Age: 50.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19, COVID19, COVID19
Symptoms: Muscular weakness, Pain in extremity, Red blood cell sedimentation rate normal, Rheumatoid factor negative
Clinical narrative: Hello, I received the J&J vaccine on 3/12/2021. Eight days later on the 20th when I went to bed I had a lot of pain in my left heel and left thumb.   The next day, on a Sunday, the pain was now in my left heel, left thumb at the big knuckle and top and bottom below my thumb, and just behind the inside of my left ankle, and I had a terrible headache.   I was unable to grasp anything or widen my grip because the pain was so intense in my thumb.  It was so bad I went to my local ER who did xrays and told me it was just osteoarthritis.   The next day,  Monday, the pain was terrible. It was in my left thumb, the middle of my left hand, left ankle, the arch of my left foot top and bottom, the big knuckle at the bottom of my left big toe, my right hand was also now hurting at my middle finger the big knuckle at the bottom. I went to see my family doctor who really was unsure at the time what was going on and said it's still just must be the osteoarthritis. The next day on Tuesday I still have the headache I was out unable to open my own water bottles or prescription bottles because the pain was so intense in my left hand. It was now extremely painful to walk on my left foot and I had no appetite. The following day on Wednesday the pain was bad and my right hand that I was unable to touch my ring finger or my pinky with my thumb. As hard as I try my thumb just would not reach those two fingers oh. I now couldn't open any of the doors in my house unless I use the base of my Palms on both hands turn the knob. I now couldn't even comb my own hair or pull my pants up wipe myself properly. I couldn't hold a pencil or anything because the pain was so unbearable. I had no appetite and now I have diarrhea. I called my husband at work and had him come home and we went to the emergency room because it was a bigger facility. The doctor there told me he thought it was something more like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. This was by far my worst d ay even though I was unable to work this entire week. Oh and did I mention the only reason I got that back who was because my boss with bullying me and pressuring me every day to get the vaccine. He even went so far as to come of my office and he wanted to use my keyboard to schedule my vaccine himself. The next day on Thursday I was still having a hard time walking I still couldn't touch my ring finger on my pinky with my right hand still unable to open anything with either one of my hands. My husband had to open all the water bottles and prescription bottles and just set the caps on them before he went to work.  I now had flashing light in my eyes which lasted about a week. The following day I had all the same symptoms but now my left foot was so swollen I couldn't even get a shoe on it. The big knuckle at the base of my right hand hurts so bad at this point and so does the big knuckle at the base of my left thumb. The swelling and the pain is just unbearable at this point. The following day on Saturday my mom had come up from Florida and stay with me for two weeks take care of me someday the next day on March 28th I start all the same symptoms but now my muscles were quivering on the back of both thighs. By the middle of next week I still had all of the same pain and now I'm realizing that I can't span open my fingers on my right hand and I'm unable to snap my fingers. Side note as of today I still cannot snap my fingers on my right hand. At this point I have been keeping a diary every day of where my pain was in what the pain level was each day. So strange that it's affecting joints on both sides but just in my hands the inside of my wrist and my left foot. Are April 28th I finally got into the rheumatologist. He had me go to the hospital and get blood work done and x-rays. On Thursday May 6th I was unable to go to work. It seems like I can go to work about 3 days a week and the pain is so intense that I'm missing about two days a week. Dr called me and said all of my tests came negative for rheumatoid arthritis.He told me not just because I was a patient but if I was his own sister he would suggest going to the Clinic right away. He said they have a larger database and if anybody else was having the same reaction to the covid vaccine they would know about it. My husband came home from work and made the four-hour drive to the Clinic. I was there Thursday and Friday they the blood work a sonogram x-rays the whole gamut of tests. The rheumatologist in the ER said that he thinks it's still something like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus but that was in the early stages and not showing up positive on the test. On Friday I met with dr. a rheumatologist oh, and the chairman at the Clinic. They said this is a very rare reaction to the J&J vaccine and they're hopeful by prescribing me a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and Voltaren gel that hopefully I will have some relief within a week and they were hopeful that the symptoms will go away within 3 months. They also took me off work for the next week. Did I mention got the first month that was going on they have me on 50 mg of Prednisone for one week then 100 mg of Prednisone for 2 weeks and then back down to 50 mg for one week. After being on that high dosage of Prednisone for an entire month I still have all of the swelling and pain in my joints. My joints are very stiff at this point. The prednisone maybe eased the pain just a touch but the pain and swelling was definitely there, and the pain is excruciating. I'm feeling so alone, and scared because I don't know anybody else that's having the same reaction. I'm also fearful I'm going to lose my job I'm missing so much work. But I also feel like my boss pressured me into this and now I'm suffering. If anybody is having the same reactions to Johnson & Johnson vaccine please reach out to me. I have my vaccination card I can show you and I have a ton of doctor and  hospital records to verify my story. I'm really worried because I'm not sure what's going on with me, how long it's going to last, and is it going to come back if I do get these symptoms to go away.  My work place offers no paid extended leave, and has repeatedly asked me I'd I was quitting my job.   I'm only having these problems because I was pressured and bullied into getting this vaccine. I completely blame my boss. I would have never got vaccinated if he wasn't on me about it every single day repeatedly. I'm at a loss as to what to do from here. I have no income coming in. Do I qualify for unemployment or some sort of disability benefits? If anybody can please give me some suggestions I'm open to whatever you have to say