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John Rukavena


What was your life like before you received the COVID-19 vaccine?

I received the vaccine while recovering from hip arthroplasty in anticipation of returning to work. I ran 6 miles every other day a few months prior to surgery and was very physically active.

Describe the symptoms and the timeline of the reaction.

Started out with palpitations . Smart watch revealed that my resting heart rate ranged from 85-95bpm, walking around would ranged from 105-135bpm. Previously my resting HR was in the low 60'S and when running a 10 min mile pace, my HR was typically in the 110-120 range. I had chest tightness, chest pressure, diaphragm spasms, tinnitus in my left ear, sound sensitivity in my left ear, headaches, tremors, cold/heat in tolerances (prior to vaccine was only cold intolerant) , diarrhea, constipation, severe anxiety, loss of appetite, joint pain, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, brain fog , increased urination, excessive sweating and depression. I also had worsened dizziness, nausea and dysphagia which were issues I had prior to the booster on occasion due to a cervical issue and an implant for chronic severe GERD called Linx. I was later diagnosed with Pericarditis.

Describe the solutions that helped your symptoms

Propranolol helped with HR and anxiety. Prednisone helped with loss of appetite and joint pain.

Which solutions were not helpful?

Colchicine did not improve my Pericarditis or sinus tachycardia and made diarrhea and G.I. issues significantly worse. I had a difficult time controlling my sinus tachycardia with Metoprolol Succinate possibly due to absorption issues resulting from GI issues and erratic nature of my tachycardia (worse in morning or after taking nap)

What would you like others to know?

It's important to manage expectations, it seems like if I had a better day I would then proceed to push myself a little bit more the next day then reach an new low in how I felt the day after that. I would suggest waiting until you have 7-10 "better days" before you push yourself to do more.
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The individual experience shared above is offered for informational purposes only. React19 neither endorses nor recommends any treatment(s) noted therein. React19 does not diagnose medical conditions, offer treatment advice, treat illnesses, or prescribe medicine or drugs. It is strongly recommended that, prior to acting upon any information gleaned from a shared experience, you first consult a physician.