Health and Wellness Chit-Chat: Your Primary Care Topic

[shapeshifter]

3 minutes ago, luv2lurk said:

Anyway think I will get new glasses just for distance

Yes! 
 

4 minutes ago, luv2lurk said:

If anyone has a suggestion on how to stop hand trembling from back pain - would love to hear it!     

First see your primary care provider physician — and probably the MD rather than the NP (nurse practitioner) — but the goal is to see someone who can give you an accurate diagnosis — which seems to depend upon a knack for diagnosis as much as knowledge and experience.

If you have no success with your primary physician, probably try a neurologist.

Good luck! And keep us posted.

 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

Just to chime in on the eyeglass conversation . . .

Since the pandemic started, I mostly function without glasses unless I drive or watch TV. It is true vision changes as we get older. The last time I was at the eye doctor she could not get my contact lenses correct - said get the 1.0 from dollar store. But doesn't that defeat the purpose of contact lenses?    

Are you talking about multifocal lenses or just distance?  My answer below will address multifocal lenses.

One thing I learned after wearing multifocal lenses for a long time is that it's tricky to get the balance between the distance and reading prescriptions just right.  One seems to affect the other.  The stronger the distance prescription, the stronger the reading prescription has to be to compensate or you won't be able to read so well.  But the stronger reading prescription negatively affects how well you'll see in the distance.  Add to that the fact that there are only two reading strengths in multifocal lenses and it's even more problematic.  There's what they call either "low add" or "high add".   If the reading is the higher one, the distance has to be higher to see perfectly in the distance but that will usually negatively affect how well you can read.  And there is no even higher reading strength available in contacts.

All of this is very frustrating and some compromise is usually necessary.  However a good eye doctor can find the "happy medium" between both factors for you.  My regular eye doctor was away for a while and so a couple of years ago I saw the other doctor at my local Target Optical.  He is quite old and I was surprised that he was OK working all through the pandemic.  Well, I was very happy he did because he had an ingenious solution to my situation.  I complained that I was unable to read even with multifocal lenses and a "high add" reading strength, so he thought lowering my distance prescription by a small amount would help.  Well he was right and I didn't even notice any negative affect to my distance vision.

Also if the doctor is unsure about which prescription balance would work for you they can always give you samples of a few different prescription combinations.  Whatever your best prescription is when it comes to multifocal contacts is not written in stone like it is with eyeglass prescriptions, where this isn't usually an issue.  It's whatever works best for you.  Sure, telling you to get a cheap pair of reading glasses IS a workaround solution so as not to have to weaken the distance prescription, but you're right, it DOES somewhat defeat the purpose of having multifocal lenses in the first place.  I understand that some doctors wouldn't want to do that but I know from experience that weakening the distance prescription a tick, which is usually only necessary in one eye (the other, usually the dominant eye will compensate for the weaker distance prescription), works for me with no perceived difference.  Now mind you, I STILL have to wear weak reading glasses for the tiny fine print on product labels, and I do find it more comfortable to wear reading glasses at times, but I CAN function without them in most situations as long as the lighting is good.

So anyway if I were you either I'd ask my doctor if lowering the distance prescription a tick or two maybe in one eye might help you be able to read better with "high add" for the reading prescription.  I'd ask for a few samples in various different strengths/eye combinations to try out.

Sorry if I've confused you, part of this is because I'm still dealing with post-Covid brain scramble to some extent.

[luv2lurk]

Thank you for your well thought out and lengthy answer @Yeah No!  Yes they are multi focal and the highest level for the reading part. The distance part keeps going down every time she checks my eyes. In fairness, the last time I saw her was pre-Covid - so 4 years maybe? And not wearing glasses most of the day is probably strengthening my eyes. I am thinking of going to one of the mall places. The last time the eye doctor priced out glasses for me it was 600-700 dollars with her cheapest frames. In fairness to my current ones, they were purchased in 1990 for $90. And maybe lenses replaced 10 years later. So they owe me nothing. I can read a computer or a book or cook and wash dishes no problem without glasses or contacts, so I like the let's go cheaper for long distance solution. It's sad cuz the eye doctor has  over 30 years of my eye history (there was a change in doctors over that time) but with everything getting more expensive, I would like to eat rather than pay her rates. (and sorry for the long paragraph but return has decided not to work!)

[luv2lurk]

@shapeshifter - Great suggestion, but I live in Canada where there is a shortage of doctors so I don't have one. Plus I like to live under the delusion that they would probably only deliver bad news and no news is good news 😁

[StatisticalOutlier]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Add to that the fact that there are only two reading strengths in multifocal lenses and it's even more problematic.  There's what they call either "low add" or "high add". 

