When I received my first two Moderna jabs in California, I planned ahead for both. I timed them to line up perfectly with the weekend. In fact, for the second vaccine, I even took an extra day off just in case I had prolonged symptoms. With my booster shot, while I did line it up with the weekend, it was a last-minute decision thrown in with existing plans. Consequently, it took me four days to recover.
When and Where Did I Get My Booster Shot?
I got my booster shot two weeks ago while visiting Arizona. I booked my appointment via the Walmart app the day before. I was not surprised to find several openings. It is Arizona, after all.
I received the shot on a Friday afternoon and still felt unwell when I went to bed the following Monday night. In fact, I barely got any work done. I didn’t feel like myself again until waking up on Tuesday morning.
What Were My Symptoms?
General lethargy was one symptom that followed me throughout my “recovery”. Here are the others:
Day One: I immediately felt a little light-headed and had a pain in the arm I got the jab in. The pain wasn’t unbearable, but it certainly wasn’t the most comfortable two-hour drive back to camp.
Day Two: I woke up with a headache and still had a slight pain in my arm. I also had a swollen lymph node in the armpit on the side I got the vaccine. I didn’t have this symptom for the first two shots. To add to this, I got light-headed in the last half of the day. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize until I had already started a three-hour roundtrip to pick up some items in town.
Day Three: I woke up feeling much better than the previous days, but I still had a swollen lymph node and felt a little tired. I went to bed early that night, after driving from Arizona back to Mexico.
Day Four: I was 100% sure I would be fine when I woke up on Monday. At first, I thought I was, but I had a difficult time concentrating and getting any work done. Thankfully, I didn’t need to cancel anything.
Day Five: I woke up with no symptoms and could resume work easily—except for the lymph node under my armpit. That disappeared by the end of the week.
What Do I Think Prolonged My Symptoms?
When I visited Arizona, I did so for one primary reason. The rooftop tent I had bought in February was finally being delivered. One of my neighbours in Mexico had volunteered his friend in Arizona to accept the tent. But, the person messed up the delivery and was not cooperating with me or the freight company. Consequently, I arranged for the company to hold it, so I could pick it up in person that Friday.
The tent cannot fit inside the truck. It’s longer than the full roof. So, another friend picked it up in his truck. We installed it on his ranch that Friday night, by flashlight. We had a tough time because the screws we received were the wrong size. So, instead of going to bed and getting some rest, I was lifting heavy objects, solving tent-mounting problems and getting sleepier by the second.
The following day, when I felt the sleep taking a hold of me again, I decided to fight it. I was worried that if I slept during the day, I’d have a tough time going to bed that night. That seemed like a bad idea when I had to drive back to Mexico the following morning. So, I stayed up.
In short, while my immune system was in overdrive and needed rest to mend itself, I was busy running around. I am 100% sure this is what caused my symptoms to last as long as they did.
As for the swollen lymph node, it’s a common immune response. It’s also a known potential side-effect of the vaccine. Consequently, while it did cause some discomfort, I wasn’t concerned about it.
Have you gotten your booster shot, yet? If yes, did you experience any symptoms? What were they? Were they better or worse than the symptoms you had with your other vaccine(s)? If you haven’t yet gotten your booster shot, be sure to schedule time for rest. Don’t fight it, like I did!
Stay safe and take care
Glad it wasn’t too bad. 😉
Thank you! Any worse than that and I’m not sure I would have made it back to Mexico in time. 😅
I also had Moderna, and had slight arm soreness. My wife had a bit longer and more pronounced reaction, not dissimilar to yours. Still worth it.
Definitely still worth it! I’m glad you didn’t have any serious side effects.
Agreed. Still surprised with reaction since booster is only half dose unless immune impaired
I didn’t even realize it was half dose until a week after getting it. Of course it had already kicked my butt by then. 😅
I’m sorry you had such a tough time, Alexis, but this tells me your immune system is roaring along and you have good antibodies! I was only tired and achy after my booster.
Glad to hear you got your booster and didn’t have any serious systems. That’s awesome.
