moderna dose two days ago...no pain or side effects again.

Got my second dose of Moderna today. Arm pain about 4/10. And my husband got his first dose yesterday, the Pfizer, no pain or side effects. God bless him, he did supper and dishes tonight. He does that anyway, but still...

My husband got his second Pfizer last week-no side effects whatsoever.

I got my second (and last) Covid vaccine shot—Pfizer—early this morning. I’ve felt okay all day but in the last half hour—about 10 hours out—I’m crashing a bit: terribly sore shoulder (difficult to raise) and extreme lethargy.

But like everybody else, it’s a small price to pay for the protection and peace of mind it affords.

You ALL stay safe!!!