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COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effect Tracker

Emma Yasinski

May 17, 2024

1385 Comments

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Most Recent Updates:

Click the dates to jump to more details.

May 17, 2024: Astrazeneca is facing two lawsuits. One is a class action lawsuit from patients who experienced thrombosis after receiving the shot, and another is from a woman who was a clinical trial participant in the US. She says the company failed to support her after she suffered debilitating vaccine side effects such as nerve damage and double vision.
July 3, 2023: Researchers are studying a possible link between vaccination and long COVID-like symptoms in a small minority of patients. These symptoms include experiences such as fatigue, irregular heart rates, and headaches that last for weeks after vaccination. Read more here.
Feb 8, 2023: A booster shot of Moderna (the third shot, which is the same as the first two and is not the bivalent booster) was associated with spontaneously developing hives 8-13 days after the shot, that lasted six weeks or longer, according to a study in JAMA. The study suggested that 19-24 out of every 100,000 people vaccinated experienced the side effect.
Jan 13, 2023: Prizer’s Omicron (bivalent) booster seemed to be associated with a heightened risk of stroke in patient 65 and older for three weeks after getting the shot, according to data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a federal safety surveillance system. The CDC and FDA released a joint statement that several other streams of data including: the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services database, The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) database, and data from other countries did not show an association between the shot and strokes, and that they believe the vaccine is safe. Moderna’s Omicron (bivalent) booster did not show similar signals.
July 15 2022: Of people with regular menstrual cycles 42% reported heavier periods after receiving Covid vaccines. The experience was more common among individuals with PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids or other hormonal conditions. Another 44% of those who did not have regular cycles (due to long-acting contraceptives or gender affirming treatments) reported breakthrough bleeding.
June 14 2022: Researchers compared the adverse effects experienced by patients who took Pfizer or Moderna’s mRNA vaccine over the course of 42 weeks. The risk was very low for both, but those that took Pfizer’s were slightly more likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes. The researchers say there is a possibility that these outcomes are not linked to the vaccines, but to Covid infections, and that the results could also belie a slightly lower efficacy of Pfizer’s vaccine. They emphasize the benefits of both vaccines still outweigh the risks.
May 6: The FDA has limited the use of the J&J vaccine after 60 cases of blood clots associated with thrombocytopenia syndrome have been discovered. 18.7 million doses of the shot have been administered, and regulators don’t yet know who is at the highest risk of clots.
January 25: COVID vaccination did not impact the likelihood of couples conceiving in a recent study.
January 21: The NIH is investigating the possibility that the vaccines cause long covid-like symptoms such as irregular heart rates and brain fog in very rare cases.
January 7: Moderna and Pfizer shots are associated with a temporary increase in menstrual cycle length of just under a day, according to a new study. The researchers say future studies will look at breakthrough bleeding and heavy flows, which have been reported anecdotally.
January 3: The FDA has authorized third shots of the Pfizer vaccine for teens 12-15 years old, and immunocompromised children between 5-11 years old. The agency also shortened the amount of time between the second and third shots from six months to five months.
December 31: CDC data shows that serious side effects of Pfizer’s shot are extremely rare in children 5-11. While many reported arm pain, fevers and muscle pain like the adults, only 11 out of more than 40,000 reported myocarditis. Seven of those have fully recovered and four are currently improving.
October 27: MedShadow reached out to cardiologist Jennifer Su, MD, to help you understand the risk of myocarditis in kids and teens who receive the COVID-19 vaccines. Read the article here.

The Weekly Wrap-Up

Independent reporting on drug recalls, medication safety and integrative health, including supplements. No pharma funding.

To help you sort through the news on the COVID-19 vaccine’s progress, MedShadow has created the MedShadow Vaccine Tracker, the only tracker focused on the side effects and adverse events associated with proposed COVID-19 vaccinations.

Rather than injecting patients with a weakened virus or proteins from the pathogen that our immune systems can recognize, which is what’s typically done when we get a flu vaccine, the new vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer — the two that made it to the market first in the U.S. — contain mRNA (messenger RNA), which is a genetic template that instructs our cells to build the viral proteins that our immune systems can then recognize. Its main perk is that allowing our bodies to produce the proteins (rather than growing them in a lab like traditional vaccines) slashes production time. For nearly 20 years, researchers have been interested in using mRNA in vaccines; and some were even tested in early clinical trials for rabies, influenza and Zika. However, the vaccines for COVID-19 will be the first mRNA vaccines ever authorized by the FDA.

Some risks and minor side effects, such as a sore arm where the vaccine is injected or a light skin rash, are clearly worth the benefit of being protected against a disease. Where to draw the line at what is or is not acceptable is a personal decision. That’s where the MedShadow Vaccine Tracker can help.

On the tracker, we will be publishing up-to-date Phase 3 results information about the risks of each vaccination. Phase 3 tests the vaccine for safety and efficacy in large groups of people (tens of thousands) and is the last stage before the FDA considers approval for use in the population at large. We continue following verified reports as the vaccines are offered to the general public. It is important to note that reports of events occurring after vaccination are not inherently linked to it. As countries begin to vaccinate hundreds of millions of people, some would inevitably be diagnosed with illnesses or pass away each day with or without the injections.

Jump to:

Moderna | Pfizer | CanSinBio (China) | Gameleya (Russia) | Johnson & Johnson

Moderna

Moderna started Phase III clinical trials for its vaccine candidate in July. In earlier trials, nearly half of patients experienced common adverse effects like injection site pain, rash, headaches, muscle soreness, nausea and fevers after the second injection. These effects generally subsided within two days. CNBC spoke to a few individuals, some participating in Moderna’s trial and some in Pfizer’s trial who said much the same thing: the side effects were intense and included a high fever, body aches, bad headaches and exhaustion, but were worth it for protection from Covid-19.

In the FDA report published in December, the most common side effects were pain at injection site (91.6% of patients), fatigue (68.5%), headache (63.0%), muscle pain (59.6%), joint pain (44.8%), and chills (43.4%). Three patients experienced Bell’s Palsy, a sudden, and usually temporary, weakening or paralysis of the facial muscles.

The CDC reports that 11% of patients experienced swollen lymph nodes after the first shot. That raised to 16% after the second shot.

A few patients with facial fillers experienced swelling after receiving the vaccine. They were treated with antihistamines and steroids.

January 18: In California, officials halted the use of one particular batch of Moderna vaccines (lot 41L20A) after a small cluster (fewer than 10) of patients at one particular site experienced allergic reactions that required medical attention.

February 1: A study posted on Feb 1 showed that patients who received the vaccine after having been previously infected with COVID-19 showed greater immune response to the first shot and more intense side effects that are associated with strong immune responses like fever and muscle aches. The study included patients who received either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Some scientists believe these patients may only need a single shot to provide sufficient immunity, but more research is needed.

February 12: Out of the first 7.5 million doses administered from Dec 14- Jan 18, 19 cases of anaphylaxis were reported to VAERS after the Moderna vaccine. No patients have died from anaphylaxis. Patients are now being monitored for 15-30 minutes after receiving the vaccine to watch for signs of anaphylaxis. The CDC suggests that anyone who has an immediate allergic reaction to a single dose of an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) should not get the second dose. If your reaction was not immediate, you may be referred to an allergy specialist. The vaccines do not contain polysorbate, but do have a related ingredient, polyethylene glycol (PEG). If you have an allergy to either of these chemicals, you should not get the vaccines.

Many patients are reporting injection site reactions that show up shortly after the injection or up to a week later. These reactions — which are characterized by swelling, redness, itching, rashes, heat and pain — are expected to last a day to a week. Physicians emphasize that while these effects can be scary, they are not dangerous and should not prevent someone from getting the second shot. So far, doctors do not report seeing these reactions after the second shot, however so few have been given so far that scientists are not sure how common it will be on round two.

March 3: Allergy researchers at Mass General Hospital created a registry for healthcare professionals to report immediate and delayed reactions to COVID-19 vaccinations. On March 3, the researchers published a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine describing a series of 12 delayed injection site reactions including swelling and rashes. The researchers wrote that one patient received antibiotics although they were not necessary. Several others were treated with steroids or anti inflammatories. The letter included some photos and said that the reactions cleared up within a median of six days. Patients were encouraged to receive their second dose. Half of them did not experience the reaction the second time. A quarter did, but to a lesser degree.

Moderna has announced that it will begin testing its vaccine in children and adolescents, who they believe may have stronger immune responses, leading to more intense side effects.

April 20: Researchers have received over 25,000 responses to an online survey regarding menstrual changes after receiving any COVID-19 vaccine. The survey is ongoing as researchers hope to gain a better understanding of future directions of research. An op-ed in the New York Times explains how the vaccines could potentially interact with menstrual cycles, and why we really don’t know yet.

April 22: The CDC published an analysis of data from the first few months of voluntary V-safe surveys that suggested that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are safe for pregnant women. Pregnant patients self-reported slightly fewer side effects like fever, headache and chills than the general population, but more said they experienced nausea and injection site pain. Rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-term birth were similar to rates seen before the pandemic. While promising, officials noted that more studies will be required.

April 26: MedShadow asked doctors about some of the unusual symptoms we’re hearing about in the comments: heart palpitations and visual disturbances. They hadn’t had patients who reported long-term symptoms, but said that if the symptoms occurred very quickly after vaccination, they could be related to allergic reactions or presyncope.

April 27: Clinical trials of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines showed 7 cases of Bell’s Palsy. An analysis published today in JAMA suggested the experience was no more frequent after these vaccines than other vaccines. It is unclear whether vaccines raise the risk of facial paralysis at all, but the authors write, “if an association between facial paralysis and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines exists, the risk is likely very low, as with other viral vaccines.”

May 5: Researchers published a detailed analysis of skin reactions after Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations, including swelling and rashes. Most patients with first dose reactions did not have reactions after their second dose. Larger reactions on the arm spreading outward from the injection site were the most common reactions among those who received the Moderna vaccine, followed by smaller localized reactions and hives. Five patients (1.9%) experienced a zoster (shingles) flare after the first dose but none after the second dose. About 1% of patients experienced a flare of an existing skin condition after each dose.

