Pain in arm after flu shot

Well, I'm back. The one that has had the pain since Sept. 9th. I've been in physical therapy. Started to get better. Seems more fatigue and inflamed again. Eating aleve and ibuprofen. Ortho surgeon won't give me another cortizone injection because i'ts not good to get more than a few doses in a year. Breaks down the joint/cartilage, etc. I've started taking OTC glucosamine to see if that will help. If it does, it will be 4 weeks from now. Ugh. So hard to stay upbeat with all of this.

Follow-up from Jan 9th post: About 3 days after finishing the Medrol Dose Pack, the intensity of the pain increased to the level that it was at 2 weeks post-injection...the beginning of the worst pain I have been experiencing. I had my follow-up appt with the orthopaedic surgeon today, who diagnosed me with rotator cuff inflammation. He doesn't know what the connection to the vaccine might be-possibly something in the vaccine itself that migrated from the muscle into the joint area. I received a steroid injection into the joint, will take ibuprofen 3 times/day, restrict pushing/pulling and lifting, and will return in 2 weeks. If not better, the next step may be physical therapy.

Hello there, I too am suffering terribly with arm and shoulder pain after the H1N1 vaccine. It is exactly 2 months today and its only getting worse. I received my shot at a local pharmacy where they have instructed the pharmacists on how to give the vaccine. When mine was given, not only did the pharmacist seem to place it high, but she wiggled it around in my muscle because all of the vaccine serum wouldnt dispense when she pushed it in straight!
I too have gone thru steroids, NSAIDS, cortisone shots, vicodin and now percoset to allow some pain relief. I attempted physical therapy last week and the two sessions made it 1000 times worse. I am trying to keep my shoulder and arm moving but the pain and spasms are almost unbearable. This is worse than having a baby!! I have an MRI on Thursday and like many in this post, I hope they find something they can fix rather than have it be just muscle and nerve issues that I have to endure. Its great to read all the posts and know Im not alone. The doctors wont admit the connection to the shot or the placement of the shot, but the more I read, the more I know this is true. Thanks for the support and I too will file with the CDC now that I have the information.

Correction to above...the H1N1 injection was right arm. Seasonal was the left.

I received the H1N1 vaccine in October, right arm, with no adverse side effects. On December 1, 2009, I received the seasonal flu vaccine in my right arm. I experienced more discomfort than I ever have from an injection at the time it was administered. Now, 6 weeks later, I am still experiencing extreme discomfort that interferes with work, sleep, and daily activities. I am an RN, and the injection was given by the Employee Wellness department in the hospital in which I work. There are 4 more reported cases within the hospital, and many others I suspect, that are unreported because the connection hasn't been made between the pain and the vaccine. So far, I have tried applications of both heat and ice with no improvement, a Medrol (prednisone) 5 day dose pack which provided some relief, NSAIDS, Vicodin and Ultram for pain at night. After 2 visits to the Worker's Comp physician, I was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon, who feels that it is muscular inflammation rather than anything arising from the joint, and may be a reaction in the deltoid muscle to an ingredient in the vaccine, rather than incorrect placement of the injection. Still, it's very disconcerting not knowing how long it may take for the pain to subside. I, too, filed an adverse events report form with the CDC on-line.

Hi everyone - I can't tell you how much we appreciate the way you guys continue to come back here and report back on what you're going through, and help each other.

Canadian - While I'm not happy to hear you have a frozen shoulder diagnosis, it really does make a lot of sense, and the good news about frozen shoulder is that relief will come. The bad news is that it may take a lot longer than you would like.

Frozen shoulder is a condition that results in a loss of movement and pain at the shoulder joint. I'm going to provide some links about frozen shoulder for everyone, especially those who've never heard of it. The key information here is that if you keep your arm/shoulder immobile because of the pain (which you would think would help protect it from harm) you may actually end up with additional problems if the shoulder locks up, or becomes "frozen".

Those who've mentioned the need to keep the arm/shoulder area in motion - and to get physical therapy or use stretches or start an exercise program that helps mobilize the area, perhaps even hurting a little, but not causing strong pain - seem to be on the right path here. It's a real balancing act.

Here at EmpowHer we continue to hear every week from additional people experiencing these problems. I took a look this week at the US "adverse event" report for vaccines and, while it was a bit confusing, the data indicated a large number of people are reporting this type of pain following a flu vaccination in 2009.
Let's hope 2010 brings better news, and relief from pain, for everyone.
Take care,
Pat

Frozen shoulder Information:

https://www.empowher.com/condition/frozen-shoulder

https://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/12/14/frozen-shoulder-it-really-frozen-part-1

https://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/12/16/frozen-shouler-it-really-frozen-part-2

I've posted before as well and i am taking 800mg of Motrin and Glucosamine Vitamins and regular everyday vitamins as well.I just started doing stretches with my arm and circling it around and trying to keep the circulation going.My arm has been feeling a little better since i've been doing these stretches starting in the new year.I'm hoping this good feeling will last.Nobody still said anything about having numbness like me.Anybody have that? Let's all keep praying and feel blessed real soon.