Zoster vaccine, recombinant and Fever: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 7, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I am/was a very healthy 66-year-old male. I am on the 5th day of a horrible experience after receiving the Shingrix shot. I have been getting immunizations my entire life, but nothing could have prepared me for this. 3 days in bed with a fever of 103. Cough and congestion so bad that one night I had to stay awake to tell myself to breathe. Splitting headache and aches so bad you can't imagine. 24 hr. nonstop hiccups since I got the shot. Sounds funny, but it's not. I've read (after I got the shot) that some people may not return for the follow-up. Well, count me in that group."

• Mag...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "The first shot was a breeze. The second shot, which I received three days ago, was a total nightmare. I’ve had the flu many times, and never was I as sick as I was with this medication. I really should have gone to the hospital. Worse than any flu symptoms or the flu I have ever known. The chills, to me, were not just chills, I was never so cold in all my life. I was hot, I was dizzy, I was lightheaded, I was sick to my stomach, I was in horrible pain, and not just at the shot site. I had a very high fever, and my heart was beating fast."

• Foo...
• August 3, 2021

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I am 63, female, healthy. Had a mild case of shingles at age 26. Got the Zostavax vaccine many years ago; got a mild, yet painful case of shingles years in January 2020. Got the first dose of the Shingrix vaccine at the end of May 2021. Days 1-2: fever, chills, and aches. Day 6: sharp pain in the shoulder blade. Went to the chiropractor 4 times in a week. No relief. Day 10: rash on both shins. Day 12: clinic prescribed 6 days of prednisone for pain. Day 15: burning pain on the rib cage. Day 18: diagnosed with shingles (“just” 3 blisters on the rib cage). Day 21: diagnosed with erythema (rash) nodosum (nodes) on both shins and calves. THIS was worse than shingles! No piercing pain or burning, but swelling, inflammation, and marble-sized rheumatoid “nodes” formed under my skin. Intermittent bed rest for 3 weeks. This rash can manifest as a secondary illness. Now, at Day 70 (?); legs much better (no debilitation). Will see the rheumatologist on Day 73. Second dose in November? Unlikely."

• 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!!"

• Jas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Had shot on evening of August 28, 2019. I am a nurse. Pain in arm, but like any other immunization. Woke up in the middle of the night with fever, chills, headache, and body aches. Face flushed. Will have to cancel all plans for today. Very similar to influenza. Will report back if symptoms change. People should be informed of this so they can plan accordingly."

• 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."

• Uh-...
• November 14, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Last Friday, I went to my pharmacy for the second Shingrix shot. My arm, where the injection was, was purple, hot to touch, and very swollen. Friday into Saturday early morning, I felt so sick, high fever, chills, and joint pain, flu-like symptoms. It is now Wednesday, and I am still sick. I have mucus and a sore throat. My arm is now red and less swollen."

• Tob...
• September 3, 2018

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "This is an update to my post from yesterday, where I had just gotten my 2nd dose of the Shingrix vaccine. I am very, very ill. The joint pain, body aches, fever, chills, severe arm pain all kicked in pretty swiftly. I also have diarrhea. My intestines are making crazy noises. My neck hurts so bad that I can't hold my head up. I tried 800 mg prescription-strength ibuprofen. It didn't work. I tried a long hot shower. It worked while I was under the water, but once I got out, the joint pain returned. I tried a heated percussion massager all over my body. It didn't work. All I can say is be prepared for significant adverse side effects for both the first and second doses of this vaccine. Like another post, I am left wondering what we will find out about this vaccine years down the road."

• 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."

• USA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "56 y.o. male, 30 years in the military, so I'm used to being a human pin cushion/lab rat. Both my wife (57) and I got chicken pox in high school, so we figured we were very high risk for shingles. Once my brother got shingles in his FACE after surgery, getting vaccinated was a no-brainer. Shot #1, standard fever, chills, sore arm for me; my wife couldn't move her arm for days and had a fever of 104. For me, it was essentially the same as the typhoid vax--I felt like I had the flu for a couple of days with a really sore arm. Dreaded getting shot #2, but it was better than the first for both of us; basically down for just one day. In any case, plan for 48-72 hours of misery. I highly recommend getting it Friday afternoon, on the side you don't sleep on. Still way better than getting shingles, folks. Get to it."

• 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."

• Joe...
• September 25, 2018

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Wasn't told about side effects. Like many others, did not know until second shot had baseball rash and fever for two days. Had inflammation of lymph nodes. Had serious side effects that reactivated internal shingles. This vaccine was not tested on individuals who have had shingles, look it up. Anyone that is considering this vaccine, do your research."

• Pat...
• February 8, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "53-year-old teacher. I missed 40 days of work from Labor Day through November because of shingles. I had my first dose of Shingrix shortly after returning to work in November. My arm was extremely sore for about a week, and I ended up missing two more workdays due to flu-like symptoms after the injection. I had a fever (about 101) even though I took Advil, and flu-like symptoms that woke me up the first night. Bad shivers, body aches, headache...... I just had my second shot yesterday. I was hoping for a less severe reaction, but was prepared this time and did it on a Friday in case I needed the weekend to recover. I'm glad I did. Last night was rough, and my symptoms are the same as the first time. Plan ahead if you are considering this. If it turns out to be less of a problem for you, great! If it is bad, however, you will need downtime for recuperation."