I remember getting some contacts with "mid" add.  A while back I scanned all the eye prescriptions I had lying around and put them in a directory called "Rx for eyes," I guess as documentation of my odyssey.  But it came in handy because in 2010, I got Acuvue for Presbyopia with mid-add on one eye and hi-add on the other.  I think those were my first multifocal contacts.  I named that scan "Rx 2010-06-28 contacts bifocal did not like.pdf" for what that's worth.  😀 

(I bristled when Windows came around and you could use longer file names than in DOS because I got along fine with DOS conventions, but I've obviously embraced the change.)

If it's not too personal, what is your distance correction?  I've always wondered if there's a level at which getting distance and close at the same time in a multifocal contact is problematic, and at which monovision would be impossible.  My dominant eye peaked at -5.75 when I was 40, and is now -4.75, and I've actually tried using just that one contact in the house, and no way, no how.  I know the brain takes time to adjust to things like that, but it seemed like a really big ask. 

In contrast, Mr. Outlier uses a -1.00 contact in his dominant eye when he mountainbikes or goes to the movies, and he loves it.  He used to use the -1.00 in both eyes when he rode his bike, but he couldn't read the printed trail maps (or now, the maps on his phone).  So he went to just one and it's just right for riding, and good enough for the movies.

If he's driving to the trails, he has the contact in, but if he's driving around any other time, he doesn't use it.  So his eyes are actually fine on their own, but the one contact makes things better.

Which makes me wonder if the people who successfully use monovision contacts, or are really happy with multifocal contacts, don't need significant amounts of correction.  

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 9/22/2023 at 11:49 PM, shapeshifter said:

Is it your nose or your ears (or both) that hurt with glasses? For me it’s the ears that are super sensitive. I have become pretty expert at adjusting the ear pieces so they don’t touch my ears. I only wear glasses with nonslip nosepieces.

It's my ears and my nose that hurt when I wear glasses.  Last time around, I didn't even look in the mirror when trying on glasses because I resolved that the only consideration would be if they fit.  I got some that had small lenses (I'm not doing bifocal glasses), paid for the ultra thin or whatever, and the frame is just a thin metal piece that goes only along the top, and thin metal ear pieces. 

I have a weird shaped head.  It's narrow down low and bulges out about 1/3 of the way up.  The bulge is vastly more significant in the back (I call it my Nefertiti head) but does extend over my ears, resulting in a protruding ridge about 3/4" above my ears.  Right this minute, I have reading glasses on at an acute angle because the ear pieces are perched about 1-1/2" above my ears, where my head is bigger and kind of flat, so the pressure from the ear pieces is spread out some. 

If I put the ear pieces lower, they slot into the valley between the ridge and my ears BUT the ridge continues around behind my ears, such that the ear pieces nestled in the valley above my ears actually touch my head only at a high point behind my ears.  It starts hurting in no time.

Plus, maybe my ears are extra close to my head?  If I put these plastic drugstore glasses curving around my ears where they belong, the part of my ear where it attaches to my head at nose level gets pressed out by the ear pieces.  On my distance glasses, the ear piece is thin enough metal that it doesn't do that.  Yay. 

As for the nose, I'm not sure why it hurts so much.  The glasses I have now have nose pieces, which I've always liked better than using just the frame as a nose piece.  The nose part gets a lot of work because the only place the glasses are touching the rest of my head is that high point behind my ears.  So glasses are held on by pressing on a high point behind my ears, and on my nose, and nowhere else.

I just tested my reading glasses.  If I have the ear pieces way high up on the side of my head, the glasses don't bother my nose at all.  If I lower them to above my ears where they belong, as I said, they press my ears out, which I might could handle, but this configuration puts pressure on my nose.

All of this is why I put up with multifocal contacts that don't work great for either distance or close vision.  So I have to use reading glasses to read anything other than large labels, and that gets into the horrible racket they make when I put them on and off constantly and they clack against my hearing aids.

(Oh, I forgot about my different-height ears.  With these most recent glasses, I was getting them fitted when I picked them up, and just invisibly rolled my eyes when the lady was doing the preliminary adjustments by setting them on the counter and working to get them nice and even.  I suppose it's a good starting point?  Because that's nowhere near the final result.)

[Bastet]

1 minute ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

The glasses I have now have nose pieces, which I've always liked better than using just the frame as a nose piece. 

Back when I only needed glasses for distance, I loved the look of wire frame glasses but hated the nose pads because when I'd push my glasses up onto the top of my head they'd get all kinds of stuck in my curly hair, so I went with plastic frames.  Now that I only take my glasses off to sleep, it's not an issue, so I alternate between the two styles. 

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

(Oh, I forgot about my different-height ears.  With these most recent glasses, I was getting them fitted when I picked them up, and just invisibly rolled my eyes when the lady was doing the preliminary adjustments by setting them on the counter and working to get them nice and even.  I suppose it's a good starting point?  Because that's nowhere near the final result.)

