10 Things to Know When Getting Vaccinated with CP

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5 minute read 

Two days ago, I got my first dose.

I'm not a medical professional, but I am an adult living with CP and I know there have been a lot of questions about people with CP getting the vaccine.  So I thought I'd share what little I do know (approaching 48 hours post Moderna vaccine...)

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1. Drink 16 ounces of water in the hour before your shot (if you can.)

Not sure of the logic behind this other than it's good to be hydrated.  I definitely feel like it helped me.

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2.  It's okay if you're a little late.  

Stuff happens.  In our case, even while factoring in extra time, there was traffic.  But they did not get mad or give our appointments away.  It was more like, "Great! You're here!"

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3. The temp check might be tricky if you live where it's warm / summer.

My first temperature check, the pharmacist was like, "Oh, you are way too hot!"  I had no idea.  But the temperature outdoors was 101 that day.  And I definitely sat outside for more than a few minutes (by myself and masked) soaking up rays for the first time in over a year while waiting to get picked up.

In short?  If you've got a bit of hypochondria like me and come in running hot, hang out in the air conditioning or in front of a fan.  

Your temp should come right down.

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4.  If you have CP, you have a few extra things to consider when choosing which arm.

I chose my left (unaffected) arm, because I didn't love the possibility of my spasticity kicking in with the pain.  But I'm also a back-sleeper.

Tara chose to get hers on her CP side because she sleeps on the other arm, and obviously sleep is good.

We are both happy with our choices.

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5. I chose to share that I did not want to hear about side-effects because of anxiety.  The pharmacist honored my request.

More than that?  She said it was really common. 

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6.  Honestly?  I've had flu shots that were way more painful.

If you're worried about the pain of the actual shot, I'm hopeful that sharing my experience will be reassuring.  So, yes, it was a shot, and there's anxiety there.  But it was probably one of the least painful shots I've ever had.

(Tara literally said: "Oh, that's it?" after she got hers.)

After I got mine?  I posed for this picture and told Tara: "I never pass up an opportunity to flex."

[Tonia in a black, tie dye mask and a blue shirt with her post-vaccine bandaid showing.  Her shirt reads 'Keep Staring...I might do a trick!]

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6. Be prepared to wait 15 minutes after you get it.

(If you're me, you'll use part of that time to use the facilities thanks to all that water beforehand.  We brought and used disinfecting wipes and our own hand sanitizer.)

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7.  Your arm might be sore the next day.

Mine was its worst (not that bad -- I've had worse arm pain after a flu shot) yesterday morning, when I woke up.

Now that it's day two, my arm feels back to normal.

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8.  Take Ipuprofen / pain relievers as needed.

I did need to take some after the fact, but I likely would have anyway, since exertion and CP.  But I haven't been in agony.

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9. Rest

If you need to rest, rest.  

We've both been a little or a lot more tired than usual, but are trying to listen to ourselves and rest as much as we can.

Rest is productive.

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10. Keep drinking water

My biggest post vaccine symptom surprisingly has been thirst.  (Which, again, isn't terrible.)

We regularly drink more than 96 ounces of water a day, so staying hydrated isn't something I've been concerned about.  

But where usually drinking water feels like a chore, now it feels more like, "I could use some water.  I'm kinda thirsty."

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If you're getting vaccinated, you've got this!

You'll be okay.

And I genuinely hope this helps ease your mind.

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