Vicki Strine
Tagged with: Heart Issues,
What was your life like before you received the COVID-19 vaccine?
I was a very active and healthy person and was not taking any medications. I was diagnosed with melanoma in 2019 and received immunotherapy in 2020. Throughout my treatment, I remained active, working out twice a day, and eating a healthy, no sugar, low carb diet. I am very health conscious and had no pre-existing conditions.
Describe the symptoms and the timeline of the reaction.
Four months after my last treatment, I received my first vaccine. Within a few hours, I was extremely thirsty. I could not get enough to drink. By the next morning, I was craving Gatorade but would immediately throw it back up. Within 24 hours I was nonresponsive. My husband took me to the ER. My blood sugar was over 1400 and my troponin was 1.97. I was in DKA and was admitted to the CCU where I remained unconscious for 3 days. I was in the hospital for 9 days, leaving as an insulin-dependent diabetic (but not a type I or II). I was also taking beta-blockers as well as large doses of steroids for my myocarditis.
Describe the solutions that helped your symptoms
I have been labeled as a brittle diabetic because of the extreme swings in my blood sugar. Sometimes my numbers jump or fall for no apparent reason. Having a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump has been life-altering. Also, I have just recently switched over to a vegan diet, which has helped me gain better control of my blood sugar. I also attended cardiac rehab and have been able to cut the dose of my beta-blocker in half. I hope that one day my heart will be healed enough to return to my normal exercise routine.
Which solutions were not helpful?
Because my diabetes is due to a pancreatic injury, the typical low-carb diabetic diet did not work for me.
What would you like others to know?
I went through months of depression. It took a year to feel somewhat normal again, even though my life will never be normal. Don't hesitate to reach out to others for support. I am so grateful for my parents, my husband, my kids, and my friends. I would not have been able to make it through this dark time in my life if I did not have their support.
