The stories below are some of our group members' stories, shared from their perspective. We do not give permission for our stories to be published elsewhere without our prior consent.
Andy Carlin - Moderna Booster, 11/2/22
Worst mistake of my Life
Imagine wakening up one day and everything being ripped out from under you. In a blink of an eye everything changes, everything you love to do and suddenly you can’t do anymore.
Scared, worried, unheard …. Misunderstood. Doctors clueless as to what is wrong. Anxiety rising high, as that is the only diagnosis you hear, knowing that this is far from normal, and that anxiety would be treatable and better to have as this, this monster which is much bigger.
Your heart beats faster and faster with every inch your body rises.
Why is this happening? Are you crazy?
Dizzy, faint, lightheaded, your daily life as the people around you have no idea,
If they but only new the struggle.
The struggle to get out of bed, to take a step, to shower, the struggle to do all the things you took for granted. Your children asking why dad or mum can’t do the things they used to. The innocence in their eyes, the empathy they try to show. Your explanation feels useless, you’re hurting because you’re not the dad or mum you used to be.
You’re always sorry.
Your family, being a burden to them is your constant guilt.
How you feel is your daily conversation.
You feel alone.
No-one understands unless they go through it.
Sympathising just makes you angry, although it shouldn’t.
How could someone without this monster even begin to get it?
Friends “let’s go out” you sit there and watch them have fun, as you are downing water just to avoid fainting. You’re jealous and it’s wrong of you to be.
You would never wish this upon anyone, you’re sad because you are the one sitting in the corner wondering what you would do if this monster didn’t get you.
“You don’t look sick” some things you just can’t see. You look perfect on the outside but on the inside, there is a disaster, you’re in a constant battle with your body. Every second, every minute, every hour of the day.
A doctor, a doctor that takes you by the hand and believes you, a miracle. The words, “yes you have a chronic illness.” That you knew it was more than anxiety, it was more than something simple.
The truth that there is no cure at the current time. There is medicine to help, but each person is different. The words you need a wheelchair, a shower chair and medicine for life.
Your mind, why did you not listen to your hesitancy, why did this happen to you?
It stolen your body.
It’s stolen your energy.
It’s stolen your family.
It’s stolen your friends.
It’s stolen the person you used to be, you’re only 42.
This monster doesn’t discriminate.
Your faith, Dear God, what did I do to deserve this?
Please take this away, please, I’m sorry.
A daily prayer to Him, wondering why and how this was in your plan.
A future, what now?
How do you move forward being so sick?
Pushing through for your wife, your family, your kids, you’re their hero.
You can’t look weak, you have got to be strong.
A story to be continued…..
Elizabeth, Astra Zeneca March 21
Three weeks after the jab, on 15th April 2021, I woke up around midnight with a sore arm. I figured like most people would that I’d slept on it and so I started moving it around , I couldn’t get back to sleep and I felt like something was seriously wrong so I took my bp and the numbers were so high I was told by dr google the machine was either broken or I’d made a mistake. I decided that I would wait until 7am then wake my husband so that he could call an ambulance or take me to hospital on his way to work . I’d say around half four /five am , things were getting worse but I also didn’t have this pain you see of a heart attack on the tv . At 6am, now 6 hours plus into the heart attack I finally woke my husband. By this point I couldn’t move my arms so he dressed me and took me downstairs. When the ambulance came my veins were collapsed and they spent about ten minutes trying to get a line in. Eventually I was taken to Haymires hospital about 40 odd minutes away. Kevin was not allowed to come with me and I was being taken straight off to theatre, knowing that I was dying and I couldn’t be with him . I wear a diamond necklace constantly 24/7 . They removed that from me in a corridor. I vividly remember dying. I was being placed on the operating table and I left I remember saying I wanted my husband and I wasn’t ready , I also somehow thought to myself I can’t die yet I haven’t worn my new gucci bag!! And then I was gone .. And then I was on the table and they were operating, I remember I still had my leggings on and my shoes . Afterward the doctor told me if I had waited the other hour I would be gone . I got two stents and a balloon inserted and now I have only 40% of my heart working so I now have heart disease and heart failure. Two years on and I am on so much medication including the highest dose of beta blockers. I have to stop walking half way up my stairs at home; there are only twelve. I was also told by a doctor in a ward that I’d be dead by the time I’m 60 and I’m 55 next week . So, all in, the vaccine ruined not only my career but my ability to live a normal lifestyle. I don’t drink at all anymore due to the medication. Money wise I have none and I was a head chef before the pandemic. Ultimately due to the pandemic all restaurants closed so I was also paid off. When I went to apply for ESA I couldn’t get it because my place of work never paid tax or NI on anyone’s wages and the place went bankrupt. Because my husband works, I can’t get universal credit either. It’s all very incapacitating and I feel absolutely helpless. I have PSD. I never leave the house anymore I won’t go anywhere alone, not ever. Oh and I also haven’t seen a doctor since the day I left the hospital.
