I've had two episodes of encephalitis both related to an adverse event related to the flu vaccine. The first, in the fall of 2018. However, at that time I did not receive confirmation that the episode was related to the vaccine (although I had it 6 days prior to symptoms and hospitalization).
My second episode was also days after receiving the flu shot. Now I have received confirmation that there was a direct link between the vaccine and my episode. It was reviewed and investigated by Toronto Public Health.
I would love to connect with anyone that may have experienced this who is willing to chat! This round of recovery has been a lot harder.
Many thanks!
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Eweeezy
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Hello! How long ago was your flu vaccine? I hope you are ok?
I had the flu vaccine a couple of years before encephalitis and was ill immediately after and up until I fell into a coma with encephalitis. I have decided never to have it again and I never want my children or close family too either. I wonder if it was because I was run down when I had it.
Do you think you might have been run down when you had the vaccine?
I kind of feel a little like no one believes me that the flu vaccine was the beginning of it and your message almost made me feel like it can happen- I’m of course not happy that it’s happened to you though.
Take care of yourself and I would love to chat more.
As you can see from my reply I was run down when I had the vaccine. These posts are making me think hard about next year. Thank you. Good luck to you too.
Did you have encephalitis straight after the flu jab? I’m sorry I can’t see your post so you might have already said- I think my messages are on a slow go….😅
Since the original post my husband and I have been going through time lines. I didn’t get E straight after the vaccine but I did start with the vertigo/headache cycle we think which led to full blown E 9 months later. I’ve decided to talk to my GP about it in the summer well before I need to think about the next vaccine. Since the most recent one which I couldn’t have till 3 weeks ago, I know I’ve not felt brilliant but as I say I’ve had quite a few very stressful things happening which are coming to an end so the crash I’ve just had could be that.
Thanks - I still can't see your message - I think this is just me not doing something - All I have is one other reply from someone else - I will keep trying!
I have had the flu vaccine every year since I started work, as I HATE having the flu. However, I did have the vaccine about a week before my encephalitis symptoms started (which were initially flu-like). I did ask my consultant if the two could be linked and he said no, but I would be interested to hear the result of your investigation,as my Mum is convinced that it caused mine (despite what my consultant said and in fairness they don't know what caused it).
Since having E, I have continued to have the flu vaccine (either through work on the NHS) and actually would have been refused some surgery if I hadn't had it done.
I also hate having flu so have been sticking with it because of that. But I’ll let you know well before we are due again what if anything GP says or if I find anything else out. Thanks.
Sorry to hear of this, there are a lot of questions about the vaxx. I can't help but to say it must be a nightmare situation. There are alternative news sites with articles on the progress of lawsuits etc.
My husband (currently in hospital for the third time since E) was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis in December 2020. It started with him staring into space and saying strange things followed by a massive seizure. This happened just 12 hours after his first ever flu vaccine. When we queried the connection with the neurologist she said it was unlikely to have been the vaccine because of the short time between it and the seizure, but I still have my doubts. I was looking at another encephalitis forum and there was an Australian guy on there who was convinced that his wife's limbic encephalitis was caused by the flu vaccine.
I think very few neurologists (or other doctors) are willing to even entertain the idea of a connection for fear of being labeled “anti-vax.” I am beyond caring about that label at this point. I’m just interested in the truth.
I hope your husband is doing much better now, a few years out.
Saw this older post randomly, and had to respond. My husband and I cannot prove it, but after much reflection on the timing, and some research into the matter, we now believe that our now 6 year old son started to show neurological symptoms after both sets of his most recent standard childhood vaccinations. His speech immediately deteriorated both times, and the second time around (age 4) he exhibited more and more terrifying symptoms until he was finally having seizures and was hospitalized for months.
He was eventually diagnosed with seronegative autoimmune encephalitis. No cause was ever discovered.
It’s interesting to me that Toronto Public Health directly linked your flu vaccination with encephalitis. Many health agencies and individual doctors do not dare make the connection, even as a possibility, because of the political climate.
A few of the more common brands of flu shots still contain mercury (I believe in the form of thimerosal): Fluvirin, Flulaval, Fluzone, etc. Mercury in even tiny amounts is toxic and can trigger unforeseen immune responses…
I would be very interested in reading anything you feel like sharing about Toronto Public Health’s investigation of your flu vaccine-caused adverse effect.
And I do hope you are turning a corner with your latest bout of E. 🙁 My son’s about 15 months into recovery and he’s much better than at the beginning of this journey, but still significantly cognitively impaired.
This is a very (very) delayed response so apologies for that. I'm so sorry to hear about your son's experience. That sounds so scary.
In my case, I had viral encephalitis. I received notation from public health confirming a reportable advent with a recommendation not to have any further immunizations and to seek an expert referral. I'm still waiting on the appointment to see the vaccine specialist in Toronto. So, unfortunately I don't have much else to share at this point!
I also agree with your sentiment that most health care professionals are weary on making the connection definitively between vaccine and encephalitis, which I understand given the climate over the last few years and that these types of extreme reactions are rare. That being said, it can certainly be frustrating.
I grew up in New Brunswick, and all my family is back in Canada, so I’m not at all surprised you’re still waiting on the vaccine specialist. I think if my son had gotten sick in NB, instead of California, he’d be dead or permanently brain damaged (which he may be anyway). Good luck seeing a pediatric neurologist in Moncton…
I’m afraid I don’t believe anymore that extreme adverse reactions are as rare as they say, since I’ve researched the drug regulatory process, and chatted with hundreds of parents of kids with encephalitis.
Fun fact: in the U.S., scientists working for the NIH can make up to $150,000 per year (in perpetuity, paid to their estate) in royalties as drug co-inventors.
CDC too, but I don’t know if it’s the same $150k cap.
Tip of the iceberg when it comes to the regulatory agencies’ institutional capture by the pharmaceutical industry. I stopped looking in to it because it was so disturbing, but I’ll never be getting another flu shot again, nor will I be allowing my minor children to do so.
Hi Eweeezy it’s interesting that you say this because I strongly believe that the covid vaccine caused my mums autoimmune encephalitis- although nothing has been proven and probably never will .
After having the first dose , within days my mum had uncontrollable nose bleeds that ended up with her needing 3 blood transfusions and then emergency surgery . After the first dose , within days she starts acting strange and then has a diagnosis of encephalitis. Is this too much of a coincidence ? I often ask myself that question .. I really don’t trust the vaccines anymore .
I think in years to come we will start to hear more of the truth .
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