I am 41 years old and live in Manitoba. I would like to remain anonymous as I don’t want to compromise my job.
Unfortunately I’ve had maybe Lyme discuss and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic auto-immune issues for about 10 years, while in my early twenties. The last few years (around eight years ago) I have been better and the symptoms had almost gone away. I was possibly in remission, but I’m not sure.
As I’m sure you know, any and all auto-immune groups were excluded in the initial COVID vaccine tests and I knew I may be at a higher risk of complications. I was still very much pro-vaccination and went to get my first dose as soon as I was eligible. I got my first Pfizer vaccine on May 8. I ‘trusted the science’ and tried to do the right thing.
Two days after my vaccination I started getting numbness and pins and needles in my hands and feet and it’s gotten worse. It is now in my arms and legs and all over my body. I’m having muscle spasms, tremors, and muscle weakness and pain. The side of my face was also numb. I have also had a lot of dizziness and general fatigue.
Some days I can’t get out of bed. My legs are wobbly and it feels like they’ll give out on me. I’ve also had fevers and headaches. I’ve had severe joint pain to the point that it made walking and everyday tasks challenging. I’ve also had heart palpitations and a tight chest.
The joint pain was worse in the first two months but it seems to have gotten a little better (August). The tremors have gotten worse. They are not just in my hands, sometimes it also affects my legs and all over my head like I have Parkinson’s. I also have brain fog.
On August 26 out of nowhere, I fainted on my bathroom floor. Not sure if I had a seizure or not, but I may have. Noone saw this episode and unfortunately, my dog can’t tell me.
First week of September – New symptoms. Neck pain, trouble swallowing, loss of appetite, bladder control issues, nausea and diarrhea, hands and feet always cold, body hot and cold and it is hard to regulate my own temperature. I also get night sweats, tremors and numbness and pins and needles all over my body and they never go away. I get muscle cramps and pain, mostly in my legs. I get headaches that feel not just painful, but as if there’s a lot of pressure and my head is full and ready to pop.
September appointment – My blood pressure was very high – 160/110. Resting heart rate ranged between 90 and 145 bpm, I am now on beta blockers and an MRI has been scheduled.
I’ve had several doctor’s appointments but had only blood tests and an EKG done. My doctor told me in May that I should absolutely not get the second vaccination.She had recommended that I see a ‘specialist’ but I have been told that it could take up to a year to get in to see this doctor. I’ve also been told I should see a neurologist but I have yet to get an appointment, never mind testing or results. It’s been five months,
End of September: Positive ANA (antinuclear antibody) blood test result. Add a rheumatologist to the list.
Blood pressure and heart rate are still too high. Doubled my dose of beta blockers. Still no cardiologist.
Saw the neurologist. He says he’s seen other vaccine injured patients. He seemed very open and transparent that the government is making it near impossible for anyone to get medical exemptions for the vaccine. He shook his head when I mentioned I might lose my job over this. He seemed genuinely concerned and said people should have a choice. He added ‘spine’ to the brain MRI, asked for more blood tests and further information on the positive ANA result.
Naturopath; This has been good. She has also seen other vaccine injured. I’m on 20 vitamins and supplements daily, some twice daily, some four times or more. She says not to post any treatments online as ‘no-one is allowed to say they are treating a vaccine injury’ because it will cause problems, not just for the doctors but also for the supply chains.
November: I went for my MRI. The nurse, when asking for my vaccination status, said he’d also had heart issues after his second vaccination, although not as bad as mine. He asked if I’d seen a cardiologist yet. I said, ‘No’ and he said that for sure I need to at least get myocarditis checked out.
The brain and spine MRI results were ‘normal’ but further ANA blood testing showed an autoimmune issue, maybe Sjögen’s syndrome. I will need to do more following up with the rheumatologist.
My neurologist said this has, for sure, been caused by the vaccine, and that it is not just stress like other doctors have said. He will write a letter for my file stating this. It’s still not an exemption, (not sure if I’ll ever get one), but thankfully it’s something. The neurologist agrees I should see a cardiologist. He asked if my GP has reported this as a vaccine injury yet. I said I didn’t know. She hadn’t talked to me about this being related to the vaccine since my appointment in May. She avoids the topic or just tells me it’s stress.
End of November: Seeing my GP again and asked for a referral to a cardiologist.
December 7th: I finally got a referral to a cardiologist today, seven months in. I’ve been on beta blockers since August but they haven’t helped to keep my BP and heart rate down as much as they should and I still have palpitations and heart ‘dropping’ beats (which is scary) and chest pain. Thankfully the tremors are a bit less and the leg pain is mostly gone now. But I’m still having muscle twitches and spasms daily and constantly. I am weak and dizzy and tired all the time.
December 28: I now have heart vibrations or tremors on top of the palpitations and skipped beats. It’s a strange feeling. The chest pain is still bad.
I saw a rheumatologist and am going for a chest X-ray and a ton more blood-work soon.
January: I saw the cardiologist who ordered a holter monitor and stress test but said no to an ultrasound which is how they would diagnose inflammation which is what I think this is.
Lots of tests and not a lot of answers. I’m eight months in and still can only work part-time due to the extreme fatigue. I am disgusted that the health system that we have has been threatened and won’t report properly or treat people for vaccine-related injuries.
Being gaslighted like so many others in this situation is the absolute worst for our mental health when we are already sick and injured, and forced out of society. And on top of that is the fear over losing our jobs because we are considered unvaxxed even when we are told by a doctor not to get a second vaccination but can’t get an exemption. Noone should mandate, coerce or force a vaccination where there are no published facts on the safety data or lack thereof.
Where there is risk, there needs to be a choice.