Zoster vaccine, recombinant and Fatigue: What Users Say (Page 2)

• She...
• November 29, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "54-year-old female. I received the first injection two months ago, and my arm was quite tender for a week. On Tuesday, about 8:30 a.m., I received the second injection. Throughout the day, I became more stiff and sore in my muscles and joints. I attributed it to overexertion from the weekend. Approximately 8:30 p.m., I was overcome with severe chills, exhaustion, and sweats even under four blankets. By exhaustion, I mean I literally could not get out of bed. My clothing was drenched, but I could not summon the energy to get up and change my clothing until late the next morning, about 7 a.m. I went back to bed until 2 p.m. The next afternoon, I was still taking a pain reliever for my headache. The fatigue completely shocked me. I had no idea about the potential side effects. Kind of bummed no medical staff informed me of such. I will be reporting my side effects to my doctor. Plan ahead if you are receiving this vaccine. It may take you out of commission for a few days."

• Bil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2023

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Don’t get the vaccine, I have had three cases of shingles with long-term nerve damage. But I have never gone through the living hell that the second vaccination put me through. I had horrible COVID, had my orbital bone shattered, swine flu, you name it. That vaccine and its side effects hit me around 9 pm, I received it at 3. I was so fatigued I couldn’t even get up to pee. The next day, and I’m 72 hours out, I roll around in my bed in excruciating pain in every joint in my body. My head feels like I’m about to stroke out. It hurts so bad, my stomach hurts so much I don’t know if I want to vomit or sit on the toilet. I’m in a daze, in too much pain to even talk to anyone. I would rather have shingles again! Don’t take this stuff. Seventy-two hours and still the same, even my hands are in pain, I can’t pick anything up!!!!"

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I’m a healthy, active 51-year-old woman. Had my 1st Shingrix vaccine in August. Only had a sore arm and maybe a little tiredness from it. Had the 2nd several days ago, and within 10 hours, extreme fatigue hit, my arm was so sore I could barely move it, I was in bed shivering uncontrollably, had a terrible headache and nausea. Had a fever up to 102 for the next 24 hours. I felt horrible!! Could barely move the next day as every joint hurt. It has been 3 days, my arm feels much better, but am still tired, achy, and have a headache. I hope the vaccine was worth it."

• KDa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "My PCP recommended that I get the Shingrix vaccine this year - she did explain to me what side effects I might experience, and she was right: malaise, tiredness, fatigue! I also got the flu vaccine at the same time. I know it’s best to get both vaccines, but I’m leery about getting the second Shingrix vaccine in a few months."

• KDa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "My PCP recommended that I get the Shingrix vaccine this year - she did explain to me what side effects I might experience, and she was right: malaise, tiredness, fatigue! I also got the flu vaccine at the same time. I know it’s best to get both vaccines, but I’m leery about getting the second Shingrix vaccine in a few months."

• den...
• October 17, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I am a healthy 72-year-old female. In May 2019, I had the first Shingrix vaccination. The next day, I had mild flu-like symptoms and arm pain, which dissipated over the next 2 days. I had the second vaccination at the end of September. The next day, I had such severe vertigo I could barely walk. It is now 3 weeks later. I am still suffering from vertigo, which ranges from mild to severe, cognitive fog, and fatigue. My doctor sent me for an MRI yesterday. I have contacted my pharmacist 3 times to keep them updated. They tell me to see my doctor, and I have contacted GlaxoSmithKline, who is planning to follow up with my doctor. I am hoping I do not have to live with this for the rest of my life."

• Con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2018

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Female, 69 y.o. 1st shot May 2018: very sore arm for 2 weeks. Mild flu-like symptoms, 3-4 days: fatigue, fever, feverish, sore muscles/joints. Not fun, but better after 5 days. 2nd shot: really bad! Much worse flu symptoms: bad headache, fever, chills, pains in muscles/joints for over 2 weeks, extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms. 3 weeks later, still fatigued. Got sinus infection and cold. Some bad reactions to Shingrix may be caused by the adjuvant added to boost immune response. Shingrix trials excluded people with lupus, psoriatic arthritis, etc. Can the adjuvant turn on autoimmune disorders? There is an article on Medpage Today 'Questions Remain about Shingrix Safety in Rheumatic Disease.' I have an autoimmune disease (celiac and hypothyroid). Got Shingrix because of CDC's strong recommendation. Shingles is very bad. But lupus/autoimmune disorders will destroy health forever!!"

• Con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2018

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Female, 69 y.o. 1st shot May 2018: very sore arm for 2 weeks. Mild flu-like symptoms, 3-4 days: fatigue, fever, feverish, sore muscles/joints. Not fun, but better after 5 days. 2nd shot: really bad! Much worse flu symptoms: bad headache, fever, chills, pains in muscles/joints for over 2 weeks, extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms. 3 weeks later, still fatigued. Got sinus infection and cold. Some bad reactions to Shingrix may be caused by the adjuvant added to boost immune response. Shingrix trials excluded people with lupus, psoriatic arthritis, etc. Can the adjuvant turn on autoimmune disorders? There is an article on Medpage Today 'Questions Remain about Shingrix Safety in Rheumatic Disease.' I have an autoimmune disease (celiac and hypothyroid). Got Shingrix because of CDC's strong recommendation. Shingles is very bad. But lupus/autoimmune disorders will destroy health forever!!"

