Adult Vacinations

[apl68]

Never took the shingles vaccine, and ended up getting it a few years ago.  I was very, very fortunate to have an extremely mild case.  I got the rash, but no pain.

[waterboy]

I've had it twice. I RAN to get the vaccine when I could.

[clean]

it has been 24 hours now.
I had some arm pain last night, and even when I was trying to sleep, the pain/annoyance went to my shoulder/back.I didnt feel all that great last night eitehr.
At this point, though I think that I am feeling better. 
I am dealing with Examity and an error or 2 that they made yesterday proctoring exams.  Im glad that I m not undergoing the side effects as that would make the entire issue with examity so much worse!

As I have heard such terrible things about shingles, I am glad I got round one of the shots. Ill be sure to schedule the next one for either early December, or early January (after Christmas).

[clean]

I took off the bandaid from yesterday's shot!  I can see the hole from the injection!!
I noted that the shot hurt more than usual, and the pharmacist said that they were out of the smaller gauge needles.  Well I can assure you that I have the evidence that they were!!

I take allergy shots weekly and even right after the shot, I am hard pressed to see the injection site. These are quite visible !!

OUCH! 

Still hurts some!  Maybe tonight I will sleep better.  I dont expect that my shoulder will hurt, BUT now that I SEE the holes....

Somewhere it was written, "A mind is a terrible thing..."

[mamselle]

Is anyone else seeing the title of this thread as, "Adult Vacations"?

Must be late...

M.

[clean]

Another year, another shot update!

Today I got both a Flu shot and the updated COVID shot. 

I had intended to get the flu shot at work, but they seem to be keeping the dates of the events secret!  I emailed HR, and they emailed back that 'it was last week"  Then the one in charge of scheduling them replied with a future date, which I remembered about an after it ended. 

So today I went to the county sponsored Covid place.  There were 4 people ready to inoculate the massive crowds clammering to get the newest version of the shot.  In other words, I was the only one there for them, so the wait was very short!!

I then drove to the local Walgreens, because they seem to be the insurance preferred company to use to get the shot (if not done at work).  It looked like no wait there either, but  the front counter person said that the pharmacist would have to print something, and then it got busy, and the counter person had forgotten about me! 
By the time they were ready to give me the shot, there were 3 waiting, but they others were grumbling because they didnt know I was waiting before them and thought that they were first in line, but i was in there less than 90 seconds, so they remarked, 'Wow, That Was FAST!". 

All was well, But then I went for lunch (to go).  I ate my lunch and as soon as I finished all I wanted, i started to throw up for the next few minutes (upsetting My Bride). 

So I hope that was not a harbinger of a bad weekend to come!  I have preliminarily reserved tomorrow to be for recovery.  Still plenty of work to do, and I wont be able to afford to be off Saturday AND Sunday.

Fortunately, after the post lunch 'events' I was able to spend several hours today working on other work things (writing nominations for Emeritus status for some faculty). 

But that is the update! 
In the last year, has anyone else updated their adult shots including Shingles, Pneumonia, tetnis, flu, COVID, or whatever Whooping Cough is called these days?

[nebo113]

From clean:  the pharmacist said that they were out of the smaller gauge needles.  . I am completely needle phobic because I am of the generation which received injections (think polio) from reusable needles.  Huge, reusable needles!. Even today's little needles are traumatic for me.

[clean]

Fortunately, Polio for me was a sweet tasting substance that was squirted in my mouth. (I remember that).  I remember getting small pox, which was not a needle exactly but a round something that sort of strapped to the doctor's thumb.

Fortunately for me, I guess, I have to give myself injections for allergies every week, and now (another issue) a b12 shot once a month, and THAT is a big ass needle! 

In olden days, as a PhD student I had to have regular blood panels drawn for a genetic issue (cholesterol... the total is low, but the parts are out of whack with very log 'good' and very high 'bad' kinds).  IF I could go in and get the blood drawn and then leave, all was well.  But if I had to wait too long before, and especially after, then I had time to faint!  If the would just draw my blood and let me leave then all would be fine and I would get on with my day, but IF/when I had to wait 'to see if I had a reaction', then dammit, you are going to have a reaction!!

So I understand! 
However, it is better to have even THAT kind of reaction, than to have shingles, or COVID (for 3 weeks like I did this summer!) or the flu! 

Consider having someone take you, and make it a positive event!  Have Ice Cream after or some other reward for 'being a good pin cushion'. 

(I always ask when I am given a shot (which I have to have when I get new vials) 'Do you want me to scream or cry for the new people?  I know you have a reputation to uphold!'  After doing that once, they are fast to say, "no" now!... I guess that I startled someone! 

