The COVID Vaccination Thread (1 Viewer)

[BobO'Link]

This morning on NPR they were saying it’s the second shot that makes you feel really bad. Gives me something to look forward too.

Yep. But it really kind of depends. I had a very sleepless night after getting the 2nd dose - thought it was because my arm started hurting sooner and that it was keeping me awake. I talked with a couple of teachers at the school the next day to find some of them also had a sleepless night after the 2nd dose. I was so tired from lack of sleep that I began to feel somewhat puny that next day but it passed after a couple of hours so I don't know if it was truly lack of sleep or a side effect of the shot. By that evening I felt pretty good and the arm pain was gone by Saturday morning.

Conversely, I heard from several people who got pretty sick feeling with fevers in the 100-101 range and body aches - kind of like the flu. They were off work a day or so. One or our neighbors got symptoms of Bell's palsy for a couple of scary hours with *both* shots - she got the Pfizer vaccine.

All of these were with Pfizer. The only person I know who had the Moderna (a cousin-in-law who's head nurse in an assisted care facility) had no issues of any kind, outside sore arm, with either dose. She didn't say if any of the people under her or in their care had issues.

 

[Mark Booth]

I am scheduled for part one this Saturday. Not sure what flavor but a two part vax with part two scheduled for March 14. I will report back with any reactions/impressions.

You are likely getting the Moderna vaccine. The gap between 1st and 2nd doses is 4 weeks for the Moderna. It’s 3 weeks for the Pfizer.

This article suggests that the Moderna vaccine is more likely to illicit more significant side effects on the 2nd dose:

The Second COVID-19 Shot Is a Rude Reawakening for Immune Cells

Side effects are just a sign that protection is kicking in as it should.

www.theatlantic.com

Mark

 

[Chip_HT]

I know a couple of people who had COVID prior to getting the vaccine and they got the significant side effects with the first shot. Which makes sense, because that would be the second time their bodies were fighting it.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Excedrin is also a mix of aspirin and caffeine with acetaminophen.

Yes, Excedrin Migraine is what I take for my migraines. Only thing over the counter that even makes a dent. Imitrex worked better for treating the migraine symptoms, but I really didn't like the side effects. And now I can't take it because the risk of seratonin syndrome is too high given one of my other medications.

 

[Reed Grele]

in CT, the 65+ age group was eligible starting February 11th. I tried to sign up on-line on the 8th, and after about a dozen attempts, just as I was 80% complete... the app CRASHED! But perseverance paid off, and after about 30 minutes of retyping and submitting... SUCCESS! I snagged a date (today, the 12th, at 5:45pm)!

Got the Moderna vaccine. No side effects so far. Scheduled for shot #2 a month from now.

 

[Malcolm R]

VT is moving at a glacial pace. The only group of the general public eligible so far is 75+ (unless you're an immigrant who doesn't speak English, then you get special treatment, apparently, as they vaccinated more than 100 of those of all ages last week while all others are still locked out).

Those 70+ can start to enroll for appointments on Tuesday, so hopefully I'll have my mother scheduled this week.

 

[ChristopherG]

I got dose 1 of the moderna today. I have not yet sprouted horns or barked at the moon but it is early yet.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I got dose 1 of the moderna today. I have not yet sprouted horns or barked at the moon but it is early yet.

What if that’s just your normal Saturday routine?

 

[Max Taxable]

I know a couple of people who had COVID prior to getting the vaccine and they got the significant side effects with the first shot. Which makes sense, because that would be the second time their bodies were fighting it.

Umm, no. The vaccine doesn't in any way give you the virus in any form.

 

[LeoA]

He didn't say it did, Max.

The vaccine is meant to have traits that appear as if it was COVID-19 to your body so as to train your immune system to fight off the real deal if it encounters it. So yeah, what Chip said makes sense to me.

I believe both of the currently approved vaccines rely on what they're calling the spike protein component of COVID-19. Your body sees this component of the virus as still being an invader and fights it off as if it were the real deal, teaching itself and committing to memory how to combat it.

Seems reasonable that it works in the other way as well. Their body already has knowledge of warding off this invader and thinks it has been reinvaded when it re-encounters this spike protein, so their body ramps up their defenses rapidly which manifests itself in some side effects (Much like how the 2nd dose of these vaccines seems to be what most affects many individuals).

 

[Max Taxable]

Seems reasonable that it works in the other way as well. Their body already has knowledge of warding off this invader and thinks it has been reinvaded when it re-encounters this spike protein

Yeah not sure we build antibodies to the protein itself, when we catch covid. But we definitely do when we get the inoculation though. So yeah, makes since that you would have symptoms just like many do with flu shots. So if you had covid, your system tried to battle the virus. And when you get the shot, now your system is battling the protein. And that protein is pretty common with all SARS viruses, of which covid is one.

 

[Reed Grele]

A friend who is a nurse received the Moderna vaccine. The first dose was without any side effects. The second dose caused mild fever, chills and body aches which lasted a few days, then disappeared.

I just had my first Moderna dose yesterday. Only side effect so far is a mild soreness at the injection site.

Even if I have more serious (temporary) side effects from the second dose in a months time, I can deal with it.

A little pain for a BIG gain. I'm okay with that!

 

[ChristopherG]

My arm is a lot more sore than when I get a flu shot however.

 

[Sam Posten]

My arm is a lot more sore than when I get a flu shot however.

I’m still waiting on class 2 open for MD.

 

[ChristopherG]

I’m still waiting on class 2 open for MD.

Are you classified as an essential worker? I forgot what you do but thought it was something techie...?

 

[Mark Booth]

A close friend (who is high risk) received her 2nd Moderna vaccine on Thursday. She woke up at 2am Friday morning with a 101° fever and feeling horrible. Significant body aches and headache. She was still feeling bad enough on Friday afternoon that she called her doctor's office. They told her symptoms were "normal" for the 2nd dose of the vaccine but to call again if the symptoms got worse. She improved slightly over the weekend but Monday morning she was having sinus congestion and cough. She called her doctor's office again and they said that congestion and cough aren't normal (for the vaccine), they directed her to get a COVID test. She had the test done Monday afternoon, she'll get the results later today or tomorrow.

The concern is that she might have been exposed to COVID about the same time she received her 2nd dose of the vaccine. Fingers crossed that that is not the case.

She said that she hasn't felt this sick in a very long time. She's still feeling pretty punk today, but better than she felt on Friday.

Mark

 

[Wayne_j]

I just got my 2nd Pfizer dose.

 

[Mark Booth]

Our friend’s test was negative, thank goodness. She is still feeling pretty punk, but not having the stress of wondering (if it is COVID) should help.

That’s 5+ days she’s been having side effects from the 2nd Moderna shot.

We get our 2nd Pfizer vaccine on Monday morning. Fingers crossed for minimal side effects.

Mark

 

[Tino]

Got my second Moderna shot yesterday.

Had a sore arm yesterday but today feel a bit achy, chilly and tired.

Well worth it and extremely grateful to my front line wife who was able to get me vaccinated at her hospital.

 

[PMF]

That's a good point to bring up when it's finally my turn (stupid 40s, not old enough to be top tier, not young enough to feel that the odds are in your favor to get through this relatively unscathed lol). I am a side sleeper with the left shoulder primarily against the bed, so if I'm given a choice (or if I remember to) I'll ask for the right shoulder.

Or you could simply flip the mattress.