May 20: An analysis published in JAMA suggests that hearing loss is NOT a side effect of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

June 10: The CDC says that as of May 31, VAERS had received 475 reports of myocarditis or pericarditis among people 30 years of age and younger who received a COVID-19 vaccine. Upon follow-up, the CDC and FDA confirmed 226 of the reports. They emphasize that more than 18 million people between ages 12-24 have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. A CDC Fact Sheet on the effect is available here.

June 23: About 1.9% of healthcare employees who received an mRNA vaccination had a skin reaction such as itching or a rash after the first dose. Most (83%) who reported a skin reaction after the first dose, did not experience it again after the second dose, according to a study today in JAMA Dermatology. Another 2.3% experienced a skin reaction after only the second dose.

August 18: The FDA and CDC authorized third shots for patients with specific conditions that compromise their immune systems. The Biden administration has also pushed for booster shots to be made available to everyone, eight months after their second dose, in response to waning antibody levels and a rise in breakthrough infections. People who took Pfizer, Moderna or J&J’s vaccines are still highly protected against hospitalization and death. This plan is not yet authorized. The agencies are also waiting for data to provide guidelines specific to J&J vaccine recipients in the coming weeks. Around a million people have gotten third shots so far in the US and abroad. The FDA hasn’t reviewed all of the data yet, but no new safety concerns have emerged thus far. See answers to frequently asked questions regarding the booster shots here.

August 19: The FDA and CDC are investigating the possibility that Moderna’s vaccine could be up to 2.5 times more likely to be associated with myocarditis (heart inflammation), especially for males under 30 years old. If true, the effect would still be exceedingly rare and scientists say the benefits still greatly outweigh the harms of vaccination. Most patients recover on their own with minimal intervention.

October 23:Researchers found that allergies to the mRNA vaccines are not likely due to the chemical PEG. Most patients (86.7%) who experienced an immediately allergic reaction after the first shot could safely receive the second dose if pretreated with antihistamines. None of the patients required hospital admission.

October 27: MedShadow reached out to cardiologist Jennifer Su, MD, to help you understand the risk of myocarditis in kids and teens who receive the COVID-19 vaccines. Read the article here.

June 14: Researchers compared the adverse effects experienced by patients who took Pfizer or Moderna’s mRNA vaccine over the course of 42 weeks. The risk was very low for both, but those that took Pfizer’s were slightly more likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes. The researchers say there is a possibility that these outcomes are not linked to the vaccines, but to Covid infections, and that the results could also belie a slightly lower efficacy of Pfizer’s vaccine. They emphasize the benefits of both vaccines still outweigh the risks.

Feb 8, 2023: A booster shot of Moderna (the third shot, which is the same as the first two and is not the bivalent booster) was associated with spontaneously developing hives 8-13 days after the shot, that lasted six weeks or longer, according to a study in JAMA. The study suggested that 19-24 out of every 100,000 people vaccinated experienced the side effect.

July 3, 2023: Researchers are studying a possible link between vaccination and long COVID-like symptoms in a small minority of patients. These symptoms include experiences such as fatigue, irregular heart rates, and headaches that last for weeks after vaccination. Read more here.

Pfizer

Pfizer began Phase III clinical trial for its vaccine candidate in July. In earlier trials, some patients experienced common adverse effects like injection site pain, rash, headaches, muscle soreness, nausea and fevers. These effects generally subsided within two days. CNBC spoke to a few individuals, some participating in Pfizer’s trial and others in Moderna’s trial who said much the same thing: the side effects were intense and included a high fever body aches, bad headaches and exhaustion in addition to the more common side effects, but were worth it for protection from Covid-19.

Some patients described the side effects as being similar to a bad hangover. A nurse who participated in the clinical trial reported feeling minimal effects after the first dose, but a fever that reached more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit after the second injection, along with chills, headache, and intense injection site pain. According to researchers, her experience of having all symptoms together was rare, though many patients had one or two of these side effects. “Clinicians will need to be prepared to discuss with patients why they should trust the vaccine and that its adverse effects could look a lot like COVID-19,” the nurse wrote on Dec 7.

The FDA report published in December said the most common reactions were injection site reactions (84.1%), fatigue (62.9%), headache (55.1%), muscle pain (38.3%), chills (31.9%), joint pain (23.6%), fever (14.2%). Swollen lymph nodes occurred in 0.3% of patients. The FDA reported that four patients who received the vaccine experienced Bell’s Palsy.

January 12: A doctor in Florida died 16 days after receiving the vaccine from a rare blood disorder, acute immune thrombocytopenia. Both Pfizer and the CDC are investigating, though the company has released a statement that so far, they haven’t seen any signs in the clinical trials or data collected from early vaccinations that the death could be related to the vaccine. The blood disorder immune thrombocytopenia, has also been seen as a rare complication of COVID-19 itself, in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

January 19: Twenty-three elderly patients in Norway died after receiving Pfizer’s vaccine. Officials are investigating whether or not the deaths are vaccine-related. Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, suggests that while the deaths may be coincidental given the fragile population, it’s possible that side effects of the vaccines, like fevers, may have strained the frail patients’ bodies and contributed to their deaths. Norway has vaccinated about 45,000 people so far, most of whom live in nursing homes.

February 12: Out of the first 9.9 million doses administered from Dec 14- Jan 18, 47 cases of anaphylaxis were reported to VAERS after the Pfizer vaccine. Patients are now being monitored for 15-30 minutes after receiving the vaccine to watch for signs of anaphylaxis. The CDC suggests that anyone who has an immediate allergic reaction to a single dose of an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) should not get the second dose. If your reaction was not immediate, you may be referred to an allergy specialist. The vaccines do not contain polysorbate, but do have a related ingredient, polyethylene glycol (PEG). If you have an allergy to either of these chemicals, you should not get the vaccines.

March 8: Researchers from Mass General Brigham published a Research Letter in JAMA analyzing allergic reactions in employees who received their shots there. Out of 52,805 participants, 2.1% experienced some kind of allergic reaction, including hives, itching, rash, swelling or respiratory symptoms within the first three days after vaccination. Allergies were slightly more common with the Moderna vaccine than the Pfizer vaccine (2.2% compared to 1.95%). Sixteen experienced anaphylaxis.

March 30: Researchers publish a case study of a single patient in which they suspect the Pfizer vaccine may have caused a rheumatoid arthritis flare. The flare was treated, and the patient is in remission. The researchers and RA advocacy groups still advise patients to get the vaccine as the benefits outweigh the risks of a flare up.

April 22: The CDC published an analysis of data from the first few months of voluntary V-safe surveys that suggested that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are safe for pregnant women. Pregnant patients self-reported slightly fewer side effects like fever, headache and chills than the general population, but more said they experienced nausea and injection site pain. Rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-term birth were similar to rates seen before the pandemic. While promising, officials noted that more studies will be required.

April 27: Clinical trials of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines showed 7 cases of Bell’s Palsy. An analysis published today in JAMA suggested the experience was no more frequent after these vaccines than other vaccines. It is unclear whether vaccines raise the risk of facial paralysis at all, but the authors write, “if an association between facial paralysis and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines exists, the risk is likely very low, as with other viral vaccines.”

May 5: Researchers published a detailed analysis of skin reactions after Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations, including swelling and rashes. Nearly a quarter of patients had smaller local reactions after each of the two shots. Hives were the most common skin reaction (26% after the first shot, 18% after the second,) among patients who received the Pfizer vaccine. Several also experienced flares of existing skin conditions.

May 10: Pfizer’s vaccine received Emergency Use Authorization for 12 to 15-year-olds. The company reported that common adverse effects like chills and fever were more common in this age group than adults. Adverse reactions in adolescents 12 through 15 years of age included pain at the injection site (90.5%), fatigue (77.5%), headache (75.5%), chills (49.2%), muscle pain (42.2%), fever (24.3%), joint pain (20.2%), injection site swelling (9.2%), injection site redness (8.6%), lymphadenopathy (0.8%), and nausea (0.4%). These effects generally subsided within 1-2 days. While data on syncope (fainting) was not included, the announcement mentioned that fainting after vaccination is more common in teens than adults, and that safety measures should be in place to reduce this risk.

May 20: An analysis published in JAMA suggests that hearing loss is NOT a side effect of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

May 23: The CDC is investigating reports of myocarditis in a small number of vaccinated teens. Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, has multiple causes but a viral infection is the most common trigger. In 2019, one million people were diagnosed with myocarditis, most of them under 40 years old. It’s not yet clear if these events were related to the vaccine.

June 9: A study in Nature Medicine suggests that there may be a very slightly elevated risk of blood disorders after receipt of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but NOT Pfizer’s. The study was based on an analysis of medical records in Scotland. Researchers say the vaccine’s benefits still outweigh the risks and that their results should not alter policy. The rates are similar to those seen with other common vaccines.

June 10: The CDC says that as of May 31, VAERS had received 475 reports of myocarditis or pericarditis among people 30 years of age and younger who received a COVID-19 vaccine. Upon follow-up, the CDC and FDA confirmed 226 of the reports. They emphasize that more than 18 million people between ages 12-24 have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. A CDC Fact Sheet on the effect is available here.

June 23: About 1.9% of healthcare employees who received an mRNA vaccination had a skin reaction such as itching or a rash after the first dose. Most (83%) who reported a skin reaction after the first dose, did not experience it again after the second dose, according to a study today in JAMA Dermatology. Another 2.3% experienced a skin reaction after only the second dose.

August 18: The FDA and CDC authorized third shots for patients with specific conditions that compromise their immune systems. The Biden administration has also pushed for booster shots to be made available to everyone, eight months after their second dose, in response to waning antibody levels and a rise in breakthrough infections. People who took Pfizer, Moderna or J&J’s vaccines are still highly protected against hospitalization and death. This plan is not yet authorized. The agencies are also waiting for data to provide guidelines specific to J&J vaccine recipients in the coming weeks. Around a million people have gotten third shots so far in the US and abroad. The FDA hasn’t reviewed all of the data yet, but no new safety concerns have emerged thus far. See answers to frequently asked questions regarding the booster shots here.

August 22: Researchers published two case studies of patients experiencing neurological effects such as losing balance and non-epileptic convulsions after the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines. They emphasize that functional neurological disorders are treatable.

