Whoa, I’m sorry to hear that. Not sure what the differences are between the formulas this time, but I could never tell where the Pfizer injections went in. Upthread there have been recommendations to switch between the two, but the reports of reactions always led me to 
out. Hope you all feel better soon! 
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Given the variety of reactions to vaccines that are pretty much identical, my theory (with no evidence behind it) is that the key variable is the degree of immune reactivity in the individual. For folks with less reactive immune systems, side effects should be less. Covid is an intentionally very reactogenic vaccine, so some of us with immune systems constantly primed to unleash hell on very short notice, like pediatricians and teachers, off the top of my head, you might see more side effects. Every one that i have gotten has kicked my ass for around 8-12 hours. I just got my shingles vaccine, and it also did me in. Only a couple hours on that one, but still. My wife did not have much reaction at all, so i guess cakes don’t make you more reactive. 
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Booster side effects update:
Spouse and Kiddo are over it. Me, not so much. Arm is still swollen and red, lymph nodes are swollen and sore, and joint and body aches like I was pummeled. I think @anon29537550 described feeling like crap for a while as a “robust” immune response… yay for robustness 
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Mine was Saturday. I timed it so I didn’t have much to do Sunday. Which was good. Sunday I felt very hungover plus body aches. My arm was sore too. Monday was just sore arm, exhaustion type of tired, and emotionally blah. The arm is still a bit sore and I still feel emotionally blah. Should be normal by tomorrow if I get a good sleep tonight
So, normal reaction for me.
ETA my spouse was fine Sunday and Monday except for a sore arm. Feels exhausted today
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So I got my flu and COVID shots last week. I felt sore and bleh the next day, and according to my CGM, the worst blood sugar control in my history of tracking it, but that might have also had to do with less exercise that I would have gotten. Felt fine the day after and ever since. Still wear a mask in stores, though.
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Post vaccination side effects update #2:
Yesterday (Day 3) I finally had my normal energy level back, and the muscle and joint pain was gone.
Today (Day 4) there is residual minor pain, swelling, and redness at the injection site: +/-7cm diameter, raised, red, sometimes mildly itchy, rash-like area. It looks and feels like a minor allergic reaction, which is a first for me from any vaccination ever and therefore kinda worrisome in terms of future ones.
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Really hard to get a ross to some folks how different, even alien, kids are compared to adults. Trust me on this, they ate most definitely not just mini-adults. At all. Metabolically, physiologically, psychologically, very, very different critters. So this surprises me not at all.
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That is not an allergic reaction, so long as it is at the site. That’s your immune system being very unhappy, and making the tissue of the injection site unhappy. Not saying it won’t happen next time. Honestly, it probably will. But not anaphylactic, “just” reactogenic. IOW, acting as planned.
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Thanks for explaining, Doc! And the tidy descriptor “reactogenic” too.
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I need to go get the updated vax plus flu shot…
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And maybe also the pneumonia vaccine if you’re eligible and it is covered by insurance. I haven’t had pneumonia since I got the vaccine last year and I used to always get pneumonia at least once during the winter/early spring
I like vaccines
Edit: umm too many "it"s in there 
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I tried that this week - since I’m attending a massive conference at the end of the month, I thought it would be prudent.
Turns out: the flu shot was no problem at all, but the next available updated shot slot against COVID is mid November? What? Why?
I have really no idea why, but maybe try to make an appointment soon, just in case the next open slot would be late?
FTR: at the same time (i.e., the last three weeks), everyone and their dog seems to have COVID. Friends, family, co-workers, bosses… Most cases are mild, but some really suffer. And there’s no telling who’s gonna have a mild infection, and who’s gonna crawl on their gums for while. Glad to report that I have not heard about anyone being hospitalised, though. Vaccination works, yay science!
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I got the updated Covid-19 vax, plus flu shot and RSV shot, on Tuesday Wednesday. Had sore arms and felt tired, went to bed early and slept more than usual. Had sore-er arms and felt blah and unmotivated on Wed Thurs, but it didn’t keep me from running two different errands on foot and lugging home heavy bags of groceries from both places. Today (Thurs Friday) I’m my normal self.
It did seem to me that food didn’t taste quite as good as usual, on Tues Wed eve and Wed Thurs. I know you can get Covid-like symptoms from the vax, but I don’t think I’ve heard of taste being affected—has anyone heard of that? I suppose it might have been the power of suggestion…both my sister and her wife had Covid-19 last week (one of them was even in the hospital with it) and they both lost their senses of smell and taste (better now, AIUI). I wasn’t thinking about that in relation to the vax I got, but maybe it could have been in my subconscious somehow…
FTR: my sister and her wife had been good about getting vaccinated all along, but had not yet gotten the updated vax.
Speaking for myself, I had tried to get an appt. for it sooner, but it wasn’t available at the CVS pharmacy nearest me until this week (some suburban and St Paul locations did have it available sooner).
Edit: I had the names of the days wrong. It wouldn’t even matter for the story, really, except that I had said that today was Thursday, which was obviously wrong. I figured if I left it like that, it might get someone else confused about what day it is! (In my defense, it’s been raining steady for about 27 hours here. I feel like I “lost” a day, being indoors the whole time.)
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2023 (pub date) of previous years’ data, compared to the or a flu virus:
https://www.journalofinfection.com/article/S0163-4453(23)00289-X/fulltext
Differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes between COVID-19 and influenza in critically ill adult patients: A national database study
Summary
Objective
Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, influenza was the most frequent cause of viral respiratory pneumonia requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Few studies have compared the characteristics and outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19 and influenza.
Methods
This was a French nationwide study comparing COVID-19 (March 1, 2020–June 30, 2021) and influenza patients (January 1, 2014–December 31, 2019) admitted to an ICU during pre-vaccination era. Primary outcome was in-hospital death. Secondary outcome was need for mechanical ventilation.
COVID ain’t over.
It’s still plenty lethal.
And IIUC, it’s not necessarily evolving to a “milder” form over time.
ETA: clarifier re dates
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