Is it normal for my arm muscle in my shoulder to hurt 2 weeks after flu shot?

I received the flu shot on September 20th, 2010. I ended up going to a neurologist and he said there is a molecule in it that attacts the nervous system and this is why my are is still hurting and today is November8th. So, now i am going through numerous tests to see how much nerve damage i have in my arm. I have gotten the flu shot for years until now, I will not allow ANYONE in my family to ever get this again.

I took my 2nd steroid in the shoulder 2 weeks ago and it did not last as long as the 1st one that I took 6 months ago. I am getting no lasting relief from the pain. I have filed a claim now with the FDA..it has been over a year and I am affected significantly by this pain. It has changed my life to say the least! I am still working, but I can not get by a single day without taking Naproxen EC for the pain or using a Ketoprofen cream. The only thing that I have not tried is acupuncture..but since I have spent thousands of dollars and 9 months of Physical therapy and MRI's and CT scans..it sure couldn't hurt. I am a medical professional and I can tell you with 100% certainty that the shot was given correctly. It is supposed to be given high up in the deltoid approximately 3-4 fingers widths from the boniest part of shoulder joint. (a couple of inches down from that bony point and square in the deltoid) I am not alone in this..I have a couple of co-workers in the same position. :-( Funny how shoulder docs and ortho docs say that they "have never heard of this problem"..where have they been???

UPDATE: OK, since the shoulder started hurting Sunday the 17th (after finishing the Medrol on the 13th) the pain kinda came and went during the following week. However, last Friday Oct 22nd I woke up with my shoulder hurting really bad and locked up/difficult to move. With heat and meds I was able to get dressed and come into work later. So back to the doc that afternoon. He talked with the shoulder doc and they gave me two choices. Either try a longer 10 day round of steriods (5,5,4,4,3,3,2,2,1,1) which isn't great for you but they felt it was a valid choice given my med history, or off to the shoulder doc for steriod shot in the shoulder. My doctor told me it was my choice but he was 51% to 49% for the steriod shot. I guess I just wasn't ready for that so I am on day 7 of the 10 day steriods. I also began taking the Mobic this morning since today is a 2 pill steriod day. Of course the steriods helped within 24 hours but I feel like maybe this course did not have as dramatic a result (maybe my imagination) as the first one.

I guess I keep hoping that during the interim there will be enough improvement that I won't need to have further treatment. Although at this point that hope has been dashed a bit. The shoulder doc told my GP that he had never heard of anyone having this problem but at least did not say it couldn't happen or was in my head. My GP asked that I print him off the "good stuff" that I found in my hours of research for him to look at...which is one of the reasons I really like my GP. He doesn't think he knows everything and actually listens to and responds to patient issues without already having formed an opinion that can't be swayed.

At work last Friday I asked my boss how his wife's shoulder was doing and he told me she had been back to the doctor and was now on a Medrol Pak, that it really helped, etc. you know the story. They both know my experience with the steriods and I need to ask again how she is doing since finishing the Medrol.

I am very apprehensive about what will happen after I finish the steriods. It's almost kinda cruel that you can take something that really gives relief but it's not good for you and it is not a solution. So this is do or die, if the pain does not return (crossed fingers) I'm good. However, if it again becomes such that I cannot perform daily functions without a lot of pain I will get the steriod injection. I have had several fellow sufferers inform me that's what finally gave them relief. One was in pain for 7 months until the shot, says it's been good now 3 months post-shot.

So, guess I'll make it through Halloween semi-pain free depending on my costume choice! I am also taking my first ballroom dance class tonight (I really suck) which I imagine will get my mind off my shoulder for a few days while my feet, knees and hips hurt ha!

Six weeks since the flu shot and still counting....

I had the flu shot Oct. 10, 2010 and immediately I had pain down my left arm where I had the shot. The nurse said to rub it an move it a lot. That seemed to make it worse. It hurt so bad that I was nauseated driving home. It did not hurt where the needle went in but it hurt in my joint and also in the muscle. I could not lift my arm for two weeks. On Oct. 24, I had an acupuncture treatment to help relieve the pain which helped a lot. I even went to the doctor on Oct 26, 2010 to see if something was seriously wrong. He said they must have hit a muscle. I agree that this should be known and told to people before the shot. I have never experienced anything like this before. CD

UPDATE: I began taking the Mobic (7.5mg daily) when I had was on day 4 of the Medrol dose pak. That was Monday the 11th and I took the last steriod Wednesday the 13th. All was good until Sunday the 17th. I woke up with my arm and shoulder hurting and my fingers tingling/numb. I do not believe I did anything to aggrevate it...guess the steriods lasted a bit longer this time. And now there is a NEW symptom. My shoulder is popping and cracking some. It has NEVER done that before...I don't know if it is a good sign or a bad sign. Very frustrated...the next step is have my GP refer me to a shoulder guy. I cannot afford MRIs and Physical Therapy.

It has now been 5 weeks since the Flu Shot. I found out that the wives of two of our employees are having the same problems (they rec'd the shot the same day I did at the office). The younger one who is in her 30s is doing better but not over it. The one that is around my age 50s is still having trouble like I am. Today is Tuesday the 19th and the pain is less than Sunday. I am taking 15mg daily of Mobic (rather than the prescribed 7.5mg) since Sunday and maybe that is helping a bit. Pain on Sunday was about a 7 or 8. Today maybe 5 or 6 unless I move in one of the many ways that aggrevates the condition.

So not planning on going back to the doc but if the pain continues with no more improvement or gets worse...guess I will. I hate to think that I've got to live with this pain for another 6 mos or a year...
:-(

I am one year into continual pain since having the flu shot Oct. 7 2009 at a National Chain drugstore. Like others, my shot was administered high on my shoulder and I remember thinking that it seemed odd. Excruciating pain started within the hour of receiving the shot and did not subside for a few days. I have had sharp pains and limited range of motion ever since. My PCP and Orthopedic doctor have not been able to give me any help. The only relief I have found is through acupuncture from my chiropractor. He uses the points for frozen shoulder. According to him, the "textbook" duration for the acupuncture sessions to resolve frozen shoulder is twice a week for two weeks. I have gone for one week now and my shoulder is very sore, a different pain than before though, so I hope this will make a difference.

Has anyone discussed or heard anything about a possible class action law suit?? WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE!!