Anya, age 24. Moderna, Sept 21
Photo taken 8 weeks after vaccination. I remember that picture well. It’s when I didn’t know what the heck was going on with my body but I still went out for dinner that night trying to take my mind off it
It was after my second Moderna vaccine in September 2021 that my immune system went into permanent overdrive, mistakenly attacking my own body which is now incurable and can’t be reversed. I am 24. Aggressive inflammation started in my hands and feet within weeks then spread throughout my whole body and all my joints then three months after the vaccine I couldn’t physically walk or dress myself. The pain was excruciating and unbearable. It felt like I had broken bones everywhere.
I was advised by our own NHS not to wait and get seen privately as I was quoted about a seven months wait time for an urgent referral and it was over a year wait time for routine referral. I was lucky enough to have Bupa insurance through my work but because this is a lifelong disease and the treatment is so expensive the insurance ran out after 3 months and I had to fund £250 a time to be seen and £400 per steroid injection. I had to take a loan out. I simply had no other choice and I was still waiting for NHS to see me. Rheumatologists at spire took MRI scans, x-rays, bloods and a thorough physical examination, after which I was diagnosed with Sero-positive active inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis in January 2022 and they started me on steroids and methotrexate without delay,
My inflammatory markers ESR and CRP went off the scale. I think even the medics were shocked. The MRIs have shown the damage to my bones – erosions and joint deformities which happened so fast
Over the last year they have just been adding more medication into my therapy to try and suppress my immune system and control the inflammation to prevent further damage. A year on and I’m now on ridiculous amounts of medication with awful side effects including: Methotrexate, anti TNF therapy Adilimubab, Hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine and naproxen/diclofenac and co-codomal daily as the pain is still unbearable, weekly hospital trips to monitor bloods and targeted steroid injections in my joints. I can’t work full time because the methotrexate makes me feel physically sick and my work place have been understanding enough to allow me to work from home as I am far too sore to drive in the morning or even physically carry my laptop. I live on my own which is very challenging and my parents are a massive support. The last two weeks I’ve had both wrists, ankles and left elbow injected – the relief from this does not last long There’s no genetic autoimmune in my family and I had no health issues my entire life. After being in some RA support groups and talking about what has triggered these incurable autoimmune diseases, the responses from many have been that theirs started after covid vaccination.
