Quote:
Originally Posted by AOII Angel
The reaction you experienced is rare, but demonstrated your immune system working a little overtime. The lymph nodes in your axilla (armpit) drain your upper extremity, including the area where you had your shot. When antigens reach lymph nodes, they are the first line of defense to fight infection in the area they guard. The reason your lymph nodes got swollen and sore was because your body made tons of new lymphocytes to fight the virus particles that had been injected into your body. Unfortunately, the process went a little further than it needed to, but we see this quite frequently in other minor infections. The lymph nodes go away over time like yours did. Nurses are not trained to know all of the side effects, etc. Not her fault, that's why we have doctors! 
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Wooooow...that was a lot to take in, but thanks. It makes sense and was much better than my answer...(I was convinced I had cancer that was spreading to my brain and all my other internal organs--ever since last season of Grey's, that's my answer for everything. It takes a bit to get a grip on myself.
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The H1N1 vaccine just became available this week. Like I said, as I work in a hospital (around cancer patients, no less) I'll get the vaccine for them, not for me. If it were up to me, I'd just keep doing what I've been doing, but it's not just me I have to think about.