1327HILLSDALE, NEW JERSEY — A 62-year-old graphic designer is lucky to be alive, but encourages others to follow her same path.
Mrs. Ellen Whitney received the experimental Johnson & Johnson viral vector shot on April 11, according to NJ.com. Seven days later, she felt general discomfort and pain when she took deep breaths. She read reports about adverse effects to the J&J shot and thought she might be having a reaction.
Symptoms persisted so she went to Lifeline Urgent Care on April 21. Dr. Rebecca Varghese told reporter Spencer Kent that Mrs. Whitney’s vital signs pointed to blood clots in her lungs. Mrs. Whitney went to the emergency room at the Valley Hospital in nearby Ridgewood. Sure enough, doctors diagnosed her with pulmonary embolisms (blood clots) in both lungs. She also had a collapsed lung.
Mrs. Whitney was immediately given the blood thinner Eliquis and will remain on it for at least three months. She was also placed on oxygen. Note that the latter simply means she had an oxygen mask placed on her face, and was not ventilated. She was given morphine for the breathing pain; and several follow-up tests were performed to ensure no other blood clots existed. Mrs. Whitney stayed in the hospital for five days before being discharged.
Both Dr. Varghese and the Valley Hospital doctors pointed directly at the J&J shot as the cause of the blood clots. The NJ.com article emphasized that these blood clots are “rare.” Mrs. Whitney understood the severity of her condition while at urgent care, acknowledging she could have died.
Despite the life-threatening ordeal and prospect of taking blood thinners for the rest of her life, Mrs. Whitney gave the experimental shots positive reviews. “I will get more vaccines. I just think this was a freak occurrence,” she said.
Watch the video report from NJ Spotlight News.