The worst pain you’ve experienced

[skluth]

For what it's worth, my wife has tested positive for covid twice–once before the vaccine was invented, once after. The first time I had it too, and it felt way worse than a cold. Mostly I remember the fever and whole-body soreness that felt like I had been working out every muscle in my body. After getting the vaccine, my wife tested positive after a coworker came down with it. My wife was entirely asymptomatic, and I didn't catch it from her at all despite her quarantining across the hall from me.

Now, this isn't a 100% scientific study because, among other things, they were different strains (alpha vs. omicron). But it was sufficient evidence for us to keep up with our boosters as recommended.

Anyway, although covid sucked and I don't want to get it again, it wasn't the worst pain I ever experienced. (Or even the worst illness–I think that was having strep.)

Yeah, well the vaccine didn't do shit. You don't get 3+ polio vaccines and then still get a mild, let alone moderate, case of polio. Never got a booster after that, and never will.

Vaccines have varying levels of efficacy. The flu vaccine isn't the greatest either, but after missing a week of work in the mid-90's to an extremely potent mutation I get my shot every year. I've still gotten the flu a couple times but at least I haven't gotten another +104° fever when I've had the flu since then. Not every vaccine is as effective as the polio or smallpox vaccines.

We're still in the early days of mRNA vaccines. I expect their efficacy to improve as we better understand them. I'm 66 and have a compromised immune system thanks to Guillain-Barré. I've gotten two boosters and am curious how they'll mark my card for another. Maybe I'll get a toaster oven. 

[MultiMillionMiler]

The flu shots efficacy rate is at least 30+%.

4 covid shots in a year to only reduce symptom severity by a few%, with each shot having uncomfortable side effects for days doesn't seem worth it to me. I've never heard of another vaccine series where 4 were required in such a short time period.

[kphoger]

Well then they shouldn't call it a vaccine. Vaccines are supposed to make you immune to a disease, not reduce its severity by 1%.

List all of the vaccines you can think of that are 100% effective for 100% of the population.

Go.

[kphoger]

MMR

Oh oops that's "only" 93%.

So...  one.

But seriously, name one other vaccine series that after getting 4 doses in a 1 year period, you still end up in the hospital with severe symptoms.

Most people didn't.  How is this hard for your to understand?

[JayhawkCO]

For what it's worth, my wife has tested positive for covid twice–once before the vaccine was invented, once after. The first time I had it too, and it felt way worse than a cold. Mostly I remember the fever and whole-body soreness that felt like I had been working out every muscle in my body. After getting the vaccine, my wife tested positive after a coworker came down with it. My wife was entirely asymptomatic, and I didn't catch it from her at all despite her quarantining across the hall from me.

Now, this isn't a 100% scientific study because, among other things, they were different strains (alpha vs. omicron). But it was sufficient evidence for us to keep up with our boosters as recommended.

Anyway, although covid sucked and I don't want to get it again, it wasn't the worst pain I ever experienced. (Or even the worst illness–I think that was having strep.)

Yeah, well the vaccine didn't do shit. You don't get 3+ polio vaccines and then still get a mild, let alone moderate, case of polio. Never got a booster after that, and never will.

I'll be the blunt one and say it. You could have died. Perhaps the vaccine saved your life. I'd say that would be the more severe version of the disease that you got.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Well given how horrible the suffering was, that's too bad, maybe I shouldn't have gotten it. It felt like a severe case of strep throat with some congestion, but not much respiratory symptoms, so I doubt I would have died in either case. If that's their new definition of a vaccine, than I do not plan on getting anymore any time soon. Vaccines are supposed to prevent you from getting sick, not only stop the worst 2% of cases.

[adventurernumber1]

Death < Permanent Damage < Ventilator < Otherwise miserable hospital stay < Miserable time at home < Mild and annoying symptoms at home < Minor but noticeable symptoms at home < No symptoms

If you have not had to endure the three very bad scenarios with bold or underlined font, then that probably means the vaccine did a damn good job. COVID is an ugly, unpredictable, and vicious monster that treats every individual person differently. Some people are exceptionally lucky, some people are exceptionally unlucky, and some people fall somewhere in between. Getting a vaccine increases your chances of being lucky and decreases your chances of having to endure any of the three dreaded scenarios that would make someone exceptionally unlucky. Count being on a ventilator as something that is undoubtedly on my anti-bucket list for life -- that meaning as of yet I have been lucky enough to have never endured one in my life, and I sincerely hope that I will never need to (unfortunately unlikely). Flu and the now-omnipresent COVID viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and many variants -- that is the reason why the vaccine may not have as high efficacy as compared to others such as the Polio vaccine. It doesn't mean the vaccines don't work, because they absolutely do; it just doesn't guarantee nothing will happen, but it certainly increases your odds and favor that you will handle the virus better compared to without a vaccine.