If the eyeglass dispensing person uses the table to make them even, I am not shy about telling them that my ears are not straight across like that.  
I was so relieved that the last place I went wasn’t like that. 
Maybe they’re getting more knowledgeable?

 

4 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

@shapeshifter - Great suggestion, but I live in Canada where there is a shortage of doctors so I don't have one. Plus I like to live under the delusion that they would probably only deliver bad news and no news is good news 😁

Ooooh.
My sister has lived in Canada since 1971.
Maybe get your doctor to refer you to a neurologist, and then when you finally get an appointment in 6 months, you can decide whether to go or not?

Edited September 24, 2023 by shapeshifter

[isalicat]

10 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

Just to chime in on the eyeglass conversation . . .

Since the pandemic started, I mostly function without glasses unless I drive or watch TV. It is true vision changes as we get older. The last time I was at the eye doctor she could not get my contact lenses correct - said get the 1.0 from dollar store. But doesn't that defeat the purpose of contact lenses?

So I have been using a probably a 20 year old prescription on the glasses. I accidentally sat on them last year so keep having to tape them up. I have to take them off if I want to read prices at the grocery store.  And they and the mask fight.      

As for the contacts, I am having problems getting them in. Lower back pain makes my hand shake. When I do get them in ok to drive, but eyes water.
probably cuz of infrequent contact lens wearing for 3 years (and yes they are fresh lenses).  Plus I can't read well with them.

Anyway think I will get new glasses just for distance.

If anyone has a suggestion on how to stop hand trembling from back pain - would love to hear it!          

Unfortunately I can't help with your back pain/hand trembling issue, but frankly I would get a new eye doctor. No reason any competent optometrist can't get you a correct contact lens prescription with all the great technology they have now. One suggestion: Think about monocular lenses, which is one eye is for far seeing and the other eye is for close up. No reading glasses necessary! I've been wearing them for 15 years now and they are brilliant (I'm 67 so not a young un and I had no adjustment period - your brain just figures it out).

[ebk57]

22 minutes ago, isalicat said:

Unfortunately I can't help with your back pain/hand trembling issue, but frankly I would get a new eye doctor. No reason any competent optometrist can't get you a correct contact lens prescription with all the great technology they have now. One suggestion: Think about monocular lenses, which is one eye is for far seeing and the other eye is for close up. No reading glasses necessary! I've been wearing them for 15 years now and they are brilliant (I'm 67 so not a young un and I had no adjustment period - your brain just figures it out).

I wear mono-lenses and I do need reading glasses and have for several years, so that may not be the cure needed.  Although I do second the suggestion to find a new eye doctor.  That's what I just did and now I'm going to have cataract surgery next month.  We'll see how this turns out. 

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

Thank you for your well thought out and lengthy answer @Yeah No!  Yes they are multi focal and the highest level for the reading part. The distance part keeps going down every time she checks my eyes. In fairness, the last time I saw her was pre-Covid - so 4 years maybe? And not wearing glasses most of the day is probably strengthening my eyes. I am thinking of going to one of the mall places. The last time the eye doctor priced out glasses for me it was 600-700 dollars with her cheapest frames. In fairness to my current ones, they were purchased in 1990 for $90. And maybe lenses replaced 10 years later. So they owe me nothing. I can read a computer or a book or cook and wash dishes no problem without glasses or contacts, so I like the let's go cheaper for long distance solution. It's sad cuz the eye doctor has  over 30 years of my eye history (there was a change in doctors over that time) but with everything getting more expensive, I would like to eat rather than pay her rates. (and sorry for the long paragraph but return has decided not to work!)

Wow, that pricing was expensive!  I don't think I paid more than $300 a pair for my most recent eyeglasses at Target Optical, and that's with ALL the possible options too!  It was a special "buy two" sale that got me that price.  I know it's cheaper with insurance but when I got them I didn't have any for eyeglasses.  I don't know what I have now that I'm on Medicare, if anything.  I think I might have some coverage at Lenscrafters but I'm not sure switching to them would be worth it as their prices are higher.  Given that Target Optical is owned by the same company that owns Lenscrafters, I think they're a pretty good deal.  I originally chose them because they were cheaper and at the time they were one of the only places that took the insurance I had when I was working.  But even without insurance I think they're great.  I could pay a lot more and not be as happy, and believe me, in my past I have!

I did get another pair of glasses at Costco last year, though, that were super cheap and they are excellent too for the price.  I used my Target prescription so I don't know what their doctor is like.  I think I paid $250 for Kate Spade frames and the ultra thin UV/blue light blocking/non-glare no line bifocal lenses with all the options.  Their prices are amazing and they get some fantastic online reviews too.  The only catch is that you have to be a member.  My husband and I are and for that and many other reasons it's well worth it.  Especially for gas.  I have friends that drive way up to Massachusetts to get gas prices that aren't even as low as I pay at Costco right here.  I know, Massachusetts sounds so far away but it's actually only about 19 miles straight North of here.  I still find that hard to believe because it looks much farther away on a map.

