True Story by Charlotte Rasmussen

Charlotte, 38, Taranaki

Pfizer x 1

Tachycardia, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), chronic fatigue. I was mandated to have the covid vaccine by Healthcare NZ as a Recovery Facilitator in mental health and addiction. Within days I experienced severe heart pain and over the next month was rushed to ED multiple times. In December NZDSOS diagnosed me with myocarditis. Pre jab I would walk regularly and do Zomba classes. What is my body like now? My life has completely changed. As I write my energy is starting to go down. I have a small window now of energy, usually in the mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Then I have to rest. If I die of a heart attack in 10 years, is anyone going to link it in to the vaccine? Or will it be noted as natural causes?

My name is Charlotte, and this is my true story.

In 2021 I was studying to become a support worker and in order to get my certificate I had to do 200 hours of work placement. I had already a placement lined up with Pathways, but because I wasn’t vaccinated (I was going to be vaccined the following week) I lost my placement. WITT (Western Institute of Technology Taranaki) put a lot of pressure on the students to get vaccinated as did the providers and I felt that I had no choice but to get vaccinated.

I had a really bad “vibe” about the vaccine, in fact, I had had a dream where I saw myself in hospital, however as I had lost one placement I saw no other choice than getting the vaccine in order to get a job, complete my studies, get my certificate and get my hours done, I absolutely felt really pressurised from all corners and coerced as well from potential employers, as I had to get a job.

I had already been made redundant as sole charge regional cabin crew round one of Covid in 2020, a role that would see me on my feet of up to 10 hours in a day. Therefore, I felt extra pressurised.

On the 16th of September 2021 my life changed – I went for a job interview to work with Healthcare NZ as a Recovery Facilitator in mental health and addiction, a job that is much needed and I was successful in getting the job. The same day I went to get vaccinated, as I didn’t want to miss out on another job opportunity. I was very fatigued over the weekend and lightheaded and raised it with my son, who said it was normal symptoms,
consequently I didn’t act in seeing a doctor.

Pre vaccine I would walk regularly, I would do zumba classes and I lived an active, healthy and quiet life with no pre-existing medical conditions. I have studied naturopathy many years ago and I have always been into having healthy eating habits. There is no history in my family of heart disease or strokes, in fact my parents and grandparents lived until late 80ties and early 90ties. I don’t smoke and I have always exercised on a regular basis. Growing up in Copenhagen, pushbiking was part of my daily life as was swimming and walking.

On the 25th of September I was out walking with a strong head wind and my heart pumping when out of the blue, I got a sudden pain around my heart area that I have never experienced before. It lasted about 5 minutes and I managed to walk home. I didn’t link it to any heart problems, but I can remember thinking if I pass out hopefully someone will attend to me. Again, I didn’t act as I didn’t have a persistent pain and I was assured by the
government that it was a safe and effective vaccine.

From the 25th of September 2021, I got worse and worse and I have had numerous visits to GP’s, ED visits and in October I went from ED to being admitted to a hospital only to be transferred the following day to a larger hospital in an ambulance with a nurse monitoring my heart. When I was discharged in October I was diagnosed with low blood pressure and volume depletion. I was admitted to the hospital again in January, as I could barely walk out to the letterbox without getting short of breath. In January I was diagnosed Pots and chronic fatigue and prescribed beta-blockers. I have also been diagnosed with fatigue, having complex cysts on my liver post covid vaccine.

The first doctor I saw said myocarditis, but nothing states that in the medical records that I have. The first doctor sent me across the road for blood tests, I could hardly stand up and in hind sight I should have spoken up more, but I was too weak. I found out in December that one of the blood tests
was still sitting in the system when I went in for more blood tests. On several occasions doctors have told me to call an ambulance should I get worse (worse in what way I have wondered).

As I wasnt getting any better by December, in fact, I was getting worse I contacted NZDSOS just before Christmas and was diagnosed with myocarditis and prescribed medication. On the 25th of December I signed up for St. John’s ambulance, at that point I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I had a night of thinking I am either going to have a heart attack or a stroke, but what is the point of contacting a doctor if they just going to fob me off? I was getting really desparate at that point and my friends and family were getting very concerned for me, as were people in my community.