September 2: Researchers in Israel reviewed medical records of patients who had experienced Guillan-Barre Syndrome (GBS) prior to receiving Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot. Of the 579 patients, five were transferred to the hospital for neurological symptoms such as tremors or prickling sensations. Only one patient required medical care for relapse of GBS.

September 28: V-Safe data from 306 people who received their third shots showed that nearly identical numbers of patients reported side effects to the second and third shots. 79.4% and 74.1% reported local or systemic reactions, respectively, after the third dose compared to 77.6% and 76.5% who reported local or systemic reactions after the second dose, respectively.

October 23: Researchers found that allergies to the mRNA vaccines are not likely due to the chemical PEG. Most patients (86.7%) who experienced an immediately allergic reaction after the first shot could safely receive the second dose if pretreated with antihistamines. None of the patients required hospital admission.

October 27: MedShadow reached out to cardiologist Jennifer Su, MD, to help you understand the risk of myocarditis in kids and teens who receive the COVID-19 vaccines. Read the article here.

Dec 8: The FDA authorized Astrazeneca’s monoclonal antibody treatment as an alternative to the vaccine for people over 12 years old who are immunocompromised or have a history of severe vaccine reactions. The treatment is given in two injections and protection is thought to last 6 months up to a year. It reduced the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 by 82%.

Dec 31: CDC data shows that serious side effects of Pfizer’s shot are extremely rare in children 5-11. While many reported arm pain, fevers and muscle pain like the adults, only 11 out of more than 40,000 reported myocarditis. Seven of those have fully recovered and four are currently improving.

June 14: Researchers compared the adverse effects experienced by patients who took Pfizer or Moderna’s mRNA vaccine over the course of 42 weeks. The risk was very low for both, but those that took Pfizer’s were slightly more likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes. The researchers say there is a possibility that these outcomes are not linked to the vaccines, but to Covid infections, and that the results could also belie a slightly lower efficacy of Pfizer’s vaccine. They emphasize the benefits of both vaccines still outweigh the risks.

January 13, 2023: Prizer’s Omicron (bivalent) booster seemed to be associated with a heightened risk of stroke in patient 65 and older for three weeks after getting the shot, according to data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a federal safety surveillance system. The CDC and FDA released a joint statement that several other streams of data including: the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services database, The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) database, and data from other countries did not show an association between the shot and strokes, and that they believe the vaccine is safe. Moderna’s Omicron (bivalent) booster did not show similar signals.

July 3, 2023: Researchers are studying a possible link between vaccination and long COVID-like symptoms in a small minority of patients. These symptoms include experiences such as fatigue, irregular heart rates, and headaches that last for weeks after vaccination. Read more here.

CanSinBio (China)

China granted the CanSinBio vaccine emergency approval prior to beginning a Phase III trial in August. In the Phase II trial, nearly three-quarters of patients reported at least one common mild adverse events including injection site pain, rash, headaches, muscle soreness, and fevers. Five people also reported vomiting.

Gamaleya Research Institute (Russia)

Gamaleya Research Institute launched Phase III trials in August. But before they got started, President Putin announced that the vaccine was approved early, however, the Phase III trials are expected to continue. In the earlier trials, almost all of the patients experienced low-grade fevers. A small number of patients reported heart palpitations. Otherwise, reported side effects were similar to other vaccines and included injection site pain, rash, headaches, and muscle soreness.

Feb 2: The group reported efficacy data along with some data on side effects in The Lancet. The most common adverse events were flu-like illness (15.2% of those vaccinated) and local reactions (5.4% of those vaccinated).

The report also states that there were six grade 3 adverse events which were not associated with the vaccination: acute sinusitis, an exacerbation of urolithiasis along with renal colic and deep vein thrombosis (both associated with pre-existing comorbidities) and extremity abscess (due to physical injury and subsequent infection of the wound surface of the soft tissues of the finger).

Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson started a Phase III trial for its vaccine candidate in September 2020, but paused it on October 12 due to an unexplained illness and remains on hold. The company announced it would restart the trial on October 26. Pauses are common during clinical trials to evaluate specific adverse events, but the company has not shared details about the illness experienced by one of the trial volunteers. In earlier trials, about 70% of patients experienced at least one mild adverse effect similar to those seen with other vaccines, including injection site pain, rash, headaches, muscle soreness, and fevers.

On Feb 24, Johnson & Johnson shared data from its Phase III trials. The data suggested that while the vaccine is slightly less protective overall (but more protective against the 501Y.V2 variant that emerged from South Africa,) than the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, it produced fewer side effects.

The report says the most common reactions were injection site reactions (50.2%), fatigue (38.2%), headache (38.9%), muscle pain (33.2%), nausea (14.2%) and fever (9.0%). Reactions were more common in patients under 60 than over 60.

Injection site pain lasted a median of 2 days, but up to 7 days in 2.3% of patients.

April 8: A vaccination site in Colorado paused operations after 11 patients became nauseous and dizzy minutes after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Two patients were transmitted to the hospital, but the rest were deemed healthy enough to return home. Officials said that those vaccinated at the same site should not be concerned.

April 13: The U.S. is calling for a pause on distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while the FDA and CDC investigate blood clots that occurred in six patients (out of 7 million who received the vaccine so far.) One patient died and another was hospitalized. All the clots occurred in women under 50 within two weeks of receiving the vaccine. The issue is similar to the one seen with the AstraZeneca vaccine in Europe.

April 20: Researchers have received over 25,000 responses to an online survey regarding menstrual changes after receiving any COVID-19 vaccine. The survey is ongoing as researchers hope to gain a better understanding of future directions of research.

April 23: The U.S. is resuming use of the vaccine after finding only 15 total cases of blood clots out of the 7 million vaccinated. Patients will be warned about the risk at vaccination sites. Symptoms including headache, leg pain and abdominal pain occur 6-14 days after vaccination. If you have these symptoms you should seek emergency medical treatment. It is treatable with certain blood thinners.

April 26: MedShadow asked doctors about some of the unusual symptoms we’re hearing about in the comments: heart palpitations and visual disturbances. They hadn’t had patients who reported long-term symptoms, but said that if the symptoms occurred very quickly after vaccination, they could be related to allergic reactions or presyncope.

April 27: Doctors suggested that patients with a history of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, such as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, should not get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine (mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna are ok). If you’re at an increased risk for other types of blood clots, (because you have obesity or you smoke, for example) you do not have an elevated risk of blood clots with the J&J vaccine.

April 30: Researchers published detailed data about 12 patients who experienced blood clots in JAMA.

May 13: The CDC has identified more cases of the rare clotting disorder associated with the J&J vaccine. The total is 28 cases. Three patients have died and four are still hospitalized. It’s more common in women than in men, and the benefits still outweigh the risks of vaccination, officials say. Nine million doses of the vaccine have been delivered in the U.S.

May 26: A 37-year old woman in Belgium died from a blood clot thought to be related to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine she received. The country has stopped using the vaccine in patients under the age of 41.

July 12: The FDA is attaching a warning to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine about a slightly elevated risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause paralysis, within three weeks of receiving the vaccine. About 100 cases have been identified. Most patients recovered. One 57-year-old man died. The benefits still out weight the risks of vaccination, it says.

August 22: The FDA and CDC authorized third shots for patients with specific conditions that compromise their immune systems. The Biden administration has also pushed for booster shots to be made available to everyone, eight months after their second dose, in response to waning antibody levels and a rise in breakthrough infections. People who took Pfizer, Moderna or J&J’s vaccines are still highly protected against hospitalization and death. This plan is not yet authorized. The agencies are also waiting for data to provide guidelines specific to J&J vaccine recipients in the coming weeks. Around a million people have gotten third shots so far in the US and abroad. The FDA hasn’t reviewed all of the data yet, but no new safety concerns have emerged thus far. See answers to frequently asked questions regarding the booster shots here.

Dec 16: The CDC’s vaccine advisors are meeting to review data that suggests a heightened risk of clotting disorders in patients who received the J&J vaccine. Women aged 30-49 appear to be the most affected, though the condition likely impacts 1 out of 100,000 vaccine recipients. Nine have died.

May 6: The FDA has limited the use of the J&J vaccine after 60 cases of blood clots associated with thrombocytopenia syndrome have been discovered. 18.7 million doses of the shot have been administered, and regulators don’t yet know who is at the highest risk of clots.

Astrazeneca

The vaccine has been approved for use in the U.K., Argentina, India, E.U. and Mexico, but in May 2024, the company stopped manufacturing the vaccine, citing low demand.

May 17, 2024: Astrazeneca is facing two lawsuits. One is a class action lawsuit from patients who experienced thrombosis after receiving the shot, and another is from a woman who was a clinical trial participant in the US. She says the company failed to support her after she suffered debilitating vaccine side effects such as nerve damage and double vision.

March 11: Denmark has paused the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while it investigates whether it is responsible for blood clots — one fatal — in some patients.

“It is important for us that the citizens are confident in the offer we give them and trust that we can vouch for the quality of the vaccines we have in our program. Therefore, we react promptly until we have investigated whether there is a connection between the vaccine and the possible side effects ,” officials wrote in a press release.

March 15: Several other countries (Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, France and Germany) have also paused use of the vaccine while unusual clotting events are investigated. Meanwhile, Thailand, which paused its use on Friday, March 12 restarted it on Sunday, March 14. On Sunday, AstraZeneca released a statement that its own review revealed “no increased risk” of clotting issues with the vaccine and that “So far across the EU and UK, there have been 15 events of DVT [deep vein thrombosis] and 22 events of pulmonary embolism reported among those given the vaccine, based on the number of cases the Company has received as of 8 March. This is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines.”

March 18: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a statement that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the risks. The vaccine is not associated with an overall risk of blood clots, though there may be a very small increased risk of certain types of clots. The statement reads, “These are rare cases – around 20 million people in the UK and EEA had received the vaccine as of March 16 and EMA had reviewed only 7 cases of blood clots in multiple blood vessels (disseminated intravascular coagulation, DIC) and 18 cases of CVST [clots in the vessels that drain blood from the brain.] A causal link with the vaccine is not proven, but is possible and deserves further analysis.” These cases were more common in women under the age of 55. Germany, France, Italy, Latvia, Bulgaria and Slovenia have all stated that they’d restart or continue to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine in light of the news.

