Flu Shot Woes

[Sabeking]

My daughter and I both got the flu shot. I had very mild arm pain for a day. My daughter had a sore arm to touch for days. She said it really ached. I think we all react differently within reason.

 

[tzolkin]

My daughter and I both got the flu shot. I had very mild arm pain for a day. My daughter had a sore arm to touch for days. She said it really ached. I think we all react differently within reason.

Yes, everyone experiences things like this differently. My husband is very tough (I’ve seen him break a bone and continue working on more than one occasion), but the flu shot makes him very sore/uncomfortable for a few days.

That said, the soreness is also more severe and lasts longer if you don’t move your arm. Most people who feel their arm is sore tend to hold it still because it hurts, which unfortunately makes it worse rather than feel better.

I’m thinking that may have contributed to the issue for the OP. Since she was nervous and worried about it she may have been “nursing” her arm more than she should have been.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have not read the replies here, Christine, but your 'reactions' seem to be normal, acceptable reactions. Sore arm, low fever, achiness. The shot is given high up on the arm, the highest of any I ever get. You'll do great, enjoy your Disney trip.

 

[Christine]

Thank you everyone for you experiences. It's nice to see that these feelings are not abnormal!!

Everyone in my circle of IRL friends said they didn't have any side effects. My husband was like: hmmm, maybe a long time ago. I could have just reacted strongly since it's my first ever and I think it's a good thing--my immune system is responding to the vaccine!

Anyway, I'm going to try to power through today. I languished yesterday because I was so achy. The achiness seems a little less severe today. Tried to use my arm a lot at the grocery store this morning and I think it helped.

 

[RamblingMad]

You’ll be fine.

I went through a similar experience when I got it this year. Really, I don’t want to be a carrier of the flu, so it’s best to respect the people around me and get it. The effectiveness varies from year to year, but it’s still the right thing to do.

 

[smokeyblue]

I think it's one of two things if not both. I think some people have a more aggressive immune response and see more symptoms. The other is purely mental; just the perception that something is off because of all the stories out there.

I get an extremely sore arm and it hurts for several days after the shot. Overall, I feel the minimal risk is worth the potential benefit.

 

[shh]

Thanks! I wasn't overly worried about the low grade fever, it's just I haven't found a kindred soul who I can commisserate with. Everyone always says: I didn't have any reactions!! I feel so ridiculous.

Don't worry about it- we had the same symptoms.

We're around the same age you are and both my DH and I got the flu shot for the first time (we never wanted it before, but last year he suffered a really bad case of the flu after our WDW trip. This year, I suggested we both give it a try.)

We also got the shingrix shot the same day (might as well knock'em both out at once and pharmacist said there was absolutely no problem doing both at same time.)

We had soreness in arm (99% sure that was from Shringix shot, as it's a bigger needle and needs to go into the muscle.) body aches, mild fever. Mine lasted 1 day; his lasted about 1.5 days.

fyi: don't know if anyone else heard this, but I read somewhere that it takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to fully immunize your system - so OP, your timing was PERFECT!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I never got a flu shot until I was pregnant with my son. He also gets one - he has to for school - and I'm not taking any chances with a little one in the house. Last year, I missed out, however - I was sick when vaccine season began, and by the time I got better, they would only give it to people 65 and over. Thankfully I didn't get the flu!

I got this year's shot on Friday. It looks like he put it in the right spot, but even with exercising and moving my arm a lot, I'm still horribly sore. Maybe it's me - I still have sore spots from the intramuscular progesterone shots that I needed during my infertility journey! Also for the rest of the day, my arm felt like it was on fire from shoulder to elbow, it was bright red, and the injection spot looked a bit puffed up, something that always happens when I get a vaccine. And despite sleeping well, I feel like I haven't slept at all and I'm beyond irritable at the moment. I always seem to have some sort of minor adverse reaction like this...fatigue, irritability, sometimes I get congested/cough/fever, but it only lasts a few days. I'd rather have a few days of "meh" than get the flu!

