Shingrix and Nausea: What Users Say

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 17, 2021

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I received first vaccine - thought I was fine until 24 hours later. Then I started with joint and muscle pain. Nausea, headache, fever, and injection site pain. Nerve pain from shoulder to elbow like a sunburn for 3 days. Burned if I scratched it. Stayed in bed 3 days. Second injection worse. Both arms swelled, erythema, and tenderness at injection site. Day two I experienced muscle and joint pain. Weird bone pain in breastbone. Headache, severe neck pain, left shoulder, and scapular pain. I am a 55-year-old female. Healthy. It took about a week to feel good again. I still recommend the vaccine. I am a nurse and have cared for shingles patients. Brutal experience that can last for months with long-term complications."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2021

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "My first injection of Shingrix was fine, no side effects. Two months later, I received the second injection. What a nightmare. I had all the worst side effects: nausea, aching muscles, bad dizziness, chills, and fever. The next day, that turned into the worst cases of shingles. I had a week of pain to the bone in my leg. I had to have pain relievers to control the pain. After that came the burning nerve pain. I had no energy or desire to function. My shingles lasted about five weeks, and at four months, I am still suffering with PRN in my thigh. It is gradually improving, but I can't wait for this nightmare to be over. I am a very healthy 65-year-old. I wouldn't suggest this injection to anyone. It has a lot of nasty side effects, and hopefully, you don't receive the shingles like I did. This vaccine needs MORE testing. I have heard too many horror stories!"

• Vet...
• April 9, 2021

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Got my first injection in November 2019. Sore arm for a couple of days, not too bad. Second injection on February 12, 2020. Not so good. Within a few hours I became very tired, nauseous, and feverish. Slept all day until that evening when my wife woke me up concerned. She began asking questions that I could not respond to. The more I delayed answering, the more concerned she became. She thought I was having a stroke. She called one of her nurse friends with my symptoms and was told to call 911 or take me to the hospital. Three days in the hospital with stroke-like symptoms. MRI, CT scans, and blood work. Released on day three as I was beginning to recover from whatever it was. Side note: I have always been allergic to bee stings. Not today though. Last week I was stung on my leg and had no reaction. I believe this was all related to the vaccine, but I’m not a doctor. P.S. the neurologist had no idea what was wrong with me."

• Art...
• March 12, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had the first Shingrix shot on a Friday afternoon. It hurt. My whole arm hurt and felt swollen and heavy the next day. I had flu-like symptoms: lethargy, nausea, aches all over, but particularly in the injected arm. I could barely lift that arm for 3 days. Then I started feeling better on day 4, but that night I had bad intestinal cramps. I woke up with really bad nausea on day 5, diarrhea, lethargy, and a low fever. On day 6 (today), I started feeling better-less GI symptoms and just mild nausea. By noontime, I felt okay again, but tired. I’ve had shingles twice, and even though the Shingrix side effects were bad, shingles is far worse."

• Jos...
• May 23, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Got the first shot early in February 2020. Slight itching at the injection site, and my arm was red for about a month. Got the second shot in May 2020. I woke up the next morning feeling like I was run over by a truck. Aches, fever, nausea, and no appetite. The second day, doing much better but still lethargic. I wish the doctor would have told me what to expect, so I could have been prepared. Someone else on this site noted they began taking Aleve soon after. Maybe that would have helped. Still better than the shingles, though. Make sure you don't have anything planned for a few days afterward just in case."

• DCa...
• August 28, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I will NEVER receive the second vaccination. I took the first shot on July 12, 2019. I had a painful arm that woke me for 3 nights, then a slight headache, achy & mild fatigue. Night 5, I developed chills so bad my whole body was shaking. Woke on day 6, and I could not stand up. Ears were ringing & room spinning. Nearly passed out. Crawled to the bathroom & vomited. I had blisters in my ear & inside my lips. My right arm broke out in an itchy rash. Nauseated for 3 hours. I have debilitating brain fog. At 6 weeks, the dizziness has lessened but is still there. Eyes are glassy & ears still ringing. Fatigue is beyond description. I have missed days of work. I have had an EKG, an MRI, VNG & hearing test. I am going to vestibular therapy and 4 doctors. The neurologist started me on Prednisone, which has intensified my fatigue, and my gums have broken out with blisters. I am 59 with some immune issues. I figured this would be the lesser of two evils. I am fearing I have ruined my life."