April 7: The EMA still says the benefits of the vaccines outweigh the risks. However, the group has suggested that blood clots be listed as a possible, albeit rare, side effect of the injection and that both patients and doctors be aware of the signs which include: shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, persistent abdominal pain, neurological symptoms like blurry vision and blood spots under the skin beyond the site of injection. If you have these symptoms, seek medical assistance.

April 9: Out of 34 million recipients of the vaccine, 222 have reported blood clots. They appear to be more likely in younger patients, but it’s otherwise impossible to predict who will experience them. Some experts say they can be treated with intravenous immune globulin, which is currently used to treat immune disorders along with some types of blood thinners.

June 9: A study in Nature Medicine suggests that there may be a very slightly elevated risk of blood disorders after receipt of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but not Pfizer’s. The study was based on an analysis of medical records in Scotland. Researchers say the vaccine’s benefits still outweigh the risks and that their results should not alter policy. The rates are similar to those seen with other common vaccines.

August 22: Researchers published two case studies of patients experiencing neurological effects such as losing balance and non-epileptic convulsions after the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines. They emphasize that functional neurological disorders are treatable.

Novavax (United Kingdom)

Novavax began Phase III clinical trials with its vaccine candidate in the United Kingdom in September and is had planned to start a trial in the United States in October. The trial was delayed due to manufacturing problems. The U.S. trial started on December 28. During Phase I/II trials, patients reported adverse events similar to those of other vaccine candidates, including injection site pain, rash, headaches, muscle pain, fever, nausea and vomiting.

June 14: Novavax announced promising efficacy data in a press release. The release suggested that the vaccine has similar side effects to others already approved, but that they may be slightly milder. Complete data is not yet available.

Sinopharm (China)

In July, Sinopharm launched Phase III trials of its two vaccine candidates in the United Arab Emirates, Peru, Morocco, and Argentina, which are now approved for limited use in healthcare workers in China and the UAE. In earlier trials of one of the vaccines, made in collaboration with Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, about 15% of the patients reported adverse events similar to those of other vaccine candidates, including injection site pain, rash, headaches, muscle pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. There is little data available about the second vaccine, made in collaboration with the Beijing Institute of Biological Products.

Sinovac (China)

Sinovac opened Phase III trials of its vaccine candidate, CoronaVac, in July. It is already being used with emergency approval for high risk individuals in China. The earlier trials showed that about a third of patients experienced adverse effects similar to those in other vaccine candidates like injection site pain, fever, and fatigue, but the study included few details about more specific symptoms like nausea, headaches, and vomiting. On November 10, the trial was halted in Brazil due to a participant’s death. However, researchers say the death was not vaccine-related and the trial should continue. It has not been halted in other countries.

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (England)

The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is running a Phase III trial repurposing Bacillus Calmette-Guerin — a vaccine developed nearly a century ago to prevent tuberculosis infections — to prevent Covid-19. Since the vaccine has been around such a long time, there are many reports on its potential adverse effects and the vaccine itself has been altered to minimize many of them. Injection site reactions are common, and lymphadenitis, swelling of the lymph nodes, is common.

Bharat Biotech

Bharat Biotech announced it would begin Phase III trials in India on October 23. In early trials demonstrated side effect profiles similar to those of the other vaccines, including pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, and fever. The country announced emergency approval, though no Phase III data was included in the announcement.

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LuluMay 10, 2021 9:01 PM

Side effects flaring up a week after first shot– I got my first shot of Moderna on 5/1 and had pretty bad soreness around the injection spot the first night and the following day, to the extent that I needed help taking off my clothes. Then it was progressively better through the next two days and by the third day it had mostly disappeared. However, precisely a week (7 days) after, the soreness in the arm flared up again during the day. Then in the night I woke up several times (which was unusual for me) for no clear reason. The next morning I woke up feeling burning in my stomach. Then the whole day I felt body aches, fatigue, and sensitive skin, much like the feeling of getting a cold. I had low-degree fever in the evening. So far the side effects are not getting worse.

AmyMay 9, 2021 4:51 PM

Hello all! I received my first Pfizer vaccination on 4/29 and two hours after getting my shot I started having heart palpitations. I have been having them non stop since then. I went to urgent care and the ER and they did EKG’s and check my heart enzyme levels and other bloodwork and everything came back normal. Has anyone else experienced this?

6 replies

BillMay 29, 2021 10:43 AM

Yes me too. 4 days post 2nd Pfizer shot palpitations began and haven’t stopped, really unnerving. Keeping my fingers crossed this goes away.

Kenneth WhitmoreMay 26, 2021 8:19 PM

Yes. Me

DeniseMay 18, 2021 11:46 PM

I had palpitations too after recieving 1st Pfizer vaccine .Blood pressure very high.Went to the Emergency Room. The doctor gave my medication to bring down BP . Afraid to have my 2nd dose

David MillerMay 10, 2021 9:40 AM

I am 15 weeks post 2nd Pfizer shot and my Blood Pressure is fluctuating. Normal for me is 125/70 and it has gone up to 160/90, then back down to normal in a few days… anyone else?

AlanMay 9, 2021 9:25 PM

Hi Amy, I am in exact same position as you. I got my first pyzier on 4/28 and on day 6 heart palpitations started and have not gone since. I am freaked out also tbh. Wonder what is going on?

SteveMay 9, 2021 7:31 PM

I received the Pfizer vaccine on 4/27 and started getting palpitations about a week later. I haven’t been professionally checked, but my resting heart rate and ekg from my apple watch have been normal. I’ve maintained my exercise routine, including 2.5M runs a few times a week and it hasn’t seemed to cause any issues with these, though I was a little worried about it. After finding this site, it seems it’s a common occurrence. I have a physical coming up soon, so I thought I’d just wait for that, though it’s still a week and a half away.

FaeMay 9, 2021 3:54 AM

I got my first Pfizer shot on the 29th of April, today is 9th of May.
The day I got the shot I felt normal till 5 hours later when I tried to eat something and was hit with nausea so I went straight to bed.
The next day the nausea was gone and I felt mostly normal but my vision was weird like I was looking at the world through a fishbowl which made me slightly dizzy. Looking at computers made(/makes) it worse so it’s been hard to get any work done. Arm was sore for a couple days but just like after a brutal workout, though more localized. No big deal on that part.
The next day I was exhausted and slept most of the day and would wake up drenched with sweat. Not much of an appetite and nausea after I would eat anything.
The day after that my energy levels were about 50% back to normal but I had a migraine which I do not get. Also noticed pretty strong pain on top-left side of my scalp.
The next day I was still exhausted and would nap on and off throughout the day, my vision was still weird and worse when I would look at the computer and couldn’t concentrate for very long on anything without becoming exhausted. Had a really severe stomach cramp and had to run to the bathroom but just once and then that side effect subsided.
Each day since has been a combination of a slightly less severe headache, slightly better energy levels, slightly less nausea after I eat, and slightly less messed up vision, but all are still persisting.
Just wondering how long it will take for all this to go away, if it will all go away, and if it’s a bad idea for me to get the second dose.
I have chronic pain from an old accident and other health issues and was nervous that the vaccine might make that worse, but am happy to report that it hasn’t done that (at least so far).
I’m a very sensitive person and often experience bad side effects so honestly I was expecting worse than this, I just didn’t realize it would be going on for this long which is disheartening, and the vision disturbance is really unnerving.

Michele FMay 8, 2021 8:26 PM

Had my 1st Moderna shot on Wed (May 5) in my left arm. Had site injection soreness that prevented me from sleeping on that side for 2 nights. Mild headaches in the morning that went away with lots of hydration. Also had an odd tingling sensation on the left side/front of my torso around the waistline that comes and goes. It’s similar to that tingling when your limbs fall asleep and just before the pins and needles start. Seems to come in waves and feels like its about 1cm below the skin surface. I’ve read about tingling limb reactions with Moderna, but not tingling torsos. The soreness and headaches are subsiding, but the tingling seems to be getting stronger and more frequent today (Day 3). Planning on phoning our local health advisory line if this continues into day 5.

2 replies

Michelle V.May 21, 2021 5:16 PM

Yes, pins and needles every 1.5 weeks for 12-24 hours since my shot 4 weeks ago. So annoying and a bit disconcerting. I’ve read from other people about this as well. We need to report it. Would be good to hear from people for whom it subsided completely. I also get a bit of muscle weakness on tingling days. This all started 20 mins after my 2nd Pfizer shot.

Jean-Pierre DuboucheronMay 9, 2021 2:43 PM

Hi. I’m a month past my second Moderna shot. I’ve had on an off tingling and itching, along with some paresthesia since the second shot, and it’s still happening. The tingling I feel are like light electric shocks. It’s weird. Some days are great, but some are pretty irritating. Within a week from the 2nd shot I also got a nasty rash on my leg, which took a couple weeks to go away. I spoke to a friend at work and she had a similar skin reaction after her 2nd Moderna shot as well. I’m curious what the physiological reasons are for this. And hopefully it goes away at some point.

StefMay 8, 2021 7:20 PM

Hi there – I’m scheduled to get my second shot a week from today (Pfizer). I was very anxious about getting vaccinated in the first place, but managed to get through Shot 1. Never felt fluish or sick, but did feel like I was on Mars for 2-3 days right after the shot, with really bad brain fog, and I got a bit of pain at the base of the skull (which I think is lymph node inflammation?). Now my eyes are super irritated and red, and I look like I was run over by a truck. I feel fairly OK, but I look sick! Especially because of the eye irritation. I’m wondering if it’s allergic conjunctivitis. I found folks suffering from this on another site, but haven’t seen a lot of eye symptoms here. Some of those people skipped shot 2, others just took a lot of Benadryl and soldiered forward. One person said their eye doctor told them their eyes were full of histamine. Wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this. I found a lot of eye incidents in VERS but nothing super specific or helpful. I am hoping to get shot 2, but a little worried if my immune system is revved up in an unhelpful way (I do have mild autoimmune stuff). I’m going to try to get an appointment with the eye doctor on Monday, or maybe just go straight to a clinic to see what a medical person says about shot 2. My primary care doctor has a negative opinion of the speed at which these vaccines were rolled out so unfortunately I don’t feel like I can ask him for help, he straight out told me he feels like he does not have enough data yet to give me a helpful opinion about it. Thanks, and I hope everyone who’s been experiencing worrisome or just weird or annoying side effects are starting to feel better.

