First: I have a report on my second Covid-19 shot. Paul and I got it on Monday; it was the Pfizer. This time went MUCH more smoothly than our first dose, when we waited in line for two hours; this time we joined a line that looked long but moved briskly, and I doubt in all we were there for as long as half an hour, even including the 15-minute wait afterward (which was specifically recommended but not enforced). The whole production was better-organized, with better instructions and with some careful overlap in people checking to see how we were feeling and if we needed another appointment.
We had heard that the side effects tend to be more/worse for the second shot than for the first, so we were prepared. We’d heard that hydration was important for mitigating those effects—nothing about WHY, but it’s not like it was difficult or risky or bad-for-us to drink a little extra water, so we did it just in case it would help. We drank extra water all morning, until a couple hours before our appointment (we were remembering that two-hour wait from last time), and brought water with us to drink on the way home, and we kept drinking extra water the rest of the day and the next day. I have no idea if it did a dang thing.
After my first shot, I felt a little spacey and tired that same day, but fine by the next day. After my second shot, on the same day as the shot, I felt more spacey and more tired than the first time. I declared a Make Your Own Dinner night. I felt myself counting down until bedtime, and I fell asleep far more easily than usual, and I didn’t wake up in the 3:00-5:00 a.m. range to have upsetting thoughts for awhile as I often do.
The next day, Tuesday, I felt A Little Off and then Definitely Off, like when you think “Uh oh—am I coming down with something?” and then “Yep, I am definitely coming down with something.” My eyes felt a little droopy/saggy; my nose felt a little weird; I had a little headache; my throat ranged from “a little weird” to “a little sore”; I had an occasional weary cough; my arm was sore. I skipped exercise; I floated the idea of “Maybe I would feel a little better if I did some GENTLE/MILD exercise?,” and my entire system was united in slapping down that idea. I didn’t have any appetite, just a light queasy feeling reminding me I’d better eat. I felt a little achy overall, enough to try ibuprofen mid-afternoon, but that didn’t make enough difference for me to try another dose later. If I’d had to go to work, I would have been able to do so, and wouldn’t have called in sick—but I would have WISHED I had taken the day off. But I didn’t feel bad enough to go back to bed or anything like that. I felt kind of low and sad and easily-discouraged all day; when I realized I hadn’t dealt with my own dishes or gotten the coffee pot set up for the next day, I considered having a quiet little weep. At bedtime, I went to bed and fell asleep easily again, and didn’t wake up except to pee.
When I woke up the NEXT day, today, Wednesday, I felt pretty much back to normal. Maybe a little tired/low, but not outside the normal range of how I might feel IN A PANDEMIC. My arm is still a little sore, but not enough to affect my life. I skipped my vigorous morning walk, but I did do a yoga session (I tried this one after several of you recommended Jessamyn Stanley, and I really liked it), and it went fine. My appetite is mostly back. I would say it was the perfect amount of side effect: enough to feel like Something Is Definitely Happening with My Immune System, but not enough to be truly miserable or have to spend the day in bed or fret about a fever or anything like that.
Second: I have a recommendation for an inexpensive but appealing and useful little purchase: pleasing little bowls.
(images from Target.com)
I did not think at first that I particularly liked the look of them; also, they are bamboo, which has a non-glossy look/feel I don’t always enjoy. But the children kept breaking my similarly-sized bowls from pottery class, and I thought these might make good replacements, and they were inexpensive enough ($3 for a 2-pack) to be an easy experiment. I couldn’t decide between my top two favorite designs (oranges / orange dots, multi flowers / green dots), so ordered both—and they were such an immediate success that I rushed to order the third set (palm leaves / blue dots) as well.
And I may need to buy MORE. Every time I run the dishwasher, most or all of them are in there. They are just right for dip (ketchup, mustard, salad dressing), or a side of something you want to keep separate from the rest of your food (sweet pickles, coleslaw, a hard-boiled egg), or a tidy little snack (marcona almonds, cheese cubes, one of a long series of Thoughtful Portions of M&Ms). The decoration of them is not my usual style, but I have enjoyed the look of them in spite of / because of this (like appreciating / enjoying someone else’s dishes even though / especially because you wouldn’t have chosen them), and I like the way the outsides of the bowls are solid-colored. They look very sweet in a little stack in the cupboard. It is fun to choose which one I will use for my sweet pickles / marcona almonds / M&Ms.
