Whooping cough vaccine arm is SO sore!

[Peonyyyy]

Just having a moan really - I don’t want to put anyone off having the vaccine as I know it’s so good for the baby but I had mine on Wednesday and my arm is so sore. I expected a ‘dead arm’ and a little soreness but this is something I haven’t had before - its soooo sore and hot/itchy/achy where the needle went in it’s waking me up in the night and pregnancy sleep is bad enough as it is! The pain is bad enough that I’m thinking about it all the time.

it’s so weird because I didn’t feel a thing when she did it and in my last pregnancy when I had it I had no side effects around the part where the needle went in, just the usual dead arm thing for a few days. I’m in agony particularly at night,

did anyone else have this happen and how long did it last please? Any remedies you’d recommend? I put ice on it yesterday evening which helped but I can’t do they overnight. Is it worth taking some paracetamol?

thanks

I was exactly the same, I had that and the rubella vaccine at the same time as they couldn’t find a record from my childhood. Both were totally fine at the time but the arm she did the whooping cough vaccine is was extremely painful a few hours later. Big hugs!

People tend to react more to these each time they have one, it's the tetanus part that causes that I believe. I'd take some pain killers and continue with the icing, it shouldn't last more than a few days.

yeh Mine was very sore! Just took paracetamol and it went away after couple of days. Worth it though, and labour is going to be much worse 🤣

@RagzRebooted oh I didn’t know that, it’s good to understand why!

At least it’s not just me. Just got some paracetamol, hopefully it helps, usually I only ever use nurofen for pain and find para a bit useless!

@Peonies12 name snap ☺️

yeah this is just quite unexpected though, one would expect labour to be painful!! I’m having another c section but I know I’m gonna have a week of uncomfortable nights after! Pregnancy and having a baby is brutal lol , just one discomfort after another. If I’m not up weeing, it’s cramp, hip pain or insomnia 😭

Had mine last Monday! It was dead until Thursday. X

I barely noticed any effect from mine, it was absolutely fine.

Mine was really sore for about 2-3 days and I actually felt rough for the first 24 hours as well.

Probably not much help now but maybe for anyone about to have it! Immediately after the vaccine, I put an ice pack (wrapped in kitchen towel) on the injection site and kept it there until bedtime (and in bed) for as long as possible. Yes it still hurt the next day but a lot less than previous vaccines (tried this method before and it's worked that time too).

It's basically bruising, so I would say ice pack for as long as you can, might help now. It'll be gone in a day or two.

@Gilo2024 great idea! I’ll keep doing the ice

I remember having a sore arm from whooping cough, the other arm sore from the Covid vaccine, a big baby bump, and I wasn't allowed to sleep on my back. Miserable!

@Peonyyyy can I ask how far gone you are? And were you called in for whooping cough or did you have to ask for it? I am 20 weeks and would like to have it as I know cases are rising. Thanks

@Unexpectedlysinglemum ugh yes! I’m looking forward to the flu jab I’ll have to get in the 3rd trimester… not

@Newmumtobe2025 im 20 weeks, here they seem to book it for the same day as 20 week scan, so I just went to the antenatal clinic in the hospital for whooping cough then down to scans for my 20 week scan. I think my midwife booked it for me at my 16 week appointment. Maybe speak to your midwife as I would think you should have it booked by now? Xx

@Peonyyyy thanks for this I am going to call the doctors tomorrow to Book mine as they haven’t booked me in for it as of yet zz