• dab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had my first shot in Sept. Second shot in November right before Thanksgiving, and all things went wrong. Not sure if it is the vaccine or not, but have been trying to find out what is wrong with me since November, and they can't appear to pinpoint anything yet. Had 3 neurologist tests and a 4th next week. I have burning pain in my whole body that wakes me up, nausea, panic attacks. I have double vision also, so don't know if I have another disease or a result of the vaccine. I feel weak, off balance, and the burning pain now even starts when I'm awake and sitting down. Like I said, don't know if it's the vaccine but too many things happened at once. Feels like something in my stomach is eating away my insides. Feel like I'm losing my mind, as the panic attacks are on a daily basis, and as each day goes by, I get weaker."

• Sur...
• November 12, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I'm an extremely healthy 59-year-old. I had shingles at age 29. I got the Shingrix yesterday at 9 AM. The nurse warned me the shot would burn going in-nope, didn't really even feel it. Went to lunch with a friend, and walking for about 90 minutes. After my hour drive home, I could barely get out of the car. Within a couple of hours, headache, severe nausea had me tossing and turning all night, muscle pain worse than any flu I've had! Even my buttocks hurt-very strange. My feet hurt so bad! Severe chills and shaking, fever 102.2 at 5:30 AM. Wasn't able to take Tylenol till this morning because of nausea. This is worse than the shingles I had! I was NOT expecting any of this! Despite this, I will get the second injection-shingles is more severe the older we get. I hope my symptoms don't last as long as others have said. My injection site is sore, red, hard, and swollen, but I expected that and don't consider it a big deal; just moving my arm a lot."

• HJa...
• January 8, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had a bad experience. First shot was painful, and I didn't feel great - but that was the easy part. The day after the second dose, I became very ill, fever of 102, nausea, body aches, horrible headache. That was followed by sharp stabbing pains, pins and needles, itching, sciatic pain, and nerve zaps throughout my body. A week later, a rash appeared on my lower back. I went to urgent care, where I was diagnosed with postherpetic neuralgia. The bottoms of my feet became very painful - nerve pain, not muscle pain. Many doctor visits later - no one wants to admit the shot was the culprit. It definitely was. Finally, a few months later, the foot and nerve pains are subsiding. Starting to feel normal again. One doctor surmised that I had an autoimmune reaction to the shot. Beware if you have any autoimmune disorders."

• AAF...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 23, 2023

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I received my first Shingrix vaccine shot in November 2022, after which I experienced muscle aches. When I received the second shot on February 18, 2023, the pharmacy tech did not provide me with any information about what to expect, except for commenting that it 'should be easier' than the first shot. However, he was very wrong. I should have done my research beforehand. I received the second shot at 3:30 PM, and by 6:30 AM the next morning, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I experienced massive and constant chills, headache, exhaustion, malaise, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, muscle aches and pains, dizziness, vertigo, sneezing, and the upper arm that had been injected was extremely sore for five consecutive days. I even developed a small rash around the vaccine injection site. These symptoms lasted for about 48 hours. Around 24 hours later, I developed a sore throat, congestion, and the sneezing returned, along with exhaustion/malaise. Even now, five days after the second Shingrix vaccine shot, I'm still not feeling well enough to resume all of my daily activities."

• Boo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 9, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "This Shingrix vaccine is horrendous. I just received my 2nd dose, and within 6 hours or so, I was breaking out in a fever sweat with a terrible headache and nausea. Every joint in my body aches so badly I have difficulty even walking. I put off having the 2nd shot after having a similar reaction from the first one. I'm sorry I did, because the 2nd shot has been far worse for me. Terrible vaccine! I'm not a fan of big civil lawsuits normally, but they need to be sued."