I am a nurse who has volunteered to start administering the shots on the weekends starting next month. I am really, really looking forward to helping to jab our way out of this pandemic.
I’m slightly jealous of your symptoms. I didn’t feel anything after my second shot except maaaaaybe a little fatigue the next day, and now I’m wondering if it really worked. (Dr. Google says yes, yes, of course it worked, but I am still slightly skeptical.)
SAME. I keep worrying that my immune system is busted because I had no side effects whatsoever. Did it even work? Was it a fake vaccine? Reputable science says this is just fine, but that doesn’t stop me from having irrational fears ;-)
Me three. I had actively scheduled sick days into my planner and got bupkis. My arm didn’t even hurt as much as after the first shot. I’ve been totally paranoid ever since.
That’s lucky! I had my second Pfizer shot last week and felt a little off that day and then truly awful the next day, could hardly stay awake, fever/aching etc. I also had the pleasure (not) of a RARE side effect in that one of the lymph nodes in my armpit swelled up to size of a very painful grape! It hurt so bad for like three days and even after the swelling went down it was still tender. It hurt to put on deodorant, but it also hurt when it chaffed because of not wearing deodorant. It made me generally grumpy and poor-spirited. It also didn’t help that my period started the same day I got the shot, so I was just all around miserable. And we just moved so I couldn’t find my usual comforting items like my heating pad or hot compresses. -_-
I’m curious if anyone else had the lymph node thing happen. My husband has been giving out 20-30ish shots a day at his pharmacy and he says only one other person had this compliant that he saw.
This is a reply to Angela L – my lymph nodes did not swell up, but my arm (the injection site itself) swelled up, and was bright red, and hot and painful to the touch – probably for a good week before it started to go down, maybe 2 weeks before the redness completely went away. This covered my entire upper arm, probably the size of a softball. It was … unpleasant. But the headache the day after the shot was definitely the worst side effect for me, I would not have been able to work (or even get out of bed).
Swistle, I love the bowls! I will add them to my cart right now just in case I order something else from Target. 😀
I did! My lymph nodes got so tender and hurt for 3-4 days; I got the shot last Thursday morning and by Sunday night it finally wasn’t AS bad. So unpleasant! But according to what I read, you should see your doctor if it still hurts at two weeks, so I was glad it wasn’t that long.
I also had swollen lymph nodes about the size of a marble, but near my collarbone (on the injection side). I had the Pfizer vaccine, though it seems to be more common with Moderna. In my research (after I discovered a lump near my neck and promptly panicked), I came across some articles suggesting that your lymph nodes might appear as swollen on a mammogram for a month or so after the dose. If anyone is getting a mammogram soon, tell your doctor which side you got the vaccine on and how long ago you had the shot.
Yes, I had the same thing happen with my lymph node! Along with just about every other side effect they mention. The first shot knocked me down for two full days, the second shot for one day. My immune system is a drama queen, apparently.
Me, too! Only under the arm that got the shot, though. The lymph nodes were about the size of a grape but very tender. It started late in the day after the shot and lasted about 3 days. I registered for Vac Safe to report symptoms and on day 2 of the lymph nodes decided I should put that in the “other symptoms” box. I wish I had thought to do it the first day of the swollen lymph nodes.
HOORAY!!! 🎉
Loved this bit so much: “one of a long series of Thoughtful Portions of M&Ms”
I love “tidy little snack” almost as much as ‘one of a long series of Thoughtful Portions of M&Ms”. I am still in the wake of a series of horrific side effects from my first AZ shot (still worth it). From what my cleaner who lives in the next province has said, it’s much the same there as what you’re describing – here it’s almost impossible to get an appointment but once you do you’re in and out. There you can get an appointment but you have to line up for hours. Either way, ugh.
