First Dose of Pfizer on 07/15/21 Lot #FA6780
Amherst, Virginia
Q: What was your life like before you got the vaccine?
I was working as a Respiratory Therapist in trauma/neuro. I just graduated with my Bachelor's in Public Health and wanted to pursue my MPH. I was very active. I loved camping, hiking, swimming, singing, dancing. I'm the type that never sits down and is always doing something.
Q: What was your reaction, symptoms, & timeline?
The very day, about 24 hours later, I started experiencing tachycardia while eating dinner. Within 48 hours, I had dizziness, blurry vision, tremors, profuse sweating, and continued high heart rate. Within 72 hours, I had excruciating chest pain, numbness/tingling in limbs, shortness of breath, and heart rates in the 160s-170s at rest. I was also having large swings in blood pressure.
Q: What is your life like now, after getting the vaccine?
I'm so tired all the time. Minimal exertion wipes me out. I have brain fog and memory issues, balance issues, fear of falling, muscle spasms, neuropathy in feet and hands. I have heat intolerance so taking showers and baths is hard. I cannot walk, sit or stand for too long. I can't do any of my normal activities. I can't walk long distances (even a grocery store is impossible some days). I'm unable to work and haven't been at work in over 3 months. I lost 15 lbs from lack of appetite. My symptom list became so long, I had to write them all down.
Q: Share your experience with any medical care and any diagnoses you have received:
I was in and out of my doctor's office, ER, and Cardiology after being placed on a heart monitor. Started on a beta blocker. I was diagnosed with Ventricular tachycardia, second degree heart block, PVCS, bradycardia, and tachycardia. From there I was hospitalized after calling EMS for chest pain and heart rates in 150s while beta blocked. They diagnosed me with dysautonomia and that was causing the stress on my heart. I was then referred to see a neurologist after my symptoms continued to progress after hospitalization.
Q: Was your reaction reported, and what was the response?
I downloaded the VSAFE app and the CDC called me when I uploaded my symptoms. We reported it over the phone. The CDC followed up again a few months later and resubmitted an updated report after my diagnosis. The response other than that has been nothing. I've called the CDC and VAERS multiple times and they've been very vague and haven't been able to tell me why they haven't followed up on my report. VAERS also said they were very busy with thousands of reports and were understaffed. When I talk to one, they tell me to call the other. My primary doctor didn't report it. My cardiologist asked if it had been reported and it had been already by the time I saw him. It's been almost 5 months since my initial report went into the system.
Q: Is there anything that has helped, and have your symptoms improved?
My metoprolol (beta blocker), 3 liters of fluid a day. Swimming seems to make me feel better bc its exercise without putting too much stress on my body from being upright. I got a recumbent bike for Christmas that I'm going to try out per my cardiologist that will hopefully help. I'm just so weak.
Q: What do you wish others knew?
I wish I had had the choice without fear of losing my job over it. I wish I had known the side effects could be this intense and life threatening for me even though I handled other vaccines just fine. I wish I had known we would be ignored if something bad happened to us from this vaccine.
