@larag thank you. You do the same. Praying and thinking as positively as I can for all of us.
Hi All. Thought I would share my experience. 15 years ago I had a booster polio vaccine because I was going to Namibia for work and there was a polio outbreak there (I live in South Africa). That same day (12 hours later) I started tingling all over. Pins and needles sensation all over my body. This lasted almost two years (tingled every day) before I was diagnosed by an excellent neurologist. He was the third neurologist I had seen. By this stage I had had numerous blood tests, epilepsy tests, MRI's, spinal tap - you name it. A different neurologist had the gall to tell me it was all in my head because all the tests came back fine. This third neurologist (the one who helped me) said that he thought the polio vaccine had damaged my peripheral nervous system (which would never recover by the way). Basically, a severe allergic reaction to the polio vaccine. Devastating news. By this stage I had developed a health anxiety, thought I had MS or ALS, couldn't concentrate at work, or enjoy life - it was debilitating. Sometimes wearing clothes was painful. He prescribed a drug called Trepiline. Within a week my symptoms went away. For 15 years I've been fine. If I stop the medication, I can feel the pins and needles. Sometimes (even though I'm on the medication) it will flare up if I'm stressed or have I have the flu or am very cold. But it resolves within a day or two. Trepiline saved my life. Now onto Covid. I was so hesitant to get the shot. My gut told me not to do it. But I didn't want to be in the position where I couldn't travel because I wasn't vaccinated. I eventually emailed my neurologist who advised he thought the Pfizer shot would be okay because it's a different vaccine to the polio one I had all those years ago. Had the first shot on 21 July 2021. To my relief, I was absolutely fine. 18 August 2021 I stated tingling again and it hasn't stopped for 2 weeks. It's as bad as it was 15 years ago. I am absolutely devastated and so damn angry at myself. There is no way I'm getting that second Pfizer shot. My medication is no longer working. I have an appointment with the neurologist on the 31st of August. The tingling/itching/burning sensation you feel is actually nerve pain (or a neuropathy). Your peripheral nervous system has been damaged. Mine never recovered but was managed by medication. You may be different. I popped a Trepiline pill every night and had no issues until I had that damn Pfizer shot. I should never have had it and I regret it with every fibre of my being. If anyone is interested, I'll post again after I've seen the neurologist on the 31st. Hang in there everyone.
@larag could you please provide the name of the Cyprus based guy? I'm so nervous to get my 2bd shot. Compared to many on this forum I had a mild case and mine seems to have subsided. I'd like to see what other common denominators we all have I'm an RN, and being told this was not covid related bothers me. It feels politically motivated, rather then medically minded. How many symptoms reported all over the world aren't being accredited as side effects and why do this!?
@stacie I completely feel your feelings. I was EXACTLY the same. I was a complete wreck when my symptoms first presented themselves. I think your rights... it's the shock and fear as its so unexpected and unknown. But in time you will start to relax which will help your symptoms. Do not let anyone tell you it's anxiety. If you see a Dr and your a mess they will instantly not take you seriously and say panic attack... that's what I learnt anyway. I still need answers and I'm going to be waiting a very long time until I get them. But I have to ride with it now. We cannot turn back time and undo this. We have to focus on what we can do. Have you been to a Dr yet? Xx
@carmenm I would definitely like an update please. I'm desperate for answers but I have been referred to neurology but the wait is months 😔
@account6 nobody can be held accountable as it is all still in a trial phase until 2023 so technically we are all volunteers. Something I didn't know when I took the Pfizer jab.
Unfortunately he couldn't say if it was permanent or temporary because they just don't know. The Dr's are kind of the same as us... we have no idea what this jab will do. I'm so mad at myself for having it now. If it is nerve damage though then that is permanent so I'm not too hopeful for myself but who knows.
We just have to keep everything crossed and hope for the best I guess.
Xx
Hi everyone, I’m 3 months post my first Pfizer shot in May, I was experiencing dizziness, headaches, vibration, and muscle spasms.
In July those symptoms we’re starting to go away and I thought my body was recovering, but in August I started experiencing new symptoms. The muscle spasms came back full force, I used to get them in my legs but Now I get them everywhere, pins and needles in my feet, pain/numbness in my hands, tender like bruise feeling in different spots, stiffness in joints, back pain and nerve pain. I swear it’s a different symptom I deal with every week and they keep coming and going!!
it’s so weird!
I feel like I have long covid again but worse! At least long covid didn’t mess with my joints!
Ive been trying to tell my Doctor for past 3months but he’s constantly keeps dismissing me so now I have to find another doctor.
Im so frustrated! I regret getting that vaccine every single day!
I have been following this thread for several weeks now. I don't know what my symptoms are attributed to but figured I would update this group to offer a little light at the end of the tunnel.
I woke up on July 3 in the middle of the night with tingling in my arms and legs. I had COVID on December 31, 2020, then got my two Pfizer shots beginning of May and beginning of June. Symptoms started July 3rd.
