K.M.
Describe the symptoms and the timeline of the reaction.
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5/24/21
I am a 28 year old female located in Pennsylvania. After trying for months to get vaccinated, I finally got through for an open appointment and received my first dose of Moderna on 3/29/2021 at 9:30AM.
Roughly 2 hours after coming home, my side effects hit me like a train. I had heart palpitations, immediate brain fog and confusion, and a feeling of “impending doom”. My mother, who is also my neighbor, came to sit with me and I couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying or remember anything. I was restless and feeling scared, and my heart was POUNDING. These symptoms subsided for a very short time and were followed by low grade fever (99.7), hot flashes and cold sweats, and cranial pressure.
My vision was and still is disturbed. Around midnight I tried to get some sleep but the heart palpitations and impending doom returned. I was incredibly weak and pale. My pupils were the most dilated I’d ever seen and I felt like I was going to black out. At one point I thought I was going to die and told my boyfriend to immediately call an ambulance if I passed out. I never, EVER felt anything like that in my entire life and I was absolutely terrified.
My first primary doctor appointment was a total waste of time. She tried convincing me I was just experiencing anxiety and apprehension about getting my shot, though I knew this wasn’t true. The doctor prescribed me Xanax and Celexa.
I ended up in the ER for extreme fatigue and nausea, irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure. ER nurses told me I was fine and that my body was just “fighting hard with the vaccine” and that everything would pass. I followed up with a different primary doctor after my ER visit and he wasn’t sure what was happening, but told me to start taking antihistamines and Vitamin C because he thought I was experiencing allergies.
I’m currently 4 days shy of 2 months post-vacc and tingling persists. Most days it’s in my head and legs, with some inflammation in my back and neck. Visual disturbances are still an issue. Fight or flight feeling is a daily struggle. My autonomic nervous system is compromised and I search every day for answers. I’m waiting for a phone call from my allergist with the results of my lab work. I was tested for MCAS and he classified my skin tests as a severe allergic reaction.
I have not received a second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine for fear of triggering worse
symptoms and ending up in the hospital again or disabled.
K.M."
