Age: 68.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Hypoaesthesia, Loss of personal independence in daily activities, Movement disorder, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular weakness
Clinical narrative: Arms are weak, numb, tingly; Arms are weak, numb, tingly; Arms are weak, numb, tingly; Facial tingling; Struggle to do anything with arms or hands; Struggle to walk; Exacerbation of MS following first dose of vaccine; Legs are weak, numb, tingly; Legs are weak, numb, tingly; Legs are weak, numb, tingly; This is a spontaneous report from a contactable consumer (patient). A 68-year-old female patient received first dose of bnt162b2 (PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 mRNA VACCINE), via an unspecified route of administration, administered in the left arm on 04Mar2021 08:00 as single dose for COVID-19 immunization. The patient was vaccinated at a hospital. Medical history included multiple sclerosis from 1994 and ongoing Verbatim: MS. There were no concomitant medications. Historical vaccine included Tdap vaccine (DPT VACCINE) on 18Feb2016 for vaccination. The patient stated that she was looking for direction as well as reporting an exacerbation of MS following her first dose of the vaccine, clarified as the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, on 04Mar2021. Weight: Caller stated she would give her Covid weight. HCP: Caller reported that she is unsure of MD zip code.  She reported that the phone number for her MD ends in DOCS but she did not know which numbers that corresponded to. Caller reported that she did not experience any of the common side effects from the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.  She did not experience a sore arm, fever, muscle aches, none of that.  She reported that she did not have any side effects until the afternoon of Saturday, 06Mar2021. Caller reported that she's had MS for many many years and that it has been in what she calls remission for a long time.  She stated that the last exacerbation she experienced was following a Tdap vaccination five years before.  Because of this experience, when the Covid vaccine came out, she went through her doctor to see what she should do, if she should get it.  Her doctor recommended that she get the Covid-19 vaccine, but told the caller that she should make sure to go to a health care facility to receive it instead of drugstore or a clinic due to her experience following the Tdap vaccine in 2016. Caller reports that she is now having a similar exacerbation following the Covid-19 vaccine. Exacerbation of MS: Caller stated that it is an ongoing exacerbation that is not getting better.  She stated that she's sure that it will get better, but she is not sure what she should do about the second dose. Legs weak, numb, tingly: Caller reported that the weakness, numbness, and tingling in her legs was progressive.  She stated that the weakness, numbness, and tingling began on Saturday afternoon, 06Mar2021, in her feet and lower legs, and had then progressed to her thighs by Sunday 07Mar2021 or Monday 08Mar2021. Arms are weak, numb, tingly: Caller reported  that she noticed on Sunday, 07Mar2021 that her hands were a little clumsy.  She reported that throughout the day of Sunday, 07Mar2021 and Monday, 08Mar2021, the numbness and tingling progressed into her upper arm. Facial tingling: Caller originally stated that she has been experiencing a lot of nerve sensation, then clarified as facial tingling, in particular around the mouth, below the nose, and on both sides of her face.  She stated that it began on Sunday, 07Mar2021 and was intermittently present on 08Mar2021 probably into 09Mar2021, then it just went away.  She stated that it would come and go. Caller reported that while she is able to walk and has not had to use her wheelchair, that it is a struggle to walk.  She also reported that it is a struggle to do things with her arms and hands.  She stated that if she wanted to eat, in order to pick up the fork she would probably be using 2 hands to get the fork up but can use it once it's in her hands.  She also reported that a pencil is difficult to pick up as well, stating that she would need to use both hands to pick it up but would be able to use the pencil once she had picked it up. Caller reported that the tingling comes and goes, and she experiences varying degrees of numbness.  She reported that they are a little numb throughout the day and it may get worse depending on what she's doing. She stated that she isn't a sitter, she has to get up and move. Caller reported that she called her physician, about the side effects she was experiencing and they instructed her to go to the Emergency Room.  She stated that their concern was what was going on and if it could be Guillain Barre disease, which she stated is extremely rare. Caller reported that when she went to the Emergency Room on 09Mar2021, they did not really do any tests.  She stated that in order to see if there were any new lesions for the MS, they would have to do an MRI of her brain. Caller reported that they did not believe that there were any new lesions, that they thought it was old lesions.  Caller reported that they told her to go home and make an appointment with the neurology resident clinic for that week, clarified as last week, week of 09Mar2021.  Caller reported that she called the neurology clinic as she does not currently have a neurologist, and they informed her that they would not be able to get her in for an appointment until the end of Apr2021.  She stated this was not doing her much good. Caller stated that they had wanted to admit her to the hospital, but told her that she could go home if she promised to follow up with the neurology resident clinic. Caller expressed some frustration, stating that she was really trying to reach out to see what she should do regarding the second dose.  Her physician tells her to go to the Emergency Room, the Emergency Room tells her to go to neurology.  She wants to know what will the second dose do.  She stated that she called the (state) chapter of the national MS society this morning, where they informed her that they had not heard any reports of exacerbations from the Covid-19 vaccine. Caller states that getting additional doses of the Covid-19 vaccine is a lifelong decision.  She stated that Covid may not always be a pandemic, but it could come back like a yearly flu.  She stated that because additional doses of the Covid-19 vaccine could be required, she wanted guidance on how to proceed. Her second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is scheduled for 25Mar2021. Clinical outcome of facial tingling was recovered on 09Mar2021, while for the rest of the events was not recovered.  Information about Batch/Lot number has been requested.