On Friday I received the 2nd of the 2 Pfizer vaccines, which means in 2 weeks I’ll be protected from serious illness/death and mostly protected from catching and transmitting the original strains and possibly substantially protected from the newer variants? The news changes every day.
The side effects of vaccine #2 are on a spectrum that ranges from nothing to two days of sickness. I ended up with a fever that lasted about 18 hours.
Friday, 11:30am – I receive the vaccine and the nurse tells me I’m good to go for about a year, because he thinks we’re going to need boosters. I’m fine with that. One year at a time.
Friday, 2pm – Sore arm.
Friday, 8pm – TIRED. I fall asleep on the sofa and drag to bed at 10pm.
Friday, 11pm – COLD! Shivering. Pull on two extra sweatshirts and an extra pair of socks.
Saturday, 3am – HOT! OMG so hot I’m on fire. Pull off a sweatshirt, shed socks. Take temperature, and it’s 100.8F. My normal is 97.5 (I’m cool like that) so this was a thing. I drink some water and go back to bed.
Saturday, all day – Fevery and tired. I eventually take a Tylenol to combat a headache which could very well have been from skipping my evening coffee. My temperature drops to 99.8. I hang on the sofa all day under a bunch of blankets and two dogs, dozing off and on.
Saturday, 5pm – I wake up, soaked in sweat and feeling fine! I get up, take a shower, and feel great. My arm is VERY sore.
Today – Back to normal. My arm feels bruised, but only occasionally. I do housework, eat normally, practice yoga, and am VERY relieved.
Overall it was a wild ride, but knowing that all of that crap would be over in a day or so helped immensely.
The first thing I’m going to do once my 2 weeks is up: Go to the library!
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I got Pfizer one too! Was hoping side effects for second one would be different (easier?) – I’m getting my second in two weeks. Glad to hear that the side effects only last about 48 hours though! The first thing I’ll be doing will be hugging my family and friends (who have all been vaccinated)!
I missed hugs so much!! The nurse who gave me my first shot said that you really only hear from the people who have had bad side effects because having no side effects isn’t that much of a story. So it’s possibly you’ll have none!
My second shot is on Monday. Also Pfizer.
Oooo! Good luck good luck and I’m so happy for you!
Congratulations! My mum had a fever after her second shot as well (also Pfizer).
Switzerland is so slow it will probably be September before it’s my turn!
It’s so frustrating to see how slowly these vaccines have been rolled out in some places.