COVID vaccine water weight gain?

we got our vaccines a few weeks ago. I don't recall noticing any water weight gain. we had the Johnson &johnson one. not sure if that would make a difference or not.

I got Moderna shot 1 (so far). I have not noticed any weight changes that cannot be accounted for by other factors. But everyone's body is different.

Day of the vaccine I got tired in the afternoon and went to bed early.

Following day I felt okay except for arm pain as if punched in the arm the day before (similar to when I had shingrix vaccine #2 several weeks ago) Took it easy out of an abundance of caution.

Day 3 was uneventful and the arm pain was decreasing. Normal activity.

Day 4 (yesterday) on a longer-than-average walk I had about 30 seconds of mild sensation of spinning, then developed a headache that lasted until the end of the day. This was on top of a hill next to a cow field and studded with oaks; I am allergic to grass pollen and oak tree pollen and so it's possible this was allergy related rather than shot related. Also I drink tea daily and had a lower-caffeine variety that morning so it might have been caffeine withdrawal. Also due to the long duration of the walk and warm weather it could have been dehydration. Also I had been looking up in the trees and walking on the hill without much attention to my walking so I might have created some kind of conflict between my visual and vestibular systems or twisted my neck without realizing it, to generate a slowly building tension headache. I have also had migraines in the past but the more typical aura for me is visual scintillation not a sense of spinning.

Subjective sensation of warmth and coldness later in the day, but may have been the result of over- and under-dressing, hot and cold drinks, and hyper-vigilance due to the headache. Thermometer revealed no actual change in temperature. Took an Aleive (Naproxen) at bedtime and ran a hepa air purifier in the bedroom, woke up okay today. My main concern (since this was 4 days out) was less that it could be a shot reaction and more that I might have been exposed and caught Covid at the shot site, as it would be typical for symptoms to begin 4-5 days after exposure.

Traces of allergic response on a typical daily walk today, but not enough to create a headache. Yesterday was pretty windy so more pollen might have been aloft.

dragon_girl26 wrote: »

Aside from the weight change, I didn't experience any other side effects other than a sore arm. Everyone keeps telling me the 2nd dose is the bad one, but then others have said they had no issues. I get round 2 of Pfizer in about two weeks so I guess I'll found out!

I had no real side effects (both doses done, Pfizer) other than needing a nap the day after the first one and thirst after the second one and the arm tenderness which everyone should expect a little bit with an intramuscular injection.

I was ready for a bigger reaction after that second one but I'm very happy it was pretty easy.

The CDC doesn't list any advisories on food or exercise before or after the vaccines.

I planned on doing nothing the day after.


They do say to NOT take any OTC pain meds, anti-inflammatories or allergy meds to mitigate possible side effects until AFTER the vaccines. Obviously if you already have to take them for other reasons that would be an exception.

MsCzar wrote: »

Did anybody here who got the two shots adjust their exercise or diet before and/or after? I am getting shot #1 this week.

I know that grapefruit and grapefruit juice are literally off the table when taking certain meds. Also fish oil supplements are sometimes an issue. Not sure if there are any dietary do's and don'ts for the vaccine.

As cmriverside said, if possible, avoid any medication that includes aspirin, ibuprofen, etc beforehand.

I would recommend treating it afterwards as if you were sick, since your immune system is doing the same kind of work it does when ill and you want to help it do a good job.

Take it easy, drink plenty of fluids, eat nearer to maintenance.

Or not. Plenty of people have done fine changing nothing.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

That slight "take it easy" was partly that I wanted to let my immune system have plenty of bandwidth, but also that I felt a bit more fatigued than normal . . . but I don't whether from the vaccine or having had a shorter sleep to make it to the early appointment. 🤷‍♀️

Thanks! I am not at all concerned about a temporary weight gain. I probably skip the scale for a few days. I've also made an early appointment and know that will mean less sleep than usual. I plan to skip my workout on vax day - and if I'm feeling up to it, going very light the following day. Lots of water and lots of rest are on the agenda.

Think I'll make a big ol' pot of chicken soup this week on the off chance I feel wonky afterwards.

I know this is all a bit off-track - but as I've watched endless news footage of needles going in arms, it seems the needle looks larger than the one used in my annual flu shot. I'm wondering if larger means more cost-effective given the number needed and if this is the reason for so many sore arms.

Also wondering if anyone doubled down of their social distancing after the first injection since your immune system was being challenged by the vaccine.

