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ask: Pain in arm after flu shot

By ouch2 September 16, 2009 - 8:00pm
 
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I had a flu shot Sept. 2008 and remember it hurt when given. Since then I have pain in my upper arm and shoulder (it's now been a year). I believe it is nerve damage from the needle going to deep. I have had an MRI. meds and now going to Chiro with no relief. I cant't put my arm behind my back or lift it over my head and forget about putting weight on it. Does anyone know of relief for this condition?

Thanks

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Anonymous

I HAVE PAIN IN THE LEFT ARM FROM THE FLU SHOT. THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE THE PHARMIST HIT A SCARED MUSCLE BUT NOT SURE. WILL CALL DOCTOR ON MON. GOT THE SHOT ABOUT 4 WEEKS AGO AND NOT GETTING BETTER.

November 9, 2012 - 9:50pm
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Anonymous

Got my 18th or so flu shot in sept 2011 & had all the awful pain everyone on this site is talking about. GOOD NEWS!! I started taking Aleve 2/3 times a day (recommended dose is 2, but pharmacist told me I could take 3) and wow, it's almost completely healed! Chose Aleve b/c all this reading brought me to the conclusion that it was due to inflammation and Aleve is made just for that and Advil isn't as strong. I'm sure the DR could prescribe a stronger one, but he's the one who gave me the shot!! Next year, getting it in my butt, if at all...So posted so everyone might see this..pay it forward, you know?

February 16, 2012 - 11:20am
Susan Cody HERWriter Guide (reply to Anonymous)

Thank you so much for this post, Anon, and I'm glad you are feeling much better!

We will be sure to pass along this information - it's still a hot topic, as you can see.

Best,

~Susan

February 16, 2012 - 12:13pm
tangtang1 (reply to Susan Cody)

Hello,
Just checking in to say what is going on with my injury and job related assault with the high dose flu shot. Well, so far I have been going to the doctor and they have found I have bursitis and tendonitis around the shoulder joints. My arm has not healed since the attack January 27, 2007. A while ago I wrote you about an incident where I was attacked on the job after receiving a high dose flu shot in the pharmacy at the job. I filed a lawsuit against the company I worked for, and did not have a lawyer, because I could not afford one. This law suit has taken its' turn all on its' own. For some reason my case has been put on the internet and attorneys are calling me about the incident that happened on the job pertaining to the assault/attack. My arm still has not healed all the way like it should. Once you get a high dose flu shot or even a regular flu shot, take care of it just like you would take of something that is of value to you, because if you do not take care of it, then it will ruin. And this is with any doctoral service you may get in the future. And I would go back to the store where I got the shot, but the incident happened there. What would you do and how would you feel if you were in my shoes?

Thank you.

February 19, 2012 - 1:47pm
Susan Cody HERWriter Guide (reply to tangtang1)

Hi tangtang1

Thanks for your post.

As to how I would feel in your shoes - I'd feel absolutely terrible - one couldn't feel any other way. I'm very sorry these past 5 years have been so hard for you. Are you getting physical therapy for your arm? In light of all these problems from EmpowHER readers, I got the flu inhalent vaccination this year with no side effects, thankfully.

It's a good idea to file a complaint with the FDA, if you haven't already done this.

Best,

Susan

October 1, 2012 - 12:55pm
BDGwartney

I received a flu shot at the local Walmart Oct. 2011. A few days later I started having terrible pain in the upper arm where I received my shot. Every day, all day long since, I have suffered with pain. Sometimes it shoots down my arm. It hurts when I lift it to put on a shirt or take it off, to get something out of an upper cabinet, or even to touch it. It is very difficult to get comfortable at night and sleep. I usually wake up on my back b/c I can't sleep on my right side. I have no insurance that covers doctor visits, so I don't know what to do. I can't go and have numerous expensive tests if there is nothing that can be done about it. Does anyone know what has happened and why this is causing so much pain?????

January 30, 2012 - 9:16pm
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Anonymous

I had my flu shot 6 weeks ago into my left arm. It was given too close to the acromion process not in the deltoid where I would admin an intramuscular injection. (I'm a nurse). I had immediate pain/swelling/warmth at the site and severe pain in my forearm. Im experiencing a lot of the same symptoms as my fellow flu shot victims. Pain when mobilizing my arm, getting dressed, achy at rest, and increased pain when laying flat. The pain is in my rotator cuff, bicep, tricep, elbow, forearm, and 2 weeks ago my axillary nodes became swollen and tender and my left breast went up a cup size.
I've been seen by several different Physicians.....to get different opinions, and thats what I ended up with. Each gave me a different diagnosis from bursitis, tendonitis, nerve damage and frozen shoulder.But they all agreed that it was from an improper injection technique. I asked one of the Physiatrist at work his opinion, and he did a very thorough assessment. He thinks the flu shot was injected into the rotator cuff, causing rotator cuff tendonitis which then caused bicep tendonitis and possibly early frozen shoulder. The forearm and elbow is referred pain, and the swollen lymph nodes are a result of the inflammation. ( I have no other signs of infection, and had blood work to rule it out).
I'm unable to work.....the more I use my arm the worse it gets. I'm TRYING really hard to rest (I'm normally very active in sports), will start physio next week, and I'm booked for an ultrasound....so we'll see how it goes!
I've found advil 3x a day and application of heat most effective for my pain relief.....but I'm still very much suffering....not just the physical, but emotionally aswell. I have taken comfort in reading posts from others, but I can't wait for this nightmare to end.....for all of us!
I've reported this unfortunate accident the the nurse who gave me the shot, Occupational Health and Safety, Work Safe BC, and I will also be reporting this to the Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration, and Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
Mare

January 12, 2012 - 7:24pm
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Anonymous

the pain asssociated with the Flu shot has to be reported back to the office or store that you got the flu shot so it's recoreded. So many people complaining about the flu shot pain and doctors who don't believe them but nobody is talking about going back to where the flu shot was given to report this horrific side effect. You have to go back and complain to the person who gace you the shot so it's recoreded and reported back to the government. Dont deley report it right away!!!

January 11, 2012 - 2:34pm
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Anonymous

the pain asssociated with the Flu shot has to be reported back to the office or store that you got the flu shot so it's recoreded. So many people complaining about the flu shot pain and doctors who don't believe them but nobody is talking about going back to where the flu shot was given to report this horrific side effect. You have to go back and complain to the person who gace you the shot so it's recoreded and reported back to the government. Dont deley report it right away!!!

January 11, 2012 - 2:34pm
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Anonymous

Hello,
I am still having some difficulties too with the arm that was injured at work by my assistant manager/coworker. I will not give names. My arm is not better and I am still under the doctor's care. My arm locks up, throbs, and the pain is accommodated with shoulder pain also. And this happened in 2007. We were given a High Dose Flu shot while on a lunch break at work in the Pharmacy. When I looked down at that dose, it looked giant sized. I did not know at the time that the high dose would be extremely too much vaccine for me. My arm really swelled up before the attack. And I thought the high dose fluvaccine was for older people 65 and over. I am 48 years old. Strange.
Ivy

December 1, 2011 - 1:12pm
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