Jo Anne, Pfizer, February 2021
Picture taken prior to vaccination
Picture taken after vaccination
Before the vaccine I was an outgoing and active person. I loved dancing and was always out and about. I was caring for my grandchildren and even planning to go to art school. I took my first vaccine on 25th February 2021 with no immediate side effects. About 8-10 days later small bruises began appearing on the insides of both my arms which was really unusual and I remember joking with my fiancé that it was probably from the Pfizer as we had heard of some bad reactions. He told me not to be so silly. Two weeks later I started feeling really tired and noticed more bruises on my stomach, where I have never had bruises before. Just under a month later I got married on 17th March. On my wedding day I had strange bruises on my fingers and I was very tired. Even on this exciting and special day, I couldn’t get my energy up. The bruises then spread to my inner thighs with clot-type bruising on my outer leg that was sore to touch. The bruises kept on coming so I made an appointment to see a doctor but could only to see a nurse. She took blook and sent it for testing and I received a call at 11.40pm the same day, asking me to get into hospital as soon as possible. When I arrived, the doctor asked me if I am a drinker, as sometimes alcoholics’ platelets can get very low. He told me that my platelets, Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 levels were all very low. To cut to the chase, seven month and three bone marrow biopsies later, I was put on the UK Data list of Blood disorders with a diagnosis of acquired Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia. This is similar to a condition children are born with, but mine is the acquired and has been acknowledge that it wsa acquired through pfizer as it was the only vaccine I had. My immune system is attacking my bone marrow so that it cannot mature so I am now on immunosuppressed drug called Cyclosporine, with horrendous side effects, and I don’t know what the outcome will be. I have issues with my blood pressure and awful headaches as well as kidney issues. In addition, I have neuropathy, nerve damage and pain in my arms and hands. I am unable to get out and about on my own and my husband works from home so that he can care for me.
Nikki, Astra Zeneca March and June 2021.
I am a mother to four children and prior to my vaccination, I worked full time in customer service. I can’t tell you how much I loved my job! I was a fairly active person. I loved walking my dog and swimming and my social life was important to me too. I always had something or other planned. My health had always been good. I wasn’t against getting the vaccine and they told us that if the adults got it, the children wouldn’t have to. I wanted to protect the wee ones, not just my own children. I took my first Astra Zeneca on 18th March 2021 and had moderate side effects for about 5 days. I didn’t feel too worried as we had been given a leaflet saying this was normal. That night though, I had one of the most uncomfortable nights sleep of my life. I had a fever and was unable to regulate my body temperature and ached all over, despite taking ibuprofen and paracetamol. A cough developed and I had a strange pain behind my eyes, but carried on as usual. I got my 2nd Astra Zeneca on 15th June 2021. After two weeks I started to display a huge list of symptoms that intensified over the next few months. I was experiencing bad headaches, nausea, migratory chronic pain over the majority of my body, dizziness and disorientation, like my brain didn’t know what it was doing anymore. I’d get major brain fog and have problems remembering things. I had notable weakness down the right side of my body with the sensation of pins and needles. My legs began to jerk, jump and shake out of the blue and I would often lose my balance. I borrowed a friend’s set of crutches in order to move around. One day I noticed my face was drooping on one side, my facial muscles were just not working and I couldn’t control them. I have no energy, I feel sick a lot of the time, have toothache, earache and even my vision is deteriorating. The list of my symptoms seems endless. I was diagnosed eventually with Functional Neurological Disorder and the doctors say they can’t rule out mini strokes. A referral was put in for me to see the pain clinic as they believe I may have central chronic pain disorder too. I am on several pain medications but nothing seems to help. The only way to describe it is like a toothache from my hair down to my toes. Some days I can’t even leave my bed and I have trouble sleeping because my body jerks. I am worried I am scaring my own children. This has had a massive impact on my mental health and sometimes I feel suicidal. I also have bad breathlessness, that any movement can set off and sometimes just feel so weak with it. I can’t take part in any of the activities I used to, and my partner daughter & friends has to do the school run for me most days Life is extremely hard for me at the moment but I will keep fighting and won’t give up! I share my story to Lanka awareness not just to stop people getting these vaccines but also for people who may be going through the exact same and they don’t realise what’s going on.