I would wake up in the mornings with the sense of I am alive today. Some days I didn’t want to be alive, I thought “this is not life” I was so unwell. Words cannot describe the situation I was in. I would have cold, clammy hands and I was very pale, not my normal
complexion. In October, it was confirmed that I had cysts on my liver and I was surprised that ED was very quick to do an untra-sound my liver, then heart.

In May one of my friends ended up coming down from Waiheke Island to take me up to Auckland to see both a doctor and alternative treatment, as I hadn’t had any luck with the doctors that I had seen, she along with other friends were very concerned. The homeopath/acupuncturist said when she saw me that it was only because I had taken so many supplements and nutrients that I was doing as well as I was (and I was not in a good state) I could barely walk. The homeopath said my body was on high alert and had reacted as if I had been poisoned. When I was in hospital the staff noted my hands very ice cold and clammy. Later on I went the opposite and my hands would be that hot that I thought I would get physical combustion and I was unable to hold my mobile phone without getting small electrical shocks.

According to a friend of mine who is a nurse I have produced tiny small blood clots (I took a photo of some blood on my pillow and showed it to her). Up until recently I have had unusual headaches like I have never had before. I have to pace myself, if I do too much I am exhausted the following day. I can only do a little, then I have to stop.

What is my body like now? How is my heart? Blood clots?My life has completely changed. As I write my energy is starting to go down. I have a small window now of energy, usually in the mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Then I have to rest. I can’t stand up for too long. The days of being on my feet for 10 hours seem like a different life now. I feel like I have lost my health. I trusted the Government that it was a safe and effective vaccine, well to
me it hasn’t been safe or effective but quite the opposite. I have also had Covid and I would choose Covid any day or an adverse reaction to the vaccine. I get fatigued very quickly and I don’t have much energy. Has my body aged 10 or 20 years? I still get pain around my heart area but less frequent.

If I die of a heart attack in 10 years, are anyone going to link it in to the vaccine? Or will it be noted as natural causes? No doctor has wanted to give me an exemption and I have been declined a referral to a cardiologist. It was deemed not necessary to see a cardiologist. I have been recommended by a doctor to get a 2nd vaccine, while I was lying in a hospital bed and not being discharged because I nearly fainted.

ACC have declined my 1st claim put through from the hospital saying that I have had an adverse reaction to the vaccine. I have lost my career, as it is a role where you are on your feet and I don’t have the energy. Every day I have to go and have a lie down to re-charge. According to my senior lecturer I was “a positive and energetic lady”.

GP appointment follow-up in February

Heart rate good, blood pressure fine “there is nothing wrong with your heart” according to Dr Chris Heatherton. I could hardly walk in to his office from around the corner where I was sitting without getting shortness of breath. He waited for a while then took my blood pressure and pulse. A 3 month course of beta-blockers was prescribed. Another GP, Tom Dawson, whom I have never met, also added medication for depression and anxiety to my prescription but no one explained when and how to take the medication or which side effects to watch out for. I had bad side effects from the beta-blockers I got very faint and in January I was advised from the hospital to purchase an oximeter, but it was not explained to me how to use it. Overall, I have had to do a lot of my own research. Some days the figures from the oximeter would be very low.

I have chosen to speak up, as I am absolutely shocked with what has happened and is happening. ACC said “you haven’t had an act of care, you have had lack of care”. What is worse than going from being fit, healthy and full of energy to this state is that doctors are not treating vax injured patients. I haven’t had a CT scan on my heart, I haven’t had an MRI, but instead I have been prescribed with medication for depression and anxiety, which is unreal given that I have been given a glowing reference from my senior lecturer in mental health. I could hardly work in mental health and addiction if I was depressed or anxious. I feel enough is enough and if anyone had told me my story, I would have found it hard to believe and yet it happened to me, my medical records prove that.

No one should have had to go through this journey and I have had a very concerned son who has had to take me to ED and the hospital several times and who has kept checking on me to see if I was okay, it has been heartbreaking, but I am determined to get better and I hope by speaking up that it will help others.

Thank you for reading my story,