• she...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 15, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Just had the second dose yesterday. I remember feeling bad after the first dose, but this time it is worse. Fever, chills, achy, tired, headache - had to leave work and came home and slept for hours. I know it's a great vaccine and very effective, so glad I got it, but I think they should be more upfront with the possible severe reactions."

• Bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "First shot in August. Very sore arm for several days. Second shot yesterday. Okay for a few hours, then the arm became so sore I can barely use it. Twelve hours after the shot, around midnight, got a low fever, a little over a hundred, and cold shakes any time I got out of bed. Then my heart was racing at about 120 beats per minute all night long. Also had to keep getting up to urinate. Barely slept. Today at 8 a.m., the arm is still very sore. Heartbeat is at around 110 now, so that’s a plus. I understand the theoretical benefits of this medication, but it’s hard to believe this is the best they can do with the side effects."

• MPa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2020

"Got my 1st Shingrix shot at 3 p.m. yesterday. Pharmacist warned of headache and shoulder pain, but this thing has taken me down. Woke this morning with a fever of 99.9, body aches, chills, and overall flat on my back. Cannot rally to get out of bed. Praying this is as bad as it gets. Arm is mildly sore. I am going to drink lots of water."

• Den...
• September 18, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I got the vaccine at the urging of my doctor, as I am 60 and have had shingles twice. The pharmacist at CVS said I may have a sore arm for a few days. My arm was so sore I couldn’t lift it for 2 days. I am also experiencing fever, chills, night sweats, and severe body and joint aches. Today is day 5, and I am still having this! I will absolutely not get the 2nd shot!"

• SKa...
• September 27, 2019

"BAD! #1 severe aches for 2 days, weakness, huge red welt the diameter of an orange, fever. Spent the weekend in bed. #2 Sept. huge welt, severe arm pain, could not lift arm, severe body aches. Next morning, severe weakness, uncontrollable shivering, muscle spasms, fever. I was severely nauseous, took nausea meds. I wanted to go to the ER, too sick to drive. Husband came home from work early because of being fatigued, having a headache, all over body pain. He is home 48 hours later, missing work. He was so bad when he drove home from work he wasn’t sure if he could make it home, he couldn’t think straight because of the pain. 56 hours later, my injection site is still sore, itching terribly. I still have nausea, can’t eat. I keep having chills, more mild. My husband has a fever, chills. Now I am taking oral Benadryl for the itching because nothing topical is helping. The pharmacist told me that people are reporting the 2nd shot is worse. We are 50 & 53."

• 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."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "57-year-old female. No health issues. Not in the best shape. Mild flu-like symptoms kicked in approx 18 hours after the first vaccination (haven't received the second yet). I had a slight fever (no chills), slight headache, and muscle aches. Tylenol took care of it. I will say that where I received the vaccine has been so sore, all the way up into my shoulder. Enough so that when I rolled over on it in my sleep, it woke me up. However, that is subsiding 2 days after the vaccine. With all this said, it is totally worth it. I do not want to get Shingles!! I'll take the short-term flu-like symptoms over that any day!"

• Jay...
• October 21, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I don't have trouble with vaccines. I got the first dose on Oct 18, 2019. In less than 2 hours, I had sharp pain in my flanks, like the dermatomes shown in medical illustrations of shingles. Had chickenpox twice as a child but not shingles. Soon, I was running a fever with chills, pain all over, including weird pain in the buttocks. Took Advil and went to bed. I woke in the night intensely nauseated but having to use the bathroom. I was so sick, I passed out and I woke up on the cold tile floor and couldn't get up for a while. I dragged myself back to bed. In the morning, I realized I must have passed out and hit my head because the whole side of my jaw hurt and I had a painful lump under my cheekbone. Fever peaked at 101. I slept most of 24 hours. On 10/20, I woke up feeling fine except for the bruised face and sore, red shoulder. On 10/21, same. Had to cancel dental appointment. Dreading the next dose! Just glad I didn't get a worse head injury from passing out."

• 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."

• Ann...
• November 29, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Within 6 hours of the vaccine, I developed severe chills, profound weakness, and a temperature of 102.5. It is now 24 hours since I was given the vaccine. I still have a fever of 101.6 to 102.6, extreme chills, and am too weak to get out of bed. The fever persists even though I am taking Tylenol every 4 hours. I am 70 and in good health, on no medications. This is a terrible vaccine."

• CTS...
• August 3, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Got the 1st shot at a Costco in May. Stupidly got it in the arm with my dominant hand. First 12 hours not too bad, but by the end of day 1, my whole arm hurt like anything. The next day, I had a large red area on my arm and began to have flu-like symptoms. By the end of day 2, I was feverish, cold, achy, and tired. Reminiscent of going through chemo from cancer. No energy; spent the night in bed. Took Advil, which helped the pain a little, but I woke up several times that night with aches, sweats, and chills. By the next morning, I felt slightly better. Felt feverish and achy again by the end of day 3, and my arm got more painful. A 4” red area around the injection site 3 days after; hard and hot to the touch. By day 4, side effects began to subside. I think it’s worth it if it prevents me from getting shingles; just wish I had known about the side effects before I got the injection. I’m concerned for anyone who is elderly or has a compromised immune system. The fever and pain may be too much for them."