Shingrix and Tiredness: What Users Say (Page 3)
Reviews for Shingrix
- Vin...
- September 3, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "60-year-old healthy male received first dose June 6th. Mild injection site pain. Flu-like symptoms struck within 24 hours and lasted three days. Took second dose Aug 31st. Severe injection site pain. Feels like I got hit by a baseball going 90 miles an hour. Pain lessening after 3 days. Arm is not immobilized, just sore. The worst symptoms were the tiredness and flu-like symptoms. Night sweats were extreme, causing me to wake up totally drenched to the point of having to change my clothes. I guess my immune system is working well and mounting a good defense. Though painful and uncomfortable, I would urge everyone to just plan accordingly when they get the shot but don’t avoid the vaccine or the second dose. Shingles is far worse and lasts far longer and can produce permanent neurological damage or death in rare instances."
- Anonymous
- August 16, 2019
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "54 y.o. female. Received initial injection of Shingrix. That evening, arm began to hurt at the injection site. Experiencing redness and swelling at the site. Each day after, the inflammation continued to worsen. By day 4, it was well over 4 inches in diameter. Itching at the site also. After the second day, began feeling tired and achy. Migraines began. Lasted a few days. Two weeks later, and redness is completely gone but left with itchy tingling at the site of injection. Random nerve zaps and sensitivity in other areas of the body. Not sure about the second injection. Wouldn’t want to experience worse side effects."
Frequently asked questions
- Use...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- September 13, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Had the 1st Shingrix vaccine in May 2018. Felt mildly tired the first night after and had a slight soreness where the vaccine was injected in my shoulder for a few days. No other side effects. Had the 2nd and again felt very slightly more tired than usual that night. Also had very minor soreness at the injection site. That pales compared to having shingles. My husband had nerve pain for 18 months after the disease, my father for years after, and a friend who never even saw a rash instead lost all the hearing in one ear as it affected the nerve leading to the ear. A few days of mild discomfort; I'll take it. The disease can be far, far worse."
- CGa...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 19, 2020
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had the first injection on Wednesday; recommended by my doctor, I don’t usually have any vaccinations. I am 61 and not sure I will have the second injection. My arm is throbbing, it’s burning to touch, about 2 in x 5 in around the injection site. Had a fever of 102, which just broke, headache, chills, no energy, body aches. Feel totally wiped out, had to call in sick for 2 days for the first time in 6 years. I was not warned about the side effects until after being given the injection, but I should have asked, so that’s on me. I would not recommend it, and will not be having the second shot."
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Your review helps others make informed decisions.- fhw...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 18, 2023
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "The first dose was given three days ago. It took 8 hours for the side effects to start, mild soreness at the injection site, and slightly tired. A few hours later, 103.3°F, sweating, overall aches, headache, nausea, chills, and sweating through the night. The next day, fever was down to 102.0, zero appetite, entire upper arm red and painful, and fitful sleep. The fever broke about 60 hours post-vaccination, lethargy continues but is mild, and appetite is better. The arm is still red and incredibly itchy. I had hoped I would not have only mild side effects like 'most' people, but the past three days have been miserable. I hope the intensely itchy arm goes away and does not evolve into a rash or worse. I doubt I will get the 2nd dose and hope my robust response protects me somewhat."
- Che...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- July 30, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had a bad case of shingles 25 years ago. Pain was indescribable and unrelenting, did not respond to any pain meds. 11 on a scale of 10. Missed three weeks of work and had terrible pain for six months, with occasional pain for ten years. I am giving this vaccine a high rating in anticipation that it performs as promised. Vaccine gave joint and muscle pain, 102 fever, exhaustion, not enough sleep due to injection site pain and arm swelling, with a 4' red patch. Now, 3 days out and much better, with arm pain being the worst remaining symptom. My wonderful pharmacist warned me that I would likely get sick, so I was prepared. Compared to shingles, vaccine side effects have been tolerable. I will definitely get the second shot."
