Age: 41.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Injection site warmth, Muscle spasms, Musculoskeletal discomfort, Myalgia, Nausea
Clinical narrative: Vaccine was given at 10:30 am on 12/29/20. The injection caused mild discomfort at the site (right deltoid) followed by swelling, redness, warmth, and soreness. The swelling, redness, warmth, and tenderness to touch worsened by 24 hours, peaked at 48 hours, and has since improved (but continued well over 120 hours post vaccination). Other than the arm discomfort, I felt well the rest of the first day however I woke at 1:30 am (15 hours post-vaccine) with severe muscle cramps in my lower legs and feet. I was freezing and had significant chills. PJs, a robe, and 3 blankets weren?t cutting it. I took Ibuprofen 600 mg and a robaxin 750 mg because the cramps were severe and unrelenting. Tmax was 100.5. Sleep was poor and intermittent. I got out of bed around 24 hours post vaccination and was extremely nauseous and weak. I took Zofran 4 mg and Tylenol 500mg and laid around the rest of the day. I forced some food down at hour 29 (had not eaten in 20-21 hours).  My eyes and the injection site were itchy prompting me to take Benadryl 25 mg at hour 22. I got a second round of shaking chills, nausea, and worsened myalgias at hour 32. I also felt as though the injection site pain migrated towards my right axilla. Took a second dose of Ibuprofen 400 mg, Zofran 4 mg, and robaxin 750 mg and fell asleep by 7:30 pm (unheard of for me). When I woke to go to work at 6:30 am (44 hours post vaccine) I was still very achey and fatigued. My right axilla was very sore and tender to touch, moreso than the injection site. This same discomfort migrated to the right side of my neck and behind my right ear (which was worse by hour 55 and brought on a headache). Thank goodness it was a short shift due to the holiday!  While caffeine and a third dose of ibuprofen and Zofran help me through the 6.5 hour shift I was still not myself. The fatigue and achiness did not let up until a little after 96 hours. I really didn?t feel like myself until day 5 (118 hours post vaccination) and the injection site and my right axilla are still sore and tender to touch. There is still redness and occasional itchiness at the injection site. I took my usual doses of Advair and Claritin despite the nausea all 5 days. I should also mention, that while on shift (hour 48-ish), I felt a very brief, unprovoked heaviness in my chest similar to the sensation I felt after I recovered from COVID in March. Sensation lasted seconds and came a few times throughout the day. No SOB, diaphoresis, or wheezing. That same discomfort started 2.5 weeks after I was diagnosis with COVID and about 5 days after feeling "fully recovered" from the fever, body ache, fatigue and nausea I had experienced with COVID. That chest sensation would come and go with decreased frequency over 6 weeks post COVID. I?ve had a total of 5 episodes of the chest heaviness but none today (day 5). I wonder if that?s what will happen with the vaccine. I also wonder if the side effects I?m feeling have anything to do with having had COVID 9 months ago. My husband and other ED colleagues who did not have COVID had no side effects with the first dose of the vaccine but the few colleagues that had COVID all had some degree of an adverse reaction to the vaccine. I never want to feel as bad as I did in March but I?m dreading my second dose of the vaccine. Is it recommended in my case? I should also mention, I had an adverse reaction to the pneumonia vaccine 1.5 years ago - arm blew up, no respiratory symptoms. Needed Benadryl and Prednisone. I?ve had a MMR booster and flu shot since with no adverse reaction. Not sure if it is relevant.