First Dose of AstraZeneca on 01/29/21
Second Dose of AstraZeneca on 07/07/21
United Kingdom
24 yrs old
Q: What was your life like before you got the vaccine?
I'm an active, gig and adventure living, 24 year old, teaching assistant who loves spending every waking minute making memories with family and friends and living life to the full.
Q: What was your reaction, symptoms, & timeline?
My side effects started a few hours after my first vaccine, I experienced fever, chills, I was vomiting, had a severe headache and tachycardia and was itchy all over my body. For the months that followed I had headaches on a daily basis, my vision became blurry ad floaters were appearing. I was constantly dizzy and nauseous and off balance all the time. I completely lost my appetite and struggled to eat big meals due to becoming full quickly. I developed tremors in my hands, arms, feet and legs, brain fog, facial spasms, photophobia and sensitivity to sound. I was told that because no clots were found on my brain following my MRI and CT scan that it was safe for me to have my second vaccine. Immediately afterwards the tinnitus started, I developed pins and needles in my fingertips and toes which spread up my body. I had severe muscles weakness and numbness. Then came the episodes of supraventricular tachycardia. My gastrointestinal symptoms have progressively gotten worse over the months suffering from GERD, early satiety, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and weight loss.
Q: What is your life like now, after getting the vaccine?
It is safe to say my life is far from what it used to be like. I have been unable to work for months, unable to do the things I love doing the most due to feeling too unwell, unable to eat and drink properly and currently rely on a nasojejunal tube to meet my nutritional needs. To sum it up in one word I would say miserable, something I am not used to.
Q: Share your experience with any medical care and any diagnoses you have received:
Through this experience I have learnt that medical gaslighting really is a thing! All this time I have not expected some miracle cure but just to be listened to, believed and helped in some way no matter how small. Just because some test results come back normal does not mean it is a psychological disorder! Don't get me wrong some healthcare professionals have been so supportive, but others have had me in tears. This is not 'all in my head' I live with these horrible side effects every single day and they have had to become my new normal. This is happening and it is awful. I all I want is answers and to get better.
I have been diagnosed with atrial tachycardia, atypical migraine, POTS and severe gastroparesis.
Q: Was your reaction reported, and what was the response?
Yellow Card Scheme, generic email response.
Q: Is there anything that has helped, and have your symptoms improved?
I now take many medications to try to manage my condition. I wear compression socks everyday to prevent blood pooling to my feet. I try to use a PACE approach as I find if I overdo things It flares my symptoms very badly.
I cannot remember the last time I felt normal or a day where I didn't have side effects.
Q: What do you wish others knew?
I want others who are vaccine injured and are worried about seeking support not to worry, there are more people than you know affected by this. We are a strong knit community now and we are always there to guide each other when medical professionals continue to let us down. I do not wish for anyone else to go through the suffering which I have endured through the last 12 months. Never loose hope, we will get through this, together.
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