I’ve got the AZ shot scheduled for TOMORROW!* I have been thinking I will probably need to take Friday off sick, but of course I can’t know yet if I will get the miserable side effects. I have settled for putting a block reserved in my calendar as tentative, with the appointment heading “Another day would be better” for anyone who tries to set up a meeting with me.
*I really would have rather been able to get the Pfizer, but I don’t feel I have the luxury of waiting another couple of months until they get to my eligibility group for that one, and I’m taking what I can get.
I was in the same boat. I wanted to get Pfizer or Moderna, but heeded the advice that “the best shot is the first shot.” I felt very flu-y on the day after, so I’d recommend taking the day off. If you’re not feeling sick, then consider it a celebration day. Either way, it’s a win :)
I am so happy to get these detailed run downs of vaccine experiences!!! I get #2 on Monday and I’m giddy with excitement / nervous about being a pile of miserable for 36 hrs, just after starting a new job.
Yay! Glad you got the second shot and didn’t have terrible side effects!
I had my second Moderna last week. I had a sore arm and was maybe a bit tired. And I had chills for about half an hour and maybe spiked a fever for a while. And a couple days later I woke up with the worst body aches I’ve ever had, but once I dragged myself from bed and took some Advil I was fine. I’m not sure if the body aches were vaccine related or just exercise/old lady related. ;). I sort of hope vaccine related!
I find it pretty fascinating to hear the side effects that everyone has with the vaccine. But at the same time I get annoyed at the people who are so worried about the side effects that they aren’t going to get the vaccine. We give our children vaccines when they are babies and a LOT of them spike a fever after the shot or have stomach problems etc. Side effects from vaccines aren’t a new concept, but we just don’t remember.
I’ve been thinking about that, how foreign it might be for some adults to have to get a shot. Between annual flu shots and fertility treatments, I don’t balk at any injections anymore. But if you don’t do those things (and aren’t up-to-date on your tetanus shots), maybe it’s particularly scary to need a shot by itself, never mind the novelty of the vaccine and the disease. That’s not a great reason not to get vaccinated, of course, but just something that might add to the hesitation.
I had the Moderna last Monday. On Sunday afternoon I started coughing and now either have covid or a bad cold. 6 days after the shot. I am congested and don’t have a fever and I can taste. So it’s probably just a cold, but it’s an icky one and the sickest I have been since before the pandemic. It’s weird timing to happen right after the shot, but maybe my immune system was busy fighting the shot and so forgot to fight off the cold.
My husband felt pretty ill after his 2nd shot. I’m not looking forward to my second. Will have to try the water thing.
If you have a mammogram scheduled for soon (within 6-8 weeks) after getting your vax jab, be sure to tell the tech. Some people find that the injection lights up their lymph nodes, and then they show up on the mammogram, then they call you back for further screening, and it’s a whole lot of angst that might be avoided by waiting a few weeks.
Yay to being on your way to being fully vaxxed! I’m sorry you experienced the side effects. The Husband and I were ready after our second dose and then there was nothing…except for the sore arm.
Those bowls are adorable and I can think of several ways in which they would be useful in this house.
“one of a long series of Thoughtful Portions of M&Ms” I love you.
I got Moderna, and after zero effects from the first shot, I am sad to report the second one KICKED MY ASS. I woke up in the night with a fever, and felt like well, this is unpleasant but not unexpected; so I took some ibuprofen, and proceeded to vomit for the next eight hours. I haven’t really heard of others having THAT issue so perhaps I’m a delicate flower; but I still had a low-grade fever well into Day 3.
My husband had no effects. “Well, my arm hurt a bit,” he says.
I vomited all night after my first shot and had, I think, the worst headache of my entire life for about 24 hours. Then felt normal. Solidarity!
Feeling a leeeetle nervous for the second shot but still so thankful to have it.
Reply to Angela L & AliceCW!
I had/have swollen lymph nodes. My shots were 2/10 and 3/10. I had swollen lymph nodes under my armpit, breast, collarbone, and up that side of my neck. When I got the first, statistics were saying 10% of people have lymph node reactions. Last I looked, it was up to 11%.