IMmediately googled it and thought I was having a stroke. WEnt to urgent care, explained my symptoms, they said to go to neurology. I got an MRI (sister is in medical field so got me in that next week) and my brain MRI was normal. At this point, I was having partial numbness, tingling throughout my entire body (not all at the same time but was scary). Thought I had MS. Over the next several weeks my symptoms ranged from the partial numb feeling literally everywhere on my body to tingling, to dizziness, to extreme fatigue, to feeling "brain fog", to not processing temperature well. I also had ZERO appetite. I've lost ten pounds.... not sure if this was stress related. I live in Midwest and was wearing jeans and a sweater in 90 degree temps. It was weird. Continued to think I had MS, so got a spinal tap, two MRIs of my spine and brain, all came back normal. Which was relieving to an extent but my symptoms persisted. Another symptom I have is weird vision stuff... like not scary but sometimes I'm really sensitive to light and feel like I lose focus easily.
I have gone on 25MG of zoloft to help my anxiety over what is wrong with me. I also have been taking vitamin D, B, iron, magnesium and fish oil (I had low iron in my blood). I also tested psitive for hashimotos enzymes (but thyroid hormone levels seem to be normal). Anyways its 8/26 and I still have some partial numbness but its not as bad. I also have dizzy spells. I have been taking dramamine for that and that helps me (I just take it when symptoms pop up).
I do feel like my symptoms are gradually improving. I don't know if that is from the supplements or just time. It's been 8 weeks for me and I hope they just keep on improving.
I went to endochrynolgoist this week for blood work and have a follow up with my neurologist next week.
I am encouraged that my symptoms seem to be slowly going away. I was to a point where I couldn't function some days (I have four little kids and am 35 year old female).
Hope this helps someone!
I have just found these two articles:
https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2021211374
https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/advance-article/doi/10.1093/qjmed/hcab216/6339673
@carmenm Definitely post how the visit goes with the neurologist. I'm curious if the word is finally getting out to the neurologists about these reactions that some of us are having. My doctor doesn't seem to be getting any info from the medical community about this. Also you mentioned itching as one of your symptoms. I was told that the itching was due to high histamine levels. And I'm taking allergy pills which seem to help. But when I get an itching flare up it comes with flushing, and the itching feels deep, not on the surface. Not everyone who posts about tingling is necessarily having the itching too. You also mentioned stress. My flare ups also seem to be connected to stress. Anyway, thanks for jumping in. And keep us posted.
Hi Carmenm. I am sorry to hear your story. Alot of us going through the same symptoms like myself, will be so sad at these findings. I am now 9 weeks after second astra zenica. I was hopeful that symptoms would go but now I am not so sure after you have had it for so long. I have read so many reports trying to do my own research as still waiting on my neurologist appointment (from uk)
My thoughts on this is that the adverse reaction is an autoimmune response that attacks the healthy nerves. I am now thinking if I hadn't had vaccine and got covid then covid itself might have triggered the nerve endings to still react in this way. Only because some people who have had covid have also been left with nerve problems. Mine effects my hands arms and toes. With tingling, burning, numbness and aching. It has been extremely frightening. It started slightly after first astazenica but only lasted a week . I mentioned it to the doctor via phone call but they told me the advise is to go for second as these were not on the list of adverse reactions. I had second and on day 5, I was hit with all of the above mentioned but on a big scale. I thought I was going to die or be left paralysed. I would say by week 4 it improved but only slightly. I still have very uncomfortable days and I feel frustrated, angered and sad at why these reports are not being made publically aware of.
I will certainly report back next week. I'm tingling very badly today. The itching I spoke about is a weird sensation - I don't feel like I need to scratch when it happens - it's more like something that's very deep - almost a burning sensation. Like I said above - it's actually nerve pain. I'm fortunate in that in South Africa we have excellent medical specialists and if you are on private medical aid, you can see the specialists pretty quickly. The drug I am on (that helped me for years after the polio vaccine) is called 'amitriptyline' - originally used to treat depression - but when taken at a low dose (like me) it can reduce or stop pain. It's prescribed for many long-term conditions - back pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, arthritis, bed wetting in children, insomnia and damage to nerve endings which may be described to you as peripheral neuropathy. The latter is what I have and I suspect many of you have (I'm by no means a doctor though. Just speaking from my experience - two adverse reactions now as a result of vaccines). Raise the issue of peripheral neuropathy with your doctors as a result of the covid vaccine. You may also want to chat to your doctors about the drug. Google it too.
I'm really happy I found you all! I had my first shot of moderna late July of this year and had the usual side affects of sore arm, head ache, etc etc it wasn't until I got the second dose that all of the tingling and pins and pricks started happening. Went to the ER twice and they chocked it up to panic attacks and sent me home with some Robaxin 🙄... CT scans and blood work came back normal but I went ahead and scheduled an appointment with my PCM. I will definitely bring this up to her. Although I am terrified of what we'll find it she recommends MRIs as I have horrible horrible health anxiety. If anyone has any tips that they can share with me to make life a little easier I'd greatly appreciate it haha!