1 reply

VJRMay 10, 2021 11:08 AM

Would you mind reporting back about the eye side effects? My eyes are very red and vision is blurry as well. I have an eye appt this week but am wondering what I can be doing in the meantime.

StefMay 11, 2021 8:53 PM

I will – I went to my GP today and he didn’t have much to offer other than to wait things out. I have an eye appointment later in the month, but things may be cleared up by then. From what I can tell from other comments around the web, it’s possibly an allergic reaction – allergic conjunctivitis – and some people have experienced relief with Benadryl and/or steroids, but haven’t tried either. So sorry you are experiencing this as well!

VJRMay 12, 2021 12:18 PM

Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂 my seasonal allergies are bad right now too, so I wish I could narrow it down to know which it is. Hoping you feel better soon.

StefMay 16, 2021 5:04 PM

Hi VJR, checking in to see how you are and if you’ve made progress. I’ve been to my primary and to urgent care today because my symptoms have stayed the same and some days have been worse. The urgent care doctor prescribed Cromolyn Sodium 4%, for allergic conjunctivitis (it’s a Mast Cell Stablizer). You have to take it for two weeks. We’ll see what happens. Her take was “probably just seasonal allergies,” even after I told her my symptoms started immediately after the shot and haven’t let up since. Her reply was, well, maybe the shot sensitized you more and now you do have seasonal allergies, we don’t know because these vaccines are so new. Which is what my doctor said in his own way. These shots go just fine for most people, my husband didn’t even have symptoms with his, but they are not great for people with sensitive systems. I suspected I’d be dealing with something like this, and I wish people would be a bit more patient and understanding with folks who know their systems are hyper-reactive and wish to wait a little bit before getting a vaccine. Especially since most doctors are not equipped to deal with the weird side effects. I hope you are better! Cause this is totally miserable.

StefMay 28, 2021 7:02 PM

Update for anyone else experiencing eye issues …. my eyes are still red and inflamed after the Cromalyn, nonstop for a month. I called the emergency eye clinic (my eye appt isn’t till later next week) and they said to apply non-preservative eye drops every hour/hot compress 2x day/gel stuff at night & in the AM (after compress). Experienced improvement but not cleared. Also, just feel like my system has been shredded, I look like I have the flu, even though I don’t feel like it – grey skin, inflammation, eye irritation, etc. This vaccine is so weird. I’m also seeing an allergy/immunology doc soon …. I will report back, in the hopes that what I discover might help someone else. Thanks to everyone else who is posting here, hope everyone feels better soon.

budMay 8, 2021 3:54 PM

Was given second Moderna shot 2 months ago in my right arm. I wasn’t thinking that has an old college swimming injury. Yes it swelled and hurt. Went on for 2 weeks , took pain and anti inflammatory meds, also iced it. After 2 weeks I stretched with arms back and felt shoulder pop back into place. By this time it got into my nerves so of course now I had lower neck pain. It is finally getting better with Chiropractic care and acupuncture . Been doing some research and it seems the people like myself had an old underlying condition or infection that the vaccination exacerbated.

Kell BriganMay 15, 2021 8:40 PM

Same, here. I have knee injuries from sports that hadn’t bothered me for years. Also, it’s been over five years (I’m 61) since I had anything like uterine cramps. I had Covid March 2020 (lasted a day and half, then I was fine). After one Moderna shot, my injection arm was rock hard for three days, I lost my appetite for two days, spent a day on the constant edge of vomiting, and had bad uterine cramps and 10 days later can barely walk on one knee that’s swollen to twice its normal size. But, hey, I just need to toughen up and get the second shot, right? Even though my immunity is probably already at the highest its every going to be according to all those inconvenient studies. I’m really starting to hate these sadistic, totalitarian bastards.

NectarinesJuly 3, 2021 1:37 PM

Ain’t that the truth, it’s horrible they are still encouraging people to get the 2nd shot, clearly something is wrong, but all test are coming back normal. Obviously they are not normal! Doctors can make up whatever they want, the only thing they seemed to be concerned about is, pushing these vaccines! They say oh the side effects are not due to vaccine and due to some preexisting condition, well whatever the case, if the vaccine made your preexisting condition WORSE, then that is good reason to not go for the 2nd shot, or not have taken the vaccine at all in the first place. I would try detoxing as much as possible, research on detoxing from vaccines/heavy metals. Raw garlic, parsley cilantro are great detox, and you can juice them too with a slow juicer. also activated charcoal is good detox, and dandelion tea.

ChristopherMay 7, 2021 9:04 PM

For the record and for anyone reading this which will be a small few I’m a M45 and the only option for me here in Canada for a vaccine is the AstraZeneka shot as I don’t qualify for any others with the current Gov restrictions on available vaccines and age brackets.

April 25th

4:00 pm – I’m heading to get my vaccine after 1.5years of this COVID crap. I’m
A bit nervous as it’s the AstraZeneka one but it can’t be any worse then having COVID like I did for 110 days last year right? https://imgur.com/gallery/0cho1aq

4:40pm – I’m at Shoppers DrugMart (Canadian Walgreens) for my scheduled appointment at 4:50pm. Really nervous about side effects and blood clots etc but I know the risks are severely low.

4:50pm – I get the needle after the nurse tells me that she will explain the side effects after the injection…huh? I ask why she doesn’t tell me them prior and she says because you might not get it. I told her that’s a very weird thing to say to people and she said she’s been instructed to administer the dose then tell patients about the side effects. I already knew about the side effects so I wasn’t concerned but still a very strange way to be approaching this delicate situation at this time

5:15 – I was instructed to stay 15min after the shot in the pharmacy incase of any immediate reactions. I felt a bit strange with heart racing but I think it was just my nerves. The needle did not hurt at all. I head home.

7pm – I’m feeling kind of blah… not sick but just blah… my arm doesn’t hurt and all as well.

April 26

5:45am – I wake up completely soaked and shaking I can immediately tell I have a high fever. I use the thermometer to check my temperature it’s 102.1°. I verbally say out loud “Fuck”…

6:10am – inuse all my Jedi training to force myself out of bed to walk to the medicine cabinet and I take one extra strength Advil. My body is sweating and shaking horribly. I’m both cold and hot at the same time with waves of goosebumps flowing from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. This does not feel the way I perceived the symptoms I read about after getting the shot.

9am – No change and temperature hasn’t dropped and my body aches are surreal. Same feeling I had in my body when I had Covid last year is happening right now and it’s scary. I tell myself “you can’t get COVID from the vaccine” and other than the breathing difficulty I had when I had Covid all the familiar feeling are back again. The oxygen thingy that you put on your finger to measure blood oxygen I bought on Amazon says I have 100% oxygen in my body and my heart rate is at 102bpm. But the shaking and feeling in my lungs and my chest and the high fever are identical to what I had last year. For fuck sakes…I’m regret getting the shot now and curse society for promoting this as a safe thing to do.

1pm – I must have passed out sound asleep as I woke up feeling much much better. Take my temperature and it’s 98.6°. No headache no bodyaches I stand up out of bed a little lightheaded but feel pretty much normal! It must’ve passed now and my body has made the antibodies needed for the first dose. Whew…

6pm – On the couch watching Groundhog Day the fever hit me like a truck jumping off a 200’ cliff and landing at the bottom. Within just a few minutes I went from being perfectly fine watching Phil relive his day over and over to being on what can only be deaths door that Phil would be envious about. My body immediately started aching all over and the coldness of the room is seeping into my bones. I crawl upstairs and head to bed.

6:10pm – Take two extra strength Advil and go lay down. The fever is at 102° and though I’m extremely warm I’m not sweating but my eyes balls are burning. I try to sleep but can’t and the thought of Groundhog Day is in my head and the horror of having to relive this day would be brutal. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling regretting not being religious.

11pm – Fever is at 101° and the pain in my lower back and stomach is getting worse. It’s like I’ve been shovelling snow and the plow just drove by and now I have just removed 4’ of ice from the end of the driveway and my muscles inside are strained to the max. I just realized that I’ve peed a lot over the day. At least 10 times and it’s been completely clear like pure water. Very weird as I’m not drinking this much water… where is it coming from??!

April 27

7:35am – Wake up to a 100° fever and feel like I’ve been beaten up, I’m not taking any Advil and going to let my body do it’s thing because it’s natural to have a fever and taking anything might stop or delay the process of the vaccine. It’s natural to feel this way.

7:43am – I gobble two extra strength Advil.

8:45am – Fever is back up to 101.4° with body chills and aches all over. My teeth are rattling I’m so cold…ugh… this is fucking horrible. Why did I do this to myself?!? Stupid society pressuring me to inject this microchip ooze of Bill Gates ball sweat.

1:00pm – Wake up to full body sweats. I think the fever broke but the pain in my lower back and stomach is still there. I’ve peed 6 times in 3 hours, all completely clear. How. Is. This. Possible?? I drink about 4-6 ounces of water after each pee to make sure I’m not dehydrating myself.

10:16pm – No change in symptoms 101.8° fever and pain in abdominal is worse now. I rate it a 6.5 out of ten on a pain scale. I called Telehealth Ontario to speak to a nurse and they said they will call me back in 9 hours. 9 hours?? What a joke. My Canadian privilege kicks in and I pay my taxes and want a nurse now!! I call the hospital to see if I should come in and they tell me not to come unless I feel my life is in danger. Wtf! How do I know if my life is danger?!? Now I’m regretting the shot more then ever and tell myself I will NEVER get the second one. I’ll take my chances with the Rona and at this point I’m pretty sure I’m now anti vaccine and anyone that’s willing to do this to them selves is a sheep. Sheeple. They are sheeple.

April 28

12:20pm – Woke up from what must have been a 13 hour sleep and BAM!

I’m normal again.

Wtf…I get of bed like Phil on day two completely confused and say out loud “What the hell..?”

I feel 100% with no fever, no pains, arm doesn’t hurt any longer and I’m flabbergasted at being back to normal. It’s surreal to feel like this when the last three days have been hell.

As I’m making a coffee looking outside at the sun shinning and birds tweeting in the distance I think to myself I’m not sure why everyone is crying over the vaccine symptoms. It’s really no big deal and these people are just being babies.

I look forward to my second shot now and being even more powerful against the Rona and as I’m walking to the backyard to drink my coffee I catch myself whistling I Got You Babe.

