Carla Corbett

Nov 2020: Initial vaccine was J&J - no reaction at all. Got Pfizer "booster" on Oct 27. Initially, a "normal" reaction - chills, feeling poorly for about a week. Three weeks later (Nov 15), experienced a searing pain across shoulders and down the arms. Extreme, unrelenting pain - worst I've experienced. Only labor pains come close, but without any breaks, continued through the day. Went to urgent care in the evening. All tests negative. They reluctantly gave me one Norco, which caused dizziness and I passed out and fell (won't go into the side story on that).

The next day, the pain subsided slightly, but felt extreme fatigue and very restricted breathing - about 25% of normal capacity. Shortness of breath exacerbated with any physical movement. I didn't want to use the steroid inhalers doctors prescribed, and was told to restrict use of Albuterol to 2 days per week. Pulmonology test resulted in diagnosis of asthma, and was told "controlling the asthma" with inhalers was the only treatment they could offer. Saw my Ayurvedic provider Nov 19, diagnosed "severe immune reaction and neurological response" and she was extremely concerned. Performed treatment and prescribed at home protocol of Ayurvedic herbs/oils. Physical limitations restricted my ability to conform to the protocol fully.

Dec 2021 - Mar 2022: Over the next several months, symptoms very slowly resolved, so that by March, I was at about 80-85% of normal breathing capacity and fatigue had mostly resolved. No improvement beyond that. Referred to pulmonologist, who recommended more/different inhalers. Was made to feel "difficult" because I didn't want steroid inhalers (didn't want to inhibit potential further healing). Found I could maintain an acceptable, but less than optimal (pre-vaccine) functioning using Albuterol every other day. But kind of up and down - seemed healing progress had stopped and I might have to accept this as "normal." Revisited Ayurvedic practitioner and began another protocol to try and overcome that last 15-20% of breathing restriction.

Contracted Covid on April 11. Breathing got worse for a few weeks, but for the past week, I have had a few days where I didn't need the Albuterol and felt almost "normal." So a combination of the Ayurvedic protocol and immune reaction to Covid helping heal the last of symptoms?

I do not see pulmonary difficulties listed in the symptoms listed on your website, but have heard anecdotally of ongoing breathing problems with long covid.