Taiwanese fitness instructor says she found blood clots in her lungs after getting the AstraZeneca jab

As the world gears up to live with endemic Covid-19, more and more people are getting their jabs to get inoculated against the virus. Unfortunately, some, like Taiwan-based singer Kelly Poon, say they've experienced some nasty side effects after receiving the jab.

Just weeks after Kelly shared her experience, popular Taiwanese fitness instructor and influencer Melody Wan, who also goes by the moniker Muscle Mummy, took to her social media platforms to share that she had experienced blood clots in her lungs shortly after getting the AstraZeneca vaccine. 

In her Facebook and Instagram posts on Saturday (Aug 21), the 39-year-old said that two days after getting her first jab, she started wheezing and had faint stomach pains at night.

The next morning, she went to the doctor and was told that she had a mild to moderate pulmonary embolism caused by venous thromboembolism (VTE). 

According to WebMD, a pulmonary embolism is a dangerous condition that happens when a blood clot travels to your lung, and can be life-threatening. 

Her doctor explained that her symptoms could have been caused by blood clots that formed in one of her lower limbs.  

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Melody also shared that she has to take anticoagulant medication for three to six months. She will need to get blood test done after a month to see if her pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) has fallen, she added. 

While her doctor could not confirm if the AstraZeneca vaccine had caused Melody's pulmonary embolism, she was told to stay on the safe side and only take her second dose when her health improves, much to her dismay.

"I feel very upset now that I can't finish the second dose," she lamented. "I can only comfort myself with the fact that the vaccine may have helped me find out that I have VTE."

While a study in Denmark and Norway has shown that the AstraZeneca vaccine does raise blood clot rates after the first dose, researchers stress that these side effects "are extremely rare, and the benefits of the vaccine still outweigh the risks in most situations."

No matter the cause, Melody shares that the silver lining of her health scare is that she has been reminded to appreciate her life and loved ones even more.

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"After 2019, I have once again realised how fragile life is and how people may die at any time," she wrote. 

In 2019, Melody's husband JZ Woo, also a fitness instructor, suffered a stroke at the young age of 37 and is still in the process of recovery. 

Additionally, Melody urges people who have been vaccinated to monitor their health and "not to ignore the physical warnings".

While Melody's experience is unfortunate, this should not deter you from getting vaccinated.

AstraZeneca vaccine safe for all age groups above 18, say experts

According to the European Medicines Agency, the AstraZeneca vaccine can be used for all age groups above 18 and has a good risk-benefit profile for all age groups, particularly those over the age of 60, so the elderly don't have to fret too much. 

Another study showed that two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are nearly as effective against the Delta variant as it is against the Alpha variant.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is currently available in Singapore under the Special Access Route (SAR), which allows private licensed healthcare institutions to bring it in and administer it. 

Those who have taken the AstraZeneca vaccine, as well as other vaccines under the SAR, such as Johnson & Johnson and Sinovac, are eligible for vaccination-differentiated safe management measures, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced on Aug 6. 

melissateo@asiaone.com