• Nan...
• October 21, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Female, 65, mild case of MS. After the first dose in June, had 3 days of flu symptoms, fatigue, nausea, muscle pain. Tylenol, sleep, soak in bath salts, stretching helped, ate lightly and fell into deep sleeps. Mid-Oct, reluctantly went for the second shot, figuring shingles prevention for the rest of my life was worth it. An older sister had a bad case a few years ago - something to avoid! Scheduled my life this time for 3 days to recover. Side effects this time only half as bad. Worth it to me. This site attracts the worst stories. My pharmacist said most of her people reported 1-3 days feeling bad, like me. Manageable. Some had very little reaction. None extreme or longer than 3 days. For the second shot, I went in late afternoon for an early bedtime. Had a swimming workout beforehand, light lunch, felt good with body charged up. Perhaps that helped. Stayed on Tylenol, drank Coca-Cola, green tea, had much less nausea. Slept deeply. Discomfort worth it for protection from much, much worse, I think. Good luck!"

• Sil...
• January 28, 2021

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I’m an active 70-year-old healthy female with no medical conditions. Had shingles 25 years ago, so decided to get the new vaccine. My first injection in this second round was no problem at all. Got my second injection yesterday morning. In the afternoon and evening, I felt achy and chilled. Last night I slept as if I’d been hit by a truck and couldn’t move. My body was a dead weight. This morning I felt better and got up to make coffee. But when I got downstairs, I felt clammy and thought I was going to pass out. A wave of nausea hit me like a ton of bricks, and I had to lie down on the floor. I stretched out on the floor for a few minutes and then crawled to the bathroom with an urgency to sit on the toilet. Then dry heaves released everything that was in my stomach onto the floor, which thankfully wasn’t much. Then it seemed to pass. After reading others’ experiences, hoping to fast forward the rest of this day and the next one."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2023

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I got the shingles vaccine on June 8. The next morning, I woke up with sharp pain in my throat, as if I was having a throat viral infection. Later that day, on Friday, I started to get chills and a fever of 102.6. I took Tylenol 650 mg, and it kept my fever down to 100, but it did not go lower than this. After 6 hours, the temperature raised again. So, that is how it is going all these days in a circle: 102.6F - Tylenol 650 - 100F, and then all over again. I thought maybe on the fourth day after the injection it would be better - but it is not. My throat is killing me, I have a runny nose, a pounding headache, weakness, nausea, and fever. I have never had anything like this. I am going to contact my doctor to get help, but I am terrified reading the previous reviews. Nobody informed me that these types of things could happen. I cannot judge the effectiveness of the vaccine, but I am not going to take the second injection."

• Fre...
• October 10, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I got my 1st Shingrix in August. Arm was very sore, and the injection was painful, and I ran a fever for a day. Got the 2nd injection yesterday, and the shot was not painful at all, but I ran a fever all night and got nauseous and am still running a fever at present, but better than getting shingles for sure... watched my mom go through them."

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I’m a healthy, active 51-year-old woman. Had my 1st Shingrix vaccine in August. Only had a sore arm and maybe a little tiredness from it. Had the 2nd several days ago, and within 10 hours, extreme fatigue hit, my arm was so sore I could barely move it, I was in bed shivering uncontrollably, had a terrible headache and nausea. Had a fever up to 102 for the next 24 hours. I felt horrible!! Could barely move the next day as every joint hurt. It has been 3 days, my arm feels much better, but am still tired, achy, and have a headache. I hope the vaccine was worth it."

• Mag...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "The first shot was a breeze. The second shot, which I received three days ago, was a total nightmare. I’ve had the flu many times, and never was I as sick as I was with this medication. I really should have gone to the hospital. Worse than any flu symptoms or the flu I have ever known. The chills, to me, were not just chills, I was never so cold in all my life. I was hot, I was dizzy, I was lightheaded, I was sick to my stomach, I was in horrible pain, and not just at the shot site. I had a very high fever, and my heart was beating fast."

• Bos...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "55-year-old healthy male. Side effects from the first dose of the vaccine were severe chills, mild headache, and mild nausea. Appeared about 10 hours after getting the vaccine. I was shivering so much that I could barely speak. Went to bed in a 75-degree room, wearing sweats with a down comforter and an extra blanket on top of that, and chills continued, but were less severe. Chills lasted about an hour. The next day, general lethargy and mild headache."

