When a wave of exhaustion after a vaccine feels like myeloma relapse
I’ve always considered relapse a when, rather than an if
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Do you ever wonder if the myeloma is coming back?
It’s often the first question a patient in remission asks when they get a new ache or other symptom. Myeloma looms large for us, and it’s hard not to associate it with any and all of our medical complaints.
I wondered about it last week, after I got hit by a wave of exhaustion on a Sunday morning for no apparent reason. I’d gotten plenty of sleep the night before, and I hadn’t done anything particularly strenuous that morning. But when I got home from church, I went to bed and slept the entire afternoon away.
That’s not usual for me. When I need an afternoon nap, it’s usually because I’ve been running hither and yon for hours doing errands. The last time I had unexplainable fatigue was shortly before my multiple myeloma diagnosis. My worried husband, Tony, reminded me of that when he brought me something to eat.
For a moment, the thought of relapse crossed my mind.
The real culprit
But only for a moment. Last month’s lab work didn’t show any problems, so I dismissed the thought and went back to sleep.
I know I live under a sword, and I’ve always considered relapse a when, rather than an if. Perhaps the next time will be the when.
But not this time. The next morning I woke up feeling more energetic, the sleepy sludge cleared from my brain. And with a clearer head that wasn’t demanding sleep, I got a notion about what might have caused the previous day’s fatigue.
A quick internet search proved my theory right.
The day before my fatigue crash, Tony and I got our annual flu and COVID-19 vaccines at our pharmacy. I don’t remember previous shots causing fatigue, but it’s a listed side effect of both vaccines.
I slept an afternoon away, but to me it’s a small price to pay for the protection of these dead-virus vaccines. I’m in remission, but I’m still immunocompromised, and flu season is off to an early start in my part of the world, with one local health department reporting more deaths than at this time last year. I know these vaccines are not impenetrable shields, but they do reduce my risk. And if I do wind up with the flu or COVID-19, the pharmacist said the cases would be milder.
Next year, though, I think I’ll spread the shots across two weekends so I don’t get a double whammy. If Tony’s going to wait on me hand and foot, I want to be awake to appreciate it!
Note: Rare Cancer News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Rare Cancer News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to rare cancer.
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