This time, I would like to write about my experience with the side effects of the second vaccine. I hope it will be helpful to someone.
My condition is...
- Living in Nagoya City. 45 years old. Male. No underlying diseases (probably). Low basal body temperature (sometimes in the 35°C range).
- July 14, 2021 Received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine.
- The only side effect was "arm muscle pain for two or three days."
- 2021.8.13 <4 weeks and 2 days after the first vaccination> I was going to get my second vaccination, but I felt fatigued and took my temperature, which was 37.4℃. There was a notice that said "If your temperature is over 37.5℃ at the venue, you will not be able to get the vaccination," so I gave up that day. After a while, my fever went down. I wonder what it was.
- 2021.8.23 <5 weeks and 5 days after the first vaccination> Second vaccination. The Moderna vaccine has a 4-week interval between the first and second doses, but in my case, it ended up being almost 6 weeks. It seems that many countries overseas require a 6-week interval, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare website also says that "the vaccine is effective even if the standard interval is exceeded," so I guess it's okay.
Now, the side effects are...
I started to get scared around July. This was because there were more and more reports of side effects from people who had received the second Moderna vaccine on social media. As I read the experiences of people who had been vaccinated, I wondered if I would get that much of a fever, and I was scared before my turn came.
Moreover, the event was postponed once, which gave me more time to prepare. As a result, I saw more stories of people with fevers, and I was so scared that I ended up putting together a set like this.
It's almost like a field trip.
So, when I posted this photo on Facebook, I received useful information from people who had experienced side effects, such as "You'll need a cold compress on your arm that has anti-inflammatory effects," "You should bring another bottle of Pocari Sweat," "You'll have chills, so bring a blanket too," as well as heartwarming comments like "You'll also need cream puffs" (I love cream puffs, so I went and bought some!). Thank you.
Although it's not in the photo, of course I was fully prepared with fever-reducing medicine (in my case, Loxonin). After doing everything I could to prepare, it was time for the real side effects.
Side effects, ready, set, go.
- Body temperature at time of vaccination (4 p.m.) 36.2°C
- 3 hours later, I felt a little drowsy. My temperature was 37.0℃. I dozed off.
- 8 hours later I woke up in the middle of the night, my arm started to feel stiff and painful, 36.6℃
- 14 hours later Oh, I was able to sleep well. But my arm hurts so much I put on an anti-inflammatory patch. 36.7℃
- 15 hours later: I feel feverish. I'm starting to feel dazed. 36.9℃. Breakfast: toast, banana, juice, then take my first dose of Loxonin.
- 16 hours later, still feeling dazed, 37.0℃
- 18 hours later, I feel a little better. 37.1℃
- 21 hours later, I feel a little dizzy and have a slight headache. My temperature is 36.9℃. I eat cold Chinese noodles for lunch and then take Loxonin (for the second time).
- 24 hours later: Headache has subsided but I still feel a bit tired. My arm hurts. 36.7℃. I eat a cream puff.
- 26 hours later, not much different. Dinner: Eat mackerel sushi and go to bed early.
- 36 hours later: After a good night's sleep, I felt a bit dazed and my arm was itchy. 37.0℃
- 37 hours later, fatigue started. 37.3℃
- 40 hours later, I'm feeling pretty tired. 37.2℃. Breakfast: toast, Weider, juice, then Loxonin.
- 44 hours later, my head feels clearer and my arms feel a little better. 37.0℃. Lunch: I eat some cold noodles and salad.
- After 47 hours, I feel like I'm getting back to normal. 37.0℃
- 50 hours later, it seems to have returned to normal 36.6℃
In my case, unlike my 2nd Moderna seniors who struggled with high fevers, my temperature did not reach 38°C, and only rose to the low 37°C range.
I wonder if perhaps taking Loxonin as soon as I felt that something was a little off, and then taking another dose six hours later and another dose the next day as a preventative measure, was enough to suppress the fever before it got too high.
However, it is normal for body temperature to fluctuate by about 1 degree Celsius over the course of a day, tending to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening.
So, in my case, the temperature only changed by about 1 degree Celsius, so ultimately, I could say that my temperature was normal the whole time (although my actual normal temperature is probably a little lower).
In the end, in my case, my vigilance against side effects turned out to be unnecessary. I didn't even use up a third of the excursion kit I had prepared. I'll give the unused portion to my wife, who will soon be getting her second dose.
Anyway, for me, who has a low basal body temperature, a hyper-high fever is a matter of life and death. I feel very lucky that this time I only felt a dull, sluggish feeling.
If that's what you thought, that was a big mistake.
An unexpected big hit
I was surprised when I saw the news on the morning of August 26th.
As I was waking up and drinking tea as usual, my wife said to me:
"Oh dear, there's a foreign object in the Moderna vaccine."
"Oh my, something like that happens. I really wish the coronavirus would stop making people anxious."
Grumbling to myself, I take out my vaccination record and check my lot number just to be sure.
Well, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's website, the three affected are Lot 3004667, Lot 3004734, and Lot 3004956.
let's see.
I spit out my tea.
This is a jackpot!
How is that lucky!!!
Huh? Was it metal that was mixed in?
Seriously? Metal injected into the muscle? I don't really get it, but it seems kind of crazy.
It may seem strange to say this after having been actively putting a foreign substance like alcohol into my body up until now, but the thought that metal may have gotten into my body is very unsettling.
Oh well, since it's come to this.
"The metal-containing vaccine is a big hit. Maybe my luck with money has improved, so I might as well buy a lottery ticket. Ha ha ha!"
If you tell your wife that,
"There must be hundreds of thousands of people who have won, right? And the odds are completely different from the lottery odds."
Because. Yes, that's right. Sorry.
Phew... I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I'm fine for now.
P.S.
Speaking of lotteries, they're running one today until 23:59 on August 31st (Tuesday).
https://twitter.com/nzwinelovers/status/1426790592479068164
For all of you who use Twitter, this is a lottery event where you can win a wonderful New Zealand wine, so please apply if you are interested. If you've been unlucky lately, now's the time to try and turn your luck around. We will send a DM to the winners.
