| After my 2nd child was born, I took the rubella vaccine at my "6-week check-up". Four weeks later I developed a rash covering my hands, elbows, knees, and ankles, which hurt. Dermatologist and infectious disease specialist didn't know what it was. Exactly 7 days later, like an unexpected lightning bolt from out of "nowhere", excrutiating pain shot down both my arms. For 3 days & nights I was up and moving about the pain was so terribly severe...only pail after pail of hot water helped somewhat. Because of the severity of joint pain I saw a rheumatologistwho was the first one to pick up, in the first 5 minutes of intake, that I'd just had the rubella vaccine. Put me on prednisone and anti-inflammatories...said her other two patients had been hospitalized for a week. Got splints and went to rehab for two years. Paralysis was so bad I couldn't hold a fork or spoon, button a blouse, or hold a pencil. I could only cradle my newborn in my knees. I've never felt such pain, and had two difficult natural childbirths!! The intense lethargy, muscle weakness and flare-ups, whenever I got a cold/flu persisted for years, although hand movement improved. Ten years later, after losing jobs due to cognitive impairment and muscle weakness so bad i could no longer walk, and tremor, I was dx'd with Graves Disease. Had RAI treatment. Developed severe Thyroid Eye Disease which has disabled me totally. After 3 years, I am "technically" euthyroid, but still have many , full-blown symptoms of the initial gbs. Next stop is neurologist. I had one Hep B vaccine and spun-out with immediate, severe negative reaction...I'll never get another vaccine, I don't care what anyone says. I have crippling migraines, muscle weakness, and painful joints, lost my marriage, house, car, etc. to an unsupportive, sadistic spouse who couldn't cope, took children and started from scratch, then wiped out by Graves Disease. My children are grown, are the greatest kids, big hearts, bright, funny, hard-workers, pursuing higher ed.....but I'm seeing telltale signs of autoimmune disease in each of them. Epstein-Barre, Lyme disease dx, endometriosis and ovarian cysts in one; sub-clinical hypothyroid symptoms in the other. It's all related. I wish I had recourse to a government remuneration program all these years later, because I went from being a high career gal to a disabled housebound person who's lost much vision, cannot walk far or fast, cognitive functions deteriorating, and trying to figure out how to live on SSDI alone. The TV show 20/20 ran a segment on rubella vaccine and gbs in January, years ago...research being done by a Dr. Aubrey Tingle in Toronto. I should write him to see what's been learned! Mine was extreme...sure hope yours is mild and short term. -ArtAngel3@aol.com |