Age: 72.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Blood sodium, Dehydration, Disturbance in attention, Fatigue, Feeling abnormal
Clinical narrative: she told her husband she could not have driven home because she could not concentrate on the road and was unable to look up a correct phone number for her HCP; she was too exhausted to do anything/ exhaustion; dehydration; felt like she had a very very stiff drink or valium and was completely relaxed/she was feeling very relaxed like she had a few drinks.; extreme tiredness; This is a spontaneous report from a contactable consumer (patient). A 72-year-old female patient received first dose of BNT162b2 (PFIZER BIONTECH COVID-19 mRNA VACCINE, Solution for injection, Lot number- EN6205) via an unspecified route of administration in right arm on 09Mar2021 as dose 1 single (at the age of 72-year-old) and second dose of BNT162b2 (PFIZER BIONTECH COVID-19 mRNA VACCINE, Solution for injection, Lot number- ER8732) via an unspecified route of administration in right arm on 30Mar2021 as dose 2 single (at the age of 72-year-old) for COVID-19 immunization. Medical history included Hip Replacement, drug allergy to Lidocaine, Morphine, Propofol. Historical vaccine included Flu shot. Patient's Medical History (including any illness at time of vaccination). Family history included her father, he did not do well, he would be hypersensitive when it came to medications, her Mother was fine. Concomitant medications included paracetamol (TYLENOL), ibuprofen (MOTRIN [IBUPROFEN]) both taken for pain. Patient stated that a few minutes after first dose she felt like she had a very stiff drink or valium and was completely relaxed. Patient stated they the then drove to the waiting area on 09Mar2021 and during the 15 minutes she felt extreme tiredness and exhaustion. Patient stated that as they have a 15-20 minute drove home, she told her husband she could not have driven home because she could not concentrate on the road and was unable to look up a correct phone number for her HCP. Patient stated the tiredness lasted over a week and did not feel 100% until 19Mar2021. Patient stated she could not do things like her daily walks because she was too exhausted to do anything. Patient stated that she has low sodium levels and treats it with diet and drinks a can of tomato juice. Patient stated she asked the PA if the reaction could be due to dehydration. Patient stated her HCP told her to drink tomato juice before the shot and take a can with her to keep her sodium level up. Caller stated she knew the vaccine had 250mg of sodium chloride added. Patient stated her HCP could not find any information about the vaccine affecting sodium levels. Patient specifically asked does the vaccine affect sodium levels. States they told her that there were worse things than that, she was fine. Stated her husband was with her and he got one too.  Stated she was tired for over a week, states she has been feeling good for 10 days. Patient stated her neighbor got tired for a day or two. Stated he had been her doctor for almost 18 years, and he was very good, he can diagnose almost anything over the phone. She stated that she would have reported it earlier but she did not see it listed on her paperwork until she got it out for her second dose. Stated she had called the State, county, and most of them say to contact her family physician. Advised patient that yes, her physician was the best person to make decisions about appropriate treatment options, however, Medical Information may be able to assist her with her question. Clarified that the relaxed feeling like she had a couple of drinks did not end, it went right into the exhaustion. Statesd that had is completely recovered now. Stated she was not walking 50 minutes but 35 minutes a day. Treatment: States she just took it easy and came back slowly with regular life. Stated she resteded and is semi retired. Stated she still tried to do things, little things, like help out with dinner or a load of laundry or do something. Stated the most important part was to sit outside for an hour and see her neighbors. Stated it was great for her mental health, they would all sit out in the driveway at the end. Stated she really fought to go to a medical facility instead of a drug store for her vaccine. Stated they would not see her unless she was 75 and she was 72. Stated her doctor told her how safe the drive thru is in (name)and convinced her of that and advised her it was important for her to do it. Stated she called her internal medicine doctors and they said they wanted to see her. Stated she met with the PA and they talked about it and she said she thinks she should be waiting 30 minutes and to definitely do that. Caller stated that it felt like when her sodium drops. Stated that it was controlled by diet, if she drinks tomato juice it perks her up. States it was her espresso. Stated her doctor said he would do research on the vaccine and if it effects sodium levels but he could not find anything. Stated she had a friend that had the same reaction but took