[apl68]

Fortunately, Polio for me was a sweet tasting substance that was squirted in my mouth. (I remember that).  I remember getting small pox, which was not a needle exactly but a round something that sort of strapped to the doctor's thumb.

Most children ended up getting the Sabin oral vaccine, instead of the Salk shot.  I was another child unlucky enough to have a doctor who believed in the Salk vaccine.  The doctor and the local public health office were a place of fear for me, since I usually got shots when I went there.  One night I overheard Mom telling Dad that she would be taking me and my brother to get our shots the next day.  Talk about dread! 

But you know, I've seen people who got polio as children and were left disabled for the rest of their lives.  I've heard horror stories about the last great polio epidemic in this country.  That must have been a time of great terror for parents and children.  No wonder that generation rushed to embrace vaccines when they became available!  I guess perhaps the vaccines did their work of eradicating dreaded childhood illnesses too well.  People lost their fear of disease, and came to believe in internet-created killer vaccine bogeymen instead.

[Wahoo Redux]

Mid-50s.

Shingles shot had no effect that I could discern.  I nursed my mother through shingles.  It is to be avoided.

The first COVID made me slightly fluish the next day, but that was it.

The COVID boosters had no effect on me except this last one which seemed to make both my wife and I very lethargic for the day afterward.  We got the flu shots at the same time after a long trek to Costco, so maybe that had something to do with it.

You'll be fine.

[poiuy]

I got 3 Covid shots last year, in Feb and March, and the booster in November (Moderna). 
After the first Covid shot I had a terrible reaction - fever, aches, throwing up, the works, out of action for 3 days.
I hydrated much better after the second one and had a milder reaction but didn't feel good for a couple of days.
Very minimal reaction to the first booster.

Then after 2.5 years of safety I got a bad bout of Covid (likely a newer omicron strain?) in September this year so I am delaying the next booster till Jan or Feb.

But, last month I got my first shingles shot dose (that did hurt) and my annual flu shot (barely felt it in comparison). I had an awful weekend, pain, fever, and couldn't get out of bed or move my shingles arm for 2 days.  I did have a bout of shingles in my 40s and that was so awful that I started the vaccine series this year.  I am not looking forward to my second dose in January/February.

I am also terribly needle phobic - fainting and all the drama. I don't get shots in drugstores etc. I have to go to the doctor's office.  I have figured out what to say and how to position myself to reduce the fallout - breathing exercises don't work but light chitchat with the nurse (any topic except them warning you what and when they are doing to you) is more effective.

I developed knee swelling and pain out of the blue last December that is still going on.  They have been trying to diagnose me for about a year now to no avail.  My own hypothesis is that it's reactive arthritis following Covid immunization. There are some case studies published that can be found in PubMed, but there is no way of testing or proving this.

[Anon1787]

But, last month I got my first shingles shot dose (that did hurt) and my annual flu shot (barely felt it in comparison). I had an awful weekend, pain, fever, and couldn't get out of bed or move my shingles arm for 2 days.  I did have a bout of shingles in my 40s and that was so awful that I started the vaccine series this year.  I am not looking forward to my second dose in January/February.

I know someone else who got shingles in their mid-40s and it was very painful. Makes me want to get vaccinated now instead of waiting a few more years. From what I gather, getting a shot prior to 50 (without being immune compromised) would make it "off label" and require a doctor's authorization and probably won't be covered by insurance.

[clean]

I am pleased to report that I had no real symptoms from Friday's shots. 
As I indicated in an earlier post, I threw up after the shots when I ate lunch (Wendy's) an hour after the second one, but I take other shots in my tummy that cause nausea if my stomach gets too full, even if it is just too much water/diet coke!.

I scheduled Saturday to be 'sick' but I did not have any issues.  My Covid shot arm is still sensitive if I rub the shot area.  The Flu Shot arm is fine with no pain at all when rubbed.  SO I enjoyed a day of 'unauthorized fun' avoiding any and all work. 

The update from the Covid shot folks is that I got the updated version, and unless the CDC moves to make it an annual update, that this will be my last one.

[jimbogumbo]

In the last year, has anyone else updated their adult shots including Shingles, Pneumonia, tetnis, flu, COVID, or whatever Whooping Cough is called these days?

I did all but COVID in late 2020. Only the Shingles was an issue for me. Since I've don the flu each year, and had 5 Moderna COVID shots with no issue.

Doc now wants me to get Prevnar for Pneumonia. Anyone taken that?

[Ruralguy]

Done all of them but pneumonia (a little too young to get it free) , but I know plenty who did that, had no problems.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is linked with tetanus, and you generally get the booster every 10 years. I think it was once called DPT
(Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertusis) , but might have a different name now. In any case, you get that initially as a kid, and then are supposed to keep getting the decadal boosters.