Then my OBGYN felt a lump at my annual exam. Note: the vaccine may cause lymph nodes to appear as swollen on a mammogram as AliceCW said, but from what I understand it shouldn’t cause an actual malignant type lump to be felt.
So I had a mammogram and an ultrasound 4/19.
Lump was fine/not malignant; but three lymph nodes were concerning.
The radiologist said the recommendation now is to allow 12 weeks from last shot for the lymph nodes to return to normal. I have a repeat ultrasound 6/7.
Hope this helps someone else.
I’m 32 so want to throw in a PSA – don’t skip your annual appointment!
I just picked up two sets of the bowls on a late night Target run last night! It was a treat to go into the store in person but now that I am fully vaccinated I figured a 9p run to Target would be fine. It was so nice to just look around. How I’ve missed roaming around Target.p buying things I don’t need. 😆
Oooooo, which two sets did you choose?? (Or did you choose two of the same set?)
Thank you, this is so reassuring as I wait for my 2nd Shot of Pfizer this Sunday. I’ve been taking Emergen-C, Vitamin D and Zinc all week, just in case it helps.
My sister, a Nurse, has said that Tylenol is better for any side effects as Ibuprofen can not be effective/interfere – I’m an Advil girl for life but I stocked up on Tylenol just in case.
The Tylenol advice is interesting because I’m a second-trimester pregnant person who got the Pfizer vaccine, so Tylenol is the only thing I can take, and I thought it did help a lot the next day with my achy/fever-like symptoms!
Thanks for sharing. Getting my second shot Tuesday and not looking forward to possibly having side effects but also looking forward to being protected. I heard Gatorade or coconut water is good to drink before and after too.
Congrats on getting the second shot.
I have a feeling those bowls would disappear into my youngest’s room, never to be seen again.
Those bowls are SO cute. But I am terrible at visualizing the size of things, and I think they are smaller than I want them to be.
Your experience with the first shot of Pfizer sounds similar to mine- my arm was tender at the injection site, and I was fatigued for about 24 hours after. Then I got a very distinct and strange second wind, just in time to make dinner. I don’t know what to expect for the second one, which I will get on Tuesday. Hubby is getting it the same day, so we are hoping we don’t both go down because no childcare because pandemic.
Paul got that strange sudden second wind, too! He felt similarly to the way I did, and then suddenly he was laughing and in a great mood! It was odd! He said it turned on a dime.
I love those bowls! I have some small bowls that match my dishes (they were my grandmother’s, the blue and white Currier & Ives pattern) and I use them almost daily. They’re the perfect size for ice cream–enough that you feel like you’ve had a proper dessert, but not so large that you think maybe you’re overdoing it.
I have a set of china from my grandmother, too, and it has little bowls, too! She called them “berry bowls,” but I don’t know if that’s the actual term.
I think that is the term “berry bowls”. I love vintage dishes and that seems a common descriptive name for the little bowls.
I am fully vaccinated now, as is my husband. House of Pfizer. Neither of us had any side effects from the shot. I maybe had a mild headache after the first one? But that was also a weird weather day that could also have caused a headache. My 16 and 18 year olds get shot 2 next week, and the 14 year old had Covid in March (mild cough, loss of taste and smell for 3-4 days and then over it).
My kids prefer to eat everything in bowls, so I tried to get some deep sided, more plate shaped bowls into the mix and they have been fully rejected by everyone except me.
I wanted to hug the person who gave me my second vaccine and possibly make an emotional speech to everyone at the make shift clinic in the county fair grounds building. I mean, I survived a pandemic with my loved ones and have the health care resources to get a just-developed vaccine. A little verklempt over here!
I think I already reported previously on my vax side effects: I had Moderna and no effects from the first one, but after the second one I had fever, headache and tiredness for one day. I took a couple of naps and drank lots of water. For those who are concerned about having had NO side effects: my husband had the same shot, sitting right next to me, and he had nothing other than the sore arm.