- Jan...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- September 18, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had my first Shingrix vaccine shot two months ago and am really dreading getting the 2nd injection. I had such a bad reaction, sick for 4 days with flu symptoms... aching, low-grade fever, headache, and very lethargic. My injection site was red and swollen the size of a silver dollar for about a week. I recommend if anyone is going for the vaccine to allow for several recovery days, just in case."
- Mar...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- May 25, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Got the first vaccine at 5 pm, awakened at 4 am with severe body aches. Since then, I am on day 5 of missing work, exhaustion, burning, bloodshot eyes, muscle aches, no appetite. Have hardly left bed and can’t imagine getting a second dose."
- Jax...
- January 22, 2020
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I’m a 52-year-old female. I had the first injection 7 weeks ago. The injection was very painful as the medicine was being administered. I felt fine during the first 12 hours, then BAM... started shaking uncontrollably like I was having a panic attack, dizzy, cold, hot, sweating, and my arm was aching! Within an hour, my temperature spiked to 102 and would only come down slightly with ibuprofen. Worst night of my life! It’s been several weeks, and I am extremely dizzy and can barely function because of lethargy. I’m only 52 and was recommended to have this vaccine because I’m starting on a biological medicine for my Ankylosing Spondylitis. I will see my doctor to determine if I should have the second dose. If I had done my proper research, I think I would have decided against having this vaccine!"
- Pat...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- July 29, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "53-year-old male. Have now had both doses. Read up on Shingrix prior to first dose. Asked pharmacist lots of questions. She said expect to feel like you have the flu for a couple of days and localized pain around the injection site. She said it was one of the more painful vaccines administered. This is not a flu shot. She was right. Muscle aches, headaches, lethargy, chills, low-grade fever. Injection site sore for a few days. Do not recommend taking the Shingrix midway through the workweek or prior to special events. Hoped the second injection would be better, but still arranged for the injection before two days off and no plans. Same flu-like symptoms. Ibuprofen minimized the aches and pains both times and reduced fever. Tiredness went away after a couple of days. Discomfort was probably a five on a 1-10 scale. Have seen people with shingles who report the worst pain they’ve ever experienced. For me, the trade-off is worth it. Too early to tell if it’s effective."
- Pat...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- July 29, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "53-year-old male. Have now had both doses. Read up on Shingrix prior to first dose. Asked pharmacist lots of questions. She said expect to feel like you have the flu for a couple of days and localized pain around the injection site. She said it was one of the more painful vaccines administered. This is not a flu shot. She was right. Muscle aches, headaches, lethargy, chills, low-grade fever. Injection site sore for a few days. Do not recommend taking the Shingrix midway through the workweek or prior to special events. Hoped the second injection would be better, but still arranged for the injection before two days off and no plans. Same flu-like symptoms. Ibuprofen minimized the aches and pains both times and reduced fever. Tiredness went away after a couple of days. Discomfort was probably a five on a 1-10 scale. Have seen people with shingles who report the worst pain they’ve ever experienced. For me, the trade-off is worth it. Too early to tell if it’s effective."
- Nei...
- September 10, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Had the first dose in May and had no debilitating side effects except for severe pain at the site of the injection in the upper left arm. Felt like somebody hit me with a hammer at the injection site. The second dose, nearly 3 months after, was a different story. Starting the following day after that injection, I had severe pain and soreness at the injection site, which affected the mobility of the arm. Much worse were the extreme tiredness and flu-like symptoms, which lasted for about 5 days after the injection. The night sweating was so severe for 4 days that it caused me to wake up and change my bed garments several times each night. Even sheets and pillowcases were soaked. Now, nearly 2 weeks after that second shot, I have still not regained my full strength. I hope that the protection that is claimed by the manufacturer is true, as I never want to experience the symptoms of shingles that I saw my dad go through."
- Meg...
- June 16, 2019
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Got the vaccine on Friday, woke up with a sore arm and feeling very tired. Later in the day, I started having severe vomiting and diarrhea, then freezing and shivering violently. This is the second day, so hoping I will not be sick again today. Really dreading getting the second dose. I am 71, so glad I didn't wait until I was in my 80s."
