First Dose of Moderna on 02/16/21 Lot #041L20A
Minnesota
Q: What was your life like before you got the vaccine?
I was a very busy and active person. I do have an immune deficiency but take very good care of myself. I do all natural methods. I don't take any meds normally. I am so active typically, I rarely sit down. Nearly every year, we go to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. I carry 50 lb. gear on the portages and canoe all day long - with no issues. During the winter before my shot, I went hiking in the snow with my husband. I am a vegan and eat lots of veggies and organics. I had an EXCELLENT health year before my vaccine. Because I am plant-based and work out every day, my heart rate was excellent. I was told after an ECHO (to rule out a heart murmur) that I had a heart of a teenager. My ECHO people said they never get to see beautiful hearts like mine, and of course there was no murmur. I never got the flu. My immune deficiency is more overreactive than under reactive, so I literally never go the flu. Hubby would be sick and I would be fine. So, gentle things that don't push me, are the best. Due to my concern about Covid, and wanting to do the right thing, I excitedly went to get my vaccine. I was thrilled to have the opportunity.
Q: What was your reaction, symptoms, & timeline?
My first reaction was 12 hours after my shot. I woke up at 3:30 in the morning (my shot was 3:30 PM), and I woke up with an intense feeling of doom and foreboding. It was the most intensive feeling I have ever had in my life. It went on for 20 minutes. I have never had any feeling like that. A thought came into my head unbidden - "if you do this again, you will die." Very bizarre. That feeling stopped, and I went back to sleep. The next morning, all the listed symptoms plus more occurred over a three-day period. I had fever, muscle aches, back pain, severe headache, dizziness, a burned tongue feeling where foods made my mouth burn, very swollen lymph nodes on my shot side, a very swollen red injection arm, joint pain, and muscle pains, including my neck region. I almost went to the ER and probably should have but I am pretty stubborn. After that, by about 1.5 weeks in, I had screaming tinnitus on a 7 out of 10 scale, and ongoing dizziness and fatigue. I also had horrible head pressure that would scare me. I often would sleep sitting up in a chair, and have trouble sleeping. I almost went to the ER multiple times but my trust in doctors has really been shaken and going to the ER felt scarier that trying to survive at home. I also ended up with rashes and bruising. I would later find out that I ended up with heart damage. I went from having the "heart of teenager" to have continuous AFIB. My provider knew my history and immediately recognized it was from the vaccine. She filled out a VAERS for me (my 2nd) and she had also asked me to fill out the first one when I was having the immediate reaction.
Q: What is your life like now, after getting the vaccine?
I have seen many providers - two allergists, a functional med doc, my primary, a cardiologist, and my private doctor. I am still trying to get better. I am better than I was but not back to baseline. We were unable to go on our annual canoe trip. My health was one of the main factors in not being able to go this past year. I continue to have systemic issues that look like long Covid, but I never had Covid and have the nucleocapsid test to prove I don't have antibodies to wild Covid proteins. I was very active and loved traveling. We were recently in Washington, D.C. and just one day of walking did me in and I was practically unable to walk for the next few days. I could have used a wheelchair. When I arrived at the Minneapolis airport, a cart person offered to give us a rid. I was an active person in my 50s and now suddenly, if I overdo it, I am down for the count for days. After my one good walking day in Washington, I felt like someone had broken all my leg bones, glued them back together, and told me to walk on them. I guess the bone ache/join issues are not unusual for the vaccine injured group. I never had that before. Thus I am left with heart issues, fatigue, and pain, and just wanting to get better. I can't imagine going canoeing or walking and walking in a foreign country - these are my favorite things to do.
Q: Share your experience with any medical care and any diagnoses you have received:
I have seen all the providers mentioned above - allergists, cardiologist, primary, functional med, and a private doctor. My primary doctor and a cardiologist diagnosed me with continuous AFIB - sudden onset. My primary and my private doc class this reaction as a vaccine injury. I have had labs showing that I have high levels typical to someone with Long Covid, without ever having Long Covid. I do lots of outside the box treatments like red light therapy and natural supplements. My palpitations are better and I stopped feeling like I was going to have a heart attack. I am trying to systemically get better so I can go back to hiking and canoeing and hopefully traveling.
Q: Was your reaction reported, and what was the response?
I and my provider both reported to VAERS. I reported to Moderna. I filled out paperwork for them and have heard nothing back. I literally called Moderna and demanded someone call me back. No one ever did. I have never spoken to anyone at Moderna. Neither the CDC or Moderna has contacted my provider. I called the Minnesota Dept. of Health and they referred me to CDC. I called the CDC and they referred me to my doctor. I doesn't seem like anyone is doing anything with the data in VAERS. I don't see active on-the-ground data safety monitoring happening, and this is a new product. 7 months after my first dose, I got a text reminder from my county, that I was overdue for my 2nd dose, which was so disconcerting. I think it is criminal the lack of follow through.
Q: Is there anything that has helped, and have your symptoms improved?
I have tried some of the meds that have been maligned by the media, such as Iver...and that has helped me with fatigue levels. I have tried statins. I have done a whole host of natural supplements, red light therapy, and detoxifying things like ionic foot baths. Both meds and natural things.
Q: What do you wish others knew?
That there is a concerted effort to ignore us and downplay the injuries reported in VAERS. I just don't understand why that is happening at all. That NO ONE gets back to you to help you. I have contacted my two Senators - Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, and my Representative Betty McCollum, multiple times, both in writing, and calling. I have gotten no assistance from them whatsoever, and I voted for them. I now know 13 Minnesotans through word of mouth only, that are vaccine injured. Yet, no one is helping us. I only see one government official helping us - and that is Sen Ron Johnson of WI. I voted for all those above mentioned people. If you get injured, you are on your own. No one cares. And in fact, your story will be suppressed.
