Tetanus shots?


  #1  
Old 10-01-03, 04:40 PM
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Tetanus shots?

Okay, so Monday afternoon I was cutting seriously thick honeysuckle vines out of my fruit trees when the pruning shears and my left palm collided. The pruning shears won. I cut the artery, but luckily missed the ligaments and tendons. It's about 1 1/4" long and went very deep. Since it had been 1995 since my last tetanus (I think) shot, they gave me another one. It has been 48 hours and my arm still feels like it was hit with a sledgehammer. Now, I also feel stiff in my joints and I can't move my arm without it hurting. How much longer will this soreness and stiffness last?? And, am I feeling this way due to the tetanus shot? Help! I need a light at the end of this tunnel!
Sandie
 
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Old 10-01-03, 07:37 PM
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Tetnus shots will hurt like Hades for a couple days. The big cut will always hurt more on the next day. Did they stitch it up or glue it?
 
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Old 10-01-03, 08:20 PM
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Generally, some ibuprofen will help with the soreness. It will take a couple or three days.
 
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Old 10-02-03, 06:35 PM
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Today is better than yesterday, I can lift my arm a little more. I never would have thought it would hurt this bad or this long. I still can't sleep on that side, it wakes me up if I roll over on it and I'm a heavy sleeper!

They put a dissolving stitch in the cut on the artery and then 3 stitches on the cut. They said it was too deep for dermabond, whatever that is!

I'll try the ibuprofen, it's got to help! Thanks for the replies, I'll let y'all know when it gets bearable!

Sandie
 

Last edited by onourown; 10-03-03 at 06:07 PM.
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Old 10-03-03, 06:02 PM
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Wow, four days later and my arm is still hurting. Not nearly as bad as two days ago, thankfully, but still bad enough to notice. Today I can lift my arm halfway and it feels only like a deep muscle bruise. The ibuprofen did help, but it took a bit before it kicked in and didn't last long so I wound up taking more than I usually like to in a day, but I had to do something. I was wondering, could it be that it hurt so bad because of the lack of fat in this area? Would it have been better to get it in the cheek? I have plenty of fat there! LOL Just wondering for future reference!

The actual cut hurts less than my arm, although that's not saying much! I had to go about unbandaged today to let it air dry out and of course, it started bleeding and then it really hurt.
 
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Old 10-03-03, 06:23 PM
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Dermabond is like a medical grade super glue.

For what it's worth the pain is better tham the alternative, lockjaw!
 
  #7  
Old 10-08-03, 10:43 PM
Binary Bob
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Wow!
I'm just surfing through the various forums and happened upon your thread. Hope it's not too late to reply.

The very same thing your describing happened to me a year ago. I received a tetanus shot and was EXTREMELY sore in that arm for days. I toughed it out for about a week, thinking I'm not whining to the doc about a stupid shot... WRONG IDEA! After the pain wouldn't go away, (it actually started radiating up into my neck) I went back and found I had developed a severe allergic reaction to the tet shot. He gave me some diffreent meds and it all cleared up in a few days.
Now, I know "internet diagnosis" is lame, but I'd encourage you to call your doc. Let us know what he/she says.
 
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Old 10-09-03, 02:35 PM
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Welcome Bob!

And no...it's never too late to respond to a post especially if you have information that can help the members.

Thanks for posting.

Kay
 
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Old 10-09-03, 04:36 PM
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Thanks for the info Binary Bob! I have an appointment to see my Dr. in the morning. The soreness is somewhat better now, but sometimes, you can tell when something is just not right. I hope I don't have an allergic reaction going on since lockjaw is typically fatal... then again, the severe allergic reaction to tetanus could produce the same result. I'll post what the doc says!
Sandie
p.s. Welcome to the board!
 
  #10  
Old 10-11-03, 09:08 AM
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Talking

Went to the doc and found out what was wrong. No allergy in his opinion, thank goodness. He told me I'm pregnant!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it, but they showed me how quick the test turned positive and said there is no quetion!! I mean, I knew there was something going on with my body, just never even thought it would be a baby!! The hubby and I are so happy!!
Sandie
 
  #11  
Old 10-11-03, 09:21 AM
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Thumbs up

Sandie,

Congratulations! I am so glad you went to the doctor. That is wonderful news!

Kay
 
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Old 10-11-03, 03:03 PM
Binary Bob
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CONGRATULATIONS!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I'm glad it wasn't a reaction. Curious though.. How did your doc think to do a PT from a sore arm?? You must have a very good doc.
 
  #13  
Old 10-11-03, 04:24 PM
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Thank you!!

Every time I go to my doc they weigh me, take a PT, do the BP, pulse, temp, look in my ears, nose & throat, listen to my heart and lungs, and they make me read the eye chart! I guess they figured I wasn't growing any taller since this is the first time they haven't measured my height!! I always figured this routine was so they could charge more for the intermediate level office visit since the nurse had you occupied with all of the physical stuff even before they ask what your reason for coming in was!! Anyway, that's how!
 
