Just got mine...last year it wasn't a big deal, but this year it fucking HURT. I'm already a giant baby who hates getting my vaccines but this was way worse than usual. When I started telling people about my reaction this year a number of people agreed that it hurt way worse this year and/or they had different reactions than previous years.

Please note I'm not looking for any conspiracies about it being worse or different somehow in a bad way, and I'm not trying to scare people into not getting it; even if it fucking hurt this year please get it, the temporary pain is better than getting and spreading covid.

But it definitely felt different in my arm and in my body this year and I have heard the same from others. Did something change or are we just misremembering? Or are our bodies reacting different somehow this year for other reasons? Or is it just random and this year for whatever coincidental reason I know a bunch of people who had a worse muscle reaction to it.

  • thethirdgracchi [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    2 months ago

    The vaccine is different this year as it's updated for the 2024-2025 covid variants, kind of like how the flu shot is a little different every year to vaccinate against the expected dominant variants.

    • Infamousblt [any]
      ·
      2 months ago

      I did know that, but is it different in a way that would make it feel different?

      • immuredanchorite [he/him, any]
        ·
        2 months ago

        There are other things that can contribute to the pain you feel during an injection, or lessen it: the distance of the needle insertion from a bundle of nerves, the gauge of the needle, the angle and speed of the insertion of the needle, the speed and depth of the administration. The temperature and ph of the vaccine also can change the experience, which can vary widely depending on the type of vaccine or the sort of preservatives/substrate the vaccine is in. Then there are differences between mrna vaccines, live attenuated, etc. The other things that affect the pain you are feeling: did you tense up or were you relaxed? What mindset were you in? Are you already in pain or was there something distracting you?

        The truth is when someone gives you a shot or IV there are only a few things in their control that can actually affect how painful something is- most of it is up to chance or the vaccine itself.

        • Infamousblt [any]
          ·
          2 months ago

          Oh I was in the same mode I'm always in which is actively trying not to have a panic attack. I have an IMMENSE fear of needles to the point that for blood draws I basically require Xanax or similar.

          When I got my first COVID vaccine years ago the nicest nurse in the whole world helped me prepare for the future though. I told her how scared I was and how vaccines always hurt and I'm always a huge mess after. She told me to let my arm dangle at my side which I do now and that helps a lot. She also held my hand and stroked the injection site very gently after which just made me well up with how much care she showed me. Honestly every vaccine now I think of her and how relaxed my arm was and how calm I felt and that helps. This was the worst one I've had in years now.

          So yeah maybe it was just my turn and randomly people around me to be unlucky with them hitting it weird.

          • JoeByeThen [he/him, they/them]
            ·
            2 months ago

            Yeah, general anecdotal consensus is the Moderna hits harder because of that. I've been sticking with Pfizer so far but am hoping to try the Novavax this time. I'm a pretty large guy, but Pfizer always knocks me out for a day or so. And every mRNA shot has resulted in a longer and longer period of swelling in the lymph nodes of my armpits. Hoping for something less drastic this time.