My Story by Sharyn Boynton
I received my first shot (hepatitis B vaccine), I believe on March 5th, 1996, I can prove that if I need to, and had problems immediately following it. I had a fever, not high enough to be an emergency, but I had one, I had extreme muscle pain and shock like pains in my joints. I also had fatigue like I have never had in my life. I slept like the dead. All day, all night too. I can ember sitting in a chair to do the dishes, and resting my head on the counter, crying, from pain and exhaustion. THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION. The doctor said I had the flu, but I had no nausea, and no vomiting, and no diarrhea. I just was tired and hurt so bad.
On March 30th, I returned to my doctors for my second shot in the series, still sick. I had a fever, and was visibly ill. I told the nurse that I had been sick since I had received the first shot, and told her I did not want the second one. She said that she didn't think it was a good idea either, but that she would speak to the doctor about the problems I had been having to make sure.
She came back a few minutes later and told me the doctor said that the hepatitis b vaccine had NO SIDE AFFECTS and was virtually THE SAFEST VACCINE ON THE MARKET and that there was NO WAY I WAS SICK FROM IT and that I HAD THE FLU.
I believed the doctor. I had my second shot. I needed to have the series for my job as an EMT, and seeing as how they told me it was SAFE, I let them give it to me.
My symptoms only got worse. I remember that I called the State of Maine Health Department and asked about side affects, they said there were NONE. I called the CDC, they said there were NO KNOWN SIDE AFFECTS.
I wisely refused to have the third shot. I shudder to think what would have happened if I did. After my second shot, my life became a downhill battle that continues to go on. For the two years following my second shot, I went to the doctors approximently every six weeks, complaining of, joint pain, muscle pain, muscle weakness, extreme fatigue. With no diagnosis. Overtime I went, I told the doctor it was because of my hepatitis b shot I was sick. Seeing as how they believed this to be impossible they never took me seriously, so that not only was my life a hardship physically, it was emotionally exhausting too, and most often, I was accused of being depressed, and offered anti-depressants instead of real medical care.
My disease, what ever you want to call it, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, possible MS, and one doctor suggested demyelinating polyneuropathy, has been a progressive one. I have muscle spasms, muscle tremors, jerking my legs, and arms, I have arthritic burrs and arthralgia, I have numbness and tingling in my extremities, loss of co-ordination, and muscle weakness. My children have to open bottles and jars for me now, and I can not even open my own damn frozen burritos anymore. Someday I can't get out of bed. And oh yes, I'm losing my bladder control, I squat and it's all over as they say. I also fall on my face a lot and can"t write very legibly any more either.
I take multiple meds, and spend a fortune on doctors appointments. And still, no answer. I can tell you what I don't have though, I don't have lupus, or hashimotos disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. I have had a negative MRI, so supposedly I don't have MS, although symptom wise, that's the closest I believe.
I KNOW the hepatitis b vaccine is dangerous. My family knows it, and my friends know it. Matter of fact, although the doctors deny it's possible, one of the nurses at the local health center, stood there in front of me and told the doctor she believed me. She had seen it, watched my body change, my health decline.
I guess this story would mean more if you knew what I was like before hand. Well, I was one of these disgustingly energetic people, up at four to send my husband off shore fishing. House clean by the time the kids went to school, and off and running myself. My hubbies friends used to tell him that my face must hurt from smiling so much, and gosh, " isn't she ever tired? Or in a bad mood?"
I went fishing, snomobiling, dirtbike riding. I clammed, and wrinkled. I ran a canteen truck, I worked offshore, and I worked for an ambulance service also. I don't work anymore.
The big question in this story, is why? Why is nothing being done? I don't know which is worse, the times when no-one listened or believed, or now, when people are listening, some are believing, but still, nothing is being done.
sincerely,
Sharyn Boynton roblee@acadia.net