Jasmine

I’ve always been a physically active person for most of my life. Prior to the Covid-19 vaccine, I was always fit and healthy. For the last 2 years, I’ve been training heavily in Muay Thai.

I got my first Pfizer vaccine due to the mandates on the 1st of December, and as advised by the nurse, I didn’t train for 2 days following my vaccination.

When I returned to training, within 5 minutes, I felt a tightening in my chest. I thought maybe I was having a panic attack, and took it easy for the rest of the session. As I was leaving training, I noticed my right ankle was swollen, but I was unsure what might have caused it.

The next day I went to the doctor and I was told it was just a swollen ankle and I needed to ice it. I took his advice and iced it for three days but the swelling didn’t subside.

I went to another doctor who then told me it looked like I had just rolled my ankle and told me to elevate and ice it. I told him I had just seen another doctor a few days earlier and I had not rolled my ankle. He responded, “You might have done it and just not remembered.”

I was dumbfounded and told him I know what it feels like to roll my ankle, but he continued on the same narrative. I felt really defeated.

I went home and four days later the pain started increasing and spreading up my leg. I took Panadeine Forte for a couple days but one morning I woke to an 8/10 pain in my right leg. The pain travelled all the way up from my ankle to my thigh. I also had a pounding migraine, sweating with a fever, and nausea.

I went straight to the doctor (a different one) and told him about my symptoms. The first thing he asked me was if I had taken the vaccine. He took my blood pressure which came back elevated. Previously, my blood pressure had always been on the lower side. He examined my leg and ordered blood tests and an emergency ultrasound to check for blood clots.

I called the ultrasound clinic and although it was an emergency, I wasn’t able to book in until the next day. The receptionist said if my condition deteriorated, I needed to go immediately to the hospital because it could be a blood clot.

Later that same day, I started feeling worse and I vomited five or six times, but I wasn’t bringing anything up so I was just dry reaching.

I drove myself to the ER where I waited for three hours. As soon as I started explaining my symptoms, the nurse seemed dismissive and wasn’t helpful. In the end, I was told they couldn’t help me because they didn’t have the equipment. I had no choice but to wait until the next day for the ultrasound. I felt like they thought I was just a crazy lunatic who was overreacting. Afterwards, I drove to my mum’s house and ended up throwing up on myself on the way there.

I was driven to another hospital where I waited another three and a half hours. I was put through a rapid test clinic and they said they didn’t think it was a blood clot or anything serious. They told me I must have done something to my ankle during training and forgotten about it. I was sent home with Panadol.

The next day, when I went to my ultrasound appointment, I was exhausted and unwell. The nurse pretty much hinted on the spot it wasn’t good and told me to go straight to my doctor where it was confirmed I had a blood clot in my right thigh. He explained the blood clot started in my ankle when I ‘injured myself training’ and it then detached from the ankle and travelled up to my thigh. I thought to myself, “I’ve been kicked in the ankle by a fully grown man and I was perfectly fine!” He gave me a prescription for blood thinners to take for the next 10 days and told me to book a follow up appointment in five days.

A few days later, I seemed to feel a little bit better but then the pain ramped up again. I went back to see the doctor, and he said, “Well, you’re on the blood thinners, what more do you want me to do?” You should have seen my face..!!

Days passed and I finished the blood thinners. A massive bruise appeared where the blood clot was, and it was extremely painful. I waited another couple of days but then I was started to feel the same symptoms I experienced when it all started.

I tried to book an appointment to see my GP but I wasn’t able to due to the holidays. I went back to the hospital again. I’m not sure why I bothered because I got the same story as last time – they didn’t have the right equipment for testing.

The doctor gave me some pain relief and a referral for a MRI and another ultrasound for both legs. He said to follow up with my GP and to get the scans done as soon as possible.

As I speak, this is where I’m at now. I have no idea what to do or what is happening and I’m unable to see anyone until the 4th of January.

I now have my work asking me to get the second vaccine, which I won’t be getting! I have a son to feed too, so stressful is an understatement.