A young horse jumping champion suffered blood clots following a reaction to the Moderna vaccine. Igomen Allen, 22, was told by doctors that blood clots had formed on her lungs two weeks after she was vaccinated, according to The Daily Mail. Doctors believe the adverse reaction could have been triggered by a combination of the jab and contraceptive pills. Experts described the condition as “extremely rare.”
Doctors are unsure whether or not the 22-year-old will ever be able to ride a horse again. She will also be required to take blood-thinning medication for the remainder of her life. Allen had hoped to become a police detective and had recently secured a job as a police officer, though she will now be unable to perform the role. She hopes to reapply in the future if her health improves.
“I was always wary of something happening, and it shows that I had every right to be, because look at me now,” Allen told The Daily Mail. Allen was diagnosed with a bilateral pulmonary thromboembolism after collapsing while on a family vacation last month. Allen said her symptoms began on July 24 when she was feeling tired after climbing stairs. Over the next few days, she became increasingly tired while performing basic tasks. “Even brushing my teeth and hair I was panting and had to take breaks,” Allen said.
Allen still chose to go on vacation but nearly collapsed while hiking up a steep hill. After that it was recommended an ambulance be called but she opted to go to the hospital by car with her boyfriend. After a night in the hospital, she was informed of the blood clots. She ultimately spent four days in the hospital.
Doctors said that it was “certain” that Allen had suffered an adverse reaction to the Moderna vaccine. They added that she could have been more susceptible due to her use of contraceptive pills since she was 17. Dr. Fehrat Uddin stated that “there is a small increased risk of blood clots when taking the combined contraceptive pill, which we counsel women about when starting the pill.” Uddin added that the “risk of contracting COVID-19” was higher than developing blood clots.
In May, Norway’s Institute of Public Health recommended that the government ban both the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines due to side effects. BBC radio host Lisa Shaw, 44, died following a blood clot in her brain that formed due to an adverse reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Moderna hasn’t had nearly as many issues with blood clots as AstraZeneca, though Allen’s case is far from the only one.
It has been reported that Moderna has made over $12 billion following the rollout of their COVID-19 vaccines. On August 5, the company announced that waning effectiveness after six months will likely require a booster shot.