Received Apr 17, 2026
| Type | Name | Manufacturer | Dose | Lot | Route / Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VARZOS | ZOSTER (SHINGRIX) | GLAXOSMITHKLINE BIOLOGICALS | 2 | NT357 | IM / RA |
Eleven days after my second shingles vaccine, I noticed a cluster of red raised spots on my right arm. My first thought was bug bites, but by the next day, the spots were on my other arm. I went to urgent care because I was scheduled to leave the country the next day. The doctor there sent me home with a bug bite diagnosis and paperwork on how to avoid bug bites. I tried to tell him about my shingles vaccination, but he said it wasn't a reaction and it would have been faster and systemic. I left the country the following night. By the time I arrived at my destination, about 30 hours later, my arms were covered, my upper back, my upper thighs, the backs of my calves had a few prominent spots and my left ankle had the largest cluster of bumps on my body -- a group that passed two inches in diameter and caused swelling and pain simply by its mass. None of the dots hurt or itched, but they were very red and prominent. I was on a service project in a country and was not able to rest or apply cold compresses, which was the advice I found online. The rash finally started to ease after about six days. It has now been two weeks since it first appeared and most spots have healed completely. But the places where it began, on both arms, still have multiple large red spots which are now starting to peel as they heal. And the spot on my left ankle, while dramatically improved, still has a small cluster.
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Blisovi Fe 1-20, Rosuvastatin calcium 5 mg, Sertraline Hcl 50 mg, claritin
None known
The doctor I saw in urgent care looked at my arm and said it was bug bites. When I showed him the spots appearing on my other arm, his response was, You got bit by two bugs.
I experienced a rash on my face after both my first and second COVID vaccines, but not after any other ensuing COVID vaccines.