Shaz; Astra Zenica May/July 2021
I was in generally good health with few underlying issues prior to the pandemic. I was unfortunate and had COVID-19 very, very early which led to me being diagnosed with Fybromyalgia pre-vaccine. Even with this new condition I was managing to work full-time and had a reasonably active lifestyle until my first vaccine in May 2021. That’s when things changed very quickly for me. Initially I lost mobility of my left arm which was causing me a lot of pain. Over the next few months my health to put it simply, has continuously deteriorated. After the first injection I had flu-like symptoms and really struggled to get out of bed. I was not advised to skip the next round of injections in July, and this was one of the worst mistakes I’ve ever made in my life. Since July; the symptoms aggressively picked up pace, and I was having so many problems by the day, I was really struggling and losing hope of any recovery. We’re almost two years after my Astra Zenica vaccinations; and I’m unable to work, at times unable to walk, unable at times to even think!! I have been trialling, with no positive effect, many medications and supplements, and to this day I am still waiting to see the specialists I need to see within the NHS to even find out exactly what is going on. Recently my own GP has became much more involved; likely because I’ve gotten so much worse over these months, so it has been acknowledged that my health has declined since my vaccine and as a result of Long COVID. I’ve also managed to fortunately meet a private Doctor recently who has agreed to meet with me regularly in a bid to manage my case and I hope my own GP will work alongside them, while we tackle a multitude of illness, symptoms and autoimmune disorders I am now dealing with. I’m still waiting since October 2021 to see an Endocrinologist with the NHS, as my case time after time has been knocked back by them, despite me clearly having progressive autoimmune illness. It’s so difficult when treatment is hard to come by. I am also currently under the guidance of both Cardiology and Rheumatology. It’s becoming all too frequent for me now, where I’m in regular contact with a GP or spending time in Hospitals. There are far too many symptoms to list here, but with a recent test also pointing towards vaccine induced Systemic Lupus Erythematous, it’s a very challenging time for me ongoing, and not knowing the full and true extent of damage; what COVID-19 and the Astra Zeneca vaccine has done to my body and mind is absolutely devastating. The only positive that’s happened, is my own GP advising me not to have any further vaccines; this in fact may have saved my life and the reason I am still here battling a number of chronic conditions sadly.
Kevin; Pfizer, December 2021
Picture taken prior to vaccination
I had my 3rd vaccine in December 2021 – it was Pfizer; my first two were Astra Zenica. The day after my Pfizer booster, I was rushed into hospital with a heart rate of 160bpm. Ever since I’ve had severe dizziness and fluctuations in blood pressure minute to minute. I have been told I have to exercise to lower it, when it is high, but I can’t stand up without feeling like I am going to pass out. I have chest pains and severe dizziness and nausea. At times I have pins and needles in both my arms and legs and also in my face. I also get pains that radiate from the inside of both groins to the inside of my foot. I have been eating 5 year old portions of food for weeks due to reactions to food and I am losing weight ever day. I have had repeated hospital visits with no answers whatsoever and my quality of life is awful. Some days I am so ill I can’t function.
George; 2nd Astra Zeneca April 2021. He will never be forgotten.
I begged my husband to stay away from these new “vaccines”. Indeed, he found himself constantly consoling me the night before his injection, as I write tomorrow marks the second anniversary of that day. I pleaded with him to look at the evidence I had uncovered that showed that this was still experimental. The phone call from the doctor did not mention that it was still being “studied” and would continue to be until 2023, the NHS website did. I had the site up on my computer screen, he would not look, called me a conspiracy theorist and laughed.
He had COPD and all he wanted to do was to stay alive. He was the love of my lives (yes, I believe we went back through many life times) and all I wanted was to keep him alive. He bought the hype about the virus and that it would kill him. I didn’t. It was the only thing we argued about in the last 15 months of his life.
His injection was given at our local health surgery, he was classed as “shielding” which meant that he was offered the jab there rather than at a “hub”. The first was given by a nurse who said the only side effects were “a headache, pain in the arm and sometimes mild flu symptoms”. Nothing was said about the possibility of blood clots, stroke, heart attack or death. “It’s safer than taking your chances with the virus”. The data I have found shows that Covid killed 3 in 8,000 people world wide. Medical staff, the media and politicians did not advertise this fact yet they continued to record the actual data in the Office of National Statistics Data which they published monthly.
He did have a headache, and slight flu symptoms for two nights. I asked him to let me log it on the MHRA Yellow Card system and he would have none of it.
Then came time for the second one. By this time, April, many countries in Europe were questioning the use of Astra Zeneca, and I again suggested he read some of the “alternative news” before he went ahead. Again, he assured me he was going to be fine; he just wanted to stay alive. Our life was all about having fun and we had a long schedule of touring Scotland planned for the summer.
