My Personal Experience With the Pfizer Vaccine

There is so much information about the vaccine out there. Most articles detail the science of the vaccine so you can get the facts — this is absolutely critical. I’d like to compliment all the great science out there with a first-person account of receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the 1A group. Some of these details will differ from person to person, but I hope that this article will help you know what to expect from the vaccine on a more personal and emotional level.

Here are the intimate details of the entire process of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, from pre-vaccine emotions, side effects, and my experience post-vaccine.

Pre-vaccine emotions

As a scientist and daughter of a pharmaceutical chemist, I trust science. mRNA vaccines have been in development for years and they are significantly less risky than vaccines that use live or dead viruses. And at the same time as a therapist, I knew that my vaccine process would spur a lot of different emotions, and that was okay.

I felt nervous and apprehensive. I read the Pfizer trial and knew the likelihood of moderate-severe symptoms was extremely low. But anxiety disorders don’t like uncertainty, so I had plenty of “what if" thoughts. At the same time, I felt excited that getting this vaccine could mean less long-term anxiety and more normalcy for me and my family.

Even though I was nervous, I knew that I would feel more nervous about continuing to go into the hospital without a vaccine. I also knew that the known risks of COVID-19 far outweighed the risks of a well-tested vaccine. And once I had finally made the decision to receive the vaccine and experienced more clarity, I felt much better.

Just know that’s it’s okay to have a wide range of emotions during the decision-making and waiting process.

Side effects

Vaccine 1

I received my vaccine around 7:45 a.m. While in the observation room, I had no symptoms but a small pain in my shoulder (pain scale 1 out of 10).

When driving home (around 8 a.m.), I noticed the pain in my shoulder had moved up to my neck and the right side of my face. I could start to feel the headache behind my eyes. I felt some stiffness on the right side of my face, in my jaw, and cheek (pain scale 2/3 out of 10).

I made it home safely (around 8:30 a.m.) and noticed significantly more neck stiffness. I still had my headache, but (bonus symptom) I was also extremely sleepy. So sleepy that I couldn't even keep my eyes open. I napped for 2.5 hours, and when I woke up I felt like I didn’t know what day it was.

I woke up and immediately noticed mild muscle soreness in my arm, but I was most aware of the grogginess I felt until about 2 p.m. At 4 p.m., I noticed a significant increase in pain at the injection site and muscle soreness (a 4/5 out of 10 on the pain scale). These are all considered common symptoms. My temperature stayed normal throughout the day, and I didn’t notice any other symptoms.

On day 2, I had no other symptoms except for muscle soreness at the injection site (pain 2 out of 10).

Vaccine 2

I experienced significantly fewer side effects with vaccine dose 2.

I received the vaccine again around 7:45 a.m. I noticed some grogginess or sleepiness in the morning that subsided with my morning cup of coffee. Around 11 a.m., I noticed soreness at the injection site, but it was only noticeable if I pressed directly on the spot or laid on my arm. Overall, I would rate the soreness as a 3 out of 10 on the pain scale. I had no pain across my neck or face, no neck stiffness, and no headache.

On day 2, I experienced soreness in my arm throughout the day that fluctuated anywhere from a 1 to 2 out of 10 on the pain scale.

On day 3, I experienced no symptoms.

Post-vaccine emotions

I felt quite a bit of anticipatory anxiety leading up to the vaccine. With some of the symptoms I experienced, particularly the neck and jaw stiffness, I was moderately nervous but I was ultimately able to keep my cool and trust in the science and trials that already occurred.

As soon as the afternoon of my first dose hit, I felt so relieved — so much so that it caught me by surprise. I felt that I could finally breathe. I knew that I would still take the needed precautions, but felt comforted in the fact that I had protected myself and my family by making a scary decision.

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For some people, the decision isn’t scary — it’s crystal clear. I have comorbid health conditions that haven’t been tested in the trials yet, so it wasn’t clear right away for me. That’s why I talked to my doctors directly so they could tell me the risks and benefits for people who had my health conditions and concerns. But I still didn’t want my friends or family to know right away. I felt confident in my decision but at the same time, I didn’t feel ready to justify my decision to others who might question it.

Ultimately, my fears were just fears. More and more people I knew were seriously considering the vaccine, and I eventually felt safe to disclose. A few people disagreed with my decision, but ultimately I knew that the only person who needed to be okay with it was me. Once my vaccination status was out in the open, I could breathe another sigh of relief.

Takeaway

I hope this article complements the research articles out there by providing a personal take, boots-on-the-ground style. And I hope my story gives you some additional certainty in a time of medical, social, political, and economic upheaval.

Scheduling was very straight forward and I was pleasantly surprised at how streamlined and well-organized the process was, given how quickly it was put together. I would recommend eating an adequate breakfast before your visit (unless needles make you queasy). Make sure you arrive early to plan for any delays. Bring a phone or reading material for your 15 minutes in the observation area if you’re like me and hate sitting still. And schedule your visit during a time that you can rest if you experience side effects.

Most people who get the vaccine will have some mild side effects. I had the most side effects with the first vaccine dose, including neck, jaw, and face pain/stiffness, headache, and fatigue. I had significantly fewer side effects after the second dose; I mostly just felt soreness at the injection site. Having some side effects alone is no reason to panic, but if for some reason you have redness/tenderness at the injection site that worsens after 24 hours or if side effects do not remit within a few days, contact your doctor or healthcare provider. If you have a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine, which seems to be more common after dose 2, be sure to call 911.

As a therapist, I also want you to know that it’s okay to experience a wide variety of emotions during this process. Many of us have felt the challenges of constant decision-making and second-guessing decisions during quarantine, and the decision-making process of the vaccine is no different. For some people, the decision is easy. For others, the decision is harder. And that’s okay. But you’ll likely feel more relieved once the decision is made.

I feel confident knowing that I took a brave step to keep myself and my family safe from this illness. And it’s okay that it’s scary — being on the forefront of a scientific breakthrough and movement usually is.

Read more about what to expect from the COVID-19 vaccination.

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