Anyway, good luck finding a new eye doctor.  

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I remember getting some contacts with "mid" add. 

I remember my eye doctor telling me the lenses I get only have two powers for reading.  It might be because I also correct for astigmatism and those lenses are a little different than the regular multifocal lenses.  I forgot that others have a mid range strength. 

11 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

If it's not too personal, what is your distance correction?  I've always wondered if there's a level at which getting distance and close at the same time in a multifocal contact is problematic, and at which monovision would be impossible.  My dominant eye peaked at -5.75 when I was 40, and is now -4.75, and I've actually tried using just that one contact in the house, and no way, no how.  I know the brain takes time to adjust to things like that, but it seemed like a really big ask. 

In contrast, Mr. Outlier uses a -1.00 contact in his dominant eye when he mountainbikes or goes to the movies, and he loves it.  He used to use the -1.00 in both eyes when he rode his bike, but he couldn't read the printed trail maps (or now, the maps on his phone).  So he went to just one and it's just right for riding, and good enough for the movies.

I can't put my hands on my actual prescription right now but what I'm wearing is pretty complicated.  In my left (non-dominant) eye I'm wearing multifocal lenses with -4.0 with high add, and in my right (dominant) eye I'm only wearing a -.25 in a multifocal lens for astigmatism with low add.  It's still not perfect but my astigmatism is weak enough that I don't have a problem with the correction for that only being in one eye.  He had reasons for not putting the astigmatism correction in the other eye, but I forget what they are now.  The doctor chose which eye to pick for each issue and I'm pretty amazed with the result.

I also have a box of right lenses with a -.5 correction but if I wear those I can't read so well.  They're great if I'm out and don't care about reading with them, though.  I probably wouldn't even need to wear a lens in my right eye if it wasn't for the astigmatism.  I tried doing it but it just didn't work for me.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 9/22/2023 at 7:41 PM, Caoimhe said:

This is why I hope I never need the surgery, right now I can thread tiny needles easily and stitch anything with my glasses off. I feel like I’d have to give up sewing because I would be infinitely frustrated after losing my close-up vision.

They can plan for that.  I do all my close sewing and knitting and reading with no glasses on. 

[Browncoat]

I was able to get both my flu and COVID vax this afternoon -- one in each arm.  In retrospect, that might not have been the smartest plan, as I am a side sleeper!  Anyway, so far so good.  I'm a little tired, but I think it's my usual evening tired and not vaccine-related at all.  We'll see tomorrow!  

 

ETA: It's Tuesday and I'm so very tired.  In waves.  I'll have a burst of energy for a half an hour or so, then I'll have to sit down and rest.  Also my COVID shoulder really hurts -- almost as bad as a tetanus shot.  And I'm shivering, but that could be because it's only 70 degrees in my office (I can't adjust the temp myself!), and I am wearing a short-sleeved shirt.  Those are all really minor things, though, and otherwise, I feel fine.  Pretty standard vaccine side effects, really.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Browncoat

[annzeepark914]

Hmmm^^^I had to cancel my PT appt today as I feel really crummy. Got my Moderna shot yesterday afternoon, felt fine, never have had bad reactions to vaccines before. During the night my arm hurt whenever I moved it and I hardly got any sleep. All of my covid vaccines have been Moderna so I'm wondering if this newest version is quite different from previous ones. I think I'll stick with one vaccine at a time.

[Browncoat]

I'm now 48 hours post COVID vaccine, and I'm fully back to normal.  I mostly was this morning, really, but I slept like a stone last night.  My arm is still a little sore, but nothing like yesterday.  I ended up going home from work a little early yesterday afternoon, and I have a light sweater for the office today, which has helped.  The temperature is still around 71 degrees (and it's only 65 outside!).

My flu shot arm is fine.

[shapeshifter]

37 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

I'm now 48 hours post COVID vaccine, and I'm fully back to normal.  I mostly was this morning, really, but I slept like a stone last night.  My arm is still a little sore, but nothing like yesterday. 

Same! 🙌

— except I’m having my flu shot in a few weeks.

 

[StatisticalOutlier]

I got my umpteenth Moderna vaccine two days ago (no other shot at the same time).  The shot was at 2:00 and I felt fine until the evening, when I got really tired.  The next day I went to Pilates in the morning just fine, but got tired and shivery later in the day and for the rest of the evening.  It's now today and I slept late but seem to be more or less normal now--at the 48-hour mark.

I will say that I hate getting shots and always look away and breathe deeply, and I barely even noticed this one went in.  The girl was trying to put a bandaid on and I couldn't help her tell where the shot was because it was if it never happened. 

(I know shots are different, but I'd kill to have that kind of shot when I get fillings in my teeth.)

