*!@#$%& flu shot

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Specializes in PCT.

So it's 4:00am and I was just woken from a dead sleep by the horrible pain in my arm from the flu shot. I never got one before and don't remember vaccinations hurting this bad. So I wake up and stuble down stairs to find out that we're out of asprin tylenol and everything else again. I swear next time I'm hiding it from my husband. He takes OTC pain meds like they're candy cause something always hurts and he's the world's biggest baby when it comes to pain. He never tells me we're out or replaces them either:angryfire . ARGH! Luckily I found the heating pad and it helps a little.

The funny part of the whole mess is that I've had the flu once in my adult life and have never had a flu shot. But i figured since I have no time to be sick that this would be the year if I didn't get one. Now I feel like staying in bed all day.

I have lab at 10:00... :crying2: :sniff: :selfbonk:

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

Oh wow, I've never had pain from the injection site, but I do feel the achy bones in my back and tiredness that comes from the side effects. I just got my flu shot last week. Count yourself lucky that you haven't had the flu much :D I'm wondering if you should maybe call the nurse that gave you the injection because I'm not sure that a severe pain like you described is normal. Hopefully the pain has past by now?

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

ugh my flu shot made my arm all red and sore and the spot looked like this huge welt...it finally went away...flu shots hurt really bad! Ive been getting them for the last few years bc of my asthma and now I work in the hospital.

My back has been really achy and maybe that is why! I didn't realize that was a side effect from the flu shot.

Isn't it true though though that the flu shot only protects you from one strain of the flu? Aren't there 3 different strains or something?

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I am looking for someone to convince me that flu shots are a good idea, and I haven't found anyone yet.

The doctor/nurse will tell you they don't hurt, but NO ONE ELSE EVER SAYS THAT.

It's all a lottery anyhow. My understanding is they're innoculating you against a flu that they THINK has developed (i.e. mutated from last year's flu). If you get some other flu, or the virus has mutated in some unexpected way, it's all for nought anyhow.

I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist, I guess, because I wonder why everyone is so keen on us getting shots.

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Specializes in Hospice, Internal Medicine.

I think they look at other countries that have gone through the flu season before us to see what strains they got. Mine didn't hurt at all until about 8 hours after I go it. It was sore for about 2 days. I've had 8 shots (Hep A, Hep B, MMR, DPT, Flu) so far this year, I feel like a freaking pin cushion!!

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

I've had the full blown flu twice and felt like I was at death's door both times. The second time I had a young child to care for and was barely able to cope with walking across a room. I shudder to think what might have happened if an emergency had arisen-really scary!

Anyway, I've had a flu shot almost every year since, like 8 or 9 times. I never had a reaction except slight tenderness at the site, until this time. This year, I had a huge welt that was burning hot to the touch and itched like crazy for two days. Come to find out about 6-8 other nurses at my facility had the same reaction. They're speculating we reacted to the preservative in this batch. Who knows? Will I get one next year? Probably. But I'll be a little leery from now on, 'cause in the end you have to take it on trust what they're shooting in your arm...

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Specializes in Acute Medicine/ Palliative.

Well, I am currently doing a paper on myths of immunizations and I can tell you that you should not only get a flu shot for your protection, but if you are going to be working with immunocompromized patients, it is your duty to protect them , and I feel that would include getting your vaccinations to protect them againts all communicable diseases. Nurses bring the illnesses in with them and can pass it on to the patients. Its pretty logical if you think about it.

The flu shot covers 3 strains of flus that are most worrisome to the WHO and others collecting data to chose and support which flus are the most risky overall. That is, simply stated how they chose what flu they offer protction from. And yes it may not be the flu YOU get, but by and large, it will have protected you from something! To the original poster: It sounds like your side effects are localized and nothing to be concerned about. You did not have an anaphalactic reaction or onything. I would assume you have no allergies to egg or and other components of the vaccine. The flu vaccine is cultured on chicken embryos. That is why there could be elements of egg in the vaccine that was not 100% purified. But I assume you had no serious allergies as you did not have a anaphalactic rxn.

I hope this help a bit, any questions and please let me know!

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Specializes in Acute Medicine/ Palliative.
I've had the full blown flu twice and felt like I was at death's door both times. The second time I had a young child to care for and was barely able to cope with walking across a room. I shudder to think what might have happened if an emergency had arisen-really scary!

Anyway, I've had a flu shot almost every year since, like 8 or 9 times. I never had a reaction except slight tenderness at the site, until this time. This year, I had a huge welt that was burning hot to the touch and itched like crazy for two days. Come to find out about 6-8 other nurses at my facility had the same reaction. They're speculating we reacted to the preservative in this batch. Who knows? Will I get one next year? Probably. But I'll be a little leery from now on, 'cause in the end you have to take it on trust what they're shooting in your arm...

P.S. The flu vaccine is one of the the safest vaccines available! Do some research and see! :)

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Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.

I've gotten the flu shot for four years now, and I think that they hurt worse than tetorifice shots! It's still better than getting the flu or passing it on to a patient, though.

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Specializes in Staff nurse.

...I am recovering from the flu now, this being day4. I can pace myself so I don't get overwhelmingly tired and the dull headache and body aches start. I am sick of nyquil and I am hungry. Hope you all are doing better than I am. :) When I am the patient, I am a wimp.

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Specializes in PCT.

I am a much happier camper now! I got up went to lab came home and went to sleep. I'm quite the grumpy bug if my sleep is interfered with. The pain has gone away and I'm just a little sore now. Maybe I slept on it wrong for a while. I start my first hospital job in 2 weeks and I got is mainly for patient protection, I agree that the temporary pain is worth the peace of mind knowing that I am not a carrier harming patients.

Since I was awake last night I tried to do some research on why the flu shot hurts more that the other vaccinations (I too have been a pin cushion lately). I found that there is an inflamatory agent (alum) added to the injection to draw the attention of the immune system. More attention = more memory cells = better responce when you are exposed next time. I could only find limited info, so it could be wrong.

The only thing I figure is that I either slept on it wrong or my old shoulder injury was somehow aggrivated.

Thanks for the well wishes!

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I've had the full blown flu twice and felt like I was at death's door both times. The second time I had a young child to care for and was barely able to cope with walking across a room. I shudder to think what might have happened if an emergency had arisen-really scary!

Anyway, I've had a flu shot almost every year since, like 8 or 9 times. I never had a reaction except slight tenderness at the site, until this time. This year, I had a huge welt that was burning hot to the touch and itched like crazy for two days. Come to find out about 6-8 other nurses at my facility had the same reaction. They're speculating we reacted to the preservative in this batch. Who knows? Will I get one next year? Probably. But I'll be a little leery from now on, 'cause in the end you have to take it on trust what they're shooting in your arm...

Interesting. One of the docs on our floor was talking about how exquisitely sore his arm was after getting the flu shot this year. Not all of the nurses on our floor have gotten it either, but the ones who did were also having severe reactions with this shot. I wonder why???:uhoh21:

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