Living with Post-Vaccine Health Problems: Finding Support When You’ve Been Dismissed
For some Australians, COVID-19 vaccination brought unexpected and ongoing health challenges. People describe developing invisible illnesses, severe fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, nerve pain, and post-exertional malaise (PEM) crashes, that closely resemble conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, dysautonomia (including POTS), and Long COVID.
Many were left with an impossible choice: get another dose despite adverse effects, or risk losing their job, social freedoms, or access to services. For some, these mandates meant worsening illness, leaving them unable to work or participate in everyday life.
The Hidden Burden: Stigma and Dismissal
Living with post-vaccine health problems can be as emotionally draining as it is physically disabling. People often report:
Being dismissed by doctors or told symptoms are “just anxiety.”
Feeling ridiculed or stigmatised as “anti-vax,” despite following public health advice in good faith.
Experiencing medical gaslighting, where very real neurological and physical symptoms are minimised.
A deep sense of isolation and injustice, especially when official support schemes exclude their condition.
These experiences echo the struggles faced by people with other invisible illnesses: not being believed, and not being properly supported.
Why Do These Symptoms Happen?
The science is still emerging, but overlaps with other chronic, post-viral and dysautonomic conditions suggest mechanisms such as:
Nervous system dysregulation (fight-or-flight stuck “on”)
Autonomic dysfunction (causing dizziness, palpitations, POTS)
Post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PEM)
Nervous system sensitisation, where the body’s protective systems become over-activated
A Pathway Toward Recovery
At Heal & Thrive, we work with people living with invisible illnesses, including those who developed them after vaccination. While there’s no single cure, many find meaningful improvement through strategies such as:
Energy and symptom management (pacing) — learning to prevent “crashes”
Nervous system regulation — calming the fight-or-flight state through evidence-based mind-body practices
Pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) — reducing the brain’s overprotective responses
Autonomic support — practical tools for POTS and dysautonomia (breathing, tilt tolerance, gentle mobility)
Sleep and fatigue management — addressing the daily impact of exhaustion
Compassionate coaching — validating your experience and guiding a personalised recovery plan
You Are Not Alone
If you developed post-vaccine fatigue, brain fog, or dysautonomia, you may have felt silenced or stigmatised. But your symptoms are real, and you deserve care, understanding, and a pathway forward.
At Heal & Thrive, we specialise in supporting people with invisible illnesses, including post-vaccine syndromes. Together, we can work toward stability, recovery, and rebuilding your quality of life.
📞 Book a free intro consultation today to start your recovery journey.