Just got mine...last year it wasn't a big deal, but this year it fucking HURT. I'm already a giant baby who hates getting my vaccines but this was way worse than usual. When I started telling people about my reaction this year a number of people agreed that it hurt way worse this year and/or they had different reactions than previous years.
Please note I'm not looking for any conspiracies about it being worse or different somehow in a bad way, and I'm not trying to scare people into not getting it; even if it fucking hurt this year please get it, the temporary pain is better than getting and spreading covid.
But it definitely felt different in my arm and in my body this year and I have heard the same from others. Did something change or are we just misremembering? Or are our bodies reacting different somehow this year for other reasons? Or is it just random and this year for whatever coincidental reason I know a bunch of people who had a worse muscle reaction to it.
Oh I was in the same mode I'm always in which is actively trying not to have a panic attack. I have an IMMENSE fear of needles to the point that for blood draws I basically require Xanax or similar.
When I got my first COVID vaccine years ago the nicest nurse in the whole world helped me prepare for the future though. I told her how scared I was and how vaccines always hurt and I'm always a huge mess after. She told me to let my arm dangle at my side which I do now and that helps a lot. She also held my hand and stroked the injection site very gently after which just made me well up with how much care she showed me. Honestly every vaccine now I think of her and how relaxed my arm was and how calm I felt and that helps. This was the worst one I've had in years now.
So yeah maybe it was just my turn and randomly people around me to be unlucky with them hitting it weird.