Also, back to contacts--I have a different brand in each eye.  It started because the kind I've worn for a while started feeling scratchy on one eye, but the different one we were trying didn't feel great on my other eye.  So it's Brand A in one eye and Brand B in the other.  No big deal.

And now my prescriptions have converged somewhat, plus multifocal contacts aren't all that great to begin with, so it's not super obvious if I have the wrong one in my eye, and by the time I swap them out I can't remember what I was seeing before, to compare.

But I noticed that there is tiny writing on the lenses.  (Yet another advantage of being near-sighted enough that super close vision is excellent.) 

The contact that goes in my left eye has a little bitty 5 near the edge, and the one that goes in my right eye says CIBA near the edge.  I thought the "5" had to do with the power, because it was a -5.something, but my new one is a -4.something and still has the 5.  Since it's not the power that dictates what's written on the edge and it's therefore likely to be the same writing on all or most lenses by a given company, I'm going to stick to having a different brand in each eye so I can easily check to see if I've got them in the right eye.

FTR, this never happened until I got old, even though back in the day markings on my contacts case for left-right weren't anywhere near as obvious as they are now.

[Browncoat]

32 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I will say that I hate getting shots and always look away and breathe deeply, and I barely even noticed this one went in.  The girl was trying to put a bandaid on and I couldn't help her tell where the shot was because it was if it never happened. 

Mine was the same -- I barely felt it!  The flu shot, though, was quite painful initially.

[GHScorpiosRule]

it's that time of year again, and posting here, as my parents are in India, and there is no one here with whom (?) I can celebrate:

9 years ago, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I remember not reacting, and wondering: what is wrong with me? Why am I taking it as if the surgeon just informed me my test results were normal?

I went to the plastic surgeon she worked with to discuss reconstruction options. Found out my blood pressure was over the roof. So while I didn't feel any emotions about the diagnosis (frankly, I wasn't surprised due to my medical history and other health issues), but my body did react to the news.

Between the diagnosis and visit to the plastic surgeon (he put in the expander), I had called my parents and told them about it. And that I didn't want to wait and scheduled the mastectomy for as soon as possible, which was the following week.

So, come October 2, another milestone. Okay, 9 years isn't technically a milestone, next year will be, but I don't care. I had the cancer scooped and scraped out and walked with one boob for three years before I had another mastectomy and reconstruction on both breasts using my own body tissue, because my body did NOT like foreign objects inside it. So implants were out.

And November 5, the day I got my chemo port.

And the lovely day of November 27, when I started intense, aggressive chemo every three weeks for six months.

Jumping into the shallow, still to this day, I mourn the loss of my thick and wavy hair. I miss the 45 minutes it would take to blow dry and style it. I'm self conscience about how the hair didn't grow back at the crown and top of my head, so I'm constantly trying toppers and other products to cover up what looks like someone taking a weed whacker to my head. And berating myself. I'm healthy. But I miss my hair.

So instead of waiting until next weekend, this weekend, I'll pop out the champagnee, and buy myself a mango mousse cake to celebrate.

[EtheltoTillie]

Anyway, I paid and finally got the shot an hour after my appointment.  I would have waited and taken it up with my insurance, but I'm going on a yoga retreat in a few days (yeah!) and need proof of vaccination.

@Ancaster Is your yoga retreat requiring proof of the latest booster?  I am so surprised, since boosters are not required. 

I personally am not taking this booster, on my doctor's recommendation (she's not either).  But we are taking flu shots.   We all took only the first booster two years ago.  

 

 

[Laura Holt]

9 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I am so surprised, since boosters are not required. 

They are still required where I work, but since that's a hospital I guess that makes sense!  But I don't think anyplace else that I know of is asking for proof of vaccination anymore.  Which annoys me mainly because I went to the trouble to figure out how to put that info on my phone and now nobody cares.  Grumble, grumble, grumble.

[EtheltoTillie]

2 minutes ago, Laura Holt said:

They are still required where I work, but since that's a hospital I guess that makes sense!  But I don't think anyplace else that I know of is asking for proof of vaccination anymore.  Which annoys me mainly because I went to the trouble to figure out how to put that info on my phone and now nobody cares.  Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Interesting.  Not required here.  My husband (a doctor) and our doctor, for example don't have to take them.  Yes no one is asking for proof of original vaccine anymore.

Aren't you in Canada, though, I seem to remember?

Edited September 28, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[Laura Holt]

 

5 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Aren't you in Canada, though, I seem to remember?

Yep.  It may vary from institution to institution but where I am we are expected to keep our vaccinations up to date and we also are still wearing masks in patient areas (that's newish though, started up again thanks to a few outbreaks).

Edited September 29, 2023 by Laura Holt

[Ancaster]

6 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Anyway, I paid and finally got the shot an hour after my appointment.  I would have waited and taken it up with my insurance, but I'm going on a yoga retreat in a few days (yeah!) and need proof of vaccination.

