I'm planning on getting the booster, but am hesitant given what I went through back in March following my 2nd moderna. Looking forward to hearing from some of those who reported in the other thread about covid vaccine symptoms. I just had an appt. with my GP and he indicated that at the local health network office they had reports of all sorts of weird symptoms following covid vaccines.
The 3rd booster, 15 weeks after the second, is what tipped me over from "mild symptoms" to severe.
I had that on Oct 7 and it's been a very rough month. However, my headaches are quite a bit better and my vision/blurriness/burning seems better, too. My vertigo is still pretty bad, but without the nausea, more a feeling of unsteadiness, like I'm going to fall over...
Hoping you feel better soon!
The attached photo is of my 2nd subconjunctival hemorrhage. I've never had one before and I first had one in mid July, just a few weeks after my 2nd jab. It wasn't as bad as this one, but it was still pretty bad! This one showed up in mid Sept, before my 3rd jab on Oct 7 and this is how it looked when I went to the ER. It has mostly cleared up but they still want me back next week as it's not quite healed to their satisfaction. But I ask you: What the hell? I also had blurriness that started in May and I ended up getting 2 new scrips but was still having blurriness on & off, not really consistent with the wrong scrip. At any rate, my vision seems much better but I just had flashers again...!!!
I was feeling substantially better: the vertigo evolved to more "unsteadiness" than twirling, spin cycle. Headaches still there, but not as severe. Eyes definitely improved the most. I am now convinced many of my vertigo/headache symptoms are triggered visually...(I have such brain fog...sorry...)
On Monday I felt quite a bit better & decided to chance a trip to Whole Foods with my friend who I thought understood what I was going through! (I basically haven't been further than the pharmacy since Oct 10 and even that lead to me dropping the basket and running out!). She was talk talk talking at the parking meter and the standing was absolutely impossible. I could just feel it coming on. I urged her inside and as I walked in, I felt "assaulted" by the lights, movement, music...as I reached over to pick up a basket, I lost my balance and came very close to sprawling...omg...I tried to "soldier" on to pick up a few things, but it was impossible and I wound up waiting for her in a dark corner of the store where I could sit down, rest my head on the table and close my eyes.
That little adventure set me back a few days.
I very much now believe that anything visually stimulating, or moving too fast, triggers all my symptoms. I've been very careful with my diet but had soy last night and am feeling it today. It's like all my previous sensitivities are now in overdrive.
I am finding the best way for me to minimize my symptoms is to stay in my room, pretty much in the dark, avoid TV (or just listen). Reading, screens certainly triggers symptoms, so I'm listening to audiobooks. I'm avoiding wheat, sugar, dairy, caffeine, potatoes (sensitivity to these were what caused my first diagnosis of Meniere's), etc. Just basically eating fish, rice, veggies, herbal tea, fruit when I can stomach it. My PCP also prescribed Lasix (diuretic) and I thought it did help.
I realize I sound very down today! 🙁 I WAS doing better until that setback Monday and I want to encourage everyone to hang in there. Setbacks are inevitable with this and having been through Meniere's in the past, I very much remember 1 step forward, three steps back as part of the healing process.
I have been reaching for what helped me with Meniere's in the past (not a symptom in 22 years until the vaccine, where I had IMMEDIATE ringing in my ears and quite severe unsteadiness, worse with each jab), as that seems to be all I and my Drs know to do. What helped me 20 years ago with basically the same was the Cooksey-Cawthorne exercises. Back then I had vertigo, tinnitus, etc 24/7 for three years. Yes. But once I started the exercises I recovered quite fast. I want to get back to them bt can feel my system isn't quite ready, but I will and I warn you: they are hard to do if you do them right. Basically, you are trying to trigger the symptoms to allow your brain to adapt.
In the short term, I think Benadryl helps a bit, also Valium and I only take 1 mg as I find it helps suppress the worse of the symptoms. Caffeine & salt need to be eliminated as much as possible. I know it's hard but it has helped me in the past. I would very much urge you to consider what you are eating & drinking. I was diagnosed with Meniere's in my 20's and brought it under control with a very strict diet as I had a # of food sensitivities. The bout 10 years later did not respond in the same way but the Cooksey/Cawthorn did help. With those exercises, you need to find the balance between going too far (like I did going to WF on Monday) and yet still pushing yourself slightly without triggering further symptoms. MY GP advised me to walk on my own because that way I can stop or get out when I feel the symptoms coming, something I ignored trying to keep up with my friend.
How are you doing? Any better? I am discouraged today, but I have to remind myself that I have come a LONG way in a few weeks. Two weeks ago today, I had to hold onto the wall to get to the bathroom; I couldn't eat anything but wheat-free crackers, I had the a 9-day headache such as I have never before experienced (and Ive had migraines since age 10!) and all the probs with my eyes. Things are getting better but it's been over a month and of course I haven't worked (I'm an editor..yes, really....! and a writer) and feel like a complete bubble head, so I'm feeling isolated because I am.