NectarinesJuly 3, 2021 1:47 PM

How are you feeling after 2nd shot?

MamMay 25, 2021 8:20 AM

So you got the second shot?

AllieMay 7, 2021 3:00 PM

8 Days after my 1st Pfizer dose, I got frequent heart palpitations that lasted 6 days. I went to an Urgent Care, and of course it wasn’t happening when they did the EKG, but told me anything happening 7+ days after the vaccine isn’t related and to get the 2nd shot. That week the palpitations finally went away and I went for my 2nd dose. Now, 8/9 days after my 2nd dose I am once again having palpitations for days, and this time way more frequent and stronger. I don’t normally have palpitations aside from a random one here n there, and definitely never lasting 6 straight days. The only new thing in my life was the vaccine. I am going to see a new Dr so hopefully they don’t just brush it off

3 replies

AlanMay 9, 2021 9:26 PM

I am the same Allie, I have had heart palpitations for 5 days now and counting. Wonder will it go away? I am freaked out also

AshishMay 8, 2021 1:11 AM

My mom have the same symptom of palpitations very frequently after 6 to 7 days ..additionally..she is also getting cold finger when this happens… did u doctor suggested anything ? I am out of ideas now 🙁

David MillerMay 7, 2021 9:29 PM

Seems common in lots of people I know.

Roxane LunaMay 7, 2021 8:07 AM

Exact symptoms happened 1 week after both Pfizer injection. 1st shot was on 4/9 then on 4/16 @7am extreme burning in stomach, nausea, dizziness and clammy feeling. Lasted for 10-15 min. 2nd shot on 4/30 and on 5/7 @7:15am exact same symptoms happened. Never experienced anything like this in my 52 years. So I have to assume it’s the covid vaccine causing this..

KateMay 6, 2021 4:40 PM

Like several others, I experienced a longer term reaction to the first mRNA vaccine, including 3 weeks of headaches that progressively became better. The biggest concern was that I wasn’t sure the cause of my body’s longer term reaction, plus this side effect isn’t mentioned anywhere on the CDC website. My primary care physician was not sure of the risk of a second vaccine given my reaction to the first vaccine. My question: have any of you in a similar situation gotten the second vaccine? If so, what was your reaction to the second vaccine? And have you found an immunologist/other doctor who could offer advice? FWIW – I think vaccination is really important. I just want to do so in a way that is safe for my body and wondering if some people (particularly younger women) may be less able to tolerate the vaccine. Thanks so much!

HeatherMay 12, 2021 12:31 PM

I got my second Pfizer shot two weeks ago and still experiencing headaches. I sense they are getting better, but I may also be getting used to them! Going in to the doctor for an annual check-up and hope to talk thru it with my NP.

KateMay 12, 2021 1:51 PM

Thanks so much for this information. I hope everything continues to get better for you!

Barb BMay 5, 2021 11:25 AM

I also suffered head tingling/numbness type feelings in the scalp/head after both moderna shots. After the 1st shot, which I got in the left arm, I got an odd cool, numb, tingling feeling in the back of my head on the left side 2 hours post injection (in addition to chills, fatigue and low grade temp for a few days). The scalp sensatins lasted on and off for two days. I asked for the second shot to be given on the right side on April 29th telling the person that I wanted to conduct my own experiment to see if it would happen on my right side this time. Sure enough, at the 3.5 hour mark, I felt the cold, numb feeling (not a normal headache feeling) on the right side of my head/scalp. I am now six days post shot and I still have the same symptoms. For full disclosure, I have had altered nerve sensations in the past after a car accident (carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve injury) so I was not shocked. Hopefully, it will go away soon!

David MillerMay 5, 2021 9:23 AM

The fact that my side effects are becoming less gives me hope they will abate fully. Going on week 14.
Anyone else?

B FarhaMay 6, 2021 2:49 PM

My wife is on week 13 and she has a few good days and a few bad ones. Every time she thinks she’s going to be back to normal she’ll experience some PVCs, fatigue and chest pains. She has a MRI of her heart scheduled at the end of the month and hopefully it won’t show any permanent damage. She would love to be able to go back 13 weeks and refuse that second Moderna shot.

David MillerMay 6, 2021 6:58 PM

Praying she get over it soon!

Nikolay KolevMay 4, 2021 11:44 PM

During my first and second shots of Pfizer, I started getting palpitations 5 hours after the shot. The palpitations were pretty frequent and bothering. On the second day, they still kept happening, but not as frequently. On the third day, they pretty much disappeared. The same happened with my wife, but she had a more severe case along with tachycardia. During the first shot, I had numbed fingers 15 minutes after the shot for about 15-20 minutes. Nothing like this during the second shot. We both had a painful injection site during the first night – I woke up from pain several times during the night, and my wife had much more severe pain. The pain subsided on days 2 and 3 and disappeared. I also suddenly started having tinnitus again too. And for days, my vision was more blurred than normally, but after 2 weeks, it got back to normal.

This is not just yet another vaccine. I’m fully vaccinated, and I never had any problem with any other vaccine outside of sourness in the shot site for a day! Now, this is something else.

AngelMay 4, 2021 8:36 PM

I had my 1st shot April 1st 2021. No bad side effects, thought everything was good. Well 8 days later I had really bad chest pains on left side under breast and above. Hot flashes, arm falling asleep.. Went to er everything checked out fine. Got my 2nd shot April 30th, 5 days later chest pains are back. Other than that I felt fine just sleepy. I had Pfizer. I’ve never experienced chest pains before but it’s super worrisome.

SabaMay 4, 2021 3:57 PM

Hi All, I was trying to find out if anyone out there has had insomnia
after receiving the Moderna vaccine. And if your issues have resolved or are resolving. I am 6 weeks out since the 1st dose and still struggling with falling asleep for hours and maintaining sleep and only getting 4-5 hours if I am lucky. I never had sleep issues prior to getting the vaccine. PLEASE share your progress and any tips on what worked is working for you. Thank you.

14 replies

NunuAugust 27, 2021 7:56 PM

I was searching the web trying to find answers to my dad sudden insomnia after his COVID Pfizer vaccine in Feb 2021. Not getting better no progress, 6 months. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

KristinJuly 9, 2021 1:54 AM

Hi All: I got my second Moderna vaccine on 3/5/21 and am happy to report that, after about 17 weeks of terrible insomnia, I finally started sleeping through the night in early June. I still need to taper off the sleep meds I have been taking but am so grateful to finally sleep through the night!

SabaJuly 12, 2021 3:56 PM

Hi Kristin, thanks for reporting back and so glad to hear that you are finally able to sleep. I am at 15 weeks and only change is I can fall asleep quickly but wake up in an hour or two. Fall back asleep wake up in 2-3 hours then can’t sleep. I stopped all meds and aids due to other issues (tinnitus eye floaters). So max I get is 5 hours that is fracture. Don’t feel rested at all. I am going through what Meghan described above. Hoping that it improves over next few weeks.

KristinJuly 15, 2021 1:17 AM

Thanks, Saba. Sorry to hear you are still having difficulty sleeping. I may have spoken too soon as I am having a heckuva time getting off the sleep meds. So, will see how I am in a few weeks. Take care and hope things improve for you soon.

MeghanJune 26, 2021 2:12 AM

I had my second Moderna shot on March 22. I have had insomnia ever since. I have never experienced insomnia before. I am able to go to sleep just fine, but every night I wake up between 11-12, toss and turn for a bit, go back to sleep, and then wake up around 3am. I can never get comfortable even though I’m so tired. I have a lot of tingling in my arms at night. When it first started, I was waking up having panic attacks. I do suffer from anxiety, but I had never woken up in the middle of the night with panic attacks. When I went to the ER, all my blood work, CT scans, and ultra sounds came back normal. I’m now on anxiety medication which helped my anxiety, but I am still not sleeping through the night. I’ve talked with friends who are experiencing the same issue after the vaccine (not necessarily just Moderna). One friend also had panic attacks in the middle of the night, and they never experienced anxiety or panics before. Both friends are waking up around 3am and having trouble sleeping.

SabaJuly 12, 2021 3:59 PM

Meghan, same exact issue here! First and only moderna shot on 3/19. I have gone from not being able to sleep at all to what you have. Wide awake after 3 am. So frustrating. I don’t take any meds or aids due to some other vax side effects. On of my friends finally recovered after 5 months. So hoping it gets better with time

Alaine MillerJuly 3, 2021 7:44 PM

My insomnia started about 2 weeks after my second dose of Pfizer. I had brain zaps and jolts and my body would jerk right before I fell asleep, which would wake me right back up. I’ve had insomnia in the past and was always a light sleeper, but nothing like this. I have also dealt with pins/needles and my limbs falling asleep, along with digestive issues, sinus pressure and headaches which have made it harder to fall asleep at night after getting the vaccine. Also had anxiety which I never dealt with before the vaccine either.

I’m just over 16 weeks out and still deal with insomnia. Brain zaps and body jolting stopped about 2 weeks after they started, but neuropathy, sinus issues, headaches, and digestive issues have continued. My body is completely exhausted all of the time. I’m on Xanax in the evening that helps me fall asleep, but my sleep continues to be completely in consistent and I always wake up after a few hours. So many side effects since the vaccine when I was a completely healthy person beforehand. I’ve had an MRI, EMG, CT scan, X-ray, colonoscopy, endoscopy and tons of lab work and other than little markers being off here or there, everything comes back clear. I just have to hold on to the hope that eventually these symptoms will disappear and life will return to normal

KrissyMay 18, 2021 6:58 AM

Yes. I have its 6:50am and im online wondering if anyone else has this issue. Im tossing turning all night. Got 2nd shot 3days ago. But i swore this has been my case too i chalked it up to the weather change to spring but im convinced now its the shot. 5hrs sleep most nights tonight no sleep so far. My heart feels very awake too. Also sharp pains in my joints and muscles is starting to subside hope they go away bc very painful everywhere. Also think ive been eating more could be my imagination but i bought stuff i normally dont allow myself to splurge on …ive got 2 types if cookies puddings and chips…what the heck am i doing. Its no joke. Oh and ice cream bars.