@Ancaster Is your yoga retreat requiring proof of the latest booster?  I am so surprised, since boosters are not required. 

I personally am not taking this booster, on my doctor's recommendation (she's not either).  But we are taking flu shots.   We all took only the first booster two years ago.  

 

 

Yes, the retreat requires proof of vaccination and a negative test result.  Personally, I don't have a problem.  It's a yoga retreat, so lots of deep breathing in enclosed spaces!  I'll let you all know after the fact if there are any reported cases.

(I have a little soreness at the site today, but nothing else.)

[Yeah No]

On 9/27/2023 at 11:20 AM, annzeepark914 said:

Hmmm^^^I had to cancel my PT appt today as I feel really crummy. Got my Moderna shot yesterday afternoon, felt fine, never have had bad reactions to vaccines before. During the night my arm hurt whenever I moved it and I hardly got any sleep. All of my covid vaccines have been Moderna so I'm wondering if this newest version is quite different from previous ones. I think I'll stick with one vaccine at a time.

I've heard that this version IS actually different from previous ones because it's targeting the new variants, not variants of Omicron anymore.  So they're not even calling it a booster, but a regular new dose.  So that could account for potentially greater side effects.  I know my greatest reactions were to the original shots, but my booster reactions were milder. 

As for me, I'm still recovering slowly from whatever new variant I had.  I would say my fatigue is mostly resolved at about 85-90%, but my sense of smell/taste is still a bit short of where it should be.  It's at about 50% in the morning, but rises to around 75% - even 100% in the middle of the day to after dinner, then goes back to about 50% after dinner.  I am probably more sensitive to changes in taste given that I'm what they call a "super taster".   I've been reading about some supplements that have been shown to have some success in restoring sense of smell and taste post-Covid, like alpha lipoic acid, fish oil, vitamin A, ginger, and more.  So of course I have been taking all of that stuff too.  I also heard that getting the new shot might help improve symptoms so I will be getting that soon.  I tried to get an appointment with my Ear/nose/throat doctor but there were no openings until after Thanksgiving!  I don't love that and will likely call often to see if I can get an earlier one.

[annzeepark914]

@Yeah No  I hope these supplements restore your sense of taste/smell ASAP...and that your energy returns 100%. What you said about this new vaccine makes sense. Not having had reactions to covid vaccines before, I felt comfortable getting the new one, not worried the least about side effects. From now on, I'll plan more carefully (although they were out of it the next day when my husband tried to get his vaccine, so at least I got my Moderna ☺️). There seem to be distribution issues this time around. He finally got a Pfizer vaccine yesterday.  Good info'...thanks!

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

@Yeah No  I hope these supplements restore your sense of taste/smell ASAP...and that your energy returns 100%. What you said about this new vaccine makes sense. Not having had reactions to covid vaccines before, I felt comfortable getting the new one, not worried the least about side effects. From now on, I'll plan more carefully (although they were out of it the next day when my husband tried to get his vaccine, so at least I got my Moderna ☺️). There seem to be distribution issues this time around. He finally got a Pfizer vaccine yesterday.  Good info'...thanks!

Thank you!  Hope you feel better soon!  I'm nervous about when to get the shot because I probably just had one of these new variants and I'm reading/hearing conflicting information on when I should get it.  One doctor said I could get it now, while another said to wait a month.  I'm also afraid because I've heard that symptoms from the shot can be worse if you've already had Covid.  Just what I need after what I've been through!  But I don't want to let any of that stop me from getting the shot.  I just want to feel better about when.  If anyone has any info. on that to share, please do.

[Laura Holt]

It was just announced that the Nobel in medicine goes to 2 scientists whose work enabled the creation of Covid mRNA vaccines.  They helped save thousands of lives but cue the Covidiots losing their minds over this.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Laura Holt

[Yeah No]

Well my doctor said I should be fine getting the new Covid vaccine, but so far it's been hard to find.  They didn't even have it at the hospitals near here.  I did find it at CVS and Walgreens.  I've scheduled mine for Friday afternoon at CVS.  It will be the Moderna Spikevax, whatever that is.  It's supposed to be Moderna's new version but other than that I don't know what makes it different from any other Covid vaccine.  They made me answer so many questions now I'm worried again, LOL.  It's always something.  I'm just going to get it and try not to worry so much about everything!

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

It will be the Moderna Spikevax,

I know, right? I asked about the name when I had it, and as far as I could tell, it was as random a name as "shapeshifter" or "Yeah No." 😉

It's for the newest variant. 
Which you are likely just recovering from, right? 

[Yeah No]

20 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I know, right? I asked about the name when I had it, and as far as I could tell, it was as random a name as "shapeshifter" or "Yeah No." 😉

It's for the newest variant. 
Which you are likely just recovering from, right? 

