Re: Neurological Reaction to Vaccine

Posted By CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS on April 15, 1999 at 18:03:35
Topic Area: Neurology - General
In late November, I received a TD vaccine because I stepped on a carpet nail in my house and hadn't had a vaccine in 10 years. The following day or two, my arms started to tingle and grow numb. As the week progressed, I felt like I was getting a bad flu and my arms, esp. the one I had the shot in, were weak, tingling, etc.  Over the next weeks, I grew lightheaded and started experiencing twitching in my thighs and face about 10/day....
By 9 days after the vaccine, I could barely get out of bed and lifting my arms was almost impossible. The triceps muscle in both arms was weak, burning, tingling, etc.  I was bedridden for over 6 weeks. In December, Jan. and Feb. I saw many doctors, including a neurologist who examined me and ordered an MRI of my brain, one of my cervical spine, a spinal tap and an EMG. All were normal.  I have had extensive blood work, the only abnormality being a slightly elevated ANA level (which I later found out that my mother and sister both have).  I have had a full exam by a neruo-opthamologist, an ENT and a rheumotologist to look for causes for my lightheadedness and other symptoms. Again, all exams were perfect.  Nothing could be found.
It's been agreed upon that I am having an autoimmune reaction to the TD vaccine that is manifesting itself in neuro. ways.  All agree that it should go away gradually over the next months, but the CONSTANT lightheadedness is really worrying me.  My drs. can find no cause/medication for this, and i was wondering if you'd ever heard of it or had any suggestions....This feeling worsens considerably in fluorescent lighting.  Is 4 months an unusually long course for such an odd reaction??  Thank you for you advice!




Dear Paige:
As I was reading your posting, I was thinking that it has been reported that diptheria can give a Guillian-Barre like reaction, and the Td vaccine is a live virus vaccine.  But the EMG would have been diagnostic unless it was done within 3 weeks of the reaction.  In addition, the LP would have been abnormal unless it was done very early in the reaction.  So, I would agree that what you experienced was an autoimmune reaction of some sort.  Nothing that you don't already know.  Actually, the duration of reaction varies from patient to patient.  It depends on the intensity of the autoimmune reaction and it sounds like your reaction was fairly bad.  I would think that 6 months to 1 year would be more in line with the symptoms that you describe.  When you describe lightheadedness, are you describing feeling faint.  If this is what you have, does it worsen when you get up from lying down or sitting in a chair?  Is it worse when you stand versus lie down?  If these things are true then you likely are suffering from alittle postural hypotension.  This would not be uncommon considering your symptoms.  If this is the case, then I would recommend drinking a good 8 glasses of water a day, take your time in getting up, and approach life at a slower pace.  If your feeling dizzy, like the room is spinning (I doubt if this is what your feeling, but if it is) then this too can be a part of the autoimmune reaction.  This would be more of a neuronitis of the cranial nerve that operates your balance.  It too will pass.
It must be very frustrating to do things right, get the injection and then suffer the side effects.  I hope that things get better rapidly.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro[P] MD











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