Last Tuesday I figured I’d take advantage of my medical benefits and go in for a little well-patient physical. Turned out I was overdue for a Tetanus booster. Let me be the first to say that they’ve got a bite to ‘em. The shot itself doesn’t hurt, but I remember getting them as a child and then a teen in my upper arm and it would ache FOR DAYS. Since I had tennis that afternoon the nurse suggested I take the shot in my hip just above my right cheek to minimize any soreness. I’ve never really considered myself a wimp when it comes to needles until I nearly passed out immediately following the injection.

Everything was going la dee da fine. I was chatting away, barely felt a little pinch and it was over. Only, a minute later  – if that — I knew something was wrong. In a flash it got really bright and extremely hot. I broke into a sweat and my ears started to ring to a point where I could barely hear the nurse saying I was free to go. Go? I needed to lie down! I took a seat and hung my head between my knees as sweat started gathering along my hairline and trickling down my back. I mumbled something about not feeling well while fighting to stay conscious. The nurse said I didn’t look well (ha) and told me to lie down. She came back with my doctor who took my blood pressure (WAY lower than when they’d taken it about 30 minutes earlier) and asked my symptoms. Their diagnosis? A nervous reaction to getting a shot. It sounds plausible, however I get shots all the time thanks to my extensive dental work and I’ve never reacted that way. She and the nurse refuted that they had never seen someone with my reaction, nor would the meds they pumped into me take affect that quickly. Okay, fine. Now not only did my tush hurt but my ego was bruised as well. How embarrassing to be 26 and passing out from a little booster shot! …that I’ve had before!

The pain in my ass only got worse. I passed on tennis two days in a row from exhaustion, random dizzy spells, and because my leg hurt so bad. If you are considering getting a Tetanus booster in the hip I highly recommend doing it on the left cheek because let me tell you, driving was miserable. It was bad enough just applying force to the gas pedal but some jackhole had to go and pull out in front of me as I was going 40 down a main drag. (The speed limit, Dad!) When I slammed on my brakes I thought I was going to pass out again — this time from the pain!

Thursday rolls around. The pain’s gone and I go to get my blood drawn for some routine blood work. I’m nervous because apparently I pass out from needles. I’ve also been fasting for 12 hours which is cause enough alone for me to pass out. But, nothing. I am fine. Even when they stick the fat needle in the crick of my arm and I watch them draw my blood. Now I’m starting to get suspicious. And along with the persistent random dizzy spells my leg is starting to hurt again. Only now it’s my hip flexor. I rest it for a day, stretching it out here and there. Friday morning I notice a LUMP on my hip flexor. Not only can I feel it but I can SEE it when I look in the mirror. It looks like a little marble protruding from my hip flexor. And it’s only on the right side. Turns out it’s my lymph node and it’s pissed off trying to fight whatever was in that damn Tetanus booster.

Friday night my leg is in so much pain I can’t lift it to undress myself. Eventually I make it into bed and Google “Tetanus shot reaction” and come across this: http://blog.dbhertz.com/2006/08/11/tetanus-shot-reaction/ Whoa, whoa, whoa! Look at all those comments! People with even worse side effects than mine! And some with the same, claiming they too felt dizzy and sick and almost passed out right after getting injected. And swollen lymph nodes. Only they describe theirs in their left armpit because most get the booster in their left arm. Yikes! Though it’s nice to know I’m not alone, it’s troubling that my doctor brushed off my adverse reaction so quickly. Obviously they are not versed in the side effects. It’s also troubling that some people reported that their side effects lasted anywhere from a few days to MONTHS. I’m going to call my doctor shortly since my leg doesn’t feel any better today and my lymph node is still the size of a marble. My ego is healing nicely, though, in case you were worried.