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Rheumatic disease from flu shot

Posted , 6 users are following.

brayn
brayn

I am required to get a yearly flu shot (or wear a mask from December  through April) at my place of employment. I have been at this job 3 years. Four days after this years flu shot my right eye turned red. Two days after that I woke up to not being able to move my right arm due to extreme shoulder pain. Then my left eye turned red. Over the next few weeks more sore swollen joints and fiinally being diagnsed with nodular sclerits associated with rheumatic autoimmune disease. I am waiting to see a rheumatologist. The doctor said something triggered the autoimmune disease in me. They say they cannot prove it was the flu shot but it appears to be too bg of a coincidence to dismiss as coincidence. I am very sad and have pain and swelling in both knees, both shoulders, both elbows, right foot, both hips. It has just moved in to both index fingers and thumbs. Please educate yourselves and loved ones about the real risks of the flu shot before getting one. There are documented cases of this happening since the seventies and probably many more undocumented. No one informed me of these kinds of risks. sad

1 like, 30 replies

30 Replies

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  • cindy52759
    cindy52759 brayn

    Posted

    I was diagnosed with RA a  little less than 2 years ago.  At first I fought the meds, thought I could do it through vitamins and juicing.  I just got worse to a point I could barely move.  I finally said to the rheumatologist give me anything just take away the pain.  I already have in my right hand joint disformity but hopefully with meds, I shouldn't get anymore.  I've been told that if you don't take the meds you will definitely damage the affected joints so whatever they put you on, stay on it!
    • Jan999
      Jan999 cindy52759

      Posted

      cindy I was hoping to resist the medication when I see the rheumatologist in February. What medication did you get prescribed if you don't mind me asking?
  • cindy52759
    cindy52759 brayn

    Posted

    I'm on methotrexate, sulfazine, and plaquenil.  I am not pain free by any means but at least I can get out of bed and function during the day.  I am switching doctors and go in on Tuesday.  I'm hoping she will help in eliminating the pain instead of just managing it.  What do you take?
    • Jan999
      Jan999 cindy52759

      Posted

      At the moment I've only been prescribed pain relief by my GP because as I said I'm yet to see a rheumatologist. I take Codeine Phosphate, Nefopam and Naproxen. Because I don't tolerate anti inflammatories well I also take Omeprazole but even then I do occasionally get epigastric pain.
    • cindy52759
      cindy52759 Jan999

      Posted

      You will need to go on something for the inflammation and the joint damage.  Listen to the doctor because it is not going to get better.  It is a progressive disease.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 cindy52759

      Posted

      Yes that's what I thought. It's just that the medication has so many side effects. I need to do my homework before my appointment in February.
    • cindy52759
      cindy52759 Jan999

      Posted

      Yes it does but everyone is affected differently.  And I'm not an expert on it.  Some of these people on the forum have had it 20 years and some have commented that their meds worked for them for years and then suddenly they weren't working or they were getting side effects from them that they never had before.
    • Jan999
      Jan999 cindy52759

      Posted

      Well I'll wait and see what February brings. Thanks for your advice cindy.
  • brayn
    brayn

    Posted

    Does any know why in not quite 5 weeks I have so many sore joints. Is this a foreshadow of what joints will be attacked? Mild swelling, not red or warm. Pain and mild swelling. But seems very aggressive. Both knees, both shoulders, both hips, both feet but different areas, both elbows, both index fingers and thumbs.

    Some joints feel pain to the touch on the bone.

    • Light
      Light brayn

      Posted

      Bryan, if it's RA, the pain does move around, attacks some joints and then leaves those and moves to others. And remission also happens and then it all goes away.

      Neither you nor Matron need be too afraid of the meds.

      The pharmas have to list all possible side effects to cover themselves against litigation, so it looks much worse than it is. There will be some, most likely, but the drugs also make such a difference to your life, you wouldn't be advised to try to by-pass them.

      And keep in mind that every body – and I mean body – responds differently.

      Joint damage usually takes time, but most likely will happen if you don't take the meds.

      I have three friends with RA who did not take the meds and regretted it. One, like you, was a guitar player and ended up playing slide guitar because he lost movement in his joints. Of the other two, one had severe joint damage and one had very little joint damage.

      Long term suggestion is to take the meds but find alternatives to support the system in fighting side effects.

      I've had RA for eight years with no joint damage.

      So take heart, both of you.

    • Jan999
      Jan999 Light

      Posted

      Thank you Light. I feel more reassured after reading your post.
    • brayn
      brayn Light

      Posted

      Hey thanks Light. Appreciate the information. I saw my GP today and he had me in for a longer than normal appoitment. He said my blood work is not pointing to anything but that I do have some form of rheumatic arthritis.

      He said he doesn't think it is RA but I guess I have to see the rheumatologist for verification. My GP said he has some patients that can never quite be put in to any verified diagnoses. Polyarthritis. I am hoping I can keep playing guitar. Anyone have any views on Naturopaths. I saw one yesterday who said they could reset my immune system by giving me a low dose oral flu vaccine they referred to it as "hair of the dog". I am not sure if I should take this seriously or not. I would like to believe but it sounds too good to be true. My doctor also said it was probably the flu shot triggered the autoimmune response. He said ethnicity may be against me though as it has it has been observed that people of Northern European ancentry appear to be inflicted by autimmune disorders more so than the rest of the population.

  • Angela345
    Angela345 brayn

    Posted

    Hi Brayn. I developed Polymyalgia just after my first ever flu shot in 2013, and had a nasty flare just after my 2nd flu shot this year. Angela 
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