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The Second Covid Vaccine

It totally kicked my butt. I often say I’m not a wimp but maybe I am a wimp. I’m so rarely sick that I’m thinking I don’t handle being sick very well.

When they checked my temp before I got the shot, it was 97.4, which is what my normal temp. I got the shot, picked up a few things I needed at the grocery store and came home. About 2 p..m., which was about 4 hours after the injection, I began running fever but it stayed around 99.8 for hours. I told Vince at 9 that I was really tired, feeling bad and was going to bed. I had decided to sleep in the basement because it’s so cool and quiet down there. I took the thermometer, aspirins, two tablets, phone, Vicks, Kleenex down with me . . I was ready!

I fell asleep but woke up about 11 and I was freezing and shivering. I had taken a heavy velour blanket down there so I got up, grabbed it, wrapped myself up, got back under the sheet, two quilts and a comforter but I was still freezing. Took my temp and it was 103.5. I had hoped to not have to take anything because my doctor had told me to take something if needed but if I didn’t need it, it was better to let my immunity system work. I took one aspirin, and at some point, stopped shivering and went back to sleep but then I woke up sweating. I know that was the fever breaking but I was so hot. It was supposed to snow last night, and it did a little. I thought . . if there’s a pile of snow, I’m going out and covering myself in snow. I was so hot! (There wasn’t that much snow and I wouldn’t have really done that.)

The room in the basement is so dark and I can’t even see the edge of the bed. I was tossing and turning and flopping around like a fish out of water and almost fell out of bed twice. That made me laugh thinking of what would happen if I got stuck between the bed and the bedside table.

My phone doesn’t work in the basement and by about 2:30 a.m., I was wide awake so I grabbed my bag, stuffed everything back in it and went upstairs so I could call my friend, Sarah. Sure enough, she was still awake. I was feeling better but couldn’t sleep. We talked probably til about 5 a.m. I got up for a while, then went back to bed and slept til about 8. I got up, fixed breakfast, took the trash out, walked Rita, came in and went back to bed and slept for a couple more hours.

I think I’m back on the right track now. I don’t have much of an appetite – I did eat some of the soup I made and was thankful for that but I doubt I eat anything else today. It does feel good to feel better and even though it may take a couple of days to get back to 100%, I’m so much better than I was yesterday evening.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. WOW! That’s a high temp for an adult–hope you are feeling much better this afternoon! Isn’t it weird how the vaccine affects everyone so differently?

  2. Glad you’re feeling better. Which vaccine did you get? My husband got his second Pfizer vaccine yesterday. He felt a bit light-headed that afternoon, but that’s all. I get my second dose in three weeks. Hope I get off as light as he did with side effects.

    • I had Moderna and I’m hearing it may have a bit more side effects but it may be different for everyone.

  3. I certainly didn’t expect to have a reaction to my second dose of the Moderna, but it kicked my butt, too. I sailed through the first dose, so I thought I was in the clear.

    In my opinion it was worth the one day of flu-like symptoms to be as protected as possible. Glad you are doing better, Judy.

    • I had heard of the problems people were having so that’s why I made several kinds of soups and had everything in order so I was able to sleep and eat.

  4. Good to know the worst of it didn’t last too long. My first shot is tomorrow afternoon. Guess we’ll see if I have any reactions.

    • I had a bit of a headache and a small amount of fever with the first one. Nothing that slowed me down at all.

  5. I had the same experience on Saturday! My temp peaked at 103, and I was absolutely miserable. Fortunately, it disappeared as quickly as it came by Sunday morning. At least we know it worked!

    • Yes. It surely makes you appreciate feeling good after a day like we have with that second vaccine.

  8. 103.5!? I’d of thought I was dying! The highest temp I’ve ever had was 103.5 when I had pneumonia and I was not doing well. Gosh that scary. I’m glad it was short lived and I’m glad you are on the downhill side and able to talk about it. This better not be an annual thing!