- Kye...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- December 28, 2019
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "After the first injection of Shingrix, I experienced a headache so severe I thought I might’ve been having a stroke. Apparently, it was just a side effect of the vaccine. My shoulder hurt for almost a week. The first night, I couldn’t even raise my arm over my head. I just had the second vaccine and am braced for the worst. So far, I am just really, really tired. I sure hope I don’t get the headache just as bad as the first time. What I do know is, I don’t want the shingles. A few days or a week of side effects is a little pill to take to prevent shingles."
- Cry...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 19, 2020
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Had my first dose on 10/16/2020. I am very sensitive to anything that is put into my body (normally, this is good when it comes to over-the-counter pain relievers or cortisone injections). I am a 52-year-old physically fit woman who just had my second dose. Boy, I feel like a baby. Within hours, I couldn’t move my left arm and felt extremely tired and in a lot of pain (last injection, I was in bed for 2 days with extreme tiredness and some pain). The second dose is much more painful (I am actually crying because of it, and the over-the-counter medication isn’t helping at all). Good thing this severe pain didn’t come with my first dose, as I would have never gotten the second one... even though I had shingles years ago. I am begging the people in charge of this to do something to prevent all these really bad side effects (this is ridiculous)."
- She...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- October 6, 2018
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had my first Shingrix shot in May with very little side effects. Sore around injection site. Second shot two days ago, injection site red and swollen three-inch diameter, painful and itching, and I was very tired and had a headache. I took Tylenol, which helped. Not pleasant, but I’m glad that I got it done as I suffered from one of the worst cases of shingles (as my doctor said) and had PHN for one year ago, and I never want to go through that again. As already mentioned, plan your time getting the injection, allowing a few days for recovery if needed."
- Bea...
- July 23, 2019
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "So far, the Shingrix is not too bad...certainly nothing like I had been anxiously anticipating after reading some of these scary reviews, as well as the side effect warnings from my doctor and nurse. It's been about 30 hours since the shot (first one), and the only noteworthy complaint is the sore arm. Similar pain/achy like from a tetanus or flu shot. Actually, I think the tetanus was worse. Still, feeling just a bit tired and sometimes a little woozy (like from a late night and a few extra glasses of wine). I'm glad I didn't have anything important going on yesterday or today. I have several friends who had shingles, and their experiences were pretty horrifying, with one gal suffering many months of nerve pain. So it didn't take much to convince me. Glad I got the shot, and hopefully the second one will be just as easy."
- Ky...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- November 3, 2019
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "My husband and I are in different stages of our Shingrix vaccinations. I am 58, and he is 59 with no health issues. I had shingles about 12 years ago and received the shingles vaccine in place about a year after that experience. Now for Shingrix: I took shot 2, and he took shot 1 four days ago. For my shot 1, I guess I was lucky as I had no side effects other than feeling blah. My second shot and my husband’s first shot created an extreme headache, nausea, exhaustion, and muscle pain that started about 8 hours after the shot and lasted for 36 hours. On day 4 after the shot, I still have redness, slight swelling, and pain upon light touch at the injection site. Not sure if that long is normal or not."
- Liz...
- October 9, 2022
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had the first shot in May 2022 with only a bit of soreness in the arm and a little tired the next day. Had my second dose on Tues, Oct 4, and the pharmacist kept asking if I was okay after the first, and now I know why. About 3 hours after, the injection site felt tender and stiff, and I started feeling dizzy and heart racing. Took it easy at home, but I felt lethargic, no energy, nauseous. Went to bed for the night and felt heart racing, although I wasn’t worried or stressed. Closed my eyes, and immediately the same repetitive vivid colorful dream; although I woke up every hour, as soon as I closed my eyes, it was the same crazy dream. I felt like I was drugged. No crazy dreams the next night, but did not feel well for 4 days with body aches, headaches, dizziness in walking, nausea, stomachache, and diarrhea. I wish the pharmacist had warned me. I’ve never had such a reaction before. But I’d rather this than getting shingles."
- Liz...
