Isabella Maria

Isabella Maria
Her 3 week pictures... such an angel!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Flu Shots are Evil.

I got my flu shot at work on Friday night. It barely hurt to get it, and I was convinced in my head that all the people that I have heard complaining about how their arm was sore for days were big wimps. I pride myself on having a decent/good pain tolerance. (Once I had a dentist look at me weird/concerned during a procedure and ask me if I was OK, and I said yes, that I felt pressure but it did not hurt. Then she said "Wow, you must have a high pain threshold." But I digress.) Well I don't know if I do anymore.
I am wondering now if I am having a reaction to the vaccine. Before I got it the paperwork said that if I have a severe egg allergy do not take it. Well I have never considered myself "allergic" to eggs, but (sharing a LOT here...) they make me poop. Like stomach cramps, pain, sweating, etc. Not a pretty thing to go through. I can eat things with egg as an ingredient but eating eggs for breakfast will cause that to happen. So maybe that should have been a red flag to the nurse... uh I dunno. Nurses are worried about everyone else but themselves. We typically have a "I'll be fine" attitude.
Anyhow, I shrugged off the egg thing as I signed the paperwork and rolled up my sleeve for the big ass needle. For the rest of the shift I felt OK. I did get really tired on the way home and fell asleep in my car in my DRIVEWAY for a few minutes, but I have done that before and therefore can't entirely blame that on the shot. However, I have not been awake for longer than a 2-3 hr. stretch since then. Also, my arm is swollen at the injection site. It is red and looks like either an angry pimple or bug bite. I occasionally feel dizzy. It is not hard to breathe, but I often find myself taking larger than normal breaths, like how one does right after you first wake up in the morning after a full night's sleep. (At least I find for the first few minutes after I wake up that I still breathe deeply like most sleeping people do.) My body aches, I think I am getting a fever despite having taken 2 excedrin an hour ago (can't find my damn thermometer... ugh) because I feel hot and sweaty even though the most taxing thing I have done is eat toast and type this. In addition to all this, my whole left arm (where I had the damn evil poison) feels weaker. Sometimes I get shooting pains in those fingers. No, I have never had tongue/mouth/throat swelling or wheezing, so I know it is not an anaphylactic reaction.
WTF? Am I dying? Are all these things normal? Am I just a huge wimp? Lemme know what your experiences have been with this.

I want my mom. :(

2 comments:

I'm Scooter, but I might be a troll. said...

Well, you are indeed having an immune system reaction to the shot. I would consult with a doctor over the phone to see if you should do anything other than rest, though.

kimberkara said...

I have never had a flu shot - and never had the flu. Quit being a whimp, it doesn't hurt that much.
:0D