 

[robinb]

I've had your kind of reactions before, both the arm pain and the low grade fever. Both, compared to influenza, are pretty minor and they went away quickly. I had zero reactions to this year's shot. the good news is that you got it in time for it to take effect for your WDW trip.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I've heard from several (unrelated) people that this year's shot seemed "harder" than usual with the same reports - more soreness than usual; not feeling well for a day or two after. So I think your experience falls in the typical range. Ibuprofen or naproxen and warm compresses should help.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

This year’s flu shot is making people’s’ arms more sore this year. Myself and several of my coworkers have all experienced it. My daughter had a bruise for a week.

 

[disneyseniors]

I never get them. No flu so far, LOL.
However, WDW is a petri dish for all kinds of illnesses. My husband usually get sick (he always get the flu shot), and needs antibiotics when we get home. Last year, I was the unlucky one, and needed antibiotics, inhaler, to get well. We always, always get sick at wDW, no where else we go. But WDW has so many foreign visitors besides all the other people in the thousands who might be a "little" sick and go anyway. They don't want to pay thousands of dollars for a trip and have to stay home. I can understand that too, I guess.

 

[violina]

As others said, sounds like a normal reaction -- though reactions do vary. I had mine a few weeks ago and nothing was out of the sorts for me. After getting the flu from Disneyland a few years ago, I've been adamant about getting the shots before travelling now.

One of my normal things to do is to either take a little bit extra Vitamin C when I get home after the shot (which is what I advised my husband to do after he got his and wasn't feeling great) or drink some orange juice. Basically something that provides a little bit more Vitamin C. I don't know if it works, but I figure, it can't harm you (as long as you don't overdo it).

 

[cmarsh31]

I always get that reaction. I plan my flu shot for a 3 day weekend and just do my best to lie low and wait it out.

 

[Christine]

Don't worry about it- we had the same symptoms.

We're around the same age you are and both my DH and I got the flu shot for the first time (we never wanted it before, but last year he suffered a really bad case of the flu after our WDW trip. This year, I suggested we both give it a try.)

We also got the shingrix shot the same day (might as well knock'em both out at once and pharmacist said there was absolutely no problem doing both at same time.)

We had soreness in arm (99% sure that was from Shringix shot, as it's a bigger needle and needs to go into the muscle.) body aches, mild fever. Mine lasted 1 day; his lasted about 1.5 days.

fyi: don't know if anyone else heard this, but I read somewhere that it takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to fully immunize your system - so OP, your timing was PERFECT!

Yep, that's why I went Friday after work. Tried to do it last weekend but too many people hovering and waiting in line at the pharmacy. I hear the Shingrix shot is a doozy.

 

[Christine]

I've heard from several (unrelated) people that this year's shot seemed "harder" than usual with the same reports - more soreness than usual; not feeling well for a day or two after. So I think your experience falls in the typical range. Ibuprofen or naproxen and warm compresses should help.

The pharmacist actually told me to try to tough it out without using pain relievers. She showed me a study where ibuprofen and acetaminaphin can dampen the body's immune response to a vaccine so she encouraged me to try to push through any side effects.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I never have had a reaction to the flu shot, but my sister's arm gets very sore.

 

[firefly_ris]

Soreness is normal, hope you're feeling better quickly.

DH has Guillain-Barre Syndrome so he doesn't get flu shots anymore. But GBS reaction is pretty rare.

 

[mumto3girls]

I get a flu shot every year. Occasionally I have felt a little “ off” for a day or two with fatigue and achiness and almost always have minor arm pain. I had mine on Tuesday and my arm was sore Tuesday evening; soreness was gone by Wednesday evening.

 

[RamblingMad]

This year’s flu shot is making people’s’ arms more sore this year. Myself and several of my coworkers have all experienced it. My daughter had a bruise for a week.

My arm was definitely more sore than last year.