Age: 57.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: FLU3, FLU3
Symptoms: Pain in extremity
Clinical narrative: Pharmacist at pharmacy, stood while I was seated using what I saw as a long needle (I'm an R.N.) when needle inserted I yelled out and jump, it felt as if the needle hit something hard. Immediate pain at site -> at home shoulder pain decreased ROM -> pm back scapula, armpit, bicep forearm pain 10 plus & weakness in Lt arm. Sept 14, 2012 - Received flu shot from pharmacist. At injection I c/o of severe pain, he commented there was not much "meat" on my arm. The needle appeared too long and felt as if it hit something deep in my arm. Before leaving the store I had immediate arm pain at site of injection, by the time I arrived home I began to have a shoulder (tip) ache which thru the evening spread to my entire shoulder back scapula region, armpit, bicep, forearm and intermittent ache in hand & fingers. This pain was severe 10 plus on pain scale, it was severe toothache nerve pain, I can trace a line of the pain to site of injection. I had immediately developed 1st day loss of ROM in some directions with significant weakness which has continued to progress. Sept 15th 2012 - Called pharmacy to report the vaccination pain to pharmacist. He contacted vaccine adverse event dept. and told me they would call & take a report. Sept 16th 2012 - Called my Internist to report my severe pain which was not allowing me to sleep, and that the event occurred immediate from injection & progressed. Their office called back and must have transferred and incomplete message he told me to go to ER for possible stroke. I told the secretary I knew it was not a stroke and I would give it a little more time and take large dose of Ibuprofen 800mg to see if that would help and call back if not improved. I am on VICODIN 5mg 1 am 2 pm for bilateral avascular necrosis of hips & osteoporosis with past hx of 4 back fractures. This VICODIN did nothing for the pain at all. Ibuprofen help significant amount but for only 1-2 hours then quit. Sept 24th 2012 - Could not take the pain, brought to tears with it, no sleep for 9 days - called my internist he was out of office so worked in with associate. He prescribed MEDROL dose pack for pain and scheduled me with neurosurgeon to Dx whether this is brachial neuritis vs cervical disc issue I have had in past issues with C5 C6 with numbness in only my right arm never my left and also the issues coming from my neck always proceeded with severe neck & head pain and the arm symptoms to my right were nothing at all similar to what I am experiencing now. This left arm progressed from the minute the needle entered my arm. My appointment with neurosurgeon is Sept 28th at 9 AM 2012. After taking a dose of MEDROL dose pack which is several pills, I began to have 70% pain decrease, I can still feel the same outline of pain, but the steroids are suppressing the pain. When the pills are now decreasing toward the end of the pack I can feel the pain increasing. Sept 25th 2012 - I spoke with the VARS compensation and was told that I would be contacted by them in 3-4 business days. I have already spent $140 1st visit due to insurance copay for the year and $20 copay for my Sept 24th 2012 visit with Dr and $2 for MEDROL dose pack. I live on disability so this is a major hardship for me. At this point I have not been able to help my elderly father with grocery shopping & Dr appointments as well as my sister who is disabled in a nursing home and counts on me for all Dr appointments and shopping as well as due to my level of pain and arm weakness. Sept 26th 2012 - Filled out and mailed Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System form & mailed.