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Old 10-11-03, 04:27 PM
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How did your doc think to do a PT
From a medical perspective, one always assumes any female over 9 years old might be pregnant until proven otherwise.
 
  #15  
Old 06-16-04, 10:12 AM
Deadman
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some lessons are such a chore....

I have always been healthy as an ox....

Typically I stay away from the medical world because I hav no real need and then usually only because of mechanical issues.

allow me to post some of my own history:

I went to a dentist for afilling and in spite of a normal appearing tooth, I accepted that he felt I need a cap. the tooth was not sanitized before the placement of the cap and it rotted away beneath the cap.

I went to the eye doctor and due to a question I raised about a fluctuating prescription, he misdiagnosed a condition and therfor mistreated said condition... leaving me with permantly impaired vision in one eye.

Last year I broke an ankle and refused any shots. This year my doctor asked me when I had my last tetans shot and my GF piped up that she remebers none.... and volunteered me. I now am involved in a panic at the hospital and am apparently suffering one of those extreme loss of motion and intense ongoing pain conditions I am reading about all over the web. Doctor said I am doomed to loss of muscle and permenant nerve damage.

What can I say.... back to my old policy of: The best way to avoid doctors... is to avoid doctors.

I hope to continue on under my own steam until.... I stop.
 
  #16  
Old 06-20-04, 04:29 AM
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Deadman,
Sorry to hear of your situation, I truly hope things get better for you. I hope you can be led to drs that will be able to give you the proper care you need. My recent situation has been the exact opposite from yours. I was to be induced this past Tuesday and was in the hospital preparing for the medicine when I went into labor naturally. I labored for 3.25 hours before the dr was able to check and find that I was completely dilated and ready to deliver. I declined drugs at that time since they would only negatively affect the baby although I had wanted an epidural, no time for one at this point. I was in hard labor for 47 minutes and my beautiful daughter was born healthy and perfect! Now the problems begin...I had placenta accreta which caused an inverted uterus. Without the dr being right there, I would have bled out on the delivery bed and died. As it was, they whisked me away to the operating room to hopefully detach the placenta without removing my uterus, turning my uterus right side out, and getting my uterus back inside. They were successful! I lost a lot of blood and threatened to die during the procedure. I was blessed to be in the hospital and with drs who were able to save me for my daughter and husbands sake.
Sandie
& Claudia born 6-15-04
 
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Old 06-20-04, 07:44 AM
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Congratulation Sandy! I'm relieved to hear that you are and Claudia are safe & sound!

My last child (Ian) was a situation similar to yours. To avoid complications during natural birth, they took Ian by c-section. Its scary when you are literally bleeding to death. Thank goodness that I had loving & caring doctors there that were prepared and both Ian & I did just fine. This was 11 years ago, so I'm sure the techniques are different than they were back then.

Again, Congratulations and welcome to the world Ms. Claudia! You've got a great mommy & daddy!

Kay
 
  #18  
Old 06-22-04, 08:41 AM
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Originally Posted by onourown
Went to the doc and found out what was wrong. No allergy in his opinion, thank goodness. He told me I'm pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!
That is exactly the reason why I don't use the pruning shears. One wrong move you cut yourself and bam your pregnant. That's all I need is to be pregnant as a 37 year old man.


Congratulations!
 
  #19  
Old 07-30-04, 09:25 AM
nichole505
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Talking tetanus shots dont hurt!

yesterday i went to the doctor and they told me it was time for my tetanus shot at first i was soo scared because of all the reviews i had read but it didnt hurt at all i didnt feel anything and today it is barely sore i can move it just fine now sometimes it is somewhat sore but just like a little bruise so if you have to get one there is absolutly nothing to worry about and believe i usually hate shots sometimes i even feel like crying lol but really there is nothing to worry about!!!
 
  #20  
Old 07-31-04, 04:35 AM
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Question tetanus shot pain

three mornings ago i had a tetanus shot. the pain, stiffness, swelling is greater each morning. i'm gathering this is normal to some extent, but i have severe allergies. anyone else out there experience a gradual worsening of the shot area?

thanks!
 
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Old 07-31-04, 05:48 AM
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It is not unusual for the injection site for tetanus to be sore for a couple of days. Guarding the sore limb tends to make the soreness last longer than it would if you tried to use the arm and get past the soreness. Your preferred analgesic will help ameliorate the pain.

If you are concerned about your case, contact your physician.

Hope this helps.
 
