Side effects

[heleninwales]

I have done virtually nothing today. I had the second dose of the shingles vaccine yesterday and felt very cold shivery in the night. I had to get up to put an extra blanket on my side of the bed. Then a couple of hours later I was boiling hot and had to push the blanket off again. Due to the disturbed night, I feel tired and my temperature is only just now heading back to normal.

However, the woolly headed feeling has more or less gone and there's still a couple of hours left to do a few useful things -- things that don't take any physical effort or much brain power!

So a miserable day, but I'd rather have 24-36 hours feeling under par than end up with shingles . I should be back to normal tomorrow after another night's sleep, though I will take things easy.

Comments

[flemmings]

Oh dear. Hope you're back to normal soon.

[heleninwales]

The fever is gone now, so it's just tiredness from a disturbed night and a bit of soreness in my arm. I should feel OK tomorrow.

[eve_prime]

At some point I should find out whether I should get the shingles vaccine given that I've already had shingles. Right now the flu, covid, and dtap/tdap vaccines are higher priority for me.

[heleninwales]

That's a good question. I don't know whether having shingles provides immunity against getting it again. We have appointments for the covid and 'flu jabs later this month. I suppose I'll get a reaction after those, but I'd rather that than get a severe illness.

[eve_prime]

I'm going to wait a few weeks before getting my Covid shot, since my immune system seemed to respond when J and D had it in July. I figure since they recommend three months or more after an active Covid infection for the next vaccination, it may apply to me too. I have such a strong reaction to the Covid vaccines that I have to schedule it carefully, but it pays off in that I still haven't had Covid.

[heleninwales]

We did get covid last December, despite having had the vaccine. However, because we'd had the jab just 4 weeks previously, we weren't very ill with it. The RSV which we had in the October was very much worse.

They're starting to offer vaccinations against RSV but so far only for people over 75 and so we don't yet qualify. But like you with shingles, I need to find out whether having had RSV gives permanent immunity, or whether it wears off/there are different strains. Also, the RSV was only self-diagnosed by me, but I don't know what else it could have been. Anyway, I definitely advise against catching it. It was as bad as the worst 'flu I've ever had, so if you are offered the vaccine, I suggest having it.

[eve_prime]

That's good advice, thanks. I looked it up just now, and although there's a list of health conditions that qualify people in the U.S. to get the RSV vaccine between ages 60-74, none of them apply to me, as far as I know. I will just have to hope not to catch it, I guess.

[coth]

Sorry for the bad night. I hope last night was better.

[heleninwales]

I slept well last night and the last of the side effects has gone, even the soreness in my arm. I suppose I'll get a reaction when we have the covid and 'flu jabs later this month, but I'd rather that than get a severe illness.

[coth]

Glad you slept. Good luck for the jabs - ours are next Monday.

[coth]

Glad you slept. Good luck for the jabs - ours are next Monday.