Age: 70.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Mobility decreased, Muscle spasms, Musculoskeletal stiffness, Pain, Pain in extremity
Clinical narrative: Had history of delayed reactions to allergy shots in past and staff administering vaccinations were concerned about whether that might possibly occur with the COVID vaccination. Many of the delay had been 48 to 72 hours.  I didn't feel like going to the Farmer's Market and by 2 pm started getting a migraine headache which had be concerned.   I had not had any fever but had had arm pain that I had used a heating pad for.  I ate Saturday.  I started noticing neck stiffness and some difficulty moving my head right and left.  I had migraine headaches from age 13 - 50 with an increase during pregnancy so I knew what they were and  what I had started to experience as the night went on into Sunday was more than I had ever  experienced in my life.  Flat on my back, ice, no intake, tylenol/codeine, nothing did anything and and the intensity kept coming.  I vomited some Sunday evening which usually helps release the pressure, but nothing helped.  I continued to have more difficulty turning my neck from side to side, visual difficulties and excruciating pain.  I had a virtual appointment with my endocrinologist and she was concerned about what was going on and gave me some guidelines lines about managing my blood sugars and suggesting that I be on the Farxiga if I went in the hospital.  I made it through another virtual meeting basically holding my head in my hands.  I canceled all my dental and doctor appointments because of the unrelenting pain and my concern for my driving. I began having some spastic jerking of the head and neck, which with the mask on forced my teeth into my front gums and lacerated the wholes front inside of my mouth. On 3/23 my husband died unexpectedly, I canceled Wednesday's Funeral Home visit because of my concern regarding driving and the extreme degree of pain.  I could barely move my neck past center.  I was also having mobility issues and my right side was working as well as it should.  Typing and writing were difficult.  My pain level was off the chart.  I had spoken with the doctor and once I did the required things at the funeral home, I took myself to the emergency room.  My pain was coming off the right lower part of my neck, affecting my vision, my appetite, my balance--basically neurologically going downhill on a fast slide since Saturday night. I told the nurse that my pain level was 20+. The Spinal Tap in the ER was negative across the board and the fluid was clear.  IV's were hung to help with hydration.  Solumedrol and methacarbornol were given IV to deal with the inflammation around the vertebrae and the pain muscle spasms. Ice packs were applied to the front and pack of the neck to not only help with swelling, but with to relieve pain and help with neck alignment.  Blood sugars were a real struggle with all the prednisone on board but were helped some with the arrival of my Frixiga from home. It was the new Neurologist in the practice that looked at my posture, listened to my history and said, I am going to get some X-rays which took all day to do.  The X-rays showed that there had been swelling and shifting to make CI and C2 put pressure on the nerve. There was also a problem with L3.  A second neurologist added a morning dose of Topomax (50mg) which began to show some effect on Tuesday after being in the hospital for 5 days.  These 2 neurologist, along with the one in the ER could not rule out that what I experienced was a delayed reaction to the Moderna Vaccination, particularly as I have had delayed reactions to allergy shots in the past. It was suggested by the radiologist that a MRI be  one for a more definitive brain study as well as a spine study but the doctor on originally was doing much and didn't pick up on that. I have had to wean off of the prednisone at home which has meant wonderful monitoring of blood sugars. I have had to continue to wear the neck collar and slowly ween out of it.  I have been exhausted--the doctors think some of that may be from the muscle spasms and the fact that it took 4 days before there was a significant decrease in the intensity in the headache.  I still have to focus on posture and my right had gets very tired of the board.   Signatures are still not as  neat as they were but better than they were when I was admitted.