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1465913 tn?1318971452

Shoulder & Arm Pain long after Flu Shot / Vaccine

got the flu shot this year as I do every year. That was over 3 weeks ago and my arm/shoulder still hurts. It was so bad that last week I went to the doc after reading threads online. He said we could spend a lot of money on tests (which may come back inconclusive) and physical therapy (which may not really speed up the healing process) but in the end it is probably just a matter of time. He DID give me a steriod pack which I finished yesterday morning...the last pill. The steriods helped immediately, however yesterday when I woke up the stiffness is back in the shoulder and has gotten worse. Today I could barely get dressed.

At its worst, the pain was so bad that when I tried to remove my gown over my head I doubled over...unable to the complete the task. I had tingling and numbness in my arm and fingers, and down into my shoulder blade. At times the pain travels down into my pec muscles and into my arm pit. I have never had anything like this from past flu shots other than a little arm soreness that lasted a couple of days. This is different. We believe (at my office) that the shot was a little high and also a bit further towards the back of the shoulder than in past years.

Right now I can apply pressure to the spot where the shot was given and feel a dull pain all the way down into my shoulder muscle and arm. Cannot sleep on my left side and simple things like carrying a purse or pulling the covers up cause intense, shooting pain. Had to get groceries last nite and was able to do it (even though it REALLY hurt) so there doesn't appear to be a lot of weakness right now. The pain seems to be worse while in bed trying to sleep and in the morning. Esp in the morning...

Because of a lowered kidney function my doc has told me to limit NSAID intake. This is bad news since that is the only thing that actually helped the pain. Since I can't afford expensive tests or PT right now (and from reading the blogs they don't really seem to help much in the diagnosis or recovery) I'm gonna give it a little time...unless it gets worse and becomes unbearable again. I plan to keep checking back here and reporting the progress. I DID feel better after reading the posts because I realized this was apparently not just some funky anomaly that only I was experiencing.

I am probably going back in to see my doc to let him know about the result of the steroids (immediate relief) as well as the sudden return of the pain as bad as (or worse) than before when the steriods were stopped. This is very depressing...I try to do what I can to be healthy and I actually wind up causing a problem. I have read that it could be needle placement (i.e. nerve, punctured bursa, muscle hematoma) or a reaction to the vaccine itself (preservatives, etc.). I am a 51 yr old female always received a flu shot never more than soreness for a couple of days. Guess I'm hoping for a miracle...everyone else reporting these symptoms indicates that recovery is VERY slow and takes many months up to a year. However, I have yet to see where someone pinpointed EXACTLY what the problem was...
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Avatar universal
I got a flu shot and pneumococcall PCV13 shot approx. 2 years ago and I could not sleep on either side of my arm; the pain was excruciating ... please note I have never experienced pain from any previous flu shots I have received; but I believe it was the way she jabbed it into my bone from behind cause I had a shirt  on and stuck it firmly and deeply into the bone.  Thereafter I got my flu shots at the pharmacy I go to and never experienced this again.  However, I had a doctor's appt. and she said it was time for my other PCV13 shot so here it is again .... I fell asleep when I got home; woke up to a painful shoulder and then the pain radiated my entire arm and I lost my mobility and had difficulty washing my face; etc.  I put ice on it and took 2 alleve and still the pain was there and I had difficulty sleeping last night where the shot was placed in the right arm; and I woke up today and it is still there so I called my doctor's office and the nurse informed me to ice it and it will take a couple of days .... I read the shot should be placed at a 90 degree angle and not directly jabbed into the bone mass. and she said the placement was high on the arm near the shoulder .... never again am I going to get another vaccine shot if staff members do not know how to inject same ...... very frustrated .....
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Avatar universal
I got a flu shot and pneumococcall PCV13 shot approx. 2 years ago and I could not sleep on either side of my arm; the pain was excruciating ... please note I have never experienced pain from any previous flu shots I have received; but I believe it was the way she jabbed it into my bone from behind cause I had a shirt  on and stuck it firmly and deeply into the bone.  Thereafter I got my flu shots at the pharmacy I go to and never experienced this again.  However, I had a doctor's appt. and she said it was time for my other PCV13 shot so here it is again .... I fell asleep when I got home; woke up to a painful shoulder and then the pain radiated my entire arm and I lost my mobility and had difficulty washing my face; etc.  I put ice on it and took 2 alleve and still the pain was there and I had difficulty sleeping last night where the shot was placed in the right arm; and I woke up today and it is still there so I called my doctor's office and the nurse informed me to ice it and it will take a couple of days .... I read the shot should be placed at a 90 degree angle and not directly jabbed into the bone mass. and she said the placement was high on the arm near the shoulder .... never again am I going to get another vaccine shot if staff members do not know how to inject same ...... very frustrated .....
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I has a B shot 7mo ago. And still my right arm hurts so bad that I can't pick up or hold anything! I can't even take off my shirts. Even just sitting around its a constant stabbing.  I've went to my Dr they tell me it's normal & will take time to heal. Please I'm not stupid something is not right & everyone thinks I'm crazy or making it up. I use essential oils for the pain, hot packs & NOTHING TAKES IT AWAY.  I still feel the bump were in got it. I just wish someone would believe me. I wish I could find out what the heck going on. buglynn69
Avatar universal
I bad got a flu shot and another vaccine in the other arm  on December 4 ,2015 my arms are killing me to this day there are stiff and hurt bad , I got mine done at Metro ,never bad a prob before with the shots
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Avatar universal
Hi I'm knew here.
I had a flu jab in Oct 2015 now January 2016 and I'm off work with a lowered immune system. My arm is in so much pain where I had the flu jab. I've also got arthritis in my joints and fingers, I am seing a Rhumatoligist who is mind blown. I too am a nurse and can't function properly let alone look after my patients. I will never again have the flu jab even though I am asthmatic. The aftermath is too much I think I would have sooner just have  had the flu!
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Avatar universal
I took a flu shot and a whooping shot for the first time in my life. Is been 5 weeks since i had the shots. I been sick since then, i have the flu symptoms and still runny nose, the worst of all last week my middle finger start swelling and hurting bad,  and today January 17th 2016 i woke up with a pain so bad,  my left little finger it hurts so bad,, it makes me cry from pain. I will wait to see what is going to happen, all tho i will start taking  lots of vitamin C because i see my immune system is shutting down. I have autoimmune problems. I don't trust doctors they never do anything to help you except  give you drugs.I will try to get my immune system up. As i did 12 years ago.  Litsa 01-17-16
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1 Comments
I also just had the flu and whooping shot the other day and now my arm that they have me the flu shot in is extremely sore to where I can't move it
Avatar universal
I had the FLU shot on November 10th 2015 all of the stories above echo the same conditions I am experiencing. The shot felt surprisingly more "FORCEFUL" than all those I'd had in the past. My arm was sore for days and days but that is to be expected. BUT the soreness and fatigue and weakness persist it's now over 2 months. I saw a nurse practitioner who ordered an echocardiogram stress test which I passed with flying colors. I saw my real doctor today and she said she had a patient just last week with the same symptoms. She has referred me on to a muscular skeletal expert to have an EMG test performed. I'll update this post when I find anything positive  to report.
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