Yep people who react to the booster or the vaccine seem to continue to at each new shot. Other's NOTHING. We are all different.

No reaction but chills but I was advised to wait a couple of weeks between booster and flu shot. I hope you don’t feel too poorly.

My DH has had pretty bad reactions to both boosters - similar to what you describe except his lasted 24-36 hours. He also gets this type of reaction when he gets the flu shot. Our kids and I didn't have much of a reaction at all. He was the only one who didn't get Covid despite the fact that all 4 of us were in a small hotel room together.

I just had a horrible round with what I think was an RSV infection. Again, he stayed healthy (not sure if his flu/Covid shots had any influence on that), but I am a believer in the "stronger reaction, stronger immune response" theory.

So, I'm not sure whether to send you wishes for a good reaction or a bad reaction?

I had my booster and flu shot a few weeks ago, as did DH.

We both had zero reaction, soreness, etc. I hope you have the same.

I'd like to clarify when you say a strong booster reaction = strong immune response.

"The initial response is due to what's called the innate immune response. This system is activated as soon as your cells notice you've been exposed to any foreign material, from a splinter to a virus." This reaction varies from person to person, and a zero to mild vaccination reaction does not indicate the strength of immune response to, or it's ability to fight, future viruses.

Perhaps you're referring to this CNN article from October 24th 2022; somebody could come away with that conclusion but that's not what it's saying. "But even though some people may have small, localized side effects or no symptoms at all, the vaccine still elicits robust immune responses in them too. I don't want a patient to tell me that, 'Golly, I didn't get any reaction, my arm wasn't sore, I didn't have fever. The vaccine didn't work.' I don't want that conclusion to be out there," said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/10/24/health/covid-antibody-response-vaccines/index.html

PBS (2021) https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/health/what-covid-vaccine-side-effects-can-and-cant-tell-you-about-your-bodys-immune-response

I had my bivalent booster and flu at the same time. No response other than a mildly sore are at the injection site. My husband had a stronger response. This vaccinated was the least reactive of the three. Last vaccine was booster + flu, as well.

I got the booster and the souped up (old people) flu shot at the same time, in the same arm, 2 weeks ago. No reaction other then a slight soreness at the injection site when I pressed on it. So I didn’t press on it.

nada

I separated the flu and booster. Flu - nothing. Pfizer booster - I had it at 10 am. About six hours later I felt slightly warm and took a Tylenol. Also took one before bed, and slept through the night without any issues. This morning my arm is a little sore but I am not feeling ill.

I have two friends that were pretty sick from their booster for about 12 hours.

Fingers crossed for a mild reaction for you.

No reaction for me or DH (booster plus flu shot), which was a pleasant surprise because we both felt icky for 1-2 days after the others. Just a sore arm.

I had booster and flu shot at the same time. Spent a miserable 12 hours with chills and headache, got up the next day feeling fine, other than a sore arm.

I had minor-ish reactions after all 3 shots. I was scheduled to get my 2nd booster next week, but instead I thought it would be fun to get the actual COVID instead. Ha. I was wrong, the actual COVID is not fun - I'm like 11 days in and still pretty wicked sick.

I was a little achey and my energy was zapped but not bad at all. I took tylenol immediately after and increased my water. I am trying to sneak in a booster this week or next -- I no longer feel the need to schedule it to allow for recovery time.

The first shot was given way too high on my arm--almost at my shoulder. I had severe lack of motion in that arm for over a month. But that was due to the location of the shot--not the vax. (It was also given by a national reserve member) With the other C vaxes, I've had chills each time for a couple of hours. Also a sore arm. But totally worth it imo.

I've had no reaction to the initial vaccinations nor the boosters. I had my most recent booster along with the flu shot (the old people one) about a month ago and no reaction to those except for a sore arm.

