Cdc Warns Neurologists To Watch For Nerve Disease Following Swine Flu Shots

[iheartcats]

Here is the link you - you can Google for additional stories and info from Britain. But...I'm really, really leery of this shot. I think I'll risk the Swine Flu.

Why is the news not covering this? I've not seen much at all on TV about the risks, and I've had on the news all afternoon.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/cdc-warns-neur...-flu-shots.html

Paul Joseph Watson

Prison Planet.com

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The CDC has followed in the footsteps of British health authorities by warning neurologists to look out for cases of the nerve disease Guillain-Barre syndrome caused by the swine flu vaccine.

Doctors in Britain were advised last month by the government to carefully track cases of the disease and report each one to the Health Protection Agency. A letter sent by 600 neurologists indicated that ?there is concern at the highest levels that the vaccine itself could cause serious complications,? according to a Daily Mail report.

During the 1976 swine flu scare in the U.S., which prompted the government to order a mass vaccination program to cover the entire population, the vaccine caused more deaths than the actual virus, prompting a public backlash that cost the then director of the CDC his job.

SImilar concerns about the vaccine are now being replicated over 30 years later.

?The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Neurology have asked all neurologists to report new cases of Guillain-Barre in people who get vaccines this fall and winter to the Food & Drug Administration?s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System,? reports The Oregonian.

Guillain-Barre syndrome can cause paralysis and breathing difficulties and is sometimes fatal. It also produces a tingling sensation and weakens limbs.

As we have previously documented, the swine flu vaccine is being rushed through safety procedures while governments have provided pharmaceutical companies with blanket immunity from lawsuits arriving out of the vaccine causing deaths and injuries.

It was previously revealed that some batches of the vaccine will contain mercury, a toxin linked with autism and neurological disorders. The vaccine will also contain the dangerous ingredient squalene, which has been directly linked with cases of Gulf War Syndrome and a host of other debilitating diseases.

Several surveys have revealed that huge numbers of health professionals all over the world will refuse to take the swine flu vaccine despite government plans to institute mass vaccination programs. A new poll released yesterday found that just 6 per cent of pregnant women would ?definitely? take the vaccine following concerns about its safety.

[Sunfish]

thanks for sharing this info. i'm often leary of fear-mongering re: vaccines w/ proven track records and while this particular notice/ article appears to be from a fairly biased/ one-sided site it references the CDC's warnings which, while far from infallible, are far more reputable/ unbiased than some others with at least some measure of credibility.

the general issues of potential concern (more so than any one organization's warnings) will definitely inform the conversation i'm due to have w/ my doc re: our "shot decisions" for the year. i've never had any trouble w/ the standard flu shot & given my history of life threatening pneumonia/ pleural effusions will almost certainly get it again but will be thinking loooooong and hard about the newer variety (and leaning heavily toward not getting it; it will take some convincing from one of my docs that i trust the most to sway me otherwise).

particularly as many dysautonomias are considered to be "kissing cousins" so to speak of guillian barre syndrome; i know that we've had several individuals with GB in our neighborhood and they are generally grouped with myself and several others w/ other dysautonomia diagnoses for purposes of disease classification (in relation to potential environmental factors/ causation).

i definitely agree that warnings/ concerns are often blown out of proportion - whether in regard to the flu itself or in regard to potential dangers of the vaccine(s) - but also belief that most (if not all) warnings/ concerns are based on/in some grain of truth/ reality. and i don't think it's far-fetched that neurologically-related concerns might be of more concern/ risk to someone who already has a less-than-healthy nervous system. proven? no. possible? i think yes. but by no means as anything definite.

as such i think it does come down - yet again - to a very personal decision between one's doctor(s) and one's self (and potentially one's family). in this case i don't believe there is one absolute right answer and think it's a bit naive for anyone to proclaim they are the bearer of the "absolute right thing" for something still so new.

good luck to all who are (or will soon be) in the process of decision-making.

thanks again,

melissa

Edited September 3, 2009 by Sunfish
correction of comments written in haste (which weren't at all what i'd meant to say:-))

[MomtoGiuliana]

I think this story could be a little biased. I base that on this:

During the 1976 swine flu scare in the U.S., which prompted the government to order a mass vaccination program to cover the entire population, the vaccine caused more deaths than the actual virus, prompting a public backlash that cost the then director of the CDC his job.

It's fine to say that, and correct, but the reason was that swine flu didn't kill many people was because it never infected anyone outside of the few people infected at Fort Knox. I think it would be more responsible of the writer to clarify that.

Regardless, I think it's good to be cautious. Hopefully everyone has a medical professional they trust to advise them.

[snakeshoes]

I think this story could be a little biased.

A little biased?! Did you see the site the story's from? That place is full of more crackpots and conspiracy theorists than you can shake a stick at. I believe there's something on there somewhere about FEMA ordering millions of plastic coffins delivered to concentration camps in the US in preparation for the illuminati plot to reduce the global population. In short, a lot of fear mongering.

