Age: 60.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19, COVID19
Symptoms: Facial paralysis, Fatigue, Full blood count normal, Head discomfort, Headache
Clinical narrative: Post Pfizer 1st Dose Continuum  Thursday, April 29 10:15 AM through Tuesday, June 15, 2021 1:06AM Patient Self Assessment & Symptom Chronicling   Below describes my experience since receiving the first dose of Pfizer.Date of 1st Dose: April 29, 2021.   1. First Symptom: Pinprick Pressure On April 29, 2021 at about 9:45AM, I arrived at the pharmacy for a 10:15AM 1st dose appointment. While within the early 15-minute post-vaccination observation wait period, I experienced a pin-prick of pressure in center of my inner skull. I did not report the reaction as it appeared to be the onset of the headache mentioned on Pfizer permission documentation, online warnings, and in feedback shared by friends, family, and online reviewers. As the fifteen minute observation period approached the mid-way point, pressure around the pinprick began to expand.  Again, I assumed this was the onset of the typical post-Covid-vaccination headache. I remained longer than the recommended 15 minutes and left the pharmacy without reporting any of my symptoms.  My second vaccination was scheduled for Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 10:15AM. **NOTE: Pinpoints diminished by end of day and were completely gone within 24-hours.  2. Second Symptom: Vertigo & Wooziness ~10:30 Vertigo and wooziness presented during the drive home. It was especially noticeable because, after any turn of the vehicle, my head remained in a spin, as if continuing in the turn long after the car was out of the turn and steering had returned to center and the vehicle was headed straight. As the ten-twelve minute route home progressed, pressure in my head mounted.  **NOTE: Car turn inspired spins improved over the weekend. Mild repeats occurs in waves, however I am rarely inside vehicle to measure. Vertigo and wooziness has improved 90% and only reoccurs in quick flash spikes, unless the ?pressure? symptom described below is particularly high.  3. Third Symptom:  Intense Head Pressure ~10:45-11:00 Growing pressure, vertigo and wooziness still present. Within 10-15 minutes of arriving home, I experienced sudden, sharp pressure spike. The pressure exploded all over my head, especially between my ears. This produce an intense ear-popping sensation as if on  plane that?s ascending/descending at sharp angle and very fast (this symptom was and remains at times more intense than any reaction to actual air pressure change I?ve ever experienced ). **NOTE: Pressure remains primary active reaction. Ear popping level of pressure began to diminish in around May 5, 2021 and returned in waves of varying strengths, some like today, May 22, 2021 are more pronounced. Overall pressure is a constant that, outside of spiking waves, has improved approximately 40-50-60% , depending on the wave at hand. Today, May 22, 2021 is one of the most intense, with ear popping pressure returning almost to the level of Day 1 (April 29, 2021).  May 22, 2021 4. Forth Symptom: Impaired Vision/Focus Several hours after taking vaccine, I began using my computer and immediately realized eye-strain, discomfort whenever I tried to focus on the screen. This turned out to be true for non-device activity, such as television watching or food prep.  **NOTE: This symptom began to diminish by Saturday, May 1, 2021 and had improved significantly by Monday, May 3, 2021. It returns only when head pressure is particularly high.  5. Fifth Symptom: Facial Numbness At about 10:30PM on April 29, 2021, only after I lay down to sleep, the entire right side of my face became numb, except for the few areas of the right side of my upper lip that were tingling. Since I was laying on my right side, and assumed my body was extra sensitive to gravity after having been vaccinated, I shifted to my left side. This action neither corrected nor improved the numb sensation on the right side of my face. Fearful that my face was drooping, I got up several times during the night to look in the mirror. To date there is no sign of facial drooping.  **NOTE: The numb sensation began to significantly subside after the the second week post-vaccination, about May 17, 2021, and has continued to diminished to ~90% to date, May 22, 2021.  May 20, 2021 Revisited pharmacy of Pfizer. May 21, 2021 was date of 1st Dose: April 29, 2021.  The pharmacist on duty signed me into receive 2nd Covid dose. I read and signed a hard copy of the questionnaire and consent form. Neither any information provided nor questions asked on the consent form were applicable to my post 1st Pzifer dose symptoms.  As the pharmacy nurse was preparing to inject me with a second Pfizer dose, she asked me if I had any post 1st Pfizer dose symptoms, and if so to describe them. After detailing all the aforementioned symptoms, the nurse consulted the pharmacist on duty. I have a vague impression that the pharmacist on duty consulted Pfizer, but I am unsure. The nurse returned and mentioned both Pfizer and the results of her conversation with the pharmacist on duty. She stated that the pharmacy would not administer a second dose until I receive a doctor?s written approval.   Saturday night, May 22, 2021  Had a rough headspace night? between 9:30pm or 10pm the pressure increased to ear-pop level again. The pressure disturbed my sleep (dosed in fits and starts all night). Wooziness, vertigo and nausea ensued. Left arm numbness increased, finger pad tingles began. In effort to stimulate full-feeling, upon each frequent ?awakening?  flexed fingers and wrists, rotating shoulders to no avail.   Monday, May 24, 2021 Met with Neurologist Dr During my session with Dr. , The most positive aspects of her were (1) her transparency from the very beginning in sharing that she does not know much about the post Pfizer 1st dose symptoms that I presented; (2) she so far has only had two other patients with similar post 1st dose symptoms; and (3) in light with the limited knowledge that not only she has but also Pfizer and the medical community at large she would not be able to make a recommendation to take a second dose. For this exceptional transparency Dr. deserves the upmost respect and I am grateful.   Thursday May 27, 2021 Monday, May 31, 2021 Another night similar to May 22 night. Pressure in head was exceptional. Discomfort only allowed for dosing in fits and starts. Left arm numbness ramped up to full numbness. Right side facial numbness more intense than previously experienced.   Tuesday, June 1, 2021 4:45AM Symptoms described in Monday, 31, 2021 update remain in full force: Exceptional head pressure; Left arm numbness ramped up to full numbness; Right side facial numbness more intense than previously experienced.   4:45AM Mirror check revealed slack right side of mouth.   Left messages for neurogolist Dr. nurse  and PCP Dr. nurse  PCP Dr. nurse called and stated I should reschedule MRI despite other patients of Dr. having similar symptoms and normal MRIs.  Friday, June 4, 2021 8:30PM Overnight head pressure increased again and disrupted my sleep all night. At the moment (8:30AM), pressure not too bad.  Experienced sharp left-sided chest (8:30AM) pains for about three minutes that are subsiding but still present (8:46AM). Friday, June 11, 2021 Checked into Hospital around 5:30ish.  Saturday , June 12, 2021 11:30AM A doctor advised me that CAT, x-rays (heart and lungs), blood panels, MRI, all normal. He said that he was discharging me and scheduling me for followup appt neurologist Dr. who will write orders for an outpatient EEG.   Sunday, June 13, 2021 Most recent developments are: momentary black out (absence) during spike; handwriting causes acute wooziness as ink forms and loops across page; the random face droops often present without warning symptoms (previously I felt strong pressure surge, etc before face drooped). The good news is the face droops still only last an hour at best, several hours at worse  Monday, June 14, 2021 Experienced exceptional exhaustion. Took long mid-morning to early afternoon nap.  Began coughing afternoon.  Several morning spikes.  Mid-evening spike resulted in momentary black out.