Age: 65.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: PNC13
Symptoms: Anticoagulant therapy, Discomfort, Impaired work ability, Injected limb mobility decreased, Injection site erythema
Clinical narrative: On August 29th, 2019 I went to Dr. office for my two year physical for work. The Doctor completed his examination and then told me that I was due for a pneumonia injection. I hesitated and reminded him that I had a serious reaction to the flu shot in 2011 and that was added to my allergy list. He said that the pneumonia vaccine was completely different and I probably would not have a reaction from it.   As soon as I got home from work that night my right upper arm was swollen twice it?s size, very hot to the touch and red in color. I also had a temperature starting which was a little over 100°. I was feeling very ill and went straight to bed. I was sick and very uncomfortable all through the night. When I awoke the next morning on August 30th I called off work because I was so sick I couldn?t get out of bed. My fever had gone up to 102° and I lost use of my right arm. I had to put it in a sling in order to get any comfort. I had no feeling from my elbow up.  As soon as the doctors office opened at 8:00 AM that morning, I called Dr. office and talked to a nurse and told her what my symptoms were. She said that this is quite common for some elderly people to have reactions from certain vaccines and told me to take some ibuprofen and put ice on my upper arm. That was on a Friday and the doctors office was closed over the weekend because it was Labor Day weekend. I suffered all weekend not able to use my right arm and I am right handed. I called the doctors office once again on Tuesday morning, September 3rd. I had an in-service training day on that day but I couldn?t go in because I could not set up or conduct the training at all. I still could not use my right arm.   I talked to a nurse at the doctors office once again that day when they opened at 8 o?clock in the morning and told her that I was still having a very bad reaction. She reminded me to keep taking the ibuprofen and that Dr. did not have any openings until the end of the month but if I continued to react and it caused breathing problems to go to the emergency room. I did not have breathing problems but my arm continued to hurt and is still hurting to this day.  I still cannot lift my right arm above my shoulder without pain. My right shoulder hurts so bad and has been hurting for almost 2 years since the pneumonia injection. I want to scream at times when I have to take my tops or dresses off when I have to pull them off over my head. Sometimes if the neck opening is large enough I pull them down over my body. Many times I?m in tears getting dressed and undressed. I had to adjust my duties at work because I cannot lift children anymore onto the diaper changing station. I was a director at a childcare center and needed to work in different aged classrooms at times. It has interfered with my personal life at home. I can?t reach up to put my dishes away without having a lot of pain. I live on the second floor in my apartment building and carrying up groceries is so painful. I have never had any problems with my arms or shoulders until this pneumonia injection was given to me on August 29th, 2019.   Doctor ordered the MRI on my shoulder. He told me it was possible that I could have inflammation still from receiving that vaccination. I had the MRI on January 23rd, 2020. The reason I was so late getting the MRI was they didn?t have any appointments available until that date.  Because of my position at school, I was covering other classrooms which included very young children. I actually injured my knee twisting it while trying to place a baby down on the rug because I was losing grip with my right arm. So now I have a tear in my lateral meniscus and it has caused fluid to build up behind my kneecap with a cyst. That injury has caused me to be out of work permanently and it is still not better. If my right arm wouldn?t have been injured, I am sure I wouldn?t have lost grip of that child and my knee injury would not have happened.   After Dr. read the MRI results he suggested that I see an Orthopedic doctor ASAP, which I immediately made an appointment. I saw the Orthopedic doctor on Wednesday, January 29th  who?s name is Dr. and he told me that it was possible that the pneumonia injection could have caused the injury to my right shoulder. I actually saw Dr. on January 15 before the MRI. He recommended physical therapy for twice a week which I scheduled at that time.   Unfortunately my torn meniscus on my knee turned into a major situation causing blood clots and I have been in the hospital three times in the last 13 months. I had to stop my therapy for my shoulder and take care of my knee. Dr. did give me a Cortisone injection but it did not help it only lasted about three days and then it went back to hurting again. I have finally started back in March with Physical Therapy and it is improving somewhat if I am consistent. I have seen an orthopedic surgeon Dr., But they cannot do anything more for me because they cannot do surgery. I am on too much blood thinner I am taking Xarelto and Plavix for my lifetime. I do not want any more injections going into that arm. I had to take the Covid injection but they put it in my left arm.