• Dot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2021

"I had my second injection on Saturday. Today is Monday. Both times the injection was more painful than most, and my arm is sore. However, this time the injection site is bright red, warm, the size of a donut, and has a hard center. I feel slightly nauseous and have a slight headache. I'm also very sleepy. I too watched relatives suffer with shingles, and I'm more than happy to put up with these side effects. Now I'm ready for the COVID vaccine when it's my turn."

• SKa...
• September 27, 2019

"BAD! #1 severe aches for 2 days, weakness, huge red welt the diameter of an orange, fever. Spent the weekend in bed. #2 Sept. huge welt, severe arm pain, could not lift arm, severe body aches. Next morning, severe weakness, uncontrollable shivering, muscle spasms, fever. I was severely nauseous, took nausea meds. I wanted to go to the ER, too sick to drive. Husband came home from work early because of being fatigued, having a headache, all over body pain. He is home 48 hours later, missing work. He was so bad when he drove home from work he wasn’t sure if he could make it home, he couldn’t think straight because of the pain. 56 hours later, my injection site is still sore, itching terribly. I still have nausea, can’t eat. I keep having chills, more mild. My husband has a fever, chills. Now I am taking oral Benadryl for the itching because nothing topical is helping. The pharmacist told me that people are reporting the 2nd shot is worse. We are 50 & 53."

• Gar...
• November 10, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I had my 2nd Shingrix injection on 11-8-19. Late that evening, probable 2 hours. I began to start feeling pain and soreness in my right arm, also nausea, feeling weak. Now, two days later, I cannot move my right arm unless I pick it up and move it. Also, I have been unable to sleep because of pain. I have been taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen, but it's not helping. The pharmacy says I should be fine in 3 days. I have had shingles twice and have felt worse since I had the injection. Is there anything else for me to do?"

• Daw...
• December 28, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Review the fist of two Shingrix injections. I felt fuzzy between the ears, nausea, and a little dizzy. This happened after 8 hours. Chills/night sweats. Woke up the next day and felt fine. For the second injection, I had a sore, hard lump at the injection site, about the size of a silver dollar. Warm to the touch. 12 hours later it was time to go to bed. Fuzzy between the ears, tired. Slight nausea. I am a retired nurse, and this discomfort is nothing compared to patients who are in pain for weeks with shingles. Would do again if needed."

• Jay...
• October 21, 2019

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "I don't have trouble with vaccines. I got the first dose on Oct 18, 2019. In less than 2 hours, I had sharp pain in my flanks, like the dermatomes shown in medical illustrations of shingles. Had chickenpox twice as a child but not shingles. Soon, I was running a fever with chills, pain all over, including weird pain in the buttocks. Took Advil and went to bed. I woke in the night intensely nauseated but having to use the bathroom. I was so sick, I passed out and I woke up on the cold tile floor and couldn't get up for a while. I dragged myself back to bed. In the morning, I realized I must have passed out and hit my head because the whole side of my jaw hurt and I had a painful lump under my cheekbone. Fever peaked at 101. I slept most of 24 hours. On 10/20, I woke up feeling fine except for the bruised face and sore, red shoulder. On 10/21, same. Had to cancel dental appointment. Dreading the next dose! Just glad I didn't get a worse head injury from passing out."

• DKa...
• October 6, 2020

"Got the first Shingrix injection today, Oct. 5. I am a healthy 71-year-old female. My husband drove me to and from getting the vaccination. Good thing because I became nauseous and fainted on the drive home. I have chills, a headache, and feel very weak now. My arm is sore, but I can deal with the arm. The other reactions are severe. I won’t take the second dose. I got the injection from the pharmacist at Walmart - it HURT!!"

• Jew...
• February 9, 2020

For Herpes Zoster, Prophylaxis "Horrible experience with extreme muscle pain, headache, nausea, and exhaustion. I could not move for days, just bedridden, sensitive to light, and now my eyes feel like something is in them, irritating me as they are irritating me. I pray for relief from the pain and health to return. So a horrible experience, and I cannot express how much this has hurt and damaged my belief in our medical community that this product is supposed to be endorsed by the government... be thoughtful about this choice to be injected with this..."