Have you gotten a COVID vaccine?

[bjscheel]

Also, ppl who still get their period - has the shot changed anything for you?

I remember in two threads here (probably this one and maybe the other vaccine thread) there were a handful of women who posted changes either heavier or lighter or post-menopausal. I don't recall who though.

 

[Heather07438]

Going in for Pfizer#2 today.

The last person left in my extended family is DS18 and he received Pfizer#1 two days ago.

Other than MIL76 getting a headache after dose #1, none of us have experienced anything beyond a slightly sore arm.

I

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My DD22 came home for her 2nd shot last Friday. She did great, only had muscle soreness for a day or 2 afterwards. DS24 got his first shot on Tuesday this week. DH finally got his first shot on Wednesday this week. All of us got the Pfizer vaccine. I think DS and DH finally got it because my parents (in their 80s and both fully vaccinated with Moderna) are coming to visit in mid May. DS and DH wanted to be vaccinated to protect them. They won’t be fully vaccinated, but the 1st shot will help.

 

[mefordis]

That is the only thing that worries me - it has been 3 weeks...and I am not sure if adding shot #2 tomorrow is the best idea with these aches. Sigh. I hate overthinking everything!!

I would never tell you to take it or not to take it. I would tell you to listen to your gut.

 

[wenrob]

Quick question - I am just about 3 weeks out from shot #1 (Pfizer). Shot #2 tomorrow.

Shortly after the shot, I had this shooting pain down the arm I was injected on (right), and then the pain "landed" in the knuckle area under my pinky. Felt like arthritis - that kind of ache. It ebbed and flowed and I didn't really think of it much.

But now I have that ache in other places - namely my collar bone, hips, lower back, tops of my feet, and my left upper arm. I have arthritis in my wrist, so I know what that feels like, and this is like that - or like the aches you get right before the weather switches (for me, at least).

Anyone have this? Should I try and see my dr before I get #2, etc? I had shingles back in October, and I get huge lymph nodes when I have an infection going on, so I see to get extreme reactions. Again, just nervous for what ##2 might do..

Also, ppl who still get their period - has the shot changed anything for you?

So I did have the kind of pain you describe in my right hand an hour or so after shot number two. I did not list it here because I had been on my iPad quite a bit and figured it was from scrolling. After both shots I had pain in my left shoulder which I thought odd because the shots were in my right. Honestly I think both are just coincidental. We tend to be looking for things and even though those things were probably there before we didn’t pay them much attention.

For your second question I was due around the time of both shots (Walgreens so mine were 4 weeks apart) and while I had all the symptoms they never happened. I’m 53 though so that’s not entirely out of the question to happen.

I know you have suffered anxiety over the shots (and trust me a lot of us have) so if it makes you more comfortable give your doctor a call. However I am not reading anything in your post that would personally give me pause about going ahead. I can tell you this: being fully vaccinated gives you an incredible sense of freedom and relief. I had to “go out” yesterday with a ridiculous drive and stupid drivers and I ENJOYED it.

 

[Minnesota!]

So I did have the kind of pain you describe in my right hand an hour or so after shot number two. I did not list it here because I had been on my iPad quite a bit and figured it was from scrolling. After both shots I had pain in my left shoulder which I thought odd because the shots were in my right. Honestly I think both are just coincidental. We tend to be looking for things and even though those things were probably there before we didn’t pay them much attention.

For your second question I was due around the time of both shots (Walgreens so mine were 4 weeks apart) and while I had all the symptoms they never happened. I’m 53 though so that’s not entirely out of the question to happen.

I know you have suffered anxiety over the shots (and trust me a lot of us have) so if it makes you more comfortable give your doctor a call. However I am not reading anything in your post that would personally give me pause about going ahead. I can tell you this: being fully vaccinated gives you an incredible sense of freedom and relief. I had to “go out” yesterday with a ridiculous drive and stupid drivers and I ENJOYED it.

I appreciate you, so much!

I ended up calling my Dr just to put my mind at ease and she wants me to wait until the pains and stomach issues are gone. What a bittersweet call - I was looking forward to "being done" and also incredibly anxious about it.