• Zoe...
• February 13, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "2nd injection a week ago (first was on 7/28/18 - see my first review). Due to the shortage, I was over 6 months on getting the 2nd. I was horrifically ill with the first shot, so was very worried about getting the 2nd. BUT, the 2nd shot went fine. I still had redness on the arm & arm soreness, but that's not a big deal to me because I work out. I also had some minor regurgitation & acid reflux, but nothing like the fever, severe fatigue, severe cramping, puking, etc. that I got the first time. Maybe it was because I had some already in my system from the 1st shot? I'd also been building up my immune system with probiotics & perhaps that helped. I'm glad it's done, but of course I can't judge its efficacy because who knows if I will ever get shingles and/or if I would have gotten it had I not taken the shot. There's no way to judge efficacy for an individual user."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 20, 2023

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "The first dose of Shingrix was given, and within an hour, the injection site turned red, hard, and hot to the touch. Symptoms included muscle pain, loss of mobility in arms and legs, fever on and off, swollen lymph glands, swollen face and body, uncontrollable itching from knees up, hive-like outbreaks, skin burning and hurting, 'pox-like' outbreaks, fatigue, numbness in the outside edge and fingertips of hands. Body symptoms are all symmetrical, with new symptoms showing up sporadically. The injection was given on 4/6/23. Still experiencing most symptoms, but incrementally better."

• Hea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2020

"Took the first dose last fall, and other than localized pain at the injection site, no real issues. Received the second dose yesterday morning. Other localized pain, all was well until about 8 hours after the shot. Then flu-like symptoms immediately set in: fever, chills, body aches, and fatigue... 24 hours later, not much improvement."

• Vel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "First injection wasn't too bad. Had a very sore arm for a week and had some minor chills the first night, but no biggie. Second injection 5 months later, holy cow. Had full-on flu symptoms for two days (huge headache, chills, cramps, body aches, fatigue) plus the very sore and red arm. A week later the flu symptoms are gone, but I'm still really fatigued and can barely keep my eyes open by afternoon. Not sure if the second injection is 'stronger' or I just had a different reaction. GOOD LUCK TO YOU :)"

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 10, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had the Shingrix shot 3 weeks ago and have been experiencing headaches, dizziness, and fatigue ever since. The vertigo is the worst! I also experienced my eyes watering profusely, which started a couple of days after the shot and is still going on. I will have to do a lot more research before I agree to a 2nd shot."

• Est...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "My wife and I both had this injection yesterday. Some 8-10 hours in, she is shivering, body aches, and has an upset stomach. My head was literally spinning as I tried to walk to the bathroom last night. I thought for sure I was going to pass out. Fatigue is horrible this morning for me. My wife still can’t move about since her head hurts and body aches. I came here looking to see if it is safe to take Ibuprofen or Advil while suffering (it is) and found the many negative reviews. I do know that everyone has different body chemistry and is affected in different ways. Just thought to add my ‘two cents’ to the conversation. She is definitely suffering more than me, but there are 40+ pounds between us, which I also believe plays a role here. We’ll have to see how this plays out over the next couple of days and decide if it’s worth the second shot. She has had shingles before, but right at this moment, she might be willing to take her chances. Only time will tell."

• kaa...
• December 17, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I am a 52-year-old nurse. I have had RA (controlled with Enbrel) since I turned 30. I had shingles when I was 50. It was the most miserable experience of my life. I couldn't get this vaccine fast enough. After the 1st dose, I experienced mild symptoms: sore arm, mild headache. The 2nd dose was a whole lot different. My arm was sore after a couple of hours, but after about 12 hours, I became very fatigued. Severe body chills/shivers and a headache. I took Tylenol, which helped with the headache. When the chills subsided, I developed a fever and was sweating like crazy. It has been 24 hours since my injection, and I continue with fatigue, headache, and low-grade fever."

• Nan...
• August 25, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Just got my second shot six hours ago, and so far, the side effects are identical to the first go-round: painfully sore arm, severe stomach ache, and general malaise. Can hardly wait to see what tomorrow will bring! Was hoping it would be milder this time, but - oh well... I did allow for a day or two off to recover, and I strongly recommend that to anyone getting this shot!"

