[Velvet]

I get about a 12 hours of negative reaction after each Covid (Pfizer) shot. And this year for the first time, my arm hurt after the flu shot for 2 days.

I look at the flu shot and the vaccine for Covid like hair salon appointments. Need to do regularly. Personally, I don’t expect Covid or the flu to disappear, and I don’t plan to get the illnesses either.

[jmpate]

It's not unusual to have a local reaction to any vaccine and flu shot is no exception. Redness and swelling at the injection site is common along with flu like symptoms.

One would have different reactions each time a flu shot is taken since the flu type changes each year and thus the flu vaccine is different each year. One gets a bit better the more often one experiences the flu vaccine. For me, I take aspirin 900 mg or so an hour before getting the flu vaccine and my symptoms afterwards are a lot less severe. This works for me but may not work for you.

It's also important to keep on top of the predictive seriousness of the flu each year, to make sure one gets the injection at the right time. Generally, if one gets the shot in mid October, you're covered through the entire flu season which ends in April. Having worked many flu seasons in healthcare, flu cases are significantly more and symptoms are more intense in March and April.

Joan RN

Originally Posted by coffeebean

This is only my second flu shot ever so I'm not so sure how common a reaction at the injection site is. My first flu shot was last year and I had no reaction at all.....not even soreness at the injection site. Now I'm starting to wonder if I was not given the senior dose of the flu shot last year.

This shot has left my arm a bit sore with a deep red area about 3" in diameter. This is the type of arm redness I had from my first two Moderna shots.

Anyone have a reaction like this at their site of injection of the Flu shot?

[MDLNB]

The last FLU shot I received (51 years ago) caused me to get very ill for about five days (if I remember correctly). I did not wish to feel like that again, so I have not received another FLU shot since. I have never had the FLU, so I guess I am either real lucky or I have some immunity to it. Not a medical professional but my personal physician does not seem to be concerned about my abstaining for getting the yearly FLU shot.
Sorry, I meant to add that a cold compress seems to help family members that have a reaction such as yours.