Nothing from the initial vaccines save for a temporary red baseball-sized mark at the site. But the booster, oh my, I was awake all night shivering with chills. DH sleeps hot and I just wrapped around him all night. Next morning I was better but tired and achy from shivering

I had my flu and booster the same day. I woke up in the night with chills - shaking uncontrollably - and probably a low grade fever. I had chills with previous Covid shots also but not all of them. My arm didn't hurt much this time. DH had his flu shot separately from the booster and felt much worse from that than the booster.

I wonder if it's better to get the booster in the morning, then you're awake for the next 12 hours or so and more aware if you are starting to feel sick. Then you can tamp down the reaction with an OTC pain reliever.

I've read that you shouldn't take anything before the shot but it's okay to take something when you start to feel a reaction.

No real reaction to any of the Covid vaccines or boosters (last one was the Omicron booster in mid/late Sept). I finally got Covid about three weeks after I was last boosted, and although the woman I caught it from was down and out for a good week, as were two other people who caught it, I was nearly asymptomatic. In fact, I took three positive tests just to be sure I had it, so healthy did I feel. Oddly, since I've recovered, I have been left with a bit of a cough and slight breathing issues (neither of which I had while I had the virus).

Here is what is confusing to me: everything I've read says that vaccine and illness symptoms like fever, muscle aches, exhaustion, etc. are actually your body's immune system fighting off the virus (not the virus itself). So I just don't get it. If I have no real symptoms from any of the shots, nor any real symptoms from the virus -is my immune system under-performing or over-performing?

We both had the seasonal flu shot and a Moderna booster same day last month. I had both shots same arm, DH opted for one in each arm. He had a bit of fatigue the next day (unusual for him) and I think I may have too. I did achieve a rash at the injection (s) site that lasted about three days but it wasn't that troublesome. Mild heat with slight itching - and an application of OTC cortisone cream solved that immediately.

For some reason, it seems to be now this season that we are finding we've had confirmed exposures to Covid - after all these months. Happily we still have not acquired the virus.

I had the booster and flu shot a week apart. No reaction from either. In both cases I could tell I had had a shot if I pressed on the injection site. That lasted for a day with the booster and for a couple of days with the flu shot.

I had the booster and flu shot a week ago. I had a slightly sore arm on my booster side starting that evening. Same reaction I had to the other ones. DH had chills during the night but he had the pneumonia shot and not the flu shot.

I just got my booster on Monday morning. I was fine all day, but did have a mild headache when I woke up the next morning (yesterday) but it went away after I took some Motrin. i was fine all day but again last night felt a little off and took Motrin again before I went to bed. Had I not gotten the booster, I probably wouldn't have even really noticed feeling a little off.

I did have my first shingles shot and flu vax together a few weeks ago. I was fine all day but woke up in the middle of the night feeling feverish. I didn't register a temp, but took some Motrin and then tossed and turned the rest of the night. As a result of the poor night sleep, I was wiped out all day but didn't feel sick at all thankfully. I normally don't have a reaction to the flu vax, so not sure which caused my reaction (it was my first time getting thr shingles vax). And I'm only in my 50s so it was the stronger 65+ flu vax.

Skipping down to relate that I've had only soreness and a little fatigue from COVID shots and boosters. I didn't get flu and COVID vaxxed @ the same time, but waited about 5 days between them. Flu shot hurt a lot more than the booster.

My youngest sister got both together and felt like she had some inflammation from them that made her very uncomfortable, but she has Hashimoto's and also underwent breast cancer treatments over this past year, so her immune system was already stretched a bit thin.

Flu shot then Bivalent booster week later. Neither husband nor I had reaction (little soreness at injection site for me with flu vax)

DH and I have both had the booster and surprisingly very little reaction...less than other ones. Mostly just a sore arm and no fatigue at all.

My reaction started only a few hours after the shot! Fatigue and body aches. The next day I felt better but would tire really easily. No fever or chills.

My husband didn't feel a reaction until the day after his shot, he had fatigue and brain fog for about 24 hours. His wasn't as bad as the very first round of vaccines last year, but still he took a day off work.

