My first one made me feel like I’d been punched in the arm and kicked my ass for about a day. It’s time for my second one and if I’m going to feel like crap, I’d rather schedule it for a day when I don’t have anything planned.
So, how did your second shingles shot go?
No reaction to either the first or second.
I had a sore arm, about the same as my covid booster vaccine last week. I don’t recall any other side effects (from either shot, actually)
First one was like the OP, but second one was about half the impact. My wife complained about both of them, but she’s a wimp. YMMV.
I can’t remember my reaction to the first one, but the second one kicked my butt. I stayed in bed for a day with chills and aches.
I’m glad I don’t ever have to get one again.
I was fine with no reactions for either one.
Despite my hopes, it seems the responses are all over the place. I guess I’ll plan to be in bed all day so I’ll do it on Friday.
We are retired drains on society and try to avoid going out on weekends and times when working folks are wanting to use the stores and restaurants.
People react quite differently to most medical procedures, especially vaccines. I had got hives from the first shot, but I occasionally get hives anyway and I got it with my flu shot. I had no reaction to the second one.
I know, I was just hoping that this time it would be different. All of the “no big deal” responses are helpful.
Back when I was working, this would be easy, I’d just do it at the beginning of the week so I could use sick time instead of wasting my precious free time being sick. Now that I’m retired, my schedule is pretty full during the weekdays but I can stay in bed all day Saturday without worrying about chores I should be doing.
Same here. I did fewer steps on my Fitbit that day than I did either of the last two times I had surgery.
Still worth it.
We had ours a couple of years ago. My arm was quite sore both times and I remember feeling it jolting as I rode my bike. It took a bit out of me the 2nd time, to the point where I had to take a nap, but it wasn’t incapacitating.
Just did mine.
Got it Friday afternoon. Friday night, I dreamed of being in pain in every muscle in my body, though I had no pain (even at the injection site) when awake. Saturday morning I awoke to extreme lassitude, and started running a fever later in the morning (around 20 hours after the shot), which peaked a few hours later. By shot + 28 hours, I was tired by mostly fine. The next day was near-normal.
TL;DR: it did knock me down for a day but it wasn’t that bad.
The things our brains do to us is wonderful and amazing and funny.
Thanks for your response!
2nd made me fluey for about 8 hours, but not that badly
Just got my first one and my arm felt bruised when I touched it and my brain felt a bit stuffed with cotton like when Ive had the flu. Very light weight though. Second one in three months.
My arm was sore for about a week after both shingles shots.
A week or so after the second shot, my left hand suddenly hurt like hell and the fingers involuntarily curled up and it felt like I had no control over them. Then, an hour later, the toes on my right foot suddenly became painful. Probably only a minute total combined, and I instantly decided it was the shot, as I’d never experienced anything comparable. Still inarguably better than shingles.
I had a sore arm - much like with the COVID shots. Perhaps a bit more painful - but otherwise, I felt fine.
A friend felt utterly WRETCHED after each of hers (and she was unwell after COVID vaccination, also).
Extrapolating from this: I would guess that your own reaction will be similar to how you’ve reacted to others in the past. Since you had a bad reaction to the first one, I’d plan on a day off after the second.
I got my first shingles shot simultaneously with my first-ever seasonal flu shot, and it was miserable. The shot was early in the day, and by early evening I was feeling terrible and had about the worst night of sickness (chills, fever, ache) I can recall. I’ve been told that it was probably the shingles more than the combo but who knows. I was worn out all the next day, and didn’t feel myself again until two days later.
As a result, I planned my second shingles for a Friday morning so my work wouldn’t be affected. By the early evening I was feeling bad and went to bed early to suffer through it. I was shivering too hard to open the Advil bottle, and eventually woke up in a sweat. There was pain at the injection site but it was not really an issue. I felt much better the next morning than I did the previous time but it was still a pretty slow Saturday. I was fine Sunday.
So I can’t say if the slight difference between Shingles 1 and 2 was because I didn’t add in the flu shot the second round of Shingles. But I had no real reaction to any of the 3 Covid shots I got.
Your plan to time it so you can recover is sensible based on my experience.
Wow, that is scary and weird. But, yes, from what I’ve seen and heard, better than shingles.
Thanks again to everyone for your responses. I’m getting it tomorrow afternoon. We don’t have plans for Friday and it’s looking like its going to be gloomy and drizzly which is perfect for spending the day in bed curled up with blankets and cat.