I’m eating my little portions of M&Ms (we call them “Ms” in our house because that’s what our daughter called them — I guess because of the little M on each one) from my “crazy cat lady” dish but I love your little bowls!
I got my second Pfizer shot yesterday and felt fine after and drank plenty of water. This morning I woke up feeling horribly hungover. The same kind of headache you get after a wild night of drinking in your 20’s and just overall felt crappy. I went back to bed for about an hour after taking a Motrin and woke up feeling 90% better. I feel a bit off but in the same the way you would after drinking too much the night before. Strange but maybe I didn’t have enough water? Anyway, hopefully this morning was the worst of it and I’m on my way back to feeling like myself. Glad your side effects were relatively mild!
I got my 1st shot (Moderna) this week – just a sore arm and maybe a mild headache. My husband got his 2nd shot last week and felt achy/tired/blah enough that he went back to bed but it was only bad for like hours 18-24 it seemed. I’m a little nervous to get my 2nd now but looking forward to it all the same.
Since we’re discussing side effects, I’ve heard some are having much heavier periods post-shot. Too soon for me to tell on that front but I’m planning to fill out this scientific survey, which is open to all current & former menstruaters who’ve had at least one shot of the vaccine.
https://redcap.healthinstitute.illinois.edu/surveys/index.php?s=LL8TKKC8DP
Well, heavily dislike this possibility but hadn’t heard it so thanks for mentioning!
**Immediately went to target.com and ordered all 3 sets of bowls for curbside pickup!**
I got my first AstraZeneca shot yesterday at 5:20. It wasn’t until I woke up around 7:00 that I noticed my deltoid and adjacent armpit are a bit sore, but that’s all so far. I’m working as usual today. I know I could still develop more side effects, but at 18 hours post-shot now I am starting to think maybe I’ll get off lucky. I’ll come back and update if I go downhill. AZ supposedly is worse on the first shot than the second, unlike Pfizer and Moderna, so I’m feeling tentatively optimistic.
On the water front, I wanted to say that in Feb 2020 I was diagnosed with Influenza A. I think the body aches started on a Thursday afternoon and I got tested Friday morning. I drank an absolutely absurd amount of water – I think around 120 oz – on that Friday and rested, and by Saturday afternoon, I was fairly well back to normal. So I’m a big believer in water!
Also, I would like to tell this group that I am switching doctors, and managed to make an appointment with the new one COMPLETELY ONLINE, no callbacks or other shenanigans, AND the system keeps emailing me to say “we know you have this appt, but we now have a different time slot available, would you like it? No? Just keep the other one then? Ok, thanks”. It’s GREAT. I hope I like the doctor as much as I like the scheduling.
I did the same! I was surprised that I could make an appointment thru the online scheduling for a “first contact” visit. I picked a time slot 3 days away so I wouldn’t talk myself out of it.
I don’t think i’d put Bamboo bowls in the dishwasher (even if it says they are dishwasher safe). It will probably shorten their lifespan.
Worth it!
I got my second shot (Pfizer) on Wednesday. That night, my arm felt like it had been punched really hard, and I couldn’t lie on it to sleep (so I took some Tylenol). And while I’m happy I had no other side effects on Thursday, I was kind of hoping it would get me out of cooking dinner. But I was fine, so I made burgers. Sigh.
I love hearing about everyone’s different vaccine reactions; it’s so fascinating!
As of yesterday, both J. and I are fully vaccinated. He got Moderna and I got Pfizer. He didn’t have any reactions to either shot. I had an extremely sore arm after my first shot, to the point I couldn’t sleep on that side at all because it was so tender, but I didn’t experience that after my second.
One thing that *may* have helped is that I had food poisoning the 3 days prior to getting my second shot (um, that part did not help), but I was drinking a TON of water as that was the only thing I could tolerate. I also took a bunch of ibuprofen because I had a headache the entire 3 days as well. I was super concerned about still being sick and not being able to get my shot but woke up that morning feeling 100%. So I don’t know if the extra hydration + ibuprofen helped, but it didn’t hurt!