Our COVID and flu vaccines (although I am SURE it was the COVID shot because I am a loyal flu shot recipient and this has never happened to me before) DESTROYED US this weekend. Well. Destroyed Ben and me, anyway. The kids were all fine (Minnie and Cooper might be coming down with something today (BECAUSE OF COURSE) but they were fine yesterday).
Neither one of us slept well because we had just awful body aches (at one point, lying on my back, I could feel every vertebrae because EACH ONE WAS ACHING) and were FREEZING despite multiple layers.
Sunday was more of the same. I didn’t even feel well enough to drink coffee, which is huge for me. I would take ibuprofen, feel a little better for a little while, and then feel rotten again until it was time to take Tylenol, etc. And my arm! OMGGGGGG. I couldn’t even lift it above my shoulder.
We decided that next year, one of us will get vaccinated a few days before the rest of the group so that both adults aren’t out of commission at once because the very worst part was doing all of the usual Sunday things and feeling like death warmed over.
After dinner last night (pizza, natch), I took another dose of Tylenol because eff my liver, right? While I waited for my fever to break, I climbed into bed with Dorothy (she felt ok-ish compared to us but stayed mostly in bed in her jammies all day watching The Simpsons) and slept for an hour before it was time to put Minnie to bed, and that was my favorite time of the whole day (except for the 45 minutes I spent in a scalding hot epsom salt soak— thank you to the house-building Sarah who made sure we have super deep soaking tubs).
In the middle of the night on Saturday (or early Sunday morning?) Ben was moaning, I think I have COVID, which did make me laugh, even though laughing hurt my head. Cross your fingers that these vaccines do their jobs.
(Also, I have never had a shot reaction before— did this happen to anyone else? Maybe it was both at once? Maybe I got a different brand this time? JUST LUCKY?)
Yikes! That sounds awful. (And also, I felt awful laughing at Ben's moans.) I think the plan to stagger the shots between you and Ben is an excellent strategy though. We're due for our shots, and I've put them off until I finish conference travel later this week--although if I had a jot of sense, I'd have made sure I got them *before* I went gallivanting into a planes and hotels full of germs.
ReplyDeleteTurns out, he got out of bed and TOOK A COVID TEST— cannot even stop laughing when I think of that.
DeleteOh Sarah!!! I am so sorry you and Ben had such a terrible reaction! This sounds exactly like what the vaccine is like for me (here is my last experience: https://lifeofadoctorswife.wordpress.com/2022/11/08/illness-and-vaccines-and-vaccine-induced-illness/) and I haaaaate it. I am really dragging my feet about getting it this year because I know it will take me out of commission for a whole extra day. Ugh. I will still get it. I WILL. I am just gearing myself up for it.
ReplyDeleteYour plan to stagger your future covid vax with Ben is super smart. There is almost nothing worse than parenting while ill. (I mean, I know there are many worse things.) And also parenting while ill WHILE your partner is also ill? Horrendous.
THAT’S EXACTLY HOW I FELT!! (Also, I cannot believe all the shot hassle and cards and forms and pharmacy vax, etc, was JUST A YEAR AGO! It was lovely to just get it at our HMO at a regular flu clinic, anyway)
DeleteUgh, this happened to me this round and has never happened before! I also normally get both flu and covid shots at the same time. My husband and I both had covid back in June, he was sicker than I was, and when I asked him about his symptoms post-booster he said "my arm got a little sore, I guess?" so there went my theory about it being because of having it recently-ish. So weird.
ReplyDeleteSO WEIRD.
DeleteI did COVID + flu and was miserable for a day. But my arm was pretty normal within 48 hours, so hopefully you won't notice anything very soon! Also, can you imagine what your immune system would do if you actually got COVID if it reacts this way to a vaccine? Thank goodness for modern medicine.
ReplyDeleteI had that same thought!!! Like, wow I am so glad I am only sick from the shot and thank goodness I got it
DeleteTry novovax next time! It was fewer side effects than the mRna versions and works at least as well
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteDitto on Novovax in future years!
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteI've always had the flu shot with zero side effects, and the Covid one has always knocked me sideways a little. My sons both had massive fevers after their boosters, and for me, it's mostly just feeling tired and shitty. I guess next time you'll have to stagger them because both you and Ben down for the count - aieeeee!
ReplyDeleteI already made a note in my calendar to schedule for next year when school starts and to remember to stagger them
DeleteI never take two vaccine at a time. It's too much work for the immune system. And! If you get a bad reaction, you don't know to which. I stagger them 2 weeks apart minimum.
ReplyDeleteSince I was scheduling for 7, I went with convenience which ended up being kind of inconvenient
DeleteThe flu shot got a friend of mine an ambulance ride this year. It's a doozy!
ReplyDeleteYIKES!!
DeleteI also felt pretty awful for about 3 days after my flu/covid shots, and it took a full week to regain full use of my arm. My littles who only had the flu shot (why, medical system?) seemed fine so I am blaming the big bad 'vid.
ReplyDeleteThe kids all got both and were all fine (thankfully! Being sick AND having sick kids is even worse than being sick and having well kids LOL)
DeleteUgh, I'm sorry you had such an awful reaction! I feel so bad for people who have terrible reactions to the Covid shot. I had an AWFUL reaction to the first one (literally got every single symptom and was miserable for 36 hours) but ever since then, I've been fine. No reaction! I keep expecting it to knock me down but so far, so good.
ReplyDeletethis is very hopeful maybe I will be one and done with bad reactions to0 **fingers crossed**
DeleteThis is Lisa. I have never had a reaction to a flu or Covid shot! But I am immune suppressed so it’s not terribly surprising that I don’t get much of a reaction. Phil has had awful experiences with Covid vaccines. He hasn’t gotten this most recent one yet. I don’t even get much of a sore arm! But apparently the flu vaccine worked since I avoided getting influenza A!!
ReplyDeleteYay flu shot!!
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