  #22  
Old 07-31-04, 07:32 AM
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Congratulations Onourown,

After re-reading this thread, my wife is not allowed near the pruning shears...LOL
 
  #23  
Old 08-01-04, 03:17 PM
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i know pain is common in the few days following the injection. my whole arm became numb, so i phoned the doctor. they said i should be concerned if i was running a fever, and the injection site was hot to the touch. not having either of those symptoms, i just popped some pain pills. luckily today i only have pain and slight swelling, and my arm feels normal again.
 
  #24  
Old 08-05-04, 02:38 AM
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My Arm Is Killin M From Tetanus

Ok so i got my tetanus shot about 6-7 days ago. Im 14 so i already had one like a year ago but they didnt have it on record. Anyway i got my shot and like the next morning i should my mom (whos a nurse) and she said the shot wasnt where it should be. It was kinda high part of my shoulder. Ive been ative with sports if that matters. Well its been about a week since and it still hurts at first it was getting better but now i think its getting worse. So does anyone think where the shot was effects anything and do u think my arm will get better soon?
 
  #25  
Old 08-05-04, 04:57 PM
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Cool

hey ownourown congratulations to you and your new family. glad to see that there is good news out of something that started bad (the cut). hope you and your family enjoy every moment of the new girl while she is a baby because they grow up so fast. good luck and congradulations.
 
  #26  
Old 08-05-04, 05:28 PM
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Thanks littleone! We have been enjoying every moment, she is truly a blessing for us! I dread going back to work next month, I just don't want to miss a moment of her! I have made a website, take a peek if you get bored! http://members.tripod.com/~elvismxga/public_html/

For helpplease, yes my arm hurt like the dickens for about 10 days but Tylenol helped. It was still very sore, especially if I bumped it for another couple of weeks. All in all, it was about 3 weeks before the soreness went away completely. I was told if it got hot to the touch to go back to my dr. asap. BTW, My job keeps me very active outdoors. Hang in there it will get better in a couple more weeks!

Daniel, ROFL!!

Sandie
 
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Old 08-05-04, 07:21 PM
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Cool

she is a pretty little baby with a big happy family!
 
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Old 08-06-04, 05:15 AM
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The shot being place high on the should generally results in the injection being in a thinly muscled part of the shoulder which would make the pain worse and longer lasting. The injection site should have plenty of mass to reduce pain and enable rapid recovery of the insulted tissue.
 
  #29  
Old 10-06-04, 05:07 AM
maryle
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Ouchhh

I can't remember even if I've ever had a tetanus shot, just got one on monday and it hurts like holy heck. It was on the upper part of my right arm underneath my shoulder -- is that up too high? Do you start running a low grade fever immediately after getting one?
 
  #30  
Old 10-07-04, 06:15 PM
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About 2 inches below the top of the shoulder is the point of greatest mass in the lateral deltoid in most people. The shot hurts like the dickens. A low grade fever is normal. Usually the recommendation to to take ibuprofen or other of your favorite fever reducing analgesic to manage the soreness and fever.

Hope this helps.
 
  #31  
Old 10-07-04, 11:33 PM
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I just want to say that it was very helpful reading some of your comments about tetanus shots (chris, you've especially proven very helpful!). i got my tetanus exactly one week ago, and its still sore. it seems to be better during the day, but sleeping is hard because i cant seem to get comfortable. i also have trouble raising my arm above a certain point. ive been told by friends to try and keep moving my arm, so i have been doing that and taking some advil, but basically, im waiting it out. the shot was also given to me on the very high part of my shoulder (i remember thinking it was too high when the nurse was giving it). so anyway, just reading these notes makes me feel better that this is somewhat normal. thanks!
 
  #32  
Old 10-15-04, 02:45 PM
Graycee
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Hi everyone! I googled tetanus shots and came along this forum, which has been so helpful to me. I am 27 yrs old, and do not remember my previous tet shot before the one I got yesterday. Boy, my mind may have done that on purpose so that I wouldn't say no to this one. I got the shot at 11am, and by 9pm I told my boyfriend (we live together) 'this aint so bad! I could delal with this'. Then 2am hit. Holy Hades!! getting a glass of water has never been so bloody difficult. It's now 5pm, I have a very low fever and I am contemplating on ways to remove my left arm (don't take the amputation part seriously). Thanks to this thread, I will now take some Ibuprofen and stop with the typing.

Thanks for all your information!!
 
  #33  
Old 02-11-05, 11:48 PM
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Question tetanus shot reaction?

Just googled tetanus shot reaction, & found this site. I read a short blurb on the FDA site which said that an adverse rxn can be Guillain-Barre syndrome--a nerve inflammation. Anyone know more? I got a shot in early November after a "dirty wound" & had a quarter-sized red lump develop @ the shot site 2 days later. It was quite hot & itched terribly. A doctor told me it was an allergic rxn that happens occasionally when a tetanus shot is given too soon after a previous one. It gradually dissipated after a couple days, but about a month after the shot, my left hand went half-numb, on the pinky side. The nerves feel weird on the underside of my arm about 2-3 inches above the elbow--sort of feels like a second "funny bone" !! Anyone have any experience with this? The numbness has lasted 5-6 weeks now, sometimes affecting the whole hand.
 