[JayhawkCO]

Well given how horrible the suffering was, that's too bad, maybe I shouldn't have gotten it. It felt like a severe case of strep throat with some congestion, but not much respiratory symptoms, so I doubt I would have died in either case. If that's their new definition of a vaccine, than I do not plan on getting anymore any time soon. Vaccines are supposed to prevent you from getting sick, not only stop the worst 2% of cases.

It looks like you, not scientists, are the one coming up with the "new definition of a vaccine".

[MultiMillionMiler]

I prioritize suffering relief over death. That's why in my only other hospital stay in my life, for a GI problem, I made sure to exaggerate my pain level to whatever the minimum threshold was to be given the morphine(they thought only 7+ out of 10 warranted it LOL) and it worked great as a result, no negative side effects either. My normal 4 was now a 7, normal 7 a 9, and a normal 10 a 15. Too bad, if they weren't so paranoid about Opioids I wouldn't have to do that. But as for covid, I was about to say maybe it was the variant that the vaccine didn't protect against. I think I tested positive for Omicron, I don't remember, but in that case it's still good I didn't get the boosters up until that point because they weren't designed for omicron yet, maybe not even delta at that point. I might consider getting an omicron specific booster, but am not going to get a new shot every 2 months for every new variant (assuming they could even keep up).

@Jayhalk, nowhere does it say the definition of a vaccine is only to prevent death from a disease. Only for this disease did they change their definition. And given how many covid cases are mild even without the vaccine, I definitely shouldn't have gotten a case so much worse than average, with the vaccine. A 100% survivable rate instead of 98% doesn't make something worthy of being called a "cure" or even a vaccine.

[Max Rockatansky]

See my original post, food poisoning and stomach issues are something I've consistently found to be more painful than broken bones (or being run over by a car).

[Scott5114]

For what it's worth, my wife has tested positive for covid twice–once before the vaccine was invented, once after. The first time I had it too, and it felt way worse than a cold. Mostly I remember the fever and whole-body soreness that felt like I had been working out every muscle in my body. After getting the vaccine, my wife tested positive after a coworker came down with it. My wife was entirely asymptomatic, and I didn't catch it from her at all despite her quarantining across the hall from me.

Now, this isn't a 100% scientific study because, among other things, they were different strains (alpha vs. omicron). But it was sufficient evidence for us to keep up with our boosters as recommended.

Anyway, although covid sucked and I don't want to get it again, it wasn't the worst pain I ever experienced. (Or even the worst illness–I think that was having strep.)

Yeah, well the vaccine didn't do shit. You don't get 3+ polio vaccines and then still get a mild, let alone moderate, case of polio. Never got a booster after that, and never will.

You'll forgive me if I don't believe anything you have to say about matters of potential life and death due to your low-quality posting history.

[Scott5114]

See my original post, food poisoning and stomach issues are something I've consistently found to be more painful than broken bones (or being run over by a car).

Yep, any problems related to the digestive system seem to be the worst. It's like the human body has stronger pain receptors down there or something.

@Scott5114 I think the low quality vaccine is what people should be concerned about. I'm not giving anyone advice on whether to get it or not. If someone got a more mild case from it, great. It definitely didn't work with me though, unlike every other vaccine (including flu shot) that I got in my life.

I think you should be more concerned about fixing your low-quality posting history, personally.

Also, I'm a scalar and not an array and therefore properly addressed as $Scott5114.

[J N Winkler]

I'd just point out that, by July 2022, a 22- or 23-year-old with a normal immune system should have had two shots for full initial immunization (assuming one of the mRNA vaccines) plus one booster.  The latter might have prevented hospitalization altogether; it would certainly have reduced the risk.

It is true that most childhood immunizations are "stick and forget," but they typically target bacteria and viruses that do not mutate as aggressively as bat coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2 being one example of such), and for some of them top-ups are recommended, such as an additional tetanus shot once every ten years or after being stuck with a rusty nail.

[MultiMillionMiler]

The boosters weren't calibrated for these nastier variants at that point. Besides, with the time frame given, the booster would have been 5-6 months later, so what about the remaining 6-7 months? Would the 3rd dose have started to wear off by then also? As far as I know my age group was never eligible for a 4th.