Moderna. Stated her friend said with the second vaccine the fatigue lasts longer and to be prepared. Stated it was not like comparing apples to apples. [because one is Pfizer and one is Moderna]. Stated what her PA is saying to do is maybe, since 470mg of sodium perks her up, to have a can of tomato juice 15-20 minutes before the vaccine and to take another one with her and on the way home if she starts feeling like that again for the 25-30 minute drive. Stated she did not think of this [low sodium level] until her friends were coming back with only symptoms being dry mouth or cotton mouth and she thought it was dehydration. Stated that is when she asked about sodium levels. Stated she had it checked at doctor office, had sodium level checked last Thursday and the next day on, Friday they contacted her to let her know they were normal, range is 135-145, and hers was 136 within normal level and a little above normal. It was a fine result and it was not a fasting test. She ate lunch before the test. States her sodium level may have been low at the time of the injection.Stated her neighbor was an ER doctor and told her there is a machine that would check her sodium level before the vaccine. Stated that she was hypersensitive to meds, anything that had to go through her central nervous system and basically pain meds. Stated she was allergic to Lidocaine, Morphine, and Propofol. States they gave that and she begged them not to give that to her and she did not go to sleep after surgery and got crazy and pulled out her IV, the nurses called it her trip and they stopped that IV right away. Stated she had a very high pain threshold, two regular Tylenol will put her to sleep so she took one, stated her doctor thinks it was great but she can get exhausted with two Tylenol and sometimes she wanted to take it but does not want to fall asleep. Stated she had hip replacement surgery in June last year and was in the hospital. Her hip was great and her Orthopedic doctor wanted to let her go but the regular doctor wanted her to stay because of her low sodium. Putting an IV does not help it. She controls it through her diet and the doctor said ok what pain med, she replied regular Tylenol and regular Motrin would do fine and it was. NDC, Lot, Expiration Unknown. Time the vaccination was given as reported got there about 11:30, were not supposed to be there till 12:30; 12:30-12:45, next appointment was 12:35 tomorrow.  Vaccination facility type was Drive Thru at the University name. Adverse event not required to visit Emergency Room but patient visited Physician Office on 18Mar2021. She knews tomato juice 5.5 ounces has 470mg Sodium in it. It made her more alert, like a cup of coffee. She felt when her sodium drops and when her sodium level gets better. Weight was usually between 125 and 127, she weighs 127 today. Her doctor did some research on sodium and the vaccine and could not find anything related to the sodium levels. Caller added that neither could the medical person she spoke with during her first call. Caller drank a can of tomato juice about 5 to 10 minutes before her second dose. She explained to the staff before the injection why she had to wait 30 minutes. Patient believed a pharmacy student gave her the second injection. She felt fine. Her husband had it at the same time as her and they waited after the shot together. She felt fine. She was not tired. She went home and made dinner. She was a little tired this morning and drank tomato juice and felt fine. She used to drink name and knows that it has a lot of salt and it made made her alert. Her doctor wanted her to try drinking tomato juice prior to getting the second dose so she did. She did not even feel anything on her arm, her arm is not red. Second dose was administered yesterday. Patient got the vaccine because she might get Covid if she did not. She does not care to go out to restaurants and she had not been to the grocery store since 07Mar2020. It's for her own health. Patient added that anything that goes through her Central Nervous System, she will have some sort of reaction, it affects her differently. She went into a surgery the medicine they gave to her went through her and affected the reaction she experienced differently. All she needs is regular Tylenol and Motrin. That's all she needs for pain. She only takes a single Tylenol because two regular Tylenol puts her to sleep. Her husband asked if she had arm pain and she said maybe if she touched it, but she has a high pain tolerance/threshold. She wanted for people to know about her experience with the first shot. If a person feels as bad as she did, and for such a long time after the first shot, all they needed to know was to drink tomato juice to feel better. Especially people with low sodium. she just thinks it's good to know what she's experienced. The outcome of the event feeling abnormal was recovered on an unspecified date, extreme tiredness was recovered on 19Mar2021 and outcome of the other events was unknown.   No follow-up attempts are possible. No further information is expected.