Age: 72.0
Sex: M
Vaccine: COVID19, FLU4
Symptoms: Blood pressure fluctuation, Blood pressure increased, Chest pain, Heart rate increased, Heart rate irregular
Clinical narrative: I received both vaccines in my left arm. I had no sensation at the time the vaccines were administered or at anytime afterward, and at no time did I experience any swelling or redness in the general area.  Around 6:00 PM that evening, about 6 hours after the vaccine was administered, I felt a rise in my heart rate and intensity.  Looking at my fitness watch, my resting pulse was elevated to over 100, where it typically ranges from mid 70s to the low 60s while sitting at rest and in the 50s when lying in bed awake or sleeping. I used a cuff-style blood pressure monitor and saw my blood pressure elevated to around 160/90, where at rest I am typically somewhat below 120/80.  I tried lying down in bed, but doing so did not result in a reduced heart rate or blood pressure. Instead it continued rising. The last reading I took about 8:30 PM on the blood pressure monitor, my blood pressure elevated to the 180s/100+ and my heart rate was about 130 BPM. Around that time I started getting upper chest pains, which I could not relieve by either lying down, sitting or standing.  This continued for at least one hour, maybe longer. Eventually the pain did subside, my blood pressure lowered to 150s/90+, and my pulse reduced to low 100s.  These levels remained throughout the night, as far as I know before falling asleep. In the morning I felt better, but still my vital readings were not close to my typical normal readings. Throughout the day my pulse and blood pressure was very erratic, approaching normal then suddenly jumping to high levels; 115 BPM, 150/90+, then 80 BPM 135/80, for example.  By the end of the day (Tuesday), these numbers started to stabilize to close to my normal readings.  I had a good sleep Tuesday night, and upon awakening on Wednesday I felt quite normal.  My pulse was in the low 60s and my blood pressure was below 120/80.  However, beyond just feeling back to normal, I felt better than usual.   Today I strongly believe that I had COVID-19 back in mid November of 2019, well before it became publicly known as COVID-19 in this country. I believe I was infected when my stepson returned from a month-long trip out of the country.  He flew into airport, and I picked him up at the terminal for the 2+ hour drive back to our home.  During that drive time he seemed quite sick, having a deep cough and teary eyes.  Within days I came down with similar symptoms, but much worse.  My lungs were congested beyond what I have ever experienced in my entire life.  However, I did not seek medical attention at that time. I just let it subside on its own, as I have done for other respiratory illnesses throughout my entire life. However I continued having a mildly elevated temperature for several weeks after the lung infection eventually subsided.   I believe that sometime in mid January I did see my PCP, (now retired), and he noted the slightly elevated temperature, but he had no explanation for it.  I had no other obvious symptoms at the time. At least a few months after COVID-19 was identified (possibly April or May of 2020),  I had a blood test performed to see if any antibodies were present, but none were detected.  In the early spring of 2020, my wife and I planned some moderately strenuous hiking that we had been doing for several years prior.  I soon noticed that I was incapable of climbing mild  elevations for a short amount of time without becoming exhausted and having chest discomfort/pains.  My wife dismissed it as related to my age, 69 at the time. Over the past several years, my condition slowly worsened, up until yesterday.  After the Moderna vaccination episode I just described had subsided and I had a good night's sleep, I felt better than usual.  I decided to go for a brisk walk, albeit by no means considered intense hiking, but nonetheless a walk where I have experienced chest pains several times in the past. This time, no pains whatsoever. Today (Thursday, 11/16/2023), I have again revisited the botanical gardens and took a more intense walk, again with no pains or exhaustion whatsoever.  While I cannot say that I have fully recovered to my former self, I do feel better than I have felt in several years.