My Experience with the COVID-19 Vaccine: Day 2, 12/17/2020
Well, here we are, everyone, day two — the dreaded “day after” the vaccine. No, I haven’t grown an extra arm, lost all my hair, and I didn’t die in my sleep (haha, sorry, I try to keep things light). I was most worried about the day after and the second day after getting the vaccination in all seriousness. I was most anxious to know how my body would or wouldn’t react and how I would feel. I’ll try to lay out my day as best I can so you get a good idea of how it went as a whole.
Last Night
After going to bed around 10 pm last night, I could not go to sleep until about 1 am. This was due to feeling nauseated and having a headache, but I did have Mexican before bed, which probably did not help. Finally, it subsided, and I was able to sleep.
My Workday
I had to work today instead of clinical, so I woke up around 5:45 am and got ready for work. I noticed right away when I rolled over onto my right shoulder to get out of bed that it was sore. There was no bruising to the area; it was just merely sore at the site injection. This did not surprise me because the flu shot has almost always caused soreness in the area. This is also a reported side effect many recipients have after getting the vaccine. I left for work and began my day at 7 am. I did not feel any different until about 1 pm. Around this time, I would typically eat lunch, we had a busy day, but I did get a moment to grab some food. However, I did not have much of an appetite and only ate a few bites. I noticed I seemed to be “hitting a wall” and feeling tired to be mid-day in the ED. I carried on with my regular nursing duties.
The second thing I noticed was several minor “waves” of dizziness that happened periodically throughout the day. I use the word “wave” because it felt just like a wave of dizziness washed over me but passed within about thirty seconds. Another employee I work with from another department that got the vaccine mentioned the same feeling. I found this interesting because I had not mentioned my “waves of dizziness” to anyone. After all, they did not last long or bother me very much. This means another person was experiencing the same thing that I was and even described it as a “wave” as well. I remained drained and almost felt like it was challenging to get through the evening portion of my twelve-hour shift. I’m not sure if this is a side effect of the vaccine. Or if it is the side effects of being a full-time FNP student in practicum rotations, that also works full-time as an ED nurse. Hard to tell, but I am still fatigued even while typing this post.
Takeaways from Day 2 — The Day After the Vaccine.
1. I survived and did not grow any extra limbs overnight.
2. My right arm is sore, but I have had similar experiences with other vaccines.
3. I had a short episode of nausea and headache last night. I am unsure if it is related to the vaccine or the choice I made for dinner.
4. I felt normal until late afternoon today.
5. This evening/tonight, I feel slightly run-down and drained. (Vaccine or Work/School? Or Both?)
6. If you decide to take the vaccine, if possible, take the next day off just in case it makes you feel a little run down.
***Again, I would like to stress that this post is not in any way an attempt to persuade or dissuade anyone regarding their decision about taking or not taking the COVID-19 vaccine. I am posting about my daily experience after taking the vaccine as requested by more than a few people in my life. I am getting no compensation for these posts. I am posting my personal, unbiased experience to help others make the best decision possible for them. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me through direct message. I will be glad to answer any questions that I can or talk with anyone with further questions. Thank you for reading, and I hope this is beneficial to those who requested that I do this. ***
