# I got a Tdap shot **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 25, 2013, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310 "2013-01-25T11:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/1 "2013-01-25T11:27:57Z")
I got the Tdap shot Wedsnesday, and was still fine when l I went to bed, no soreness, no side effects, all was well. Thursday morning I woke up and started to stretched, and immediately jerked my arm down in pain, “What the hell is that?!” It felt like Ali got a clean shot on my arm, a powerful, screaming pain where I got the injection. I had forgotten the pain from ten years ago, and it all came rushing back hard. As the day progressed, I began to feel achy, and felt a slight fever coming on. “Okay,” I told myself, “It’s just the shot, you’re not getting sick, grin and bear it.” As I crawled into bed last night , I just knew it was the flu, I was really sore, achy everywhere, feverish, and my nose began to leak a bit. I fell asleep with that feeling of sickness, hot and achy. I woke this morning with only a slight soreness in the arm, the aches and fever were gone. Thank goodness, it was just the shot - I can see my Angel tonight 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Virgil\_Tibbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Virgil\_Tibbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Virgil_Tibbs)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/2 "2013-01-25T11:40:53Z")
Taught degree-awarding powers? Sorry, deep in work… ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/3 "2013-01-25T12:12:10Z")
Well, at least you didn’t catch the Autism. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/4 "2013-01-25T12:55:57Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > Well, at least you didn’t catch the Autism. Yea, thankfully. Wapner at 5…gotta watch Wap…oh sorry. Gotta keep an eye on that. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/5 "2013-01-25T14:59:02Z")
Tdap is Tetanus, diptheria, pertussis. The kind of reactions you describe are pretty common. Beats dying of tetanus, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/6 "2013-01-25T15:42:57Z")
I just got my shot a few weeks ago (my daughter is due any day now! Pretty much anyone expecting to hold the baby will get their shots) and now I feel like a jackass for complaining about my reaction. I just had a really sore arm for a couple of days, then it went away. The Antrax vaccine, though, that one hurt like 8 bitches in a bitch boat. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/7 "2013-01-25T15:54:34Z")
I’ve gotten the Tdap 3 times in the past 2 years. Little bit of overkill if you ask me. None of these times did I have any sort of reaction beyond a bit of a sore spot on my arm for a day or so. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/8 "2013-01-25T16:11:02Z")
It didn’t bother me at all, no sore spot or anything. The flu shot I got last week made my arm sore and gave me the chills one evening, though. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/9 "2013-01-25T16:14:00Z")
I had a similar reaction, and so did Celtling. We both spent the next day on the sofa, and my arm hurt for about a week. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/10 "2013-01-25T17:31:25Z")
> [@PacifistPorcupine](#): > > I’ve gotten the Tdap 3 times in the past 2 years. Little bit of overkill if you ask me. None of these times did I have any sort of reaction beyond a bit of a sore spot on my arm for a day or so. Why so often? From what the doctor told me, it’s only required every ten years, unless there is a serious chance of infection (stepping on a bunch of rusty nails, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/11 "2013-01-25T17:32:33Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > I can see my Angel tonight 🙂 As side effects go, I think that’s exceedingly rare. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/12 "2013-01-25T17:39:16Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > Why so often? From what the doctor told me, it’s only required every ten years, unless there is a serious chance of infection (stepping on a bunch of rusty nails, etc.) First one was because I cut my finger and didn’t remember the last time I had gotten it. It’s interesting going to Urgent Care with e “knife wound.” They ask all sorts of sneaky questions to figure out if you’re a victim of domestic violence. In my case it was potato violence. Second and third ones where because of immigration procedures, they require the tdap and a booster like two months later. I could have avoided one if I had kept a record of the shot I had gotten previisly, but I didn’t. And in theory it wasn’t supposed to be the tdap both times, one was supposed to be a simpler shot, but they were out of it that day. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/13 "2013-01-25T18:19:10Z")
> [@PacifistPorcupine](#): > > First one was because I cut my finger and didn’t remember the last time I had gotten it. It’s interesting going to Urgent Care with e “knife wound.” They ask all sorts of sneaky questions to figure out if you’re a victim of domestic violence. **In my case it was potato violence.** > \ So many bad jokes went through my mind about potatoes and violence, but decided it wasn’t russet. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/14 "2013-01-25T18:27:41Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > The kind of reactions you describe are pretty common. Beats dying of tetanus, if you ask me. Yeah? So you’ve tried both? ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/15 "2013-01-25T20:10:32Z")
> [@PacifistPorcupine](#): > > I’ve gotten the Tdap 3 times in the past 2 years. Little bit of overkill if you ask me. None of these times did I have any sort of reaction beyond a bit of a sore spot on my arm for a day or so. I’ve found that if I don’t wait until the 10 years is up, my reaction to a new shot is much reduced, if it exists at all. I’ve assumed that means that the old one was still giving me at least some level of protection. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/16 "2013-01-26T03:40:29Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Yeah? So you’ve tried both? Well, I read about dying of tetanus in “All Creatures Great and Small” and it sounded pretty hideous. Seems axiomatic that “felt a bit ill” is less bad than “agonizing death” but I suppose I am taking it on faith. ETA: at different times in my life I have had a bad reaction, and no reaction to a tetanus booster (BTW, I thought it was DPT, not T-dap? Is there a difference?) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/17 "2013-01-26T03:50:58Z")
It just refers to the [style of vaccine that you get](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DPT_vaccine). Tdap and DTaP are supposed to have smaller chances of side effects than DPT. Worst I had from my DTaP was feeling like I was punched in the arm. Man, that was sore. ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/18 "2013-01-26T03:55:35Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > The Antrax vaccine, though, that one hurt like 8 bitches in a bitch boat. Holy carp, yes, yes it does. And it sneaks up on you, too…you get it, and think “Well that wasn’t so badooooOOOWWW GODDAMMIT!” ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/19 "2013-01-26T03:56:58Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > It just refers to the [style of vaccine that you get](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DPT_vaccine). Tdap and DTaP are supposed to have smaller chances of side effects than DPT. > > Worst I had from my DTaP was feeling like I was punched in the arm. Man, that was sore. Wow, mystery solved! the bad reaction I had in 1995 was before Tdap was available in the US. The last time I had a booster, no reaction at all, except mild soreness. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310/20 "2013-01-26T04:04:31Z")
> [@Lucretia](#): > > Holy carp, yes, yes it does. And it sneaks up on you, too…you get it, and think “Well that wasn’t so badooooOOOWWW GODDAMMIT!” When I went in the tech said, right before he stabbed me, “This isn’t going to hurt.” I looked at him and replied, “You’re a goddamn liar.” “Yes, yes I am. This is going to suck.” And you’re right, it takes a second for it to hurt. I kept moving my arm around once the pain hit and when I was talking I noticed my voice would shake. And then a few weeks later you’d get the second in the series… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-a-tdap-shot/648310.md?page=2)