I am not sure if I mentioned this, but I DID pick up a new workout routine that involves my full body, so I am going to stop that for a week and just see if the aches are because I decided to workout like I was 20 again. So, maybe a week of rest from that and we can get back to it.

Thanks, all!

 

[Deb]

NC has apparently reached the point that they have plenty of vaccine available. I was grocery shopping today (Harris Teeter) and they announced more than once they had shots available in the Pharmacy.

 

[Figment of Speech]

Also, ppl who still get their period - has the shot changed anything for you?

Neither of the doses had any effect on my period.

I had both doses on the last day of my period. Since those menstrual side effects seem pretty rare to begin with, I don't know if enough is known about whether that would make a difference.

 

[JimMIA]

NC has apparently reached the point that they have plenty of vaccine available. I was grocery shopping today (Harris Teeter) and they announced more than once they had shots available in the Pharmacy.

Same in Miami. Our federal and state run sites have been no-appointment necessary for a week or two. Today our county sites also went completely no-appointment.

It seems like a good sign, but apparently there are a lot of people hesitating.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Same in Miami. Our federal and state run sites have been no-appointment necessary for a week or two. Today our county sites also went completely no-appointment.

It seems like a good sign, but apparently there are a lot of people hesitating.

Nah, I wouldn't say that yet - we've got great coverage already for the Covid vaccine - according to Wash Post, 53.4% of eligible 16+ have already gotten a 1st Covid shot...and we're not slowing down that much.

Compare that to annual flu shot coverage for 18+ which has been between 37-48% the last decade https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/coverage-1920estimates.htm#:~:text=Overall, among adults ≥18,19 season (Figure 4). and we are doing awesome - we are already 5 pts higher than the "best" coverage for a "known" vaccine.

So, chin up - we're getting there every day. Putting J&J back in the arsenal has given vaccination levels this week another "shot in the arm"...we are getting to the 70% - believe it (and tell everyone you know that you know we're all gonna get us all there...

 

[PollyannaMom]

It seems like a good sign, but apparently there are a lot of people hesitating.

I am a little worried about that myself. All three of us (three different days at three different sites) experienced much shorter waits at our second shots than at our first ones. I'm hoping people are not simply scared off.

 

[Heather07438]

DH felt bad that I was left out when he and his Mom got first appointments (they were allowed to sign up in January) so he kept trying to find me an appointment when he gets up at 4am. The closest was 3 hours away and we took it. On April 8 I drove 6 hours round trip on the NJ turnpike to get my shot.

Fast forward 2 weeks later and there was almost every available time slot open for 20 different pharmacies within 10 miles of my house. It was easy to change my dose #2 to a local clinic 5 minutes away.

Huge difference in appointment availability around here (northern NJ) between early and late April. The state now has more than 50% of the whole population (9.3mm pop) with at least 1 dose so far.

 

[AuntieMe3]

Just got my 2nd shot. It pinched a little more going in than the first one but not bad. I'll be back to update how I feel later....hopefully nothing major. LOL I slept terrible last night just like before the first shot so want to be able to sleep good tonight.

ETA....since there is discussion about crowds, it was much more crowded with people getting their shots this visit than the 1st so that's a good sign to me.

 

[wenrob]

I am a little worried about that myself. All three of us (three different days at three different sites) experienced much shorter waits at our second shots than at our first ones. I'm hoping people are not simply scared off.

I kind of wonder if the combination of more availability and being more efficient makes it seem like there are less people. When I got my first shot people were really working hard to secure appointments. I had about a 30 min wait before I got mine and there were five of us there. (It looked like they were doing blocks of five) Flash forward a month later and if you want an appointment you can get it no problem. My butt barely hit the chair when they called me for my 2nd. There were only two of us this time but as fast as it went I figured either the others already went through, just weren’t there yet or had already gone ahead and got their 2nd elsewhere. (I almost did that but my DD talked me out of it.) I’m not a number person but when I look at how many have first and second here it doesn’t seem our pace has slowed. We’ll have to see how things play out but I just don’t think how many people are there at a given time is a real indicator.

 

[Becky Mouse]

I know there were reports out of Israel of a small number of people getting shingles with a covid shot, but those people all also had other underlying autoimmune diseases. They weren't clear on whether or not there was a causal relationship there, but it is being looked into.