Can you guys tell I'm getting nervous as vax day approaches?

MsCzar wrote: »

I know this is all a bit off-track - but as I've watched endless news footage of needles going in arms, it seems the needle looks larger than the one used in my annual flu shot. I'm wondering if larger means more cost-effective given the number needed and if this is the reason for so many sore arms.

Also wondering if anyone doubled down of their social distancing after the first injection since your immune system was being challenged by the vaccine.

Can you guys tell I'm getting nervous as vax day approaches?

I doubt that's an issue, personally.

N=1, my arm was sore after my flu shot in the Fall, sore enough that it was uncomfortable to lie in bed on it but not really IMO a huge problem. Soreness after Pfizer #1 was not a problem at all. After #2, it stung for a few moments (nothing major) right away, later (next day) I could feel some light soreness if I pressed on the injection spot, but could sleep on it without noticing anything in particular.

With n=1 data for Pfizer only, I don't think there's some needle size issue vs. flu vax.

Keep in mind that skill of the person doing the injection, and (probably more important) random factors about a particular injection, may lead to different superficial effects at the vaccination site. For example: I routinely bruise after blood draws, and quite frequently after injections into muscle (like these). I had no bruise after Pfizer #1, a small one after Pfizer #2. I suspect that accounted for the difference in how it felt, because pressure on a bruise is something one can feel. That's about technique or random luck, not about what went into my arm, which was the same both times. (I can't remember whether I saw a bruise after the flu vax.)

No, I didn't double down on social distancing after vax 1. I was already taking what I consider to be about the maximum but still practical precautions, so nothing feasible to increase, personally.

I'm not a medical professional, but if your immune system is weakened by revving to create antibodies, I would think that most of that period, you wouldn't be at substantially higher Covid risk, in the sense that there *are* antibodies, and even vax #1 and things less than the full 2 week wait have seemed to confer some contagion/severity reduction benefits, so you have a speculatively negative effect (immune system depressed in the abstract because busy), with a positive effect (getting some antibodies on patrol). 🤷‍♀️

You're probably going to have a non-event, or close. Many people do. People more often speak up when they experience problems, and news sources like to report drama, not boring stuff like "I felt fine". It distorts expectations.

Hoping it's very non-distressing for you!

I was also randomly up 3 lbs in the days after my first dose of pfizer. Then a week later, I stepped on a dirty nail in my garden wearing flip flops. 11 years since my last tetanus shot, so I had to go in and get that, despite recommendations to not get any other vaccinations within 2 weeks of the COVID vaccine. The doctors had no idea what to do, and ended up calling several state health departments to see if it was ok for me to have the tetanus shot.

Eventually they decided that a slightly less robust immune response to the COVID vaccine was preferable to dying of lockjaw. Then I was up another pound after that one! Now I am 2 weeks out from COVID dose 1 and 1 week out from tetanus and 2 antibiotics, and finally down a pound again.

On the needle/pain, the tetanus was WAY worse than the COVID. Much of it also depends on the person giving the vaccine. My COVID was a trainee being supervised, and she was super careful and I barely felt it. The tetanus shot, the surly nurse said "don't pass out on me" then jammed it in. My arm hurt way worse after the tetanus shot (which I guess is normal).

MsCzar wrote: »

I know this is all a bit off-track - but as I've watched endless news footage of needles going in arms, it seems the needle looks larger than the one used in my annual flu shot. I'm wondering if larger means more cost-effective given the number needed and if this is the reason for so many sore arms.

Also wondering if anyone doubled down of their social distancing after the first injection since your immune system was being challenged by the vaccine.

Can you guys tell I'm getting nervous as vax day approaches?

I actually told my husband immediately afterward that I thought it was so much skinnier than the flu shot You can do it!

MsCzar wrote: »

I know this is all a bit off-track - but as I've watched endless news footage of needles going in arms, it seems the needle looks larger than the one used in my annual flu shot. I'm wondering if larger means more cost-effective given the number needed and if this is the reason for so many sore arms.

Also wondering if anyone doubled down of their social distancing after the first injection since your immune system was being challenged by the vaccine.

Can you guys tell I'm getting nervous as vax day approaches?

The needle is tiny - like the tiniest needle I have ever had I think - I didn't even feel it. And contrary to what others experienced my arm didn't hurt at all after (I did have a headache and fatigue for a couple of days).