- October 9, 2022
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had the first shot in May 2022 with only a bit of soreness in the arm and a little tired the next day. Had my second dose on Tues, Oct 4, and the pharmacist kept asking if I was okay after the first, and now I know why. About 3 hours after, the injection site felt tender and stiff, and I started feeling dizzy and heart racing. Took it easy at home, but I felt lethargic, no energy, nauseous. Went to bed for the night and felt heart racing, although I wasn’t worried or stressed. Closed my eyes, and immediately the same repetitive vivid colorful dream; although I woke up every hour, as soon as I closed my eyes, it was the same crazy dream. I felt like I was drugged. No crazy dreams the next night, but did not feel well for 4 days with body aches, headaches, dizziness in walking, nausea, stomachache, and diarrhea. I wish the pharmacist had warned me. I’ve never had such a reaction before. But I’d rather this than getting shingles."
- Mis...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- September 19, 2022
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I got the second vaccine 5 days ago. I had a pinched nerve in my arm when I got the vaccine and took the vaccine in that same arm. I had been to the urgent care prior to getting the vaccine for the arm pain and informed the position giving the vaccine about this issue and was advised to go ahead with the vaccine. The urgent care gave me a shot of Toradol, and I felt okay the next day. I woke up in excruciating pain. I tried to work and ended up having to discontinue early. I called my doctor crying several times throughout the day, begging for pain medications because the pain was excruciating, mostly in my arm. I was taking pain pills and muscle relaxers at the same time as prescribed. Later, I found that they were not supposed to be taken together. My entire body was aching, I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was sleep. I was having sweats and chills. This has gone on for about 4 days. I missed work, I missed social activities, and I have to move out of my apartment this coming week."
- Hyp...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- October 4, 2018
"My grandfather had horrible shingles, and I had horrible chicken pox as a child, so this shot (series) was necessary for me to endure. The first shot hurt like anything... I couldn't even raise my arm or sleep the first night after the shot. Then I got a massive headache the next day, making nearly everything scheduled impossible. Then the exhaustion hit, I was wiped out for 3 days. Sluggish is not the word. I had body aches all over... not much appetite. I braved it up and got my second shot a month later... wham, hit again (like childbirth... you forget how bad the first go-round was), and I had all the same side effects above but worse in duration and intensity. You have to be one tough cookie to get through the side effects of this vaccine. All you other crumbling cookies (who didn't) can enjoy your shingles... no way, not me... glad I did it!"
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- January 8, 2021
For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I am a 52-year-old female. I received my first Shingrix vaccination in early October, and I had no real side effects. It felt no different than the flu injection or the typhoid injection that I received. I received my second injection on a Wednesday and did not think anything about it because I usually do not suffer from side effects. But by midday, my stomach was bothering me, nothing major, pain level was about a 2 out of 10. After walking about 5 miles, and as the evening progressed, the level of discomfort increased to about 8. I was tired the next day, and the pain was constant, and I had no appetite. I was able to return to work 2 days later. I did my own research and decided to take the injection because, although I was exposed to chickenpox as a child on multiple occasions, I did not get them. So there is no telling if I would get shingles. No regrets, my body is doing what it should to fight an invader."
- Tes...
- August 26, 2018
"I got the first Shingrix shot on Feb. 24. Only reaction was a sore arm. Second shot Aug. 23/18. Got really ill, fever, chills, couldn't eat, constipation, arm almost blistered at injection site, super tired. It is now day 3, and I am still tired, all the other symptoms are gone except for the itchiness at the injection site, which is almost a huge blister, and when I scratch it, it hurts. I'm hoping tomorrow will be much better. Would rather go through a few days of discomfort than get shingles like my husband did."
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For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I received the first of the Zostavax vaccination 10 days ago. I had some soreness in my arm, couldn’t sleep on that side. But in the middle of the night, I woke up to terrible pain in my thigh muscle. Stabbing pain in the middle, and from there, shooting pain up and down every 5 minutes. It’s been 10 days now, and I still have muscle pain in both of my thighs and am tired all the time. Will it ever end?"