To be clear, Shingles is caused by the varicella virus, which is chickenpox. Anyone who has had actual chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine (which is a live virus) can have Shingles flare up years or decades later. The virus basically stays dormant in your body but can eventually flare up again as Shingles.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Michigan has officially reached the point where supply is exceeding demand. Our governor also announced today that our further reopening is tied to vaccination rate.

 

[penn19]

Update to my earlier post. I’ve decided in an abundance of caution to not get my second vaccination this weekend. I’ve had some guidance from medical professionals and they’ve indicated it would not be a good idea to get the second jab. That there’s no way to know if I’d have a worse reaction.
So hopefully I won’t be isolated because I can’t get fully vaccinated!

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I went yesterday for my second Pfizer dose. Even though the system said I was eligible to schedule as early as the 21st, the earliest availability was the 28th, which was four weeks after my initial shot. I was bummed about the week delay but it wasn’t a big deal in the scheme of things. The first time I had to drive to one of the farther vaccination sites, this time I was able to go to the facility closest to me in Atlanta. Why earlier appointments weren’t available, I don’t know, because this site was just as empty as the first one. The site was much larger than the first and looked set up to handle hundreds of cars. There were a grand total of two other cars moving through with me.




After my jab, a nurse told me the gentlemen up ahead would direct me where to go for the 10 minute observation. Those guys didn’t say a word to me as I pulled up, they just waved me through. So, I followed the two cars in front of me and the signs with arrows, missed the turn and ended up driving straight out of the facility! I don’t know if the other two cars meant to skip the observation area but all three of us drove straight out. Whoopsie! Fortunately, I did not have any anaphylactic reactions while traveling I-85 three minutes later. It was probably better for my anxiety, actually, to be distracted by driving and following the GPS than to sit in one place judging whether I was developing symptoms and wondering if anything felt “funny.”

My arm is less sore than with the first injection. I started running a low fever about 7 hours later. I went to bed and woke up at 6am with mild-to-moderate body aches. Temperature 99.7. I felt like crud and couldn’t fall back asleep. Around 8:30am I decided I’d been a hero long enough and took some ibuprofen. The fever has persisted for about 24 hours now but I don’t feel too awful at the moment.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Also, ppl who still get their period - has the shot changed anything for you?

Not able to speak scientifically but yes I have had things change. Whether it's from the vaccine or stress-induced I don't know. And for the basis of this thread I'll be open about it.

So I was on my period when I got my second dose. My period lasted 9 days when a normal one is 5-7. It's never been 9 days. My normal cycle these days is 30-45/48 days. I finished my period last Tuesday on the 20th. Imagine my surprise when I started again..last night. So 8 days after finishing my last period I'm starting again. It's not spotting either. I don't know how long this one will last but I do keep track of my cycles. My last period had no pain (a rarity for me) and the last 3 days were very very light. This one is normal as far as flow but just dull aches for now instead of what I call "bring 'em to your knees and tears to your eyes" cramps. The only other time this has happened was when annoyingly I was halfway through my honeymoon when I got my period 2 weeks after finishing my last one (at that time my normal cycle was 35-60 days so it was quite a surprise). That was 8 years ago and has been the only other time I've had two period so close together which for me more often than not they are farther apart (aside from when I was on the pill when it was something like 25/27 days apart).

At the moment I'm not alarmed nor do I consider this a reason to not get the vaccine although restarting my period is something that makes me wonder if my next one will be far off or will it go back on track. Menstrual changes, like I mentioned on another thread, can be difficult to map out since many other factors can be involved. I will say that throughout this pandemic my cycles have not been deviating from what is considered norm to me. There is a voluntary survey you can fill out that is gathering data: https://redcap.healthinstitute.illinois.edu/surveys/index.php?s=LL8TKKC8DP

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Around 8:30am I decided I’d been a hero long enough and took some ibuprofen. The fever has persisted for about 24 hours now but I don’t feel too awful at the moment.

I appreciate how you put this. I would have taken ibuprofen earlier than I had if I felt confident my stomach could have taken it with the nausea. They (meaning public health professionals) all would prefer if we hold on on OTC pain meds if we could but darn it sometimes you're just over feeling icky.