I’m 29 years old, a wife, mother of three children and business owner.
My husband and I were unsure if we wanted to receive the COVID vaccine as we feel we are both young, healthy and it just didn’t sit right with us.
We spoke with our GP about it and after that decided that it would be best that we did have the vaccine as we have a son who has scar tissue on his lungs from a near death experience with pneumonia and a collapsed lung. The GP stated that if he was to get COVID it could go very bad. We would do anything to protect him after what we had seen him go through. So that’s where this s**t-fight began.
I had my first Pfizer vaccine mid-September 2021. I was quite nervous about it, but we got it done.
Within 15 minutes I felt dizzy and my chest felt tight. I figured I was having some anxiety (I suffer from anxiety) and ignored it. We got home and the tightness in my chest had become painful. Around the left side on my chest was stabbing pain that was going into my neck and shoulder. I had tingling in my arms and legs and had started to faint. We rushed off to the hospital which is thirty minutes away. I thought I was dying.
Once we got to the hospital they took me in straight away for an ECG and blood work.
All came back fine and I was told that it was just a mild reaction to the vaccine and to take two Panadol and Nurofen together for the next few days and it would settle. Two days later I ended back up at ED again with the same symptoms and major fatigue. I had another ECG and more blood work done. This time my D-dimer came back elevated for clots.
I was taken to another hospital for a CT scan of my lungs. The doctor there argued with me that I shouldn’t have it done as I’m young and don’t need this much radiation going into my body. I made the decision to go through with it and thankfully there were no clots present.
I was discharged and told by the doctor that I needed a mental health care plan and to take heart burn tablets. He reckoned he wouldn’t see me dying of clots but would likely see me in fifty years for cancer treatment after that radiation. Those were his EXACT words. I left in tears feeling so angry and frustrated.
Why is this happening to me?! What is happening to me?!
The next day I saw my GP and was prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and was left to see if it would settle. Over the next few months things didn’t get any better but I started to just learn to deal with it. The pain has settled to dull constant aches in my chest. It flares up to full force again to the point where it feels like I am constantly having a cardiac arrest and I wake up suddenly in pain during the night.
I finally found a doctor who has listened to me and my concerns. I am about to have my fourth ECG, an ECHOCARDIOGRAM and I’m off to see a cardiologist as they suspect that I have pericarditis. I hope I find answers soon.
I don’t know what normal feels like anymore.