I know this is Meniere's related advice, but I think we're all suffering "Meniere'slike" symptoms. I ant to kick myself for my failure to even CONSIDER that the vaccine might have triggered this. With the first two jabs, the vertigo went away after 1 day and 5 days respectively and I just thought it was no big deal because I live in denial about Meniere's ever coming back! But my friends, family and GP all think there is no doubt the vaccine triggered something in my visual-vestibular symptoms, so I hope my experience helps someone..even just a little.
Hang in there. It DOES take time and the boredom and isolation can be as hard to deal with as all the physical symptoms! I find talking leaves me out of breath; I'd worry more if this hadn't been the same in my 20's and 30's. So I will snuggle with my kitties, listen to an audiobook (that too has improved some. I was terribly confused for weeks and couldn't follow even a basic plot) and pray for relief for all of us.
Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery....
I am in a similar predicament. I have had moderate to severe hearing loss for many years. Received my first Moderna vaccine in March of 2021, second in April. Ten days after my first vaccine the ground seemed to fall away under me when I walked. The loss of balance got so bad that I held onto walls in my house and walked with walking sticks when I was outside. My primary care doctor said this had nothing to do with the vaccine. Had a brain scan. Emergency room visit. All came to nought. I still feel a tiny bit of the loss of balance now and then. Now what should I do? Get the booster and risk the balance loss returning? To top it all off, my husband just contracted COVID-19 (he is fully vaccinated) and he is isolating in another part of the house. Tricky to know what to do.
@ingela How are you doing? I am better overall, but it's literally 1 step forward and 2 steps back. Just 2 weeks ago, I was hanging onto the wall to get to the restroom and I'm now taking short walks and using a cane, not for walking, but so I can stand! It's the strangest thing: As soon as I stop I fall...!
But I AM better, overall, but I have been on my ass since Oct 7, the day of my 3rd jab.
I was back at the eye clinic yesterday to follow up on the BIZARRE eye probs I've had since May (I've written about it elsewhere here). I am delighted to report that the blurriness and severe burning, dryness and eye bleeds are now gone/healed etc.
Interestingly, yesterday, the opthamologist in charge of the eye clinic at this major hospital said: "Not that it's MY DEPARTMENT, but as far as I'm concerned, the vaccine triggered your Meniere's." I was like 😲 She went on to say that Meniere's was inflammatory and vaccines produced an inflammatory response. She then shrugged and added, "With that said, I can't say your eye problems were caused by the vaccines because it doesn't seem inflammatory, but I will tell you I have no idea what has caused all this."
We agreed my eyes were on their way to "all better" and I'm to call if anything changes. She asked me if I thought I needed a CT scan and I told her I didn't think I did because I no longer think I have a brain tumor or MS, and that I too felt whatever was happening was vaccine related.
I've been reading a lot of posts here and it seems like most people get better, a bit like me, with a few steps forward, a few back. And let's not forget: When I recovered from Meniere's 20+ years ago, the last place I wanted to go was back to the dizziness forum (I did check in but yes, I did disappear!) ! In other words, I am certain there are people from here feeling better who don't want to even THINK about vertigo, let alone write about it.
Please hang in there and keep us posted! 🙂
Hi all. I posted a while back in April after experiencing severe vertigo exactly 7 days after my second Pfizer vaccine shot. It took me weeks to finally get back on my feet and not feel stuck at the disco. That said, I was naturally a little petrified to get the booster but knew I still wanted to do it for my own safety. That said, I didn't get it exactly at the 6 month mark. I waited a few more weeks and and happy to report that I received my Pfizer booster shot and so far so good! My only side effects after the booster were the common ones...had a wicked sore arm and armpit (lymph node) for about 5 days and about 18 hours after injection I had some chills (mild fever) and felt sleepy/foggy...but that all went away after about 36 hours. I'm just over 3 weeks out from receiving it and so far so good. Wishing you all speedy recoveries!
The 3rd booster, 15 weeks after the second, is what tipped me over from "mild symptoms" to severe.
I had that on Oct 7 and it's been a very rough month. However, my headaches are quite a bit better and my vision/blurriness/burning seems better, too. My vertigo is still pretty bad, but without the nausea, more a feeling of unsteadiness, like I'm going to fall over...
Hoping you feel better soon!
2nd moderna last April. Started having vertigo late July until October. Went to ent, pt, did Epley manuver. After amoxicillin for 2 days it left. No idea why. But vertigo came back 2 weeks ago. So now I dont know if I should get the booster! Thoughts??