Yes, my daughter also said to have a current TDAP. I just got one a year ago and it is good for 10 years, so I am good there. 
2 Likes
I had a tdap and MMR shot before GS was born in July. Have since had a Covid booster and a flu shot.
I get tdap every 10 years for tetanus.
2 Likes
So do I. But it was the diphtheria that I need boosted to be around the baby.
1 Like
Can’t be too careful around babies!
1 Like
$800 seems to be about twice the going rate for to chickenpox vaccine shots.
I’m highly jealous of all those people who only get sore arm and/or a day of body aches from vaccines. I used to be one of those people and took it for granted!
I got flu/covid Saturday morning - one in each arm. The body aches started sooner than I remember - about 6 hours post shot. But this time I’m trying something different. I still alternate tylenol/advil every 4-6 hours, but I’m also taking Benedryl every 4-6 hours - that is in addition to my daily zyrtec/flonase meds.
I am happy to report that my whole shoulder/upper arm isn’t completely red and itchy like it’s been for the last several (not just covid) vaxes. But my arm pit lymph node in the covid arm still swelled up - maybe not quite as bad as the last couple of times - I still have some sort of an arm pit. The flu shot side is fine. Flu side shoulder was only the teeniest bit sore. Covid shoulder is definitely there, but nothing as terrible as the last few vaxes. The pharmacist did do a good arm with the shots - he took the 5 seconds to feel the edges of the shoulder muscle and got it lower down than some other pharmacists.
But today, while I don’t feel terrible - the bodyaches/headache are still definitely there. I hope it doesn’t linger for 2 weeks like the last few…
Of course, H is completely unfazed. I may hate him a little…
6 Likes
I get so sick with the flu shot. I am 74 but usually request the pediatric one. Not sure if I should do that again. Maybe it’s worth it to be really sick for a few days. The senior version is 4 times as strong, I believe!
I also got sick after receiving this year’s flu shot. I may have been coming down with a cold when I was vaccinated though.
I drink a lot of water before and after my shots. The one that got my arm really red and hot for days was the MMR.
Two different flu shots are suggested for seniors. One is FluZone High Dose, basically like 4 times the dose of traditional egg based vaccine. The other is the non-egg-based recombinant FluBlok. Perhaps if you have bad reaction to one, maybe try the other?
Thanks. How strong is FluBlok., I get sick with most vaccines but with the full flu shot I was reallllllly sick. I’ll investigate!
RE: TDaP. Actually it’s pertussis that the pediatricians worry about. Whooping cough is a 100X more common than diphtheria nowadays.
3 Likes
@WayOutWestMom - you are correct. My mistake.
Just watched this for a course: The Last Call (full documentary) | FRONTLINE Remember?
1 Like
When I was teaching in a school right at the end of covid (half the year with masks required, half without), I was worried about whooping cough so got the booster.
Those little germ factories!
2 Likes
A bat coronavirus is discovered with a furin cleavage site similar to that of SAR-CoV-2:
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.24.684489v1.full
3 Likes
I’m in eastern MA and MD told me yesterday there is a lot of COVID around right now. The season starts.
I went to CVS yesterday morning for my scheduled vaccines - got Fluzone High-Dose and MNexSpike COVID. So I am powered up! I don’t usually get a flu vaccine because I’ve never had the flu; only got the shot in years when I was going to be taking a cruise. Never caught COVID either to the best of my knowledge. But I wanted to be max protected for our NZ/Oz trip next February.
So far just a sore arm, which I had pretty much eliminated in the last couple of years by getting the shot as low in the arm as possible. But I guess the double whammy traumatized my arm a little. I iced yesterday off and on through bedtime and am on Advil.
I am a little sleepy but I’m always a little sleepy!
3 Likes
I had both yesterday. I had a little soreness in one arm, then the other arm started getting sore. After 12 hours, I had chills and body aches, and the headache kicked in at 15 hours. This is pretty typical for me, but I have been very sick from flu in the past & even with Covid boosters, I get Covid & it makes me feel pretty bad … I am happy to get my vaccines so that it isn’t worse when I contract it. I exercise and eat well, but I’m just one of the “lucky” ones who picks up flu and Covid. I’m still feeling draggy today, but it’s mostly a mild headache and sore arms. I have always had Pfizer before this booster, so we’ll see whether my usual torso rash appears - so far, it hasn’t.
4 Likes