Last edited by Lalstarflyer; 02-11-05 at 11:50 PM. Reason: misspelling
  #34  
Old 02-12-05, 03:12 PM
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Numbness is a condition you should not ignore. The only way to get a numb feeling is to have a problem with a nerve. If left long enough, the damage can become permanent. I would suggest scheduling a consultation with a neurologist soon.
 
kathann voted this post useful.
  #35  
Old 02-13-05, 08:29 AM
Hepkat
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Painful Tetanus Shot Side Effect

Reading others' tetanus reaction experiences has been interesting to me. I had a booster tetanus shot in June 2004 (8 months ago). I noticed, and my husband commented when I got home, that the injection site was too high, that it wasn't really in the meaty part of the muscle (it was just below my shoulder bone). Nevertheless, I felt virtually no pain for a couple days. Then on about the third day I woke up with a stiff and painful arm near the injection site. It continued to worsen for several days, reaching it's worst about a week into it. At that point I could barely roll over in bed, push up to sitting from lying down, and I lost range of motion -- I could only lift my arm up to a certain point (for instance, I could not hang a towel over a towel bar because it was past my range of motion -- it was like the muscle just didn't work anymore -- I guess this is what is meant by "muscle wasting"). I tried ice and over-the-counter pain killers but it continued like this for about a month anyhow. The medical professionals I contacted could tell me almost nothing. The arm gradually - and I mean GRADUALLY - started to improve. Then about 2 months into the ordeal I started heating it all night long. I know that is dangerous, but it was the only thing that helped. After about a week of this all night heating, I noticed great improvement. Since then, I've basically functioned normally, but I still feel pain every day. Now heating it doesn't offer improvement anymore. I try to use the arm normally, but there is one yoga move (sun salutation) that I still cannot do, and after practicing hand stands I feel increased pain the next day. I don't know if I should work the arm more or less. Any thoughts on this? I've read that you should not baby the arm. I'm wondering if lifting weights would help it? Any thoughts on this are appreciated. And for all of you who have a similar experience, I SYMPATHIZE! This has been excrutiating.
 
  #36  
Old 06-04-05, 05:41 AM
hannalou
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Giving it a try

Got my shot three days ago and, like everyone else, was wondering why I felt so horrible. I hadn't had one in 14 years and wasn't nearly as active then as I am now. I'm going to try to get back into my normal workout routine and grit my teeth, now that I know this is normal. I have fairly muscled triceps, which is where I got the shot, and I now have a circular bruise about 4" in diameter. No heat or swelling; just major pain and numbness, now compounded by lack of sleep, since my puncture wounds are on the bottom of my right foot and the shot's on my left arm!
 
  #37  
Old 06-14-05, 07:35 PM
mrgrtvl1
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Got Tetanus Booster 4-15-05 And Just Got Cut!

Hi All...

I Had A Tetanus Booster, Quite By Accident, I Couldnt Get A Hold Of My Old Doctors Office To Tell Me When I Had Last Had My Tetanus Shot...so I Went To My New Doc...got A Booster...the Old Office Calls And Said My Last One Was 9-2002 And This Was 4-2005...so I Was A Little Freaked But All Was Ok...i Didnt Know If Something Bad Would Happen If I Got The Shots Too Close Together...

Now, I Cut Myself This Evening In The Barn, I Run A Horse Rescue, And The Cut Wasnt Deep...i Did It With A Razor Blade, I Was Using It To Cut Off Duct Tape Off A Horses Leg...anyway, I Scrubbed It Out With Soap And Water And Then Used Peroxide And Then Antibiotic Cream...

It Is About An Inch Long On My Ring Finger...i Think I Cut Cleanly Through All But Maybe 1 - 2 Layers Of Skin, It Barely Bled...my Question If Anyone Can Answer...should I Call The Doctor Again Or Is The Shot I Got 2 Months Ago Good Enough...even If I Did Get A Cut That Could Potentionally Have Gotten Manure/dirt In It? I Didnt See Anything In The Wound...but Am Now Totally Freaked Out...i Cant Talk To My Husband Because I Could Be Missing A Limb And He Would Say...oh Its Nothing...

Thanks For Any Help...
Mrgrtvl
 
  #38  
Old 06-15-05, 07:03 PM
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You should check with your doctor.

Tetanus has turned out to more virulent than previously thought. The old ten year period was reduced to 5 years. Even with that, most treatments for open wounds is to administer a tetanus shot. This would not be overkill.

If I recall correctly, there have been two cases of patients surviving tetanus. One of these was in the 1960s and the other in the past 5 or so years. You don't lose a limb. Tetanus is terminal.

Hope this helps.
 
 

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