I don't know if this forum is still active but since the last post was in late 2017 I'll go ahead and give it a shot (no pun intended) and share my story.
I recieved the flu shot at the end of October 2017. It was administered by a "nurse" at my workplace medical center who, quite frankly, looking back on it came across inept at best. I should've went with my gut and backed out but rationally I felt like my fears were unfounded so I went ahead with it. When she went forward and gave me the injection she gave it in an unusually high location on my arm--practically right into the shoulder joint. During the initial injection there was a slight burning pain. Soon after I felt as if somebody had punched me in the arm. Thinking it was just a routine reaction to the injection and the vaccine I brushed it off. Over the next 24 to 48 hours the pain worsened dramatically. It increased to the point where I could barely move my arm. I was in so much pain that my quality of life was greatly reduced over the next several weeks. It was next to impossible to do something as simple as put on a jacket or shave, use the bathroom, or dress myself without experiencing horrible pain using my arm. I could not sleep on that arm and in fact had trouble sleeping for a good month after the injection because the pain was so severe that it would wake me up multiple times at night and I would have to adjust myself accordingly. It hurt just to move or get out of bed and I had to take it slow for several weeks. Over the next two to three months I regain mobility of my arm again but it was not the same. Almost 6 months later I'm still suffering from chronic pain daily. There's a persistent ache at the injection site and in an area about the size of a fist surrounding the location. The pain will lessen at times but doing even routine housework, minor yard work, or carrying groceries is enough to spark a painful flare-up that can last for days. I still have limited mobility in my arm and have trouble with certain movements like reaching across my chest, out to my side, behind my back, or above my head. I am limited as far as workout routines go and can no longer lift even a 5 or 10 lb free weight with that arm or do a push up or yoga. Basically anything involving that arm has to be ruled out and I'm always having to find ways to work around it. Any weight put on that arm causes a painful burning aching fatigue almost equal to what it feels like when you weight lift to the point of failure and can't lift a single rep more.
The worst part about all of this is that I reported the injury to my workplace medical center and gave them the date and time of my injection. They acknowledged the fact that I was experiencing pain but recommended very little in the way of treatment beyond icing it and ibuprofen, neither of which work (in fact I haven't found a single OTC painkiller that has). I've even gone to see a deep tissue massage therapist in hopes that I would see some relief to no avail. In fact that just seemed to aggravate it. To add insult to injury the medical center at work had no record of the nurse who gave me the injection so I can't even identify the person involved in the botched job.
I know with absolute certainty that it was the injection that caused this pain and injury. Before receiving my flu shot I have never experienced any pain in that joint. I never experienced an injury related to either work or physical activity outside of work to that arm. I felt perfectly fine. It was within hours and then the preceding days following the shot that the pain immediately began and has persisted ever since. A month prior to the injection I was on layoff from work so I wasn't even actively working to have injured it. I also did not experience a fall, an injury of any kind, nor was involved in any workout routine at the time of previous to injection so for anyone to tell me that it wasn't directly related to the injection is bull. I'm just terrified now because I'm months away from returning to work and this pain and injury have yet to subside and my job is heavily reliant on using my arms and lifting weight and using reaching and pulling motions and to think about what further injury or pain it may cause is giving me anxiety. While on layoff I also don't have medical coverage so I'm not able to go to a doctor and experience any sort of relief or therapy or even get an MRI or X-ray for them to look at what could possibly be wrong. I'm only 30 and to think that I may be looking at a painful lifelong chronic condition that could have been easily avoided is mortifying, especially given my job position. This entire situation is putting my livelihood at jeopardy. I regret the day I went in and got that flu shot and I will never be getting another one ever again because of this. I just can't afford to risk it.
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I don't know if this forum is still active but since the last post was in late 2017 I'll go ahead and give it a shot (no pun intended) and share my story.
I recieved the flu shot at the end of October 2017. It was administered by a "nurse" at my workplace medical center who, quite frankly, looking back on it came across inept at best. I should've went with my gut and backed out but rationally I felt like my fears were unfounded so I went ahead with it. When she went forward and gave me the injection she gave it in an unusually high location on my arm--practically right into the shoulder joint. During the initial injection there was a slight burning pain. Soon after I felt as if somebody had punched me in the arm. Thinking it was just a routine reaction to the injection and the vaccine I brushed it off. Over the next 24 to 48 hours the pain worsened dramatically. It increased to the point where I could barely move my arm. I was in so much pain that my quality of life was greatly reduced over the next several weeks. It was next to impossible to do something as simple as put on a jacket or shave, use the bathroom, or dress myself without experiencing horrible pain using my arm. I could not sleep on that arm and in fact had trouble sleeping for a good month after the injection because the pain was so severe that it would wake me up multiple times at night and I would have to adjust myself accordingly. It hurt just to move or get out of bed and I had to take it slow for several weeks. Over the next two to three months I regain mobility of my arm again but it was not the same. Almost 6 months later I'm still suffering from chronic pain daily. There's a persistent ache at the injection site and in an area about the size of a fist surrounding the location. The pain will lessen at times but doing even routine housework, minor yard work, or carrying groceries is enough to spark a painful flare-up that can last for days. I still have limited mobility in my arm and have trouble with certain movements like reaching across my chest, out to my side, behind my back, or above my head. I am limited as far as workout routines go and can no longer lift even a 5 or 10 lb free weight with that arm or do a push up or yoga. Basically anything involving that arm has to be ruled out and I'm always having to find ways to work around it. Any weight put on that arm causes a painful burning aching fatigue almost equal to what it feels like when you weight lift to the point of failure and can't lift a single rep more.
The worst part about all of this is that I reported the injury to my workplace medical center and gave them the date and time of my injection. They acknowledged the fact that I was experiencing pain but recommended very little in the way of treatment beyond icing it and ibuprofen, neither of which work (in fact I haven't found a single OTC painkiller that has). I've even gone to see a deep tissue massage therapist in hopes that I would see some relief to no avail. In fact that just seemed to aggravate it. To add insult to injury the medical center at work had no record of the nurse who gave me the injection so I can't even identify the person involved in the botched job.
I know with absolute certainty that it was the injection that caused this pain and injury. Before receiving my flu shot I have never experienced any pain in that joint. I never experienced an injury related to either work or physical activity outside of work to that arm. I felt perfectly fine. It was within hours and then the preceding days following the shot that the pain immediately began and has persisted ever since. A month prior to the injection I was on layoff from work so I wasn't even actively working to have injured it. I also did not experience a fall, an injury of any kind, nor was involved in any workout routine at the time of previous to injection so for anyone to tell me that it wasn't directly related to the injection is bull. I'm just terrified now because I'm months away from returning to work and this pain and injury have yet to subside and my job is heavily reliant on using my arms and lifting weight and using reaching and pulling motions and to think about what further injury or pain it may cause is giving me anxiety. While on layoff I also don't have medical coverage so I'm not able to go to a doctor and experience any sort of relief or therapy or even get an MRI or X-ray for them to look at what could possibly be wrong. I'm only 30 and to think that I may be looking at a painful lifelong chronic condition that could have been easily avoided is mortifying, especially given my job position. This entire situation is putting my livelihood at jeopardy. I regret the day I went in and got that flu shot and I will never be getting another one ever again because of this. I just can't afford to risk it.
April 29, 2018 - 12:16pmThis Comment
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