Yes, I probably had one of the two new variants out there but they tell me there's no way to tell which one.  But they say the new vaccine covers all of them.  I'm almost 100% better but not quite (maybe about 90% better now), although my doctor told me it was OK to get the shot now.  She also told me that they are noticing that with these variants you can get them again right after having them, so there's no period of immunity after getting Covid as with previous variants.  So she urged me to get it now rather than to wait.  The other reason I want to get it now is that I might be traveling in the near future so I want to be ready for that.

When I first read the name I thought it was an unfortunate choice because it sort-of sounds painful, LOL, like someone is going to take a needle and plunge it into you like a spike.  Maybe they chose it for some inside reason similar to why they call these viruses "Coronaviruses" because under the microscope they look like they are wearing a crown, LOL.  So maybe this vaccine looks like it has spikes, who knows?  

[shapeshifter]

7 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

When I first read the name I thought it was an unfortunate choice because it sort-of sounds painful, LOL, like someone is going to take a needle and plunge it into you like a spike.  Maybe they chose it for some inside reason similar to why they call these viruses "Coronaviruses" because under the microscope they look like they are wearing a crown, LOL.  So maybe this vaccine looks like it has spikes, who knows?  

The shot and my reaction was the same as the others: Sore arm for a few days; one day of feeling crappy.

"Spikevax" made me think of the Stephen Colbert graphic from early in the pandemic:

[Yeah No]

12 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

The shot and my reaction was the same as the others: Sore arm for a few days; one day of feeling crappy.

"Spikevax" made me think of the Stephen Colbert graphic from early in the pandemic:

Did you get the Moderna or Pfizer shot?

[shapeshifter]

15 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Did you get the Moderna or Pfizer shot?

All Moderna. 

[annzeepark914]

6 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

All Moderna. 

Me too...all Moderna ever since the first one in January 2021. But this was the first time I felt weird enough the next day to cancel a P.T. appointment. Also, my arm started hurting that night (whenever I'd move it or forget and roll over on it).  Spike vaccine indeed!  But, I'm glad I got it as I'm still one of the very few wearing a mask while out and about. 

[nokat]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Did you get the Moderna or Pfizer shot?

I've had Pfizer so far, and I have no idea what I will get at my next appointment. They keep running out of vaccines here, and part of me is happy people are getting it, but I'd like it too.

[chitowngirl]

I don’t know if mixing brands is ideal or not, but I’ve had all 3 brands. And so far, knock on wood, have not had Covid.

[Quof]

I seem to recall when the bivalent booster came out ~ a year ago, the recommendation was to mix brands for better coverage, so I got a different brand booster than all my other doses.

[Browncoat]

All my doses have been Pfizer.  I did have COVID once (between vax # 5 and #6 (the bivalent booster)), but it was very mild.

[Bastet]

29 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

All my doses have been Pfizer.

Same here.  I had my bivalent booster in April, and did not get COVID in August when my stupid-ass dad coughed on me all evening.  (I had no idea he was sick, let alone with COVID [he didn't know it was COVID, either, as he didn't bother to take a test], as my parents failed to mention that little tidbit when asking me to come over, so I thought he was coughing because of a dry throat and thought nothing of it.)

I haven't yet made an appointment for this new monovalent vaccine, but I'll get that some time this month.

Re. "Spikevax" -- viruses have spike proteins (they are what attach to a receptor on the host cell, allowing the virus to enter), and the placement of the spike on coronaviruses is what gives them their crown-like appearance.  (The latest subvariant has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein, so maybe that's why the term was at the forefront of some minds at Moderna when they decided to give the vaccine a cutesy name.)

[Yeah No]

On 10/4/2023 at 6:40 PM, annzeepark914 said:

Me too...all Moderna ever since the first one in January 2021. But this was the first time I felt weird enough the next day to cancel a P.T. appointment. Also, my arm started hurting that night (whenever I'd move it or forget and roll over on it).  Spike vaccine indeed!  But, I'm glad I got it as I'm still one of the very few wearing a mask while out and about. 

Mine have all been Moderna except for the bivalent booster last year.  I had the Spikevax this afternoon.  I felt a little draggy at first but not enough to prevent me from doing some shopping.  It wasn't until I got home about 3 hours later that I started feeling tired.  I had a light snack and that only made me feel even more tired, but not bad enough to get into bed like I did when I got one of the Moderna boosters last year.  And no chills either.  I'm hoping this is as bad as it gets.  My arm only hurts a little when I touch the Band Aid or raise my arm.  But nothing bad.  I have to appreciate the people at my local Walmart for knowing how to give a shot properly.  I've had them that have really hurt for weeks.  But then the needle for the Covid shots is shorter than most vaccine needles so that helps too.  It was kind of like getting spiked, though, LOL.