I had the booster on Friday. It was absolutely awful for me. Sore arm, fever, chills, headache, body aches, you name it. I slept downstairs on the sofa for 3 days because I didn't have the energy to climb the stairs. It was ruff and I am still not 100%.

Thank you for the good wishes, everyone. Daisychain, your last sentence made me laugh!

I felt fine all day and into the evening, but started feeling fatigued while watching Netflix. I woke up at 3am with chills (could not get warm even with two extra blankets), aches, slight nausea and terrible shooting pains in my knees (which is a new one, I never had that after my other boosters). Besides the sharp pain, my knees were also aching.

All of these symptoms lasted for 4-5 hours and then started to subside. I slept until 10:00 (unheard of for me) and now feel kind of blah all over. I expect there might be a nap in my future later today. I'm not planning to try and accomplish anything today, although I think by this afternoon, I'll be feeling more like myself.

My husband didn't have any sort of reaction to his vaccines/boosters. I guess everyone is different. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, it's been interesting to read. :)

Little bit of a sore arm and nothing in the flu shot arm (got them at the same time).

Has anyone had a booster after having Covid?

I wonder if the side effects are stronger or weaker.

Terezosa, my SIL had a Moderna bivalent booster and her flu shot same appointment - not quite 60 days after experiencing Covid (confirmed) while in Europe late July. She fibbed by a few days on her screening application which had asked if 'within the last two months'. No remarkable reaction. Maybe a little bit tired the next day and a sore arm.

Her case of Covid was mild, she was vaccinated and boosted then. Hoarse voice, sore throat, slight cough. When everyone else would go to dinner, she would grab a snack and walk the waterfront, masked, alone. They were in a rental apartment, her husband never did test positive. No one else in their traveling group became ill either. They had all flown over for a wedding which she attended.

ETA: I'm not sure I quite answered your question. Her side effects were not remarkably different than her original series of two vaccines or the previous booster shots. Maybe a little more tired with a day of napping after the very first shot in late Jan 2021. I have her date because we went together, all four of us (DHs too), rushing in at the very last minute to register for that day's vaccine supply. The clinic had run out by the following morning.

I had Covid in Dec after the original two Doses and a booster. I have had two boosters since and no noticable difference in response, which has been just a sore arm.

@terezosa / terriksterriks
I had a booster and then covid and then another booster. Not sure if that is what you are asking. Covid was nothing more than a runny nose. The booster was a nightmare. All the covid shots have been a nightmare for me, especially the last one.

@terezosa / terriks I tested positive for Covid in June, took Paxlovid which ended it quickly, my Oct booster was a breeze.

I've had Covid once, this past June, and had a very mild case (one feverish night and a headache for 24 hours). As mentioned above, I just had the booster three days ago, almost exactly five months after my bout with Covid. No real side effects other than a mild headache 24 hours later. My arm is not sore like when I had the initial vaccine (hurt to lift my arm), but the injection site this time is swollen. It doesn't bother me unless I touch it, but the swelling was noticeable this morning after I showered.

So, it sounds like most people have the same reaction, or non-reaction to the booster after Covid as they did to the first shots and boosters before Covid.

I had some gastrointestinal issues a few days after my first shot, but barely a sore arm for the second shot and boosters.

I had Covid in May, and other than one day of fatigue it was super mild, to which I credit having the 2nd booster. I recently got over a cold which was much worse.

I'm getting the new updated booster next week, so fingers crossed that my reaction is mild, though I don't mind some lethargy - I'm really good at lying on the couch and watching Netflix. 😄

I received both the bivalent booster (Moderna) and my flu shot yesterday morning, one in each arm. My booster arm still hurts. When I received my second covid shot of the original series last year (both Pfizer), I had a fever and chills. So the booster has been much easier on me.

I had a four day reaction to the original and half as much on the second. The first booster had 36 hours of side effects (including fatigue and low fever) and the same for my bivalent booster. I've not yet had COVID, despite being in the office since Sept 2020, numerous international trips and even staffed a recent career fair with hundreds of nervous college students. Things seem to be working.