[Bruce]

The fourth dose was released to the public, for all adults, in September. There was a shortage due to a spike in demand, but it leveled out after a few weeks.

I got all four and had no more than 3 or so days of local discomfort with no lasting side effects, other than not catching COVID and becoming yet another body occupying hospital beds needed for the rest of society.

[MultiMillionMiler]

3 days after each shot or 3 in total across all 4?

[Rothman]

I had no side effects at all with the fourth shot.

[Bruce]

3 days after each shot or 3 in total across all 4?

After each, on average. My immune system isn't all that great, which is all the more reason to get preventative care like vaccines done.

[Scott5114]

We really don't need to relitigate the covid bullshit again.

[kkt]

Worst pain: Some blood in my urine for no explained reason.  In an attempt to figure out why, I was sent for a diagnostic procedure in which a miniature camera was forced up my urethra so pictures could be taken of the inside of my bladder.  Local anesthetic was used, but it was extremely painful right through the anesthetic.  (Results - inconclusive, no cause of the bleeding was found.)  Continued to be very painful for several days after.

[hbelkins]

I had something happen to me yesterday that was surprisingly unpainful when it happened.

I fell, landed awkwardly on my left hand, and ended up dislocating my middle finger. Wish I had taken a picture of it at a 45-degree angle at the middle joint. I popped it back into place and it really wasn't too painful. The "road rash" on my left arm and right elbow hurt worse.

Today, my finger is swollen around the joint, it hurts, and I can't bend it all the way, but i suspect when the swelling goes down it will be OK.

Given the gruesome appearance of the dislocated finger, one would have expected excruciating pain.

[JKRhodes]

(background categorizing bouts with acute pain, short term pain and long term pain)

(Information about metal in eye and recurring corneal erosions, daily)

I'm happy to report, with regard to my eye, that I underwent a superficial keratectomy with amniotic membrane transplant and bandage contact lens nearly two months ago to fix my cornea. After a week long recovery, my eye has healed beautifully with no more erosions.

Three takeaways:

1. Wear your freaking safety glasses and face shield when using a grinder, or working near one.

2. Get seen for metal in eye ASAP if you have an accident.

3. Don't be afraid to get referred to a corneal specialist sooner than later if you continue to have issues.

Worst chapter in my life for chronic pain began on May 7, 2022 when I got metal in my eye, and finally reached its last page on May 19, 2023 when I got it fixed properly.

[bugo]

Kidney stones. Unbearable pain, vomiting, nausea and pissing every 3 minutes. The doctor gave me a shot of some sort of opioid and it did nothing. He then had me admitted to the hospital. and I passed out from the pain while sitting in triage. I woke up a few hours later in the middle of some sort of test or scan.  I was in a big white tube that was moving around me. The pain was gone, but I was still sore for a few days. There was no relief for this sort of pain. Some pain can be lessened by moving your body certain way, but not kidney stones.  It was just miserable.

I had another kidney stone attack when I lived in Missouri. I had some pain medication left over from a dental visit, so I was able to avoid going to the hospital. It wasn't nearly as intense as the first attack.

I was in Tulsa when the third attack happened. I went to the hospital and they gave me 12 pain pills and some expensive medicine that didn't even end up helping and sent me home. This attack wasn't as bad as either of the first two in intensity, but it lasted for around 10 days. I drove to Mena so my mom could take care of me and stayed there about a week, and the pain and other symptoms just wouldn't go away. Luckily, my late grandmother had a big stash of pills from a prior prescription, and again I was able to avoid going back to the hospital, which I would have had to do if not for them. Every time I thought it would let up, it would kick right back in. (TMI warning:) The kidney stones looked like little flecks of black pepper. I was feeling a bit better and I drove back to Tulsa. When I got home, I had a Spaten Optimator, which is a German doppelbock, and it finished cleaning me out. Lots of flecks at first, and then no more. I should have had some beer earlier, but I was in Mena, which was a dry county then.

Gall stones were very unpleasant and quite painful. but not quite as bad as the worst of the three kidney stone attacks that I have had. I had to drive from 51st and Lewis to the OSU hospital downtown with my chest feeling like it was on fire. Not recommended.

I had a root canal done back when I was in my late teens, and the dentist hit a nerve that wasn't deadened, and I nearly jumped out of my seat. Extremely intense and sharp pain. But this only hurt for a few seconds. Kidney stones hurt for a long time. Gall stones hurt for a long time.

I've heard that kidney stones are at least as painful as childbirth.

[hbelkins]

It's amazing that something so small can cause so much discomfort.