I was neither for or against the vaccine, but I wanted the world to get on with it. I could see the writing on the wall that premier McGowan was going to mandate it. I had my first Pfizer vaccine in August with no symptoms besides a sore arm. I had my second vaccine on the 6th of October.
I had no symptoms on the day of the vaccine, but I woke up the next morning with a swollen lymph node under the arm where I had the vaccine. I flew back to work and had no symptoms for two days. Then the heart palpitations started. They weren’t frequent, so I brushed them off hoping they would subside. I continued to have the odd chest pain over the next couple of days, but nothing serious.
Four days after the vaccine, I was climbing some stairs that I’d usually climb at least 10 times during a shift, and I felt like I’d just run a 100m sprint – I was spent. I went to the medics as the chest pain and palpitations were worsening.
I was flown off site that night by the RFDS to the closest hospital and I was discharged that same night. I was told I was fine and to see my GP. I had a CT on my heart and it came back clear. They said it wouldn’t be due to the vaccine, but oddly enough one of the paramedics told me while waiting for the plane to land, he bet his colleague $20 that I’d recently had the Pfizer vaccine because my symptoms presented with what they had dealt with numerous times before.
I returned to Perth the next day and went to see my regular GP who wasn’t available. I saw another doctor who came across arrogant and brushed me off.
I’m 30-years-old, fit and healthy with no prior medical history besides a couple of broken bones and muscle strains from sporting injuries. My wife took me to hospital as my symptoms of chest pain, palpitations and shortness of breath were worsening. Again, I was discharged with an outpatient referral for an echocardiogram. The echo also came back clear.
I returned to see my regular GP who phoned a cardiologist during our appointment. Based on my symptoms, my GP was told to prescribe colchicine and ibuprofen 600mg three times a day until I could have a cardiologist appointment.
Once in with the cardiologist, I was diagnosed with pericarditis due to the vaccine. He said straight away it’s a known side effect. He was brilliant and I couldn’t be happier with how he’s looked after me.
Since then, I’ve been hospitalised another four times, had dizzy spells and unsteadiness that lasted over two weeks, pins and needles in my face, and blurred vision episodes. My cardiologist has said until the antibodies in my system die off, I’ll continue to have the inflammation.
Our premier has since mandated boosters, based on goodness knows what health advice!
I’m 12 weeks post-second vaccine and still suffering symptoms. I’ve only just returned to work and now this.
Even though I could see this coming, it absolutely broke me because I have a young family to support and now most likely only able to get a temporary exemption from the booster.
My mental health has suffered massively and it’s taken a toll on my marriage and my family life.