Speaking of masks, it's probably no surprise that I've gone back to wearing them.  But no one else I know has, which has put me in a situation because I can only do so much all by myself.  And I can't avoid all my friends AND my husband too.  Speaking of him, pretty much everyone I know (even here on another thread) thinks he gave it to me but was asymptomatic and already testing negative by the time I tested positive.   It's one of my theories but unless my hairstylist gave it to me in late August he's the likely choice because other than my stylist I was near NO ONE in those 10 days before I became symptomatic and he is around people all the time in his line of work.  I wore a mask religiously to my haircut appointments until that very day in late August.  Of course it would be my luck to catch Covid from my stylist the MINUTE I stopped wearing one.  I'll have to ask her if she's had it recently. 

The Covid hospitalization and death rate in my area was infinitesimally low then and it was extremely rare to see anyone wearing masks anywhere, even my doctors.  I only didn't wear a mask to one doctor visit in June or July and that was one 15 minute appointment.  Of course I caught a cold soon after which I know my husband caught from me.  My stellar luck strikes every time....So I went right back to wearing a mask in all doctor's offices (except the dentist of course, but they wear masks there).  The Covid rates have all still been very low in my area.  I have a feeling there's going to be some kind of spike or mini spike in cases as we get closer to the holidays, though.

[nokat]

On 10/5/2023 at 6:39 PM, Bastet said:

Re. "Spikevax" -- viruses have spike proteins (they are what attach to a receptor on the host cell, allowing the virus to enter), and the placement of the spike on coronaviruses is what gives them their crown-like appearance.  (The latest subvariant has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein, so maybe that's why the term was at the forefront of some minds at Moderna when they decided to give the vaccine a cutesy name.)

Just got my vaccine, and spikevax was said. I was also updated in the database. I like to keep track too so I write it down.

[nokat]

i feel like I got rode hard and put away wet.  Not in a good way. Who kicked me in the ass and stuck allergens up my nose?

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, nokat said:

i feel like I got rode hard and put away wet.  Not in a good way. Who kicked me in the ass and stuck allergens up my nose?

I hear you.  My husband and I have both been knocked on our asses by this vaccine.  It sneaks up on you.  I just got over Covid so I didn't need to feel this way again so soon, but I suppose it's for the best.  A good friend got both the Spikevax and the flu shot on Friday and texted me yesterday that he's "dying".  Of course he didn't listen to my advice to get the two on separate dates, but whatever.  It'll pass.

[shapeshifter]

I still need to get my flu shot, but have a lot of other crap to take care of.
I got some of it out of the way, but still have more car service to consider and might want to replace my dead laptop first.

This is the reason "they" recommend having all shots at once.
But, no thanks. 
My body is dealing with enough, including maybe auto-immune issues.
I might as well at least wait until the results of this week's tests are back.

At least the RSV and Spikevax are out of the way.

[Yeah No]

27 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I still need to get my flu shot, but have a lot of other crap to take care of.
I got some of it out of the way, but still have more car service to consider and might want to replace my dead laptop first.

This is the reason "they" recommend having all shots at once.
But, no thanks. 
My body is dealing with enough, including maybe auto-immune issues.
I might as well at least wait until the results of this week's tests are back.

At least the RSV and Spikevax are out of the way.

i hear you too.  I have a routine dental appointment tomorrow which is yet another reason I didn't want to risk getting the two vaccines at once and feeling like double crap for that.  It's hard to fit everything in anymore.  My parents used to tell me that there was a good reason people had to retire, because it's the only way they could have time for all the medical appointments!  I wish I could tell them how I know that first hand now!

BTW I am also suspecting I have some autoimmune issues.  One big reason is my hypersensitivity to most medications.  I'm reading that this could be an autoimmune thing.  There are more reasons than that too.  Also, my mother had them.

[nokat]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

I hear you.  My husband and I have both been knocked on our asses by this vaccine.  It sneaks up on you.  I just got over Covid so I didn't need to feel this way again so soon, but I suppose it's for the best.  A good friend got both the Spikevax and the flu shot on Friday and texted me yesterday that he's "dying".  Of course he didn't listen to my advice to get the two on separate dates, but whatever.  It'll pass.

I hardly felt the flu shot. I got that a week ago. I'll take a night of chills and body aches over being in the hospital with covid.

[Yeah No]

42 minutes ago, nokat said:

I hardly felt the flu shot. I got that a week ago. I'll take a night of chills and body aches over being in the hospital with covid.

And there are some studies (as this recent NYT article discusses) that indicate those symptoms could mean you're making more antibodies to the virus.  

I made the link to the article with the "share" function so supposedly anyone can see it.

 

 

[nokat]

16 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

And there are some studies (as this recent NYT article discusses) that indicate those symptoms could mean you're making more antibodies to the virus.  

I made the link to the article with the "share" function so supposedly anyone can see it.

 

 

Yes, that means I'm making antibodies.