Vaccine Day! (First Dose)

PERSONALCOVID

Jan 14

What I Expected Vs. What Happened (So Far)

I got my first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 2 hours ago. (11:30am on a Thursday)

In my last blog post I mentioned that I expected to break out in hives so I made sure to let the nurses know that I have never been in anaphylaxis but I get hives very easily. I also gave them all the medications I am allergic to and the things that cause me to break out. I came to my vaccination appointment with a box of Benadryl, just in case. After the shot, they monitored me for 30 minutes instead of the standard 15 minutes. I have been feeling fine since leaving the hospital. I have mild soreness at the injection site.

I did get hives later but did not notice them until about 90 minutes after the vaccination. After I was OK’d to leave I took a 30-40 min walk to my office. I did not notice when they started because I wasn’t itchy. I just happened to go to the bathroom after eating my lunch and saw in the mirror, the hives on my neck. It was pretty mild. I checked my heart rate and temperature and it was all normal. Twenty minutes after discovering them, they went away completely. Because I know how my body normally responds, it is possible that the hives were brought on from my walk more so than the vaccine. I forgot to bring a scarf with me today and I have been known to break out from prolonged cold exposure. Either way I did not take the Benadryl. This was all as of 2:00pm. Please scroll to the bottom to find a link about COVID19 vaccines and anaphylaxis.

4:00pm I noticed my arm feeling sore

12:00am I had a mild but weird headache. My scalp felt tender and I had soreness on my temple and around my right eye. Drinking water seemed to help. I went to sleep soon after.

The Day After

8:00am Waking up the next morning, I noticed the same headache. Hydration helps. My arm is still sore - not better or worse. I am experiencing general fatigue. That feeling of just wanting to go back to sleep or laydown for longer. Otherwise, feeling pretty OK to function and do things like walk the dog, shower and get ready.

9:00am Started my period. How much of my tiredness is due to my period vs. the vaccine? I can’t really say definitively either way. Typically, I take Alleve or a pain reliever for my cramps but there is a possibility that Ibuprofen or Tylenol could blunt the immune response of the vaccine so I’m doing a lot of ear acupuncture instead.

12:00pm-6:00pm - Working in clinic is fine. Took a longer lunch break to rest. Experiencing general menstrual cycle related fatigue. Injection site soreness is the same. My weird headache comes and goes. It felt better when I was laying down to rest and when I’m constantly hydrating. I’m feeling good otherwise. I did not get hives this afternoon when I went outside without a scarf —just wanted to see. So, maybe yesterday’s hives were vaccine related.

I gave myself 3 ear acupuncture treatments throughout the day to help with period cramps and headache. No fever.

Two Days After

8:00 am: Arm soreness significantly better.

12:00 pm Arm soreness totally gone.

Rest of the day: Headache was on and off in the morning. Drinking tons of water helps. By 2:00 pm it was persistent and on going until I went to sleep. It felt like a sinus headache. No fever.

I gave myself 2 ear acupuncture treatments for the headache. I also gave myself an acupuncture treatment with local sinus points.

I have been very thirsty these past 2 days!

Three Days After

8:00 am Woke today with no headache but very, very thirsty!

Preparing For My Second Dose

I have heard that people are more likely to experience fever, chills, aches, headaches after the second dose. Check out my previous post for my vaccine prep recommendations. I will be continuing all of those practices! With the addition of fully taking off the 72 hours following vaccination -with no plans at all and no working. I will also put added emphasis on hydration because I was so thirsty after and will be scheduling an acupuncture visit with my acupuncturist.

Next dose is Feb 11, stay tuned for updates!

This is not medical advice. This is a telling of my own personal experiences. Please consult your doctor on your medical history if you need help deciding on getting this vaccination. You can read about my decision-making process in my previous post.