    • I felt pretty bad! I hope it isn’t annual too but, I’m afraid it may well be.

  9. My second shot pretty much did me the same way. I figured it was because I did have Covid. Mine lasted about 24 hours

  10. Hubby and I both had a bad reaction to the 2nd shot (fevers, headaches, aching, just plain miserable). Fortunately after a couple of days, we were feeling better, not 100%, but definitely better. Hope you’re better tonight.

    • I’m feeling close to being 100% tonight so I hope the worst is over.

  11. Good to hear you’re back on track! My adult son and I just had our first shots yesterday and both have sore arms. I had a little headache too but I think that was from lack of sleep. Hoping we do well with the next shot as the day after that I will be headed into the city to accompany my son when he sees his hematologist. We had Pfizer and everyone I know that had Pfizer did okay but I’ve heard numerous folks having a harder time with the second shot of Moderna.

  12. My husband and I had our 2nd Moderna vaccine last Wednesday and it kicked us down for a few days. Fever, chills, sweating. All the same things you experienced. We were down 2 days but by Friday afternoon felt like we were somewhat normal again.

    • I felt bad for about 24 hours. This morning, it’s been 48 hours and I’m totally back to normal . . so far. 🙂

  13. I hope you feel better soon! I got my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine about 5 weeks ago. I was fortunate, and had no reaction other than injection-site pain which is normal for me. (I had a tetanus vaccine a couple of years ago, and that hurt more than either of the Pfizer shots.

    • I’m glad you didn’t get sick. It seems like most people who have gotten sick with the 2nd one had received the Moderna vaccine but it probably has a lot to do with the individual.

      When I got the second vaccine, I didn’t even feel the needle. I left thinking it was a prank and I didn’t really get the vaccine but it didn’t take long before I knew for sure I had gotten something!

  14. Sorry you had a strong reaction, but the good news is your immune system is working!! I had heard the Pfizer was stronger, but I think you are right and it is so different for everyone. My friend woke up in the middle of the night with really painful toes…she probably would have had Covid toes if she had had the virus. The good news is after a few days you should be feeling great… after Covid not always the case.

    • Yes! No matter how bad I felt for a few days, it was better than having Covid. I think most of the night I was so cold my toes were numb so if they hurt, I didn’t feel it. 🙂

      I’m glad friends had shared with me how bad they felt after the 2nd shot so I was prepared. It would have been worse if I hadn’t expected it.

  15. You had a much worse reaction than we did. Husband complained of a sore arm. And in the middle of the night he had the chills. Then we napped off and on all the next day until early evening when we were feeling better. I had a low grade temperature until about noon – took way more mini naps than I think I ever had but by late afternoon/early evening that was all behind me too. Slept like a baby that night and woke up feeling fine the next day. We were hungry for meals but not interested in eating much – 1/2 a sandwich at lunch, and a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner. We drank lots of fluids (which meant a lot of trips to the bathroom when you didnt even feel like getting up!). So thankful that it was annoying more than anything else (it made that day feel like it lasted forever!) and that it is behind us for now! Looking forward to seeing our daughters and grandchildren at Easter!

    • I always say (after it’s over) that I’m thankful for those rare days when I feel so bad because that makes me realize how lucky I am to feel good almost all the time.

      Like y’all, I kept drinking water and juice even when I didn’t want it because I knew I needed liquids. Yesterday morning I fixed bacon and toast, took two bites of bacon, no bites of the toast. That may be the first time I left bacon on my plate!

  16. I had Pfizer vaccine and had little to complain of. Donnie had Moderna and the second one kicked his rear end. His temp did not get as high as yours but he had the freezing/shaking and general body aches. It took him several days to get over it.

    • I’ve had friends who got sick from the Pfizer and some who didn’t get sick from the Moderna vaccines so I’m not sure what to make of it. I actually only felt bad for about 12 – 14 hours and then I was pretty much back to normal . . thankfully. I dread if we have to keep doing this.

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