The facts are that the Swine Flu in 1976 (which is not the same virus as is currently being called swine flu today) prompted mass vaccinations. Any vaccine has a small (but measurable) risk of an adverse outcome just like there's a small chance that any person here could have a bad side effect or allergic reaction to a new medicine prescribed for POTS symptoms. In 1976, this meant that about 40 million people got vaccinated and, of them, 500 got Guillain-Barre syndrome and 25 died. Yes, that's more deaths than were attributed to that strain of the flu that year. Still, the simple math is that that's about a 1 in 800,000 chance of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome from the vaccine back then compared to a 1 in 700,000 risk of being struck by lighting. The risks are not specifically known for today's vaccine as not enough people have it yet. Given that regular old seasonal flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year, I think that might be a risk worth taking.

Also, it's important to note that CDC routinely sends out such warning/reminders to physicians as these possible problems are very rare conditions and can frequently be missed by doctors who aren't clued in to the possibility because they are so rare. That should sound familiar to anyone who's played the merry-go-round of specialists trying to work out what might be causing annoying symptoms that eventually, after many wrong diagnosis attempts, are finally found to be due to dysautonomia.

Further good reading on this and many other subjects: http://sguforums.com/index.php/topic,22365.0.html

Bottom line, don't fear just based on a fear-mongering story. Talk to your doctor about these things and discuss the risks as each of us has our own risk/benefit equation to work out here. Also, there may be certain factors that would exclude people from getting the vaccine because they are more at risk of problems from it.

[Jan]

The odds of being hit by lightning are increased if you go outside during a thunderstorm and decrease if you stay in the house. You can't just go outside during a lightning storm and stand under a tree and think the odds will save you. You are talking a very different set of odds.

We are not the typical population. We are people with odd medical histories, that react to meds different than others, who may have neurological issues that no doctor has identified.

I think for those of us with dyautonomia, getting an untested vaccine that has a history of causing neurological problems is like standing under a tree in a storm. Maybe the odds are in our favor, but they may be a lot higher than for the general population.

The odds of dying from a vaccine you don't get are ZERO.

I agree with all those who suggest discussing this with a trusted doctor who knows your history.

[Mrs. Burschman]

The odds of dying from a vaccine you don't get are ZERO.

I agree with all those who suggest discussing this with a trusted doctor who knows your history.

I definitely agree with the "check with your doctor" sentiment, because the odds of dying of flu are not zero, unfortunately.

[iheartcats]

Regarding the Crackpot Website:

There are many more stories about this in reputable British papers (hence the suggestion to Google for more information). Since they are warning neurologists to watch for these symptoms due to the vaccine, that's something I'm going to consider when getting it or not. You can Google for actual news stories, even, if anyone is interested.

Many media outlets in the States just keep talking about getting the vaccine and how many could get the flu and how schools could be shut down, etc. I wish they'd spend just a bit of time on the other side of the argument, but they don't, so you have to do your own research.

Regarding Odds/Risks:

I know I have POTS. But I still think there's something more to it because POTS is just the 'symptoms' - when considering a vaccine with neurological side effect possibilities, I'm a bit more critical than I would be without POTS. I don't need anything further triggering whatever is causing the POTS and making it worse.

Regarding Skepticism:

I'm a skeptic at heart. Most the stuff conspiracy theorists throw out there is off the wall. But I'm also skeptical of the mass media! My personal belief is if neurologists are being warned, there is a chance this could be an issue. And the vaccine is being pushed out quickly with little testing (is there even any testing in ill/disabled people?)

[Sophia3]

I've heard this story about the Swine flu all over the place in the past few weeks..and from a couple of pharmacist I know.

the FEAR MONGERING is part of the drug industry to PROFIT from rushed to market vaccine for starters.

i don't take medication unless it's been on the market at LEAST 5 years or longer in this country or another one. Takes that many years for the side effects to get noticed. I heard a doctor on TV being interviewed about the drug industry in this country make a similar statement 10 years ago. He will not prescribe new meds to patients as he treats them as he would his family. He will not give new meds to family members either....I think that says a lot about how fast people jump on 'latest new drug bandwagons'. I am not one to jump on new meds. HOWEVER some new meds here have been safely used in Europe for years (I think that was true with DDAVP or midodrine years ago..forget which one)

Our immune systems and body chemistry can change from heartbeat to hearbeat with this junk so we have to inform and make rational choices for each of us.

so I keep antibacterial cream in my car and wash my hands when I leave the grocery or Y from workout.

I did not go to the link above as I've already read and heard the side effects discussed on local talk radio and news sites. I try to avoid one main place that might have an agenda either way.

Read all sides and decide for ourselves. Some here swear by flu shots...some swear at them.

