Thirsty After the Booster Shot? Here are the Possible Reasons
When navigating such a complex matter as
Covid-19 and the vaccines, we believe it's important to pack up on as
much knowledge as possible in order to gain confidence over fear in the
face of unprecedented times. In this article, we aim to be as
informative as possible, while discussing a specific side effect: thirst
after the booster shot, and sometimes even after the first two.
Has this side-effect been studied yet?
While it is not recognized as an official
side-effect by the CDC, many people in online forums have reported
extreme thirst, and a feeling of being parched or dehydrated, to the
point of waking in the middle of the night to drink. Some doctors also
report patients' complaints about thirst.
Extreme thirst is one symptom that has yet to be studied or confirmed as
caused by the vaccine. That does not mean it does not happen to people.
Two more side effects that have yet to be studied or confirmed as
caused by the vaccine are food cravings and menstrual changes. Just as
every individual will experience the virus differently, every individual
will react to the vaccine differently.
Possible reasons for feeling dehydrated after vaccine
Here are the latest theories regarding the
reasons for extreme thirst after a Covid-19 shot.
Developing a fever is a great contributor to dehydration as the water
literally evaporates from the body quicker, and you lose salts and
fluids.
Another possibility is that the enlarged toll on the immune system leads
to thirst. Much of the water in our body is stored in the blood and
vessels connected to it, such as lymph nodes. An immune reaction
activates the tonsils, the adenoids, white blood cells and your lymph
nodes, causing thirst to compensate for the excessive load on the immune
system. The thirst isn't a sign that there's something wrong. It is on
the contrary; it means your body is working well.
Other less common theories suggest that this may be simply because of
stress, or because you were dehydrated before the shot and now the
thirst feels more present as you're paying more attention than usual to
your body after the shot.
Should you choose to receive the vaccine, it is recommended to enjoy a
nutritious meal beforehand, come well-hydrated and avoid taking
painkillers before the shot.
Lastly, it is important to remember that experts are still learning as
we go, and that what we know today may not be the full picture yet, or
may not even be valid tomorrow.