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The new Moderna vaccine kicking anyone else's ass?

Up until now, I've only gotten the Pfizer vaccines. And while I've reacted to them, it was never particularly bad. Light muscle aches and some fatigue were basically it. Worst was the second one - I could feel my hair follicles and eyelids with that one.

But the Moderna one seems to be quite the beast.

When I found out I could get the new Moderna, I was excited, since I've heard that mix-and-match is probably the strongest immunity you can get. And I figured it wasn't going to be that bad when after several hours, I only had some light fatigue.

But today has been awful. Consistent fever around 102.3, chills, headache, nausea, whole-body aches, and ludicrous levels of exhaustion. I've been utterly useless.

Is this what Moderna vaccines have been like all along? I'll take it over contracting COVID-19, definitely... but ouch. It's hurting me plenty.

Next morning update: Chills are gone, fever seems to be gone, muscle aches aren't entirely gone, but they're fading. All in all, 10/10 would feel like shit for a day again to help stop the spread of a dangerous disease.

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  • Normal. After I took it, I was feeling like I’d done an intense all body workout, like all my muscles felt sore. Was basically done the next day.

  • Haven't gotten the new vaccine yet, but my first moderna gave me some chills, headache, and fatigue, I didn't check my temperature but I wouldn't have been surprised if I had a slight fever. It hit me maybe 8-12 ish hours after I got it, not too bad, but not exactly fun either, could have worked through it if I needed to but I was glad I had the day off. The real kicker for me though was I work night shift, I got it right after work in the morning, went home, went to bed, and it started hitting me a bit after I got up the next evening, and by the time I was ready to go to sleep the next morning I was feeling fine. If I'd been on a normal schedule and got the vaccine at the same time, I probably would have been going to bed at about the same time it hit me and I would have slept through all of the symptoms.

    Most of my boosters have been moderna, and I haven't had any issues with them besides a sore arm, so I think the first dose was my immune system going "hey wait, what the fuck is this? We got a code red over here" And with the boosters it pretty much just went "oh, ok, another one of these, go ahead and put it with the others, no biggie"

    The one Pfizer vaccine I did get didn't seem to make my arm quite as sore as the others. So that's something I guess.

  • Actually the old Moderna was having such a harsh reaction on younger people, Germany changed their recommendations to not allow anyone younger than 60 to get moderna.

    I also had Moderna back then once and can only confirm, it knocked me completely out for a whole day with harsh fever like symptoms, really wasn't fun.

    Haven't really been vaccinated for a year now, so can't talk about the new moderna.

  • Moderna was the easiest on me - did not feel a thing, not even a shoulder pain. I guess this is individual.

    • That's the sense I'm getting, yeah. Some people are saying Pfizer is the one that really knocked them out and Moderna never did. Guess I'm just the reverse. Oh well, I do feel a lot better this morning at least.

  • It's well known Moderna boosters to have the most side effects like the ones you describe. I hope you're doing okay, now.

    • Much, much better today. Like a switch was flipped. Basically feeling fine.

  • First shot of the Moderna vaccine I was not doing bad, bit tired for a week but nothing else really note worthy.

    But the day after my second shot I woke up to heavy chest and heart pains. I didn't know what was the matter, my first thought was: "am I having a heart attack?!"

    Couldn't move and hardly breath from pain, it took over a half hour before I could finally grab my phone and call my house doctor's office. I explained what was going on and that I had my shot the day prior. Was being told that was just a side effect from the shots and that just should take painkillers and try to tough it out. If it wasn't going any better in a day or two I should call back to make a appointment.

    After a short half day a couldn't take it anymore, called my doctor back and he told me to go to the hospital.

    Luckily I could come the same day and they did multiple tests. Had to stay the night because the results wouldn't be ready till the next day.

    Well it turned out that had a inflamed heart muscle pouch, had to translate. Hope it's correct.

    Stayed in the hospital for almost 3 weeks. I got oxygen, because I had trouble breathing and I got all I kinds of drugs all day long to help me out.

    After that they said I could go home but call right away when there was any problems.

    I couldn't work for almost three months and during that time went back to the hospital 2 times because returning heavy pains on my chest.

    After those three months I figured it's time to go back to work but only like 2 or 3 days per week to start with because I still had breathing problems and sometimes the pain would come back.

    I'm doing better but still sometimes I have trouble breathing and have to take it easy.

    I didn't even wanted to get the shots but had to because of my work.

    • I'm sorry that happened, but you must know reactions like that are extraordinarily rare, and COVID-19 itself frequently causes much more severe heart injury.

      I hope you're doing better now.

  • I haven't had the new vaccine yet, but after evading the old strain and catching the new one before vaccines were available, I can say... the original Moderna vaccine kicked my ass about equally as hard as covid's first day did.

    (The cough is by far the worst part, but for me that didn't start until later, so the covid fever day felt completely identical to the post-vaccine day.)

98 comments