Age: 42.0
Sex: M
Vaccine: HEP
Symptoms: Vitamin B12 deficiency
Clinical narrative: In the beginning of August 2013, I had bleeding in stool issue and was under investigation by Dr. He prescribed few medications such as COLACE (stool softener), and MIRALAX. I started experiencing severe itching in legs, and drastic increase in hair loss in August 2013. I thought had I had an allergic reaction to the above medications and expected things to improve once I stopped. I did not suspect Hep B first shot (August 14, 2013) could be the reason for hair loss and skin itching. Hair loss and skin itching got worse day by day even after the stopping the medications on Aug. 31, 2013. I changed my diet several times and thought that I had some food allergy. Problems continued for months as I received second and third Hep B shots on Oct 25, 2015 and May 16, 2014 respectively. Changing the diet did not help me. On June 11, 2014 when I experienced tissue discomfort in my left knee while walking, I thought it was a minor issue (pulled a nerve or something) and it would away. But that did not happen. At that point it did not occur to me that Hep B shot could be the underlying cause. In Feb., 2015, I had severe cold and cough and walked into Dr. (PCP) office (for severe migratory abdominal pain, blood in phlegm, tinnitus, etc), it never occurred to me that Hep B shots would have weakened my immune system. I did not bring up Hep B shots in my conversation with (PCP). It took too long to recover from a viral/bacterial infection. I struggled for days and had never faced such an experience before. In May 2015, when I started experiencing neurological disorders (severe neck pain, spinal cord pain, numbness, spasticity, shocking sensations while sleeping, shooting nerve pain etc), I did some research and found symptoms were similar to transverse myelitis. It is mentioned in the literature that Transverse myelitis is preceded by viral/bacterial infection. I also found Hep B shots may cause adverse events like transverse myelitis, and autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis etc. I went to E/R on May 23, 2015., and then later met (Neurologist) on Jun. 2, 2015. I mentioned to her that I had bacterial/viral infection in Feb., 2015, and I had been experiencing severe neurological disorders since the beginning of May, 2015, and also expressed my concerns regarding transverse myelitis. The blood test confirmed B12 deficiency that mimics Transverse myelitis. I became curious to find the cause. All my family members are vegetarian (including me) and have never suffered any B12 deficiency, neurological or autoimmune disorders etc. I consume eggs, dairy products (source of B12) such as milk and yogurt etc. I followed up vigorously with (Gastroenterologist), to find the cause of B12 deficiency, and he confirmed pernicious anemia, atrophic gastritis (autoimmune disorder). So the B12 deficiency occurred due to malabsorption. When I met (E/R) on May 23, 2015, (PCP) on May 29, 2015, (Neurologist) on June 2, 2015, (Gastroenterologist) on July 8, 2015, and (Rheumatologist) on July 23, 2015, I explained the chronology of events and how they were related to Hep. B shots. The rheumatological disorder in my left knee occurred within 30 days after receiving the third shot of Hep. B vaccine, and is consistent with the findings in the medical literature. Many of the adverse effects that I am suffering now are documented in package inserts of Hepatitis B vaccine (ENGERIX_B).