I’m 23 years old now, but this happened in the summer when I was 22. I’m from Montreal, Canada. I got my first dose of Pfizer on June 9th, 2021, and I developed symptoms 19-21 days after.
It started when I was at the pool one day. I got out and was completely exhausted.
At the time I assumed it was because I was pushing myself in the pool to clock in the hours. I got out and fell asleep on the chair. Then I started peeing blood, but I thought it was a UTI.
When my friend came over to help me clean my place on Thursday July 1st, she noticed I wasn’t looking good and told me to call 811 to make an appointment. I called and they gave me an appointment the next day at 2pm.
I told the doctor at the clinic that I had recently had a COVID vaccine. He looked at me weirdly, gave me a note and told me to go to the ER as soon as possible and give the note to the doctors or nurses there.
At the ER I waited for six hours and I was getting worse until I was so weak I couldn’t sit anymore. I had to lay down. At this point I was peeing blood, throwing up blood, feeling very weak, and had bruises all over my body.
I was admitted on Friday night. They sent my blood tests to another hospital where they had the equipment to confirm my diagnosis. They had to wait until Monday to do the tests. I was treated with plasmasphere about 8-12 hours after being admitted, they did not wait. They told me I had acquired TTP.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a blood disorder where platelet clumps form in small blood vessels. This leads to a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia). They said they do not have the technology to know what started this, they only know how to treat it.
By the time I got my first blood transfusion in the ICU I was in really bad shape, throwing up a lot of blood and extremely weak. Then at 3am the hematologist (who was on call) came all the way from home to see me and take my case. If it hadn’t been for my friend telling me to call 811 on Thursday to get an appointment with the clinic on Friday, I wouldn’t be here today. The doctor told me I wouldn’t have made it through the weekend.
I was hospitalized from July 2nd to July 19th. They sent me home, and I had to go to the hospital three times per week for blood tests and to see the doctor, and once per week to do my treatment (rituximab).
I was also sent home with Cablivi, which was complicated to receive and cost $7,000 a box. Luckily I didn’t have to pay, considering it’s not covered. I had a pharmacy company reach out to me and pay the bill. They have a compassionate program. They did also give me a vaccine exemption, it’s on my vaccine passport.
Before this I was in perfect health. I used to go swimming at my mom’s for 90 minutes, three times each week. I was living a normal life like everyone else. After my reaction I couldn’t walk without a walker for the first three months out of the hospital. While I was on steroids, it was very painful for me to walk. I was also diagnosed with anemia.
I was taking medications until September. Now I just go get blood tests once every two weeks and see my doctor, or talk to her on the phone. If I ever have a bad headache, throwing up blood, peeing blood, bruises etc I have to go to the ER and get a blood test to see if l’m having a relapse. I have been told that there is an 80% chance it will happen again in my life. I would have to do transfusions again and treatment.
As of right now, since I’ve been off treatment and medication, I’m doing a lot better physically. But mentally I’m still struggling.