Accessibility Tools

Skip to main content

Vaccine Injury of Ellen Graef


What was your life like before you received the COVID-19 vaccine?

Before my vaccine, I was an active person. I would go to the gym every other day and stay there for three hours. I would go out with friends and have multiple days worth of hiking and walking around cities and dancing. I would have those experiences on the regular and I never had any problems. I never had any feelings of windlessness. I never had any feelings of my heart beating out of my chest. Not long after I received the Covid vaccine I also got two cases of Covid and since then I have not been the same. I would easily get winded during workout. I felt like I needed way more water than I used to. I did not have the energy to be around people anymore. At first I chucked it up to being more introverted and being lazy for not wanting to work out or needed to recover for a little longer than most. But it wasn’t until I found accounts of other people who were going through the same thing that I was who were reporting diagnoses of pots and Covid that I really felt like what I was going through could be put to words and not just a symptom of a life change or me being lazy.

Describe the symptoms and the timeline of the reaction.

I contracted COVID-19 in late 2021 and again in early 2022. And then around mid 2022 I got the vaccine so that I could participate in my bachelorette weekend because the event that we were going to require proof of vaccine. Then about November 2022 I started to decline in symptoms. And early 2023 I noticed that my heart rate was not acting normally. Currently I am in the process of getting diagnosed with a cardiologist.

Describe the solutions that helped your symptoms

I truthfully have not found many helpful solutions. I really have to push myself to feel good or as normal as possible. I am on a vitamin D supplement. I am anemic so I am on an iron supplement. I take electrolytes twice a day. I drink lots of water. But there are still more days than not where I feel like I can’t walk without my heart rate spiking over 150. I think the only helpful solution that I have found is exercising. By exercising, I mean, small brisk walks, they tend to make me feel good during the exercise, but afterwards I cannot function.

Which solutions were not helpful?

Rest can sometimes be an unhelpful solution for me. When I rest too much, it draws me further and further into some symptoms and it is hard for me to get up and get out of.

What would you like others to know?

Feeling like this has been extremely difficult for me. It has been a struggle to get people to understand what I am going through and not just people in my life but doctors as well. I cannot get a job because the physical requirements are too much for me. This has affected not just my everyday life, but every hour of my life. Even sleeping I cannot get away from the symptoms. The only respite is finding people who understand finding people who can help and knowing that they truly care about what I’m going through.

  • I certify that the statements made in the above submission are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief.
  • I agree to allow React 19 to share my testimonial publicly on its website, social media, or webinar platforms. I further understand that my testimonial will be posted publicly and React 19 cannot prevent third-parties from sharing it once public.
  • I agree to notify React 19 immediately should I discover inaccuracies in my testimonial in order to maintain the integrity of React 19's advocacy platform.
The individual experience shared above is offered for informational purposes only. React19 neither endorses nor recommends any treatment(s) noted therein. React19 does not diagnose medical conditions, offer treatment advice, treat illnesses, or prescribe medicine or drugs. It is strongly recommended that, prior to acting upon any information gleaned from a shared experience, you first consult a physician.