First Dose of Moderna 01/16/21 Lot #025L20A
Second Dose of Moderna 02/13/21 Lot #011M20A
San Jose, California
UPDATE 08/08/22:
Since my original post, it has been about 9 months. Since then, I have been diagnosed with High Intracranial Pressure (ICP)/ Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) and have have a stent surgically implanted in my head. My doctors still support me that this is caused by the covid-19 vaccine (it even says so in my medical chart). These are the tests that led to this finding: After taking steroids, my vision had become much worse, so my doc ordered another MRI, which found indications of IIH (high brain pressure, narrowing of the blood vessels). That led me to get a spinal tap/lumbar puncture, which found high opening pressure and abnormal oligoclonal bands in the CSF. All tests that followed-up on the abnormal bands were normal, suggesting a sort of "general neuro-inflammation" rather than a specific known disease. I was then prescribed medication to lower my high brain pressure (Diamox) which had a lot of intolerable side effects. I had an angiogram/venogram to find out if I qualified for a surgical stent. I did qualify, and I proceeded to have the surgery. It was done under interventional radiology. The surgery went well, and I am gradually starting to improve. As I write this, it has been one month since the surgery. Immediately I noticed a significant decrease in the brain and body fatigue. I still have double vision, but I can tell that it is improving slowly, and my doctor thinks it may take up to 6 months to fully recover. I have to take blood thinners for 6 months and baby aspirin for the rest of my life due to having metal in my body, but so far it has been a good decision. I am definitely not cured though, and I am scared that the neuro-inflammation could return if I get sick or take another vaccine. The stent was a band-aid solution, it didn't cure the root cause of the inflammation. I believe that research needs to be done on neuro-inflammation following covid vaccine and how to reduce/fight it. I also believe that many people suffering vaccine injury are experiencing neuro-inflammation like me, but that our symptoms show up differently in everyone. My high pressure was not easy to identify in any tests, except for the spinal tap. I would recommend that everyone ask their doctor for a spinal tap to check the opening pressure and to test the CSF fluid itself. I feel like I have stumbled upon something here, and I want it to be pursued so that everyone else can start finally feeling better too.
ORIGINAL INTERVIEW 11/26/21:
Q: What was your life like before you got the vaccine?
I had no health problems at all. I was 31 at the time, and I was taking no medications. I hadn’t even visited a doctor in over 6 months. I had no known allergies to foods or medications of any kind, and had never had an adverse reaction to any vaccine before. I was working full-time and studying to become a board certified behavior analyst.
Q:What is your life like after you got the vaccine?
I got the vaccine so that I would be safe to go back to working in-person again after the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, I had hoped to get my “life” back. Unfortunately the opposite became true. With double vision, it was unsafe to drive, so I lost some of my independence. I began having migraines so intense that I went to the ER once when it was so unbearable. I became so sensitive to light that I lived in the dark constantly. I couldn’t work full-time, even while working from home. The brain fatigue I experienced was so intense and put me in such a foggy and tired state that I had to severely cut down my hours. There became a financial burden of having to pay all my regular bills along now with medical bills (I quickly met my deductible) while working reduced hours. I experienced nausea so intense that I went to sleep very early in the evening rather than continue to feel so intensely nauseous. Due to the double vision I couldn’t even walk or exercise due to lack of equilibrium, motion sickness, and trouble with visual scanning, and I was no longer able to cook for myself due to clumsiness caused by the double vision. Furthermore, I had no energy or motivation to be social with anyone. I spent all my time alone and angry with my situation. Somehow despite these challenges, I studied and passed my board exam this year. It has been the most difficult year of my life so far, and now I am moving up in my career, but my health is still a barrier that I continue to face every day.
Q: What was your reaction, symptoms, & timeline?
6 days after my first dose of Moderna, I broke out in hives for the first time in my life. A week later I experienced double vision for the first time in my life. That same week I woke up in the middle of the night with an intense headache and within 30 minutes I developed a fever and vomited. This happened again several months later. A week after my 2nd dose, the double vision returned and gradually worsened. I also developed migraines for the first time in my life, extreme brain fatigue, severe nausea, heartburn for the first time ever, gastrointestinal issues, and more. I saw an ophthalmologist who diagnosed me with cranial nerve 4 palsy of the left eye, which she identified as possibly congenital. Many months later, when I was prescribed a 6-day steroid treatment, my doctor was shocked when my cranial nerve 4 palsy completely switched from my left eye to my right eye, proving it was not congenital. He double-checked my eyes and records to be sure, but this was undeniably strong evidence that I was not born with this eye problem, rather that it developed after the vaccine, and that it is related to the immune system because it responded to corticosteroid treatment.
Q: Share your experience with any medical care and any
diagnoses you have received:
I saw my primary care physician, an ophthalmologist, a neurologist, an allergist, an ER doctor, and finally a neuro-ophthalmologist. All except the last were dismissive of my case and the relationship between my symptoms and vaccination. Their responses ranged from “the rest results are normal, you are fine” to “you were born with this condition” to “the vaccines are safe, this is probably unrelated.” It wasn’t until my neuro-ophthalmologist examined me and then prescribed a 6-day course of oral corticosteroids and then examined me again after to discover that the cranial nerve 4 palsy had switched from my left eye to my right eye, that a medical professional finally acknowledged the relationship to the vaccine. He does not recommend I take a booster shot. I am still his patient and am currently taking a low-dose of corticosteroids. Most tests have been normal, including CT scan, MRI, single-fiber EMG, and a lot of blood work. My vitamin D and Ferritin were low, and I now take supplements. I was diagnosed with migraine headaches, which I believe to be due to the double vision, and I take a prescription medication twice a day to prevent migraines now.
Q;Where has your reaction been reported, and what was the
response?
None of the medical professionals I have seen have reported my reaction to VAERS. I have self-reported to VAERS and to Moderna. There has been no follow-up.
Q: Is there anything that has helped, and have your symptoms improved?
It has been 9 months now since my 2nd dose of the vaccine. I am taking prescription medication to prevent migraines twice daily, and that has helped with the migraines but not the sensitivity to light. I was prescribed oral corticosteroids which seemed to have some effect when I was given a short 6-day treatment, and now I am currently taking a low-dose long-term, with no change yet, but it is early and I am taking a low dose currently. A good quality multi-vitamin, vitamin D, and iron supplements are part of my daily routine now, and have helped somewhat with my energy levels, although I continue to have brain fog and double vision.
Q: What do you wish others knew?
I wish that having an adverse reaction to this vaccine weren’t considered “misinformation” and censored from websites and the media. I wish that health professionals recognized the legitimacy of these reactions, and that adequate research would be conducted to investigate these reactions. I wish that medical help and financial assistance were available to us injured. I wish that the pharmaceutical companies would take responsibility for the harm that has been done. I wish for an end to the propaganda by the government and the media, stating that the COVID-19 vaccines are “safe, effective, and closely monitored” because all three of those statements are lies.
