Age: 65.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Arthralgia, Erythema, Feeling hot, Gait disturbance, Joint swelling
Clinical narrative: her ankle swelling like balloons and it is painful to walk after receiving both doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine; her ankle swelling like balloons and it is painful to walk after receiving both doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine; her ankle swelling like balloons and it is painful to walk after receiving both doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine; her ankle swelling like balloons and it is painful to walk after receiving both doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine; severe pain right ankle with redness/heat/ swelling; severe pain right ankle with redness/heat/ swelling; This is a spontaneous report from a contactable consumer (patient). A 65-year-old female patient received the first dose of BNT162b2 (COMIRNATY; solution for injection; Lot Number: FC3181) intramuscularly on 23Aug2021 at 10:00 (at the age of 65-years-old) as a single dose in the left arm and the second dose of BNT162b2 (COMIRNATY; solution for injection; Lot Number: FF2588) intramuscularly on 13Sep2021 at 10:00 (at the age of 65-years-old) as a single dose in the left arm, both for COVID-19 immunization. Medical history included rheumatoid arthritis from Feb2017 and ongoing and weakened immune system from an unspecified date and unspecified if ongoing (use of medications that suppress the immune system). Family medical history relevant to the adverse event was reported as one great aunt had rheumatoid arthritis that was the only known relative that had it. Concomitant medications included methotrexate (strength: 2.5mg) taken for rheumatoid arthritis from Feb2017 to 16Aug2021 at 2.5mg, weekly (2.5 mg x 6 once/week) and from 17Sep2021 and ongoing at 2.5 mg, weekly (2.5 mg x 6 once/week) and prednisone taken for rheumatoid arthritis from 25Feb2021 and ongoing at 5mg, daily. Prior vaccinations were reported as none. On 25Aug2021, the patient experienced her ankle swelled like balloons and it was painful to walk after receiving both doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and severe pain right ankle with redness/heat/ swelling. The events were reported as serious for persistent/significant disability/incapacity and important medical event. The adverse events required a physician office visit. The course of the events was as follows: the patient had a medical history of rheumatoid arthritis and she stopped taking her methotrexate before receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The patient received the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on 23Aug2021 and the second dose on 13Sep2021. The patient reported complaints of her ankle swelling like balloons and it was painful to walk after receiving both doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. 23Aug2021 first Pfizer vaccine, 25Aug2021 severe pain right ankle with redness/heat/ swelling. A few days later it also went into her left ankle and the patient had terrible swelling and pain. The patient had rheumatoid arthritis so that was hurting it. The patient stated that if this had been rheumatoid, there would not have been swelling. The doctor gave the patient a Medrol dose pack which helped the first 2 days then heavy swelling and severe pain returned. The patient sated that if this had been rheumatoid, the dose pack would have worked. The patient began taking Tylenol to give some relief. She described it as walking on bloody stumps. The pain was awful and now in both feet. 13Sep2021 2nd Pfizer vaccine dose. Two days later her ankles just got so painful that it felt like she was walking on bloody stumps. Both ankles swollen like balloons pain so bad that the patient used crutches on Tuesday, but on Wednesday crutches had made hands and neck sore. The doctor gave gabapentin 100mg/day to block nerve pain. The patient took it at night, and it helped with pain at night, and she was getting more pain tolerant but still had complaints of pain and swelling of her ankles. The patient took a dose of her methotrexate two weeks after the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and a dose of her methotrexate one week after the second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine due to the pain. Her HCP said that her above complaints were not related to her rheumatoid arthritis and were temporary and would eventually go away.  The patient still had swelling but not as bad as it was. It seemed like maybe it was going away but then it would come back and would go away a little but then would come back. As of 23Oct2021, the patient still had severe pain, but swelling was decreased in the morning and increased as day went on. The patient was very unhappy. The patient stated that her HCP said that several other patients that took Pfizer had the same problem. The HCP told her that it would be temporary. The HCP stated that there was an article that the painful, swollen ankles was a problem with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The patient wanted to know what she could to do get rid of the painful, swollen ankles. Relevant tests were reported as none. Treatment was received for the events and included Medrol dose packs twice, Medrol injection. The clinical outcomes of the events her ankle swelled like balloons and it was painful to walk after receiving both doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and severe pain right ankle with redness/heat/ swelling were not recovered/not resolved.   Follow-up attempts are completed. No further information is expected.