Paul Borger

I received my first Pfizer vaccine March 18th at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. On the drive home I noticed that my lower back hurt- almost like I had strained it. I thought that was strange, but not too concerning. 3 days later after a run I was really fatigued and my muscles were very sore. This lasted for 2.5 weeks. I saw my GP and he told me he thought I had allergies. On April 3 my feet felt like I was walking in Jello and my proprioception was bad. I went to the ER and they did routine labwork and sent me home. All looked good. 2 days later on April 5th I couldn't walk well, was very dizzy, my ears were ringing horribly, what felt like electric shocks going down my arms and legs and my chest hurt. I went back to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. They did a chest xray, CT of my head and labwork. All was well they said. You're good to go home! I actually begged them to keep me so I could see a neurologist. They did keep me and early that morning a neurologist did a quick exam and said I didn't have GBS because my reflexes were hyper reflexive. I should go home and wait for it to pass. The neurologist said I should get my second vaccine because I don't want to get COVID. I progressed over the next few days to not being able to write my name because my hands were uncoordinated, brain fog, had no proprioception in my feet, so dizzy I swayed back and forth like I was on a ship, constant tinnitus, diarrhea, twitching and the "electric shock" feeling was worsening. I could not stand up , let alone work or exercise. After 4 months I had anxiety attacks that made me feel like I was going crazy. I had to see a psychiatrist and was put on Cymbalta. Over the next 6-12 months I saw another neurologist and the head of infectious disease at a large hospital in Cleveland. They both said it was a vaccine reaction, but I had to ask them that question straight to their face, they were not freely going to tell me that. The second neurologist said I had hemiparesis on my left side and advised me to get the next COVID vaccine. I had to ask him for MRI's and tilt table testing for dysautonomia. I have had much blood work, MRI's (with and without contrast), x rays, Lyme titers, EMG, tilt table testing, etc. I was diagnosed with hemiparesis and hyperreflexia and orthostatic intolerance. I was given 30 days of doxycycline in case of Lyme. Through my own research it seemed that I had developed ME/CFS and the infectious disease doctor said that he concurred and told me to never get another COVID vaccine.