• EBa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 19, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Received 1st Shingrix shot, and within 30 minutes the left side of my face, arm/hand felt numb and painful to touch at the same time. That night, fever, chills, fatigue, nausea, chest pains, and body aches started. 5 days later, still having all the exact same issues, feel like I have the flu x2 (this is way worse than the flu pain). New issue started day 5, very painful red raised patches started on my left side (arm, waist). Went to my doctor on day 5, and she told me it looked like the start of shingles, she gave me some meds to see if it would help (starting those today, day 5). My doctor told me to let the pharmacist who gave it to me know I had a reaction so they could report it, but I was only met with rudeness at the pharmacy, saying it was impossible to get those symptoms from the vaccine... so I reported it to vaers.hhs.gov. NOT getting the 2nd shot."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 23, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "The first dose was horrible. Five hours after the first dose, I started feeling sick. Twelve hours after the dose, I was hurting unbelievably — muscle and joint soreness so bad it hurt to move and hurt to stay still. Bedridden, unable to sleep because of the pain, pure agony. After three days, the pain went away and the fatigue hit me. I thought seriously about whether I could handle the second shot. The second dose, luckily, was somewhat better. My arm is still sore two days later and feels heavy. I have nagging muscle soreness throughout my body. I don’t feel like doing anything. Tylenol helped reduce the side effects, I think, and I started taking it this time right after the second shot. It still took three days from my life. I hope this vaccination lasts because I am not sure I could face the side effects again in ten or fifteen years. Brutal."

• sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 10, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had my first shot of Shingrix with 0 side effects and went to get my 2nd shot feeling pretty smug. Bam, within 4 hours, I felt worse than I have ever felt in my life, and it has been 2 months, and I still feel yucky. I had a high fever, aches, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes after the shot. I lost 5 days of work and still have a profound feeling of being unwell if I don't get a lot of extra sleep and take it easy."

• kk3...
• September 22, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Well, I am not going to ever just get a vaccine again. I work in a medical office, have a yearly flu shot, and have an easy time dealing with side effects from meds. Three days ago, I went to my pain management and got an injection of a steroid for low back pain. She says, 'Giving you the new shingles vaccine. No problem, right!?' Three hours later, I was hit with a wave of exhaustion so severe I was unable to drive. I called off Friday, it’s now Sunday, and I am feeling pains in areas of my back and hip that haven’t hurt in years, also nonstop ringing in the ears. Fatigue is still the main issue. Also, anxiety and irritability. I have been searching for how this drug was approved with no idea about the excretion and pharmacology of it. Most of all, why are they still using it, not really knowing anything about it? It is making billions of people sick and making the pharmaceutical company billionaires."

• Apr...
• March 4, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Had 1st vaccine 3/2/19. Within 12 hours, I felt like I had been in a boxing ring with Mike Tyson. Arm, collarbone, rib pain on the side where the injection was administered. Flu-like symptoms, malaise, ache all over, tired. No energy, chills, poor appetite, ears ringing. I’ve never reacted to any medication or vaccine with such profound symptoms/side effects. 36 hours later, not feeling much better/worse. Very unlikely that I will get the 2nd injection."

• In ...
• December 24, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I’m an obese person, take meds for heartburn and moderately high cholesterol. I work outside the home. The injection sites were only slightly sore, similar to that of an annual flu vaccine. Within hours of receiving the first shingles injection, I had malaise, chills, and shaking, no fever. The symptoms lasted for about 36 hours. The subsequent injection had similar side effects, but less severe, and lasting about 24 hours. I’m glad this vaccine is available, side effects aside! I’ve seen family who’ve had shingles, even a mild case can be excruciatingly painful."

• Ell...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "1st vaccine was awful, but thought 2nd dose might be easier if I took Advil ahead of time. 2nd was so much worse. Had severe pain all over, twitching in my eyelids, blurred vision, nausea, severe headache, ringing in ears, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, and great difficulty sleeping. Also had chills and an itchy red rash. Now dealing with a UTI, which has me feeling sick all the time."

• roc...
• May 17, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Just had the 2nd dose of Shingrix along with my wife. We are both in our late 60s and neither was very interested in having shingles. The 1st go-round went OK, with the common soreness in the shot location, general fatigue, and a slight headache for approximately a day afterward. This 2nd dose affected my wife much worse, however, as she felt like she had been hit by a train. Then, when bedtime arrived, she had to cover herself with several blankets, having uncontrolled shivering. My only side effect that I didn't recall having the first time was frequent urination-about 4x more than normal-without a noticeable intake increase of liquids. We are both glad we are done with this!"

• Kit...
• October 1, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I am a healthy 54-year-old woman. I had the first Shingrix shot and had arm soreness, but nothing horrible. On 9/24/19, I had the second shot. I had the second one in the hip. Today is 8 days later, and I still have a large, raised red rash around the injection site with pain. The evening after I had the second shot, I had a 102.5 fever, chills, nausea, no appetite, extreme fatigue, and headache. In the morning, I had hives on my face and back and a patchy red rash on my arms and chest. I was exhausted and had a low fever for the next two days. Benadryl and Tylenol helped the hives and fever, but did not get rid of them. Friday after I received the shot, I felt better, but I was still achy and still had a headache. Last night, the backs of my calves started to feel achy and sore. They have bright red rashes on them, and I have tiny red spots on my feet and ankles. I still have a splotchy red rash on my arms and chest. The headache is now gone, and the hives are gone."