SabaMay 19, 2021 3:15 PM

I am almost 9 weeks out and still struggling to fall asleep for hours and even with supplements can only sleep rest of the night for 3-4 hours, waking up every 2-3 hours. So the struggle and sleep deprivation continues for almost 2 months now. Any success stories of a full recovery?

Mary MacLeodMay 14, 2021 2:45 PM

Hi, I haven’t had the vaccine but have experienced terrible insomnia after spending time with a friend who has been covid “vaccinated.” I am really seeing a pattern the night after spending time with her. I cannot sleep until 4, 5, 6 or later the next morning. I often only sleep for a few hours, quite debilitating. I am prone to insomnia but this seems to be without cause, other than spending just relaxing time walking outdoors with her. Anyone else experience side-effect shedding or have had someone tell them they have issues after spending time with a “vaccinated” person?

NectarinesJuly 3, 2021 1:55 PM

Also, would be curious, is your vaxxed friend experiencing insomnia as well? I wonder if we catch the same symptoms that vaxxed are having. The vaxxed family member was also experiencing harder menstrual cycles, she ended up in ER.

NectarinesJuly 3, 2021 1:53 PM

Yes! I have not been vaccinated either. But a vaxxed family member stayed with us for a week, and I experienced the worst menstrual period ever after she stayed with us. Heavier bleeding excruciating cramps like none other. I really believe it was from hanging around vaxxed, because no other changes in my life. My next period was luckily more back to normal. But now I am scared to hang around the vaxxed. I had heard stories of women experiencing harder periods after having around vaxxed, and this is what I experienced too firsthand. I hope you sleep better, and maybe avoid the vax. I read maybe 6 weeks is safe, but I don’t know???

AmosMay 13, 2021 8:53 AM

Hi Saba, I just had my first Moderna shot yesterday. So far there is no other side effect, but I stayed awaken on my bed for roughly 7 hours last night. Now I see your posts and feel a bit nervous. Will definitely keep an eye on it. I had some sleep issues a couple of months ago due to work stress, but recently my sleep quality has been quite good.

KristinMay 12, 2021 2:21 PM

Hi Saba: I am about 10 weeks out now since my second Moderna vaccine on 3/5/21. I still need meds to fall asleep but then am able to sleep through the night, which is an improvement. At first, I would stay awake all night and nothing helped. I anticipate this will last as long as the antibodies persist that are produced by the vaccine. Most reports state that the antibodies produced by the Moderna vaccine persist for about 6 months with significant reduction over that time. So I am praying this goes away by then!

AlissaMay 11, 2021 9:09 AM

Yes. I received my second Moderna vaccine more than 2 weeks ago and have suffered insomnia ever since – sleeping roughly from 11-3/4 am and then waking up and unable to fall back asleep. Every night. I am exhausted! I have only tried melatonin but I may need to try some stronger sleep aids if this continues.

SabaMay 11, 2021 3:36 PM

Hi All,
Just to send an update I had a couple of nights last week I could sleep without sleeping aids and better than I did the previous 6 weeks. But that didn’t last for long and I am back it it. Same issues still. Trouble falling asleep, then fall asleep only to be woken up in 2-3 hours then struggle going back to sleep. So still only managing to get 4 or 5 hours of sleep, if lucky, a night, that too fractured. 7 weeks out since my first shot. If others here have seen an improvement please update. Also what worked only is working for you.

Connie StultzMay 8, 2021 6:19 PM

Hi, I got the Pzifer vaccine, and after the second dose, I started having insomnia like you. Sometimes I can’t fall asleep, even for hours. It’s been about 7 weeks since I got the second dose. I’ve never had a problem like this before in my whole life. I’m frustrated and worried. I started acupuncture recently. I think it is helping a little, but I just started.

KristinMay 8, 2021 2:41 PM

Yes, I started having insomnia 2 days after my first Moderna vaccine on 2/5/21 which seemed to intensify after my second Moderna vaccine on 3/4/21. I have had insomnia before but never like this where I can’t sleep at all for multiple days in a row. I have finally resorted to using sleep medications but on some nights they don’t help at all. After 3 months, it seems to be easing only slightly. I h ave read that the protection provided by the vaccine lasts about 6 months so am hoping the insomnia will completely go away by then. I am really glad I found this site because my doctors all make me feel like I am crazy when I suggest it might be the vaccine. Let me know if a FB group has been started because I would sure like to join.

SimonJune 1, 2021 11:55 AM

I had Moderna jab 3 weeks ago, still sick, nauseous, upset stomach, fatigue, won’t go away, wish I never had it, def not taking second would rather get Covid. If I’m like this on week 4 really worried and no info at all!!

NeilMay 8, 2021 8:56 AM

I had my 2nd shot over 2 week ago. Had no soreness or anything, but since have only been able to sleep a couple hours a night without sleep aids.. Sucks.

Barbara J J BentleyMay 6, 2021 1:38 AM

I am on my sixth night of insomnia typing this out after my first Pfizer shot. I have never had insomnia like this before…. ever!!

JacobMay 5, 2021 3:21 PM

I am on day 9 of insomnia. Never had it before. Started 3 days after I got the 2nd shot of Pfizer. Not sure what to do. Bendadryl/Tylenol PM don’t help at all.

SabaMay 5, 2021 4:41 PM

Hi Teresa and Jacob,
I am so sorry to hear that you are having the same issues. I had mostly heard this from people getting moderna. See posts 1 month ago below by a Marem, JJ and MS. All in the same boat. Marem had posted that she had gotten her sleep back several weeks later. But that was several weeks ago and I was wondering if she continued improve. 6 weeks out I haven’t. I only get about 3-4 hours of sleep without any sleeping aids. On a slightly positive note first 2 weeks were the worst. I could not sleep at all. So I may just be slightly better now but still desperate for more affirmations that this will eventually go away. Sorry again. I think we shod start a FB page/group or blog just for the insomnia issue. I am sure that we are not the only ones.

TeresaMay 5, 2021 4:53 AM

Pfizer second dose 4 days ago. First I slept 40 hours, now I can’t sleep. Saw an article where a doctor said sleeplessness could happen if “the system was really revved up”. Not sure what that implies, exactly. I was slightly nervous. I haven’t had insomnia like this, ever.

MAryMay 4, 2021 4:32 AM

I dont know what to do. I am afraid to get the vaccine, afraid of the side effects and if it could hurt me or permanently hurt me. when i was a child i was told i was allergic to the smallpox vaccine and i did not get that one. I also am a higher risk if i catch covid i have high blood pressure am over 50 and over weight too. I also have asthma and i was told i am at a risk for blood clots in general. I dont want to not be able to live life, or stay inside all of the time, so getting the vaccine would help that, but i am afraid. A friend told me that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine may have less side effects, but i wonder if that is so.

TeresaMay 5, 2021 4:56 AM

Hi Mary, the J&J vaccine is the one where 12 women, aged 18-48, out of 7 million people experienced blood clots. The risk is very low, however, you don’t have to get the J&J.
It sounds like you are high risk. It would be safer if you were able to receive one of the mRNA types.
It is entirely up to you to decide what you feel most comfortable doing. Best wishes.

Emma YasinskiMay 5, 2021 8:21 AM

Hi Teresa and Mary,
I’d encourage you to get whatever vaccine you feel most comfortable with. That said, the clots associated with the J&J vaccine are not common blood clots that we see in patients with risk factors like obesity. They are a rare, specific type that occur as a reaction to the vaccine (or sometimes as a reaction to heparin, a blood thinner). We did a very brief Q&A early-on with a doctor who explained that being at risk for blood clots in general does not necessarily increase your risk of experiencing blood clots after the J&J vaccine. https://medshadow1stg.wpenginepowered.com/about-blood-clots-and-the-johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine/ I hope that’s helpful to you.
Emma

Emma YasinskiMay 5, 2021 9:35 AM

And here is an article with more details: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/05/what-s-future-vaccines-linked-rare-clotting-disorders-science-breaks-down-latest?utm_campaign=SciMag&utm_source=JHubbard&utm_medium=Facebook

David MillerMay 4, 2021 8:27 AM

Mary, my advice is to pray on it. I do not think anyone can give you really good advice. We are in unknown territory. I had both shots of Pfizer, did not have any intense side effects but did have side effects that have lingered for 14 weeks ( they are slowly getting less). Fatigue, malaise, face flushing, lite headaches, even blood pressure fluctuations when I never had BP issues before. eyes got very heavy and tired…. I would still take the vaccine again though. COVID is a nightmare. I am 69yrs old. I hope this helps. Best advice is to ask for advice , have faith, and we will all get thru this.

CoriMay 4, 2021 12:20 PM

Have you also had covid then? If so, you didn’t need the vaccine. Lots of people make it through covid with no harm done and it’s not bad. Very few have much trouble – probably the same amount of people who have a lot of trouble with the vaccine. If you take the shot you are part of an experiment because the long-term studies aren’t even complete until 2023.

David MillerMay 4, 2021 2:14 PM

I did not have Covid, to my knowledge. I have lost 4 friends to COVID and none to the vaccine though. That is a fact you can see and grasp.

TeresaMay 5, 2021 4:58 AM

David, I am sorry for your losses.

BKingMay 4, 2021 12:16 AM

I got the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine four weeks ago. I experienced inflammation in my joints that lasted two days with the first shot. I had only a mild headache after the second. Since then though I have had three instances of swelling of my hands and pain in my joints along with migraines. I am concerned about the migraines, as they are interfering with my ability to work and sleep. What can we do if these side effects keep us from working? The federal government has asked us to take the vaccine. Will they care for us if it takes our livelihood away?