[Sunfish]

to clarify my above statement re: the info being from a credible/ reputable source i suppose i should clarify as i sort of merged my thoughts into a sentence that wasn't what i really meant to say. (not that anyone is particularly concerned w/ my comment, but just b/c - particularly as a moderator - i don't want to put my 'stamp of approval" so to speak on a site unintentionally. and so you don't think i'm completely nuts re: my assessment of what constitutes a reputable/ credible source!)

anyhoo....what i MEANT to say (and will proceed to go back and edit/ correct my post to say) was that the post/ warning - and it's included reference/ warning from the CDC - pointed toward the original/ credible source of the warning as opposed to being solely some fly-by-night site writing it's own scare-mongering articles with no reference whatsoever to anything more official. this does NOT mean i think the CDC is infallible and i'm more than aware that they (and many other like organizations) are, as a rule, overly cautious when it comes to said warnings such that i certainly take them with a grain of salt and move forward accordingly.

sorry for any confusion re: my original post. i was typing/ posting quickly and sort of merged/ mushed thoughts/ comments together in ways that were best explained more clearly.

i too have been able to find more credible/ reputable/ official medical/ scientific info/ commentary re: concerns about the shot. of course none of the info is definitive nor does any of the concern guarantee problems for any or all who might get the shot. like i said earlier i am leaning toward no but am not yet certain and know that i could be swayed. BUT - unlike some things - i still feel accurate in stating that there is more concern amongst the professional medical/ scientific community about this shot than about other things (as it is always possible to find some individual or group to raise concerns/ fears about ANYthing, regardless of the merit of said concerns).

g'night,

melissa

[yogini]

I didn't see it on the CDC's site or any reputable British sites - it's only in the tabloids for now. If it's true, it will make major US news soon. There are so many people out there opposed to vaccinations, so we really need a reliable source.

I asked my PCP about this when I saw him for something else on Sat. He said real flu season is January/Feb, that kids and elderly would get the shots first and any leftovers would go to us. Since so many people are getting the swine flue shot, there should be more info on side effects in a month or so. So I am in no rush to get the shot...though I will get the regular flu shot I get every year.

I may skip the swine flu shot altogether, b/c I am reluctant to try any new med or vaccine. It seems there are so many recalls of new meds. Some of you may remember the heated discussion on the forum re: Gardasil - the HPV vaccine. Many were adamant about its safety, but sure enough the State of TX repealed its law on the vaccine b/c there wasn't enough info yet on safety.

I think the danger with the swine flu is more when it doesn't get treated - you can bet I will be going to the dr at the first sign of any symptom!

[potsgirl]

You have a doctor that sees you on a Saturday?? But I digress....The only downside to waiting until symptoms occur, of course, is that with POTS it's hard to tell some flu symptoms from symptoms we already have. I also wonder if by the time we're showing symptoms that it may be too late to head off the flu?

I agree that as individuals we all need to talk to our PCPs about the benefits/risks of getting the new shot. I'll definitely get the old one.

cheers,

jana

[Mrs. Burschman]

With POTS it's hard to tell some flu symptoms from symptoms we already have.

Amen. I've felt crappy for a few days, but is it just my norm a little worse, or swine flu? I'm not coughing, so I'm going with the former. But I don't know for sure! So annoying.

[yogini]

Yes, he is open on Saturdays!

[MomtoGiuliana]

A little biased?!

I was trying to be diplomatic

[all4family]

My decision for this is easy, and my opinions are based on my own history. I was never warned about potential neurological problems before recieving a regular flu shot. my first one. No one is warned of these, so unless they go looking they don't learn the information. With the big threat of the "bird" flu when it was first running around, they (mass media) was warning people to get there regular flu shots because this was going to turn into this "pandemic". Well I had never had a flu shot in my life, but was very concerned about this, so I took my kids (who never got the flu to begin with) to there pediatrician, and myself to the doctor, and got our "shots. Well 2 weeks later I started having heart fluttering, and strange fluctuations in my blood pressure. These symptoms kept increasing until I woke up one night in the middle of the night with my first bad what I now know to be "POTS" attack. The worst part was the bird flu never became a problem here, and from that year on both me and my kids get the flu EVERY year. I never even had the flu before that as far as I know, because I never even knew what people meant with the muscle aches and such. I know now. When my test came back positive for autoimmune dysautonomia I told the neurologist about the flu shot, and he said that was important. I have since learned there is another autoimmune neurological disease that is thought to be a chronic verision of guillian barrett. I will have to find my information on it because I don't remember the name. I always wish I could go back and change some of the things I have done, in hopes that this would never have happened to me, but I can't go back. So for me my best option is to make sure my immune system is all that it can be, by eating very nutriciously, trying to get exercise, and eating foods with probiotics. Also I TRY not to stress, which runs down our immunity, and TRY to exercise! Mind you I said I try.

I just wanted to chime in with a personal story. Each person has to make there own decisions with this. They have to weigh the risk of getting it as well as not getting it. As you can understand my decision here is already made for me. I hope you all find a decision you are comfortable with. And for those of you who decide not to get the shot, just do what you can to improve your immune system. Make sure your vitamin D isn't low also. Canada doctors are doing a study on fighting swine flu with vitamin D, and I have read a lot on the matter. If your interested google it, there is lots of info on it.

Take care,

Suzy