General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWas your flu shot less painful this year?
Usually I feel a little pinch when I get the shot, and then theres a dull throbbing for awhile. I got my flu shot tonight and it didnt even feel like a shot. I didnt think much of it, until my mother and wife both said the same thing. I wonder if the shot, or the needle, are different this year. Was your experience similar?
CanonRay
(14,101 posts)I think the pharmacist hit a bad spot.
MissB
(15,805 posts)No pain going in and no pain after. I got the quad shot.
I did lift four 50-lb bags of soil a few hours after getting it, so maybe that helped too!
johnnyplankton
(351 posts)I didn't feel it at all. Funny you asked.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)catbyte
(34,373 posts)my arm never got sore and I usually like crap for a few days afterward, but I was fine this year.
dawg day
(7,947 posts)None this year. I forgot I'd gotten it till the bandaid fell off in the shower!
But it could just be that the person who gave me the shot was more adept.
underpants
(182,769 posts)Got it at Target while running errands on Saturday
mokawanis
(4,440 posts)just a little pinch when they gave me the shot. No pain or discomfort at all after leaving the clinic.
dameatball
(7,396 posts)stopbush
(24,396 posts)Shrike47
(6,913 posts)Wednesdays
(17,342 posts)Slight soreness in the muscle in the area for a few days; nothing excruciating though.
NutmegYankee
(16,199 posts)The ache is normally dull for me. Its the tetanus shot that normally makes me sore.
The Genealogist
(4,723 posts)I've had years where I questioned whether I was even administered the shot, and only a little stiffness later on confirmed it. It burned like fire this year. This didn't set well with my anxiety disorder. I nearly passed out on the car ride home. Luckily, my partner drove me to get it. I had to lean the seat back, put my feet on the dash, and say the names of the streets out loud as we drove past in my fight to remain conscious. This was not my first rodeo; I have had vasovagal syncope (I sometimes faint or nearly faint due to emotional stress) several times before. My most recent experience with it was last year, when I had a blood draw at an urgent care. The result that time was a lovely $2000 out of pocket trip to the ER.
Most health care professionals aren't like this, but I have a burning resentment of those who think it is funny when people are squeamish around blood draws and shots. I don't find mocking someone with a diagnosed mental condition to be very professional.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)coming near me. If I dont do that, I will pass out when the needle touches me. The situation has gotten worse as I have gotten older.
By turning my head, I avoid the anxiety of seeing the needle move to my arm. It is better for me to just feel the puncture and sense that as the start of everything. The surprising thing is that I am not afraid of seeing my own blood, I have done that plenty of times.
The Genealogist
(4,723 posts)I did my best, but I did see the needle just before they did the shot. See, they put this circular kind of patch on my arm, I guess it helps them aim or something. Since sometimes I barely feel the shot, I thought what I was feeling might be it, but it was just that patch. Nope!
Last week was a disaster all around, very stressful and terrible for anxiety. which probably contributed to it.
I'd have waited til later to get the shot, but I had to get it by today to keep my job. I feared that I might not get it done and documentation submitted and validated soon enough if I waited too long. Some places don't even have shots available yet! Time was, flu shot was in November. My employer starts in mid September now!
hauckeye
(634 posts)And man it is painful today - swollen and hurts like heck.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)for a couple of days, I could feel it. After that, no problem.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Of course I whimpered like a little puppy because I really hate needles going into me. But surprise, surprise, it didnt hurt when injected. I did have my normal 5 day tenderness after though, but it wasnt abnormal after a needle is put into me.
Luciferous
(6,078 posts)Lisa0825
(14,487 posts)tavernier
(12,377 posts)for about two hours. This year, nothing.
unc70
(6,110 posts)For about 24 hours afterward, I felt like I was trying to get sick -- aching muscles and such.
RainCaster
(10,866 posts)Peacetrain
(22,875 posts)It really makes a difference in how you feel the fluid from the vaccine going in or the initial poke with the needle..
MustLoveBeagles
(11,591 posts)Otherwise I have no other complications other than injection site soreness for a few days.
This year was different. I got the shot at the end of September. I hardly felt the needle going in but few hours later I felt mildly nauseous. A few days later I had very mild flu symptoms that went away after a day. The injection site was sore for a week and felt hot to the touch. I had redness over the site thats only faded in the last few days. Very strange. I skipped the shot last year. I don't think that would make a difference.
Ilsa
(61,694 posts)Spray vaccinations are live virus, but not the flu shot.
MustLoveBeagles
(11,591 posts)This was atypical for me. I'm usually fine after getting it. It was very weird.
Ilsa
(61,694 posts)prior to getting the vaccine, maybe be a couple of days?
MustLoveBeagles
(11,591 posts)My husband had a mild scare a couple weeks before I got the shot. https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=14268345
I don't think it's Covid. Maybe I had a mild reaction to something in the shot? I see another poster had the same prolonged soreness and redness I had. Or it's from sleeping with the fan running and I caught a chill. It's hard telling. I'm still glad I got it.
Owl
(3,641 posts)grobertj
(187 posts)gave me the shot. No big deal!
Ilsa
(61,694 posts)if they are older, which may make the muscle more sore.
ellie
(6,929 posts)was hardly noticeable, but my arm has been sore and red since.
Poiuyt
(18,122 posts)IBEWVET
(217 posts)Iggo
(47,549 posts)Better nurses or better needles.
Edit add: My arm was way more sore than usual, for about an extra day-and-a-half. I'm usually good by the third day. But I got the shot last Thursday afternoon and I still felt the mildest of bruise-like soreness this morning. It's gone now, though.
Tanuki
(14,918 posts)Gothmog
(145,130 posts)Olafjoy
(937 posts)This year, 1/2 a day 👍🏻
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)Neither from the shot itself or the after effects. The needle is ridiculous small.
Luck I guess.
tormadjax
(164 posts)JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,338 posts)I had the high-dose shot for geezers.