LindaMay 9, 2021 7:55 PM

I had arm pain a week after my first Pfizer vaccine. Then my hands swelled and my feet were swollen and inflamed. The pain in my arms lasted for 3 months. it was so severe at night causing me to stay awake. I finally saw a rheumatologist and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. My inflammation level was also very high. I was prescribed Prednisone and Hydroxychloroquine. I do not like taking medication . I am pain free !!!! I tapered the Prednisone, taking my last dose Friday. I am still on Hydroxychloroquine. The readings suggest that I probably had arthritis in my system…Last summer , I had a few incidents where my hands, feet an arms were stiff but symptoms lasted only a day. The vaccine caused a flare up of the arthritis I never knew I had. I’m hoping I don’t have to stay on this medication forever. I see the doctor in a month…We’ll see….Good luck to you…

SarahApril 30, 2021 5:11 PM

I received my Moderna dose #1 on April 9. Today marks Day 21 and still experiencing many symptoms. I am a 27 yr old female, very active with absolutely no prior health issues and eat a whole foods/anti inflammatory diet. 3 hours after the shot I was working and experienced severe pain/stiffness in the back of my neck- following that I could feel intense tingling in the back of my head/scalp. My face starting burning and felt very stiff like my neck. I got scared and went to bed that night hoping it would go away. The next day (and ever since) I’ve experienced tingling in my face, particularly the left side of my nose. For the next week I had lots of face/scalp tingling, chest felt tight, face felt very tight/stiff (both sides), dizziness, brain fog, tiredness, intense back pain, sound sensitivity, sensations (throbbing/tingling) in hand on injection side, and plugged ears. Sometimes the back pain would seem like it would travel from my ribs and down to my glutes/ham strings. Mostly lower back pain though. At one point the scalp sensations/sensitivity was so intense, I would grab my hair and drop it and it felt like I dropped 10 pounds. After one week and talking to my doctor I tried 3 days of prednisone, but don’t think it helped. As things progressed, I had an intense headache on the injection side from the top of my head, down my neck and jaw, and down to my collar bone/shoulder. I’ve never had pain like that!! It was especially bad/sensitive behind my ears. I think lymph node swelling? Because my glasses felt tighter there and almost hurt to put on. I still experience the behind ear pain, both sides, intermittently. When I had the left side head pain, I experienced significant tightness in my left side forehead/eyelid – it felt like my eyelid was opening slower than the other after blinking. After week 1 I also started to get the muscle spasms/twitching a lot of people are talking about. For me, it started one night when I was trying to sleep on my right side. My right arm and right abs starting spasming so bad, it was crazy. I am a side sleeper and it’s been torture for weeks I’ve had to lay on my back because I’d get the head/neck/shoulder pain on my left and spasms on my right.

Day 10 I noticed eye floaters – sometimes appearing like blurry spots but most of the time they are black. Finally by the 2 week mark, my face started to feel a LITTLE better. My stiffness/muscle tightness in the forehead and eyelid seemed to loosen up. The tingling in my nose felt a little better (by Day 21 mark it’s still there a bit, but better). Day 14-16 had some wilddd muscle spasms at nighttime. Day 15 I also noticed face swelling- big dents on my nose where my glasses rested! So fast forward to today, Day 21. The muscle spasms are better but I definitely still get some and random twitches. They are throughout all parts of my body- abs, back, neck, arms, legs, eyelids, lips. They happen throughout the day but most often at nighttime. But I think those are making progress. I still have the black eye floaters- no progress there yet. I notice them really bad when outside. My nose tingling is much better but still there. There’s probably been two days so far I barely noticed it. Also, sometimes I do think I have a little tingle the top of my head still. No dizziness, face swelling, brain fog or anything like that anymore thankfully; had a minor headache for three days this week but it’s gone! However, I’m still having lower back pain and plugged ears, but seems to be improving. And last but not least, just when I thought everything was getting less intense, a new symptom arises. Yesterday I woke up to the weirdest buzzing feeling in my left calf. It was not a muscle spasm, it literally felt like buzzing. It would then stop and go all day. Today (Day 21) I wake up and it was intense!!!!!! Literally my foot too, just buzzing. I can feel it subtle too in both my hands. What the! Something with the nerves. So I took prednisone and we will see how that goes.

I’ve been taking motrin constantly, eating anti-inflammatory, taking epsom salt baths, meditating, working out, sleeping 8 hours, and basically trying to do everything I can lol, and sadly it’s completely affected my work/normal life. I have tried to minimize my stress because I can tell the symptoms act up when I’m worried! I’m constantly talking to my primary care doctor and a neurologist, who are stumped. Took multiple covid tests, 2 blood work samples, MRI/MRA, and everything is coming back normal. Neurologist ordered script for EMG which I will schedule but seems like everyone keeps saying time will heal it. Maybe some autoimmune issue where immune system attacked nerves, or inflammation?? No clue. Trying another round of prednisone, started Day 1 today. Stumped about the eye floaters, if those don’t improve next week I might schedule an apmt with eye specialist. Anyone else with floaters? I’ve seen posts about blurry vision.

So that’s the latest. I’m hoping I read some success stories. So far one symptom gets better and another one arises. I’m never one to post on these but felt comfort there’s other people out there like me. I recognize these symptoms uncommon so surprised it happened to me. I still think it’s great people get the shot, but for me personally I’ve decided to not take the second one. Thank you all for posting your stories, and if you are experiencing this too, know that you are not alone!

SimonJune 2, 2021 2:08 PM

I’m on day 21 now, still have horrid feeling in my whole body doesn’t feel right, sickness, dizziness, headache chills and like feeling high on a drug, did yours pass after time? I’m scared of this Mrna thing it’s made me really ill

MAryMay 4, 2021 4:00 AM

wow that is so awful i hope that you get completely better soon

sandraMay 11, 2021 12:03 PM

Hi Sarah< I did not experience everything you had but I did have the most severe pain I have ever felt in my collarbone, shoulder and upper ribs. I could not lay day or bend over. It started 4 days after I received the 1st shot and slowly go more intense each day. On day 4 the pain was so severe I could not take and went to the ER. I have had surgeries, broken ankles, a baby etc and none of that pain even compares to this pain I was experiencing. The hospital did give me a pain injection, but I felt like they didn't believe it was from the vaccine. I have been doing research and am finding out lots of people are getting intense pain. Hope you feel better now.

Millers53April 30, 2021 4:29 PM

Hello all,
56 yo female got 1st pfizer vac last Sat. High bp and dizzy for 15 mins then ok. Shook uncontrollably for ride home. Went to bed for 5 hrs bp mildly up arm sore otherwise was ok. Sunday woke up with not much arm pain and heavy fatigue with weak and shaky legs. That is still continuing as of today 4/30. Have had no appetite, 1 round today of bright yellow poop(sorry for the graphic) Called primary doctor and he told me to go to ER. Upon arriving there today did all tests on my liver and other organs as well as for anemia Etc everything came back normal. ER doc said I was fatigued and dehydrated. Said he assumed it was from the vaccine, and I should not take the second dose. He did not want to head to comment on how long I would still feel this way, but hope that I would improve within the next few days. I have been running a fever between 98.9 and 99.944 days. My blood pressure and resting heart rate Jump around but haven’t got too out of control since this started. I was just looking to see if any of you were still fatigued after 6 days or longer? It has flared up my health anxiety and I was really hoping someone else might have felt bad for this long and recovered. Blessings to all of you and hoping that all of us get to feeling well soon. Thanks for any and all replies.

David MillerMay 2, 2021 8:58 AM

My side effects lasted 13 wks + and still come and go. Seem to be dissipating. But I had both Pfizer shots. Eye fatigue, lite headache, malaise, unsettled, just felt off. Anyone else? Neck and back pain too.

Millers53May 3, 2021 11:33 AM

Glad your symptoms are dissapating David. My weakness is better and appetite returned as of day 9 but still shaky with insomnia and anxiety. Hoping we are all 100% soon.

Steve OMay 1, 2021 3:56 PM

I’ve had my symptoms (dizziness, vertigo and extreme fatigue) for 15 days now. If anything I’m getting slightly worse. Its really sad. I hope it passes soon. From the research I’ve done, it sounds very similar to post covid syndrome (long haulers). The only difference being that ours is vaccine induced. Stay strong and report your progress. We will get through this. Especially since there are so many long haulers out there.

Millers53May 3, 2021 11:31 AM

Steve have you been tested for Covid? Thats the 1st thing they did when I went to ER. Wondering if you got it b4 vax could kick in? Or a delayed immune system reaction? I found another forum on reddit and many are saying they had a delayed reaction of symptoms and they lasted several weeks. Making the whole experience 30 plus days.

thaiMay 8, 2021 10:42 PM

Yes, a few people with over-reactive immune systems, old illnesses or injuries, or auto-immune diseases like fibromyalgia and CFS have had very bad ongoing reactions. Even among patients with these illnesses, only a minority experience such long lasting serious reactions. On a couple FB sites some who’ve never had any health problems are having awful long lasting symptoms. Again, the vast majority of those getting the shots have only the “standard” reactions for a couple days (which is exactly what every one of my family experienced: 17 yr old gd and her bff, Pfizer and Moderna, 49 year old twin daughters, Pfizer just tired, Moderna flu one day, their husbands, one felt very off but worked, Moderna, Pfizer SIL went for a ten mile run next day! My 98 year old dad and children’s father, second husband all mild s/e except for significant leg pain several days after second shot for 65 year old husband.

Millers53May 9, 2021 5:37 PM

Thanks for your input. Did symptoms you read about on other sites eventually end? I have no autoimmune illnesses that Im aware of but last time I got the flu it took me 3 weeks to get back to me.

Millers53April 30, 2021 6:33 PM

Edit *98.9 to 99.9 fever for last 4 days

Teriesa A OwensApril 30, 2021 3:22 PM

Just looking to see if anyone has had any kidney pain after shot. Got the Moderna shot at about 1:30 on Wed. That afternoon I had bad pain on one side. The pain was so bad in the middle of the night it woke me up. Thurs. still had pain but not as bad. This is Fri. and I am fine. I have had kidney infections I know that is how they feel but never have been in so much pain It woke me up. Plus would it come and go so quick?

JulieMay 8, 2021 5:24 AM

Me too, with the second shot. Kidney pain was strong the first two days after the shot. Also had sharp stabbing pains in abdomen, lower left rib cage area in back, and along spine. Lots of leg pain and large bruising on top of right foot which appeared after first shot, was finally starting to fade but became darker again after second shot. All the other common side effects as well. First shot was like nothing, second shot 2 solid days of pain and discomfort. Worth it though compared to the suffering caused by COVID.

AlishaMay 6, 2021 1:56 AM

Yes! I had kidney pain as well. Went to the Dr because I thought I had a UTI or Kidney infection. Tests came back negative for infection but my dr ordered an ultrasound to be safe. Still having the pain and it’s been two weeks since the shot.

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COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effect Tracker

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Most Recent Updates:

The Weekly Wrap-Up

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