Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated and Pain: What Users Say

• Ted...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2019

Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated for Influenza Prophylaxis "I was being treated for a knee injury (no surgery) and about to start therapy the day I was given Fluzone High-Dose. It was the first time I had been given this high-dose vaccine because I just turned 65. The doctor gave me an NSAID for knee pain, which I didn't take because my knee wasn't that bad. A week later, my knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows hurt, not just the joints, but the muscles too. I could only sleep on my back and could hardly get out of bed. I took the NSAID, and within 12 hours I was a lot better. The only thing I can attribute this to is the flu shot. NEVER AGAIN!"

• Ted...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2019

Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated for Influenza Prophylaxis "I was being treated for a knee injury (no surgery) and about to start therapy the day I was given Fluzone High-Dose. It was the first time I had been given this high-dose vaccine because I just turned 65. The doctor gave me an NSAID for knee pain, which I didn't take because my knee wasn't that bad. A week later, my knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows hurt, not just the joints, but the muscles too. I could only sleep on my back and could hardly get out of bed. I took the NSAID, and within 12 hours I was a lot better. The only thing I can attribute this to is the flu shot. NEVER AGAIN!"

• Lex...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2019

Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated for Influenza Prophylaxis "Received Fluad jab a month ago. Minor side effects in the first 24 hours (thought I had tonsillitis), then frequent lassitude, which persists to this day. Worst of all, after exactly a week, I had sudden pains in the site of an old hernia op in the groin, and these also persist, plus hip pains in bed. My quality of life has taken a real nosedive, I feel like an invalid, and no end is in sight. I am an otherwise fit 76-year-old male in the UK. In the future, I will decline a flu jab."

• Kat...
• April 22, 2020

Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated for Influenza Prophylaxis "Started to have shortness of breath and a pain from my arm straight over to my chest that lasted 6 1/2 hours before it stopped. But what didn't stop was I had to go #1 every hour or more, never had this before. Then the next day I started to feel like I was getting sick, so I just went to bed. The next morning had to go to the store, got home, and I got to my bed. My muscles felt like Jell-O, and the pain in my bones hurt so bad I couldn't hold myself up. I laid down and couldn't get up for 10 to 12 hours later, but I had to pee every hour, couldn't hardly hold it! Then the rash started in the lower stomach area, 3 inches wide, and from one hip. I have all the side effects on the list for my doctor. I let them know what had happened. I sure need some answers, and I'm still having some of the side effects. I have had the flu 3 different times now in the last 6 months after this flu shot, with the rash starting and needing to pee more!!"

• DXa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 20, 2020

Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated for Influenza Prophylaxis "Received the egg-free shot on Friday, 10.16.20, at 6 pm. Due to the pandemic, I have been quarantined and work from home, so no chance of these symptoms being anything but vaccine-related. I haven’t had the flu since I was 6 years old, so this is the first time getting the shot. By 12 am, I had the sweats, by 3 am, I was in pain and nauseous, by 6 am, I was vomiting. Spent all day Saturday and Sunday in agony. My stomach is a mess, with head and body pains. I was able to eat bread Sunday evening, and Monday felt even worse with no appetite again. It’s now Tuesday at 3 am, and still no relief (currently sitting here in pain, nauseous, with chills and shaking). OTC meds don’t help. I’m generally a healthy 45 years old, exercise and walk 3-5 miles a day... I can barely walk to the bathroom. Pharmacist and MD are monitoring me. I will never get this vaccine again. I can’t believe this vaccine is considered safe."

• Sam...
• September 20, 2020

For Influenza Prophylaxis "I usually get a flu shot every year. I'm 4 more years away from getting the high-dose, so I received the standard IM flu vaccine 3 days ago. Usually, I do get headaches from flu vaccines because of the thimerosal in it. Friday night after getting it, my headache slammed in, and this year the flu shot brought in heavy waves of nausea. Come Saturday, my arm was throbbing with pain not so much on the outer area of my arm but deep into my muscle where the vaccine is. I never have this much pain. Quite honestly, for some reason, it hurts like I had a Tetanus injection instead of the flu. It's Sunday, and the pain increased again... Sunday brings movement of my arm or laying on it to quell the nausea, very sharp pain the whole time of movement, lifting, or sleeping on it (I'm a side sleeper). I can't imagine why this year's vaccine caused so much nausea and pain for a simple injection. It seems to have flared my asthma a bit as well."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2022

Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated for Influenza Prophylaxis "The night of injection, couldn’t sleep. Next day couldn’t move. Felt like I was hit by a truck. Finally got out of bed and sat on the couch. So much pain I couldn’t move. Two days later, still in so much pain. Can’t lift my arm. Too weak to walk. The pharmacist warned that I’d feel like I got punched in the arm, but it’s much worse. I canceled my plans for the entire week because I don’t know when I’ll feel better."

• Anonymous
• November 24, 2022

Influenza virus vaccine, inactivated for Influenza Prophylaxis "75-year-old healthy woman. Had Flucelvax 3 weeks ago and still feeling horrible. Headache, shoulder, neck pain, night sweats, muscle weakness, nausea, and fatigue. Terrible vaccine. I hope all this goes away soon."