Each of us can have a different reaction, or no reaction, to a vaccination. My previous Covid-19 vaccination was a year ago. Yesterday I got the 2024-2025 Covid-19 shot (Moderna).
Since they first became available, I have had various reactions, the most common being my arm hurt at the injection site for a few hours. But I forgot that one time, my BG level went high for a while.
This time, at about 8 hours after the shot, the injection site began to hurt, quite tolerable, but it got my attention. And at the same time, my BG levels began to skyrocket. I generally stay in range most of the time, but without much food intake, BG shot to nearly 400. I first started to take my bolus insulin (Fiasp) using my normal formula. BG level did not change at all. I began to increase, and pretty much the same result. BG stayed at 350 or so, very rare for me. Finally I began to take 15 units Fiasp (50% more than normal for that level) every 3 hours. At about 20 hours after the shot, BG began to come down, and at the 24 hour point, both my arm and my BG level were back to normal.
Hopefully few of you will have a similar reaction, but just remember a vaccination can disrupt your normal BG levels. Each person will have a way to deal with this, but don’t be afraid to get aggressive and monitor closely.
I use a Dexcom G6 CGM, which I calibrate on new sensors and whenever I question the CGM. When all this was going on, I calibrated wih my finger stick meter and they happened to be almost the same, though of course the CGM is not really that accurate.
I administer insulin the old-fashioned way - use a vial and syringe. I plan someday to go to a pump looped with my CGM.
Jim, I think it is smart to deliver corrective doses of insulin via syringe. When insulin absolutely, positively must work, it’s wise to use a syringe. I’m a long-time user of an insulin pump and a fan of the convenience and calculations it provides but I rely on a syringe and vial when delivery is critical.
I am still a bit surprised by how quickly my BG levels returned to normal within 24 hours of the Covid-19 shot. But it was a crazy ride for a while. I am not used to BG levels in the 350-400 range.
Like previous vaccinations, the site of the shot hurt somewhat for a day or so, but nothing out of the ordinary. Small price to pay for feeling safer.
Here in California, cases of the latest variants of C19 are on the rise. Most weekends, my wife and I are at dog shows and though we try to be careful, risks are greater when around a lot of people. We both got C19 from a dog show last year, but probably due to vaccinations, we both had very mild symptons. We just stayed at home until testing negative.
Looks like we will be getting a C19 shot once a year. Next year, I will be mentally prepared for a temporary huge spike in BG levels.
I’m glad you got your BG under control after that. I had no idea that could happen, but it makes sense.
I got the new Covid-19 (Pfizer) vaccination on Friday 8/30. I didn’t even feel it. At first I thought this would be one of the “easy” ones. My arm hurt, and I felt feverish and achy the next morning. My temp was only up a degree. That all resolved within 24 hours after a good night’s sleep.
My elderly dad didn’t have any issues, but he’s tough. He never feels pain or aches anyway. We got the vaccine at the same time.
I got a combo Moderna Covid and Flu shot on Friday afternoon.
That night and all of Saturday I had a sore arm and a slight temperature (half a degree warmer than normal) but my bg was remarkably flat and normal. I “took it easy” and didn’t get much exercise.
Temperature back to normal and arm hardly sore at all on Sunday. Did a lot of overdue yard work.
BTW: There is a big covid spike in my neighborhood especially among high school and college age kids. My youngest daughter had Covid last week but I don’t seem to have gotten it yet this year.
Another data point for the latest Covid surge…Me! Pretty robust symptoms, insulin resistance and positive tests starting Saturday, started on Paxlovid Sunday. I have no idea where I might have caught it.
I had the Moderna shot every year up until last year when I reacted TERRIBLY. I was up all night afterwards with my joints feeling on fire, blood sugars in the 300s for about 2 weeks, then had a several months long extreme flareup of what has since been diagnosed as psoriatic arthritis and was unable to walk. To be clear, I had that condition BEFORE any of the covid shots…but my last Moderna shot last year definitely kicked it into high gear. This year, I waited another 2-3 weeks until Novavax became available and I got that instead. It went MUCH better. No sore arm, no side effects or high blood sugars at all. I’ve been a little extra tired the past few days, but unclear whether that’s even related to the shot. For anyone who has had a negative reaction to Pfizer or Moderna in the past (both MRNA vaccines), I highly recommend getting Novavax this year. May take a little extra work to find it, and you have to verify with the pharmacist that you are definitely getting Novavax as a lot of them seem to think all of the shots are the same. But Novavax is a protein based vaccine and is designed to work differently. Many people react better to it.
hollymateluber - Good info about Novavax. I guess my overall recommendation is to continue taking Covid-19 seriously and get what is starting to look like annual vaccinations.
Reading this forum for a couple of years, it is clear to me that different bodies react differently to T1D and the various ways we deal with it. For example, I have a Dexcom G6 CGM and have found I can restart the sensor and get 20 accurate days from it. Others are barely able to get 10 accurate days. Different bodies, I guess.
I suspect the same is going on with vaccines. My reaction to this year’s Moderna shot was high BG for about 24 hours, then back to normal. Your reaction to the same vaccine last year was much, much worse. I guess every body can react differently. Good for you in searching out Novavax.