A few days after the second jab he cut his hand and the blood dropping on the floor looked to be separating, like oil from water. I made a note to photograph it after I had sorted out the cut on his hand. He cleaned it up before I got the chance. I have since found out that this is a sign of thrombosis.
Two weeks later he woke up during the night with an itchy rash on his leg, the itch was so bad it kept him awake. I suggested we record it in the MHRA Yellow card but he said it was “just a rash” and the jag was a couple of weeks ago. No dots to connect here.
Five weeks after his second jab, I’m not going to call it a vaccine, because it’s not, I found him dead. I had gone to waken him because we were going away for the night, so I went from a total high to the bottom being pulled from my world in a nano second. This was on 19th May, 2021.
When I found him he had clearly been dead for a long time, the body was stiff, blue and ice cold, still I begged him to come back to me. 47 years of love, ripped from me.
The house became a bustle of police, a paramedic was the first to arrive. I was telling him that this was a vaccine death when the police arrived, as is the case with a sudden death at home. They realised that he had an air rifle licence, more police arrived, then my family and within an hour of me finding him the paramedic handed me his mobile phone, on the other end was our family doctor who told me that there would be no post mortem because it would be too “traumatic” for me. I was already traumatised and his words really meant nothing to me at that stage, all I wanted was to wake up and find this was a nightmare. The doctor said he was declaring it a heart attack.
I was told that he had hit his head, his face was in a pool of blood, the carpet remained stained for weeks, I could not face removing it. My first thought was that there has to be a murder investigation at least, surely, I was alone with him in the house, surely they had to investigate that? No.
In the days that followed we received the death certificate with “possible Myocardial Infraction”. I was convinced that the vaccine had killed him. A neighbour, who is a doctor, agreed with me and said he thought that the lack of post mortem was a “cover up” My husband was only 65, sudden death at home, no covid outbreaks at this time, he had no symptoms of even a cold…
The MCCD was also full of fabrication. The doctor said he had been in attendance, he wasn’t, it was a telephone call with a paramedic. He said my husband had diabetes for 33 years, he had it for 54 years. He said he was found at 9am, he was found at 11am.
The doctor called me six days later to “check up on me” by this time I was furious that they had killed the love of my life, I mean, how am I a supposed to carry on living when he is not? I asked the doctor what he was thinking about (my language may have been coloured by my inner Irish Navi), giving Astrazenica to a man who was on blood thinners. He said that “they had done their best given the information at the time”.
In the end I called him a murdering whatsit and put the phone down.
I am still furious that they took my soul mate from me.
The last time I seen him was a couple of hours before he died. He appeared to be having a hypo (low blood sugar) and I helped to bring him right. He said “I’m sorry, I think I really messed things up”. I thought he meant because he would need to sleep late the following morning and assured him that we could go away if he felt up to it and if he didn’t it was ok, his health comes first. Now I don’t think that’s what he meant.
Laura; Astra Zeneca May 2021 then Pfizer December 2021
My first shot was Astra Zenica on 25th may 2021. I could feel it burning as the fluid went in then 15 minutes later, while I was driving back to work, my left arm went numb then it turned into pins and needles. I ended up off work for 13 weeks due to shoulder impingement and pain in my wrist. I was seen by orthopaedic consultant who suspected carpal tunnel gave me a splint. Later, when I had nerve conduction tests it turned out it wasn’t carpal tunnel and I am still dealing with pain and numbness due to this.
I had my booster on 28th December 2021, which was the one that very badly affected me. It was Pfizer. Straight afterwards it took an hour for me to stop shaking so I could drive the five minutes home. Four days after I couldn’t stand up as my legs were numb from the knees down. My feet had constant pins and needles and my toes and fingers were freezing cold. I couldn’t walk properly dur to horrific pain up my left leg. When I was at work I lost my near sight suddenly – I had gone from 20/20 vision to 1.5 prescription in both eyes. One wee after that I had an horrendous headache, so my GP sent me to A&E as they were concerned I was having a stroke.
