Age: 70.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Feeling abnormal, Impaired driving ability, Impaired work ability, Mobility decreased, No reaction on previous exposure to drug
Clinical narrative: Profound fatigue for 12-15 days. I would lie in bed for hours, not sleeping, barely moving. I felt like my skin was very thick, like a large reinforced balloon or ball. I felt an intense sensation of energy pulsing through my body. In the beginning, it was predictable. Then after a week or so, it was usually in the late afternoon when I was with people (I teach private and small group piano lessons in my home). I would become aware of a sensation about the size of a pecan in the middle of my brain. It was always in the exact location. (I have never heard that we can feel anything in our brain, but I did. It was weird.) Then, immediately, I was just aware of profound fatigue throughout my body. There was no longer the "walnut" shape in my brain. This lasted about 2+ weeks. After that, there wasn't such a clearly defined shape in my brain, just a feeling. After the sensation, I would immediately stop whatever I was doing and lie down for 1-1.5 hours. This happened every day and continued for the next 7 weeks. To build up my endurance so it wouldn't happen, I would lie in bed for about 2 hours in the afternoon and sleep a little. But I'm not sure it helped or not.  I was afraid to drive more than a few miles from my home in case it happened while I was driving. My energy level was low at other times of the day, but I could cook and eat my meals. I did not go out except for a short trip to the grocery store. My sleep at night was normal.   The last time I had the sensation in my brain and had to lie down for an extended time was December 8. This whole experience completely disrupted my ability to teach all my students.  The first day without a daily afternoon nap was December 18, nine weeks since my booster. However, I have needed to take a nap now and then. Most days, even now, I continue to have a mild warning sensation in my brain that I'm about to have a fatigue session. Now they are much milder, but it's not passed.   Several times, I was on the highway when I felt a fatigue session coming on. Fortunately, I had discovered that if I breathed in for 4 counts, held my breath for 7 counts, and slowly breathed out for 8, the fatigue sensation would leave me.  I live alone, so all of this was frightening for me. I had extensive blood tests done on Dec 14 & 18 and am awaiting results.  Ears: On Thursday, October 21, I heard odd, swishing, rushing water sounds in my right ear. It felt as though there was a bug in my ear. I remember using my hand to try to get rid of it. The sounds and feeling subsided, but both ears hurt a little during the next few days, and there was clear fluid from them. On Sunday, October 24, there was blood in my right ear. When I saw Dr. the next day, he could see dried blood but had no idea of the cause. He prescribed prednisone 5 mg tablets.  Note: I had no adverse reactions to either of my Pfizer vaccines on 2-28 and 3-21.  At present: Even though this reaction to the booster is strange and lasting a long time, I am better, and I'm grateful for that.