I hope you’re right about my immune system. I’m flying home for Christmas, so I need it to stay in tip top shape!
I experienced a sore arm and I slept all afternoon. Woke up absolutely fine!
I think if I had just gone to bed, I’d have a similar experience to report. 😅
This is one of those cases where they say if you don’t take rest, your body will take it for you. 🙃 Glad you’re feeling better now though.
They haven’t started recommending boosters in Jamaica yet or for Astra Zeneca, but the second they start I’ll be first in line.
Oh, it sure did! But, I guess getting knocked out by the booster shot is better than not having it at all. 😅
I hope you get yours soon. I hear you can Frankenstein the shots. So, if you come to America, you should be able to just get Moderna or Pfizer. Walmart doesn’t check citizenship or residency.
Sounds like a challenging few days. Glad you’re better now, Alexis. ((hugs))
I’ve not had my booster yet – after reading this, and everyone’s comments, I’ll try to schedule in some rest when I do.
It was! I was really surprised it followed me all the way to Monday. That’s what I get for not resting. Don’t make my mistake! 😅
I got my booster shot which was not the same as the original vax. Didn’t hurt much but I was a bit tired, had a doozy of a headache one day (thank you Aleve) and my arm itched for days. Funny thing, the flu shot made my arm itch too.
I think I had an itchy vaccination site with the second vaccine and also the chickenpox vaccine when I was going through the immigration process. I’m glad you didn’t have any serious side effects. ☺️
I got my Booster a month ago, and it actually hurt a lot (i.e. my arm tensed up and an unpleasant tingling sensation ran all the way from the local spot to my fingertips). It freaked me out, but thankfully, it passed within 15 minutes and, aside from some numbness/chills for an hour or two while sleeping that night, I was pretty much back to normal the next day. I’ve heard similar stories of my peers who received the Booster and had adverse reactions to it, so you’re not alone. Glad to read you’re fine now!
Thank you. I’m glad to have recovered too. It wasn’t severe, but that lethargy really kicked my productivity in the butt.
I’m glad your symptoms were mild! I wonder what caused that strange pain in the first 15 minutes though. Did you have that with the other two vaccines?
I did not feel that sensation with the previous vaccines; it was just this one. Very strange, but thankfully nothing to be concerned about!
I got my booster on Monday at the local savon pharmacy inside my local Albertsons store. I just walked in and they had an opening. About 2 weeks before I got my flu shot and this is why I waited. Even though the booster was said to be half the regular dose it made my left arm, where I got the shot, very sore for several days and is just now only a bit sore if I touch the area. The only factor was it was the same arm as I received the flu shot. I can’t tell if I have other symptoms, as we are having Santa Ana winds and those get my allergies going so…many of those symptoms could be from allergies, like tired etc. I am glad I’m fully vax. As it seems we are getting hit with a new variant. Stay safe.
I just heard about the new variant too. I saw Biden’s post yesterday restricting travel from Southern Africa. And this morning, two confirmed cases from Southern Africa in the UK!
I’m glad so many of us have gotten our boosters. My mom says she doesn’t qualify yet in Georgia. I told her to just walk into a Walmart. They aren’t going to turn her away and they aren’t allowed to ask for proof of eligibility.
Yes I don’t think they will turn anybody away if they come in to get a booster.
Especially Georgia, which was in the top 10 for worst vaccination rates last time I checked.
I saw today that overall the USA is only at 59.1% of fully vaccinated people. But hospitalizations and deaths are down from the last 7 days over 20%.
Really! I thought we were at 80% vaccinated.
California is over 70% fully vaccinated.
I don’t mean Cali. I meant America. I thought we hit the 80% mark of people who had received at least one shot.
I think you are right or at least close. But as of today, the USA is only 59.4% fully vax. In fact as of today cases are up again.
yes – received booster – only sore arm for several days and a red rash around it
I’m glad your symptoms were mild. Sucks about the rash though. How long did it take to go away?
about 5 days. thankfully was not very itchy or painful!!
I’m glad it wasn’t any worse then!
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