I was admitted to hospital as my BP was 219/109 and kept in for 2 weeks. All my tests were clear, but I was having tremors, speech issues and balance problems. I had to be catheterised as I couldn’t wee, and was discharged with no diagnosis. To add insult to injury, three day later had covid. After my 10 days isolation had a bad turn with horrific palpitations, lost feeling in the left side of face and my eye went all blurry. I was admitted again for 4 days. My GP has it noted vaccine reaction on my records. I am still suffering with cardiac issues, neurological problems, memory issues, speech and vision problems, pain in my back shoulders and left wrist and leg. I can’t walk properly. I am taking loads of medication and supplements but I still can’t do loads of basic things. I have lost four stone because I am unable to eat without feeling unwell. My life has changed and my kids say I’m not the person I was. That upsets me the most.
It’s brutal. I thought I was doing the right thing, and now I’m just surviving.
Stanislav, Pfizer June 2021
In June 2021 I had a Pfizer vaccination. Within five minutes I felt like someone was choking me and started having hot waves over my body. I told the staff I wasn’t feeling well and they told me not to worry, I was having a panic attack and would be fine. I had to go to work afterwards and the hot flushes continued and then I also started to feel a really strong pulsing sensation and pressure in my head. Shortly afterwards I started to feel very dizzy and then I couldn’t move my arms and hands and legs and started to dribble saliva. My work colleagues came over to check on me and I literally couldn’t move for the next ten-fifteen minutes. After another few minutes I was able to move but feeling really bad so they drove me home. As soon as I got home, my partner called for an ambulance and they said I was having a small allergic reaction. We were in the middle of the pandemic and they said I could come with them into the hospital or stay at home. I decided it was probably safer at home and went to bed. I woke up at 3am with cold sweats, my vision was affected and I could literally feel the blood pumping in my arm. I spoke to the doctor the next day and they said it was a reaction to the vaccination and would pass. For days I had hot waves over my whole body and difficulty breathing. Several weeks passed and I found I couldn’t move my leg or arm properly and I still don’t feel them properly any more. Still have numbness, dry eyes and mouth, jaundice skin ,fatigue, problem sleeping. I have lost loads of weight, I have constipation. I was sent for a psychiatry consult in July 2022 and told I have anxiety. In December 2022 I saw a rheumatologist who said my ANA levels were high and prescribed me medication, but said she will refer me to cardiology. I have returned to work but struggle with symptoms every day. I am tired from all this. I didn’t lost hope, but just I feel like all the NHS want to tell me is that it is anxiety and stress. Lots of normal tasks are difficult because I get tired so easily and have no strength. I was an active person before but my life was changed in an instant. I have spent money on private doctors and tests because of waiting times on the NHS and because the doctors dismiss it as anxiety
Justyna; June & July 2021, Pfize
On 5th June 2021 my husband and I received our Pfizer vaccine. A few hours later, I began to feel very tired, with muscle aches and pains 10 days after the vaccine I began to feel much worse. I was dizzy, my eyesight went dark and I couldn’t continue the conversation I was having with a client at work. Everything began to spin so I left the room and quickly sat down on the floor. I drank a lot of water and my boss took me to the clinic to see my GP. For the first time in my life, I felt like I could faint. I explained to the doctor that I had taken the vaccine ten days previously and asked if it could be related. I was told that it is possible to have side effects from the vaccine up to three days afterwards and that it was likely I was just overtired. For the next few days I didn’t go back to work because I was still feeling strange and dizzy all the time, as if I was on a boat. A few days later I began to feel strange burning sensations in my calf and thigh, but returned to work anyway. On 31st July 2021, my husband and I went together for our second dose of Pfizer. We were both in the room when the GP asked us if we had any complications after our first vaccine. I immediately reported that I fainted on day 10 and that I had strange burning sensations. I asked her if is was safe to take a second dose and she reassured me the vaccines were being tested and were safe. I said that I was scared and still felt odd after my first, but she promised me nothing would happen to me. I believed her. I took the 2nd dose but just a few hours later I regretted that decision. I had a massive headache and overwhelming fatigue with pain all over my body. I took ibuprofen and paracetamol but my whole body was shaking as I went to sleep. During the night I felt limp and weak. The next morning I was woken by my husband screaming. He was telling me to go and look in the mirror because I had something on my collar bone.
When I got up, I saw a big bump under my skin. It hurt terribly, as did my left arm where the vaccine had been injected. As soon as I got up, I called my GP to tell me what had happened. I told him I had a tumour the size of a golf ball under my skin. He told me that our bodies can react to the vaccine and it would pass. But it only got worse every day. I tried to work, but I didn’t have the strength to manage. My husband and our friends were all fine after their vaccine, but I was getting more symptoms every day. After a few days I got more bumps on my neck, I could not breathe normally and my entire body was burning. I was crying out in pain. I began to see double and was experiencing horrendous dizziness. I couldn’t leave the bed. After a few days my eye and the corner of my mouth began to droop and my vision began to be affected. I had inertia on the left side of my body and could not sue my left arm or left leg and they were cold. I started to feel like I was defecating or weeing myself and started to lose my memory. When I called the GP, I couldn’t remember my date of birth, how old my child was or even my address. I began to lose a lot of weight, despite eating normally and my limbs began to turn blue. Strange white spots began to develop and I had terrible tinnitus and my hearing began to deteriorate. I continually felt like I was on a ship and lost my balance and I had muscle fasciculations. I was breathless, had an irregular pulse and my heart was gong crazy. Along with all this I had internal tremors and chronic fatigue. I forgot words and couldn’t understand what people were saying to me. Doctors who have known me for several years and know how healthy I was, how strong I was, spread their hands and didn’t know how to help me. My husband began to seek help for me. We flew to private clinics in Poland where they discovered I have vascular gliosis, which is fluid in the brain. I saw a neurologist and had another diagnosis of tetany. I also saw a cardiologist and an immunologist. Various doctors prescribed a range of pills and I am now on 12 a day, whereas before the vaccine I took one multivitamin. I returned to Scotland after a few months and finally met with a neurologist and cardiologist here. My diagnosis was functional neurological disorder, caused by the covid vaccine. I also had a diagnosis of left-sided vestibular syndrome and POTS. In May my condition worsened even more and I was admitted to hospital with severe pain in my left side. The doctors suspected I had a cyst on my ovary, but unfortunately the diagnosis was not confirmed. In May 2022 I flew to Cyprus to a private clinic for HELP Apheresis treatment for the removal of microclots. Before this my blood results were continually bad – showing too much haemoglobin, white blood cells and inflammation in my body. I stayed there for a month. For over a year I have been paying for Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy. My husband had to set up a fundraiser to help towards the costs and the media began to get interested in me. I didn’t want to be a vaccine ‘celebrity’ – I just needed help. It total we lost £28,000 because I believed the doctors and the government that the vaccines are safe.
I have been called names by people from hypochondriac to anti-vaxer. In the hospital, a doctor raised his voice and demanded who was stressing me out and stated there was no one else with symptoms like me. The nurses had taken my blood for testing and he threw it in the garbage. The trauma I went through is unimaginably painful. I went from a 38-year-old working woman, enjoying life, working full time, a non-smoker, non-drinker to being a disabled person. I can no longer take my son to football or go on bike tours like before. I still experience cold hands and feet, skin hypersensitivity, burning sensations and my legs feel weird when I am walking
Jo, Astra Zeneca, March 2021
Basically I’ve always allegedly had asthma but very rarely used inhalers. Since the first two covid vaccines I suffer persistent chest infections that usually take weeks and 2/3 sets of antibiotics and steroids before they clear up, with the odd trip to hospital in between as well.
Doctors have always been concentred about lung clots so I had numerous chest X-rays as well! I developed pleurisy a few times after a continuous spell of chest infections which took me months to get properly back to normal. My asthma is now worse so I have a stronger steroid inhaler and normal blue one that I need to use a lot on normal days, not just during a chest infection! It may just be chest infection but when the are continuous it’s debilitating and exhausting and they completely floor me every time as they can last weeks! I have gone from having no chest infection, except once in 2007 when I had viral pneumonia to continual ones since the first two covid jags. It is really exhausting.
Email: ScottishVIG@gmail.com
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