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Was there an uptick in autoimmune conditions after COVID vaccines?
A few years ago I experienced intense vaginal itching. I tried various over the counter creams, none of which helped. In desperation I went to a walk-in clinic (I was unable to get in to my primary care doctor) and I was examined by a Medical Assistant who prescribed a steroid cream. She said that there was a stronger one that she hesitated to prescribe because it can cause thinning of the skin. The cream was not successful and eventually I was able to see my PCP who said this was Lichen Planus and prescribed Betamethasone cream. That, thankfully was effective. The following year when I had my yearly health check I complained that my legs were very itchy. My PCP looked at them and said that I could try an OTC steroid cream. This was shortly after I had a COVID booster. I then made an appointment with my dermatologist and asked if he thought I was having a reaction to a new medication that I was taking for blood pressure. He said "this isn't a drug reaction, I think this is Lichen Planus!" He prescribed Betamethasone and it was effective although I still get occasional red, itchy bumps. I have learned (from Mayo Clinic Connect) that this is an autoimmune condition and wonder now if an uptick in autoimmune conditions has been seen since the administration of COVID vaccines.
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Note from the Community Director
The vaccines that help protect against COVID-19 are safe and effective. Clinical trials tested the vaccines to make sure of those facts. Healthcare professionals, researchers and health agencies continue to watch for rare side effects, even after hundreds of millions of doses have been given in the United States.
Side effects that don't go away after a few days are thought of as long term. Vaccines rarely cause any long-term side effects.
If you're concerned about side effects, safety data on COVID-19 vaccines is reported to a national program called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System in the U.S. This data is available to the public. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) also has created v-safe, a smartphone-based tool that allows users to report COVID-19 vaccine side effects.
If you have other questions or concerns about your symptoms, talk to your healthcare professional.
From Mayo Clinic: COVID-19 vaccines: Get the facts
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@kmacky really annoying and unnecessary… those jabs also triggered auto immune reactions never before present. Best to you.
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2 ReactionsMy rheumatologist said it’s possible that my two cases of COVID may have contributed to RA, or exacerbated my inflammation issues. NOT the vaccine! Vaccinations protect us—just look at what’s happening with the increasing number of measles as a result of vaccine paranoia.
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2 Reactions@donnapa
I also have celiac disease, and your nails look very similar to mine—brittle with pronounced ridges on both my fingernails and toenails.
After receiving the BioNTech vaccine, I developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), along with elevated iron, ferritin, and IgM levels.
My ferritin is now low, but it's slowly improving over time. My skin is also improving, which I believe is due to carefully increasing my vitamin C intake.
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2 ReactionsMaybe some day we will find out that the covid vaccine altered our immune system in ways not intended, but I have no doubt that it saved countless lives at the time. Our immune system doesn't always age gracefully, which is why there are so many conditions that we acquire as we age. Every day we encounter something that affects our immune system... viruses, seasonal allergies, mold spores, insect bites, plant toxins, air pollution, and the list goes on and on. Our immune system is under constant attack and does remarkably well for most of our lives, but it is liable to short circuit once in a while and maybe moreso as we age. At 73, I'm an old high mileage human machine. My parts are breaking down and maybe I don't have much tread left, but I'll run this machine into the ground because there's still road in front of me and I'm not going to complain about something that may have helped me get this far.
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6 Reactionshttps://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2026/06/18/chairman-johnson-questions-cdc-awarding-pfizer-1-24-billion-for-mrna-covid-19-vaccines-after-fda-officials-recommended-warning-of-fatal-outcomes/
This is concerning but not surprising. I did not take the vaccine, but have had Long COVID for over 4 years now. I read about those who did take the vaccine and some have worse autoimmune illnesses and other side effects that have changed their lives. I do know that my experience with Long COVID are symptoms that mimic many other autoimmune illnesses. I am so sorry you and many others are having these issues.
I call BS on the vaccines don’t cause issues! I’m on year 4 without my taste or smell and it’s from either the Covid Vaccine or from actually having Covid. Immediately after my very first Covid Vaccine, I had a metal taste in the back of my throat. That was my first detection that something was off. I had a couple of boosters after that and then caught Covid about 8 months after my first vaccine. On day 2 of the virus, I lost my taste and smell and still don’t have it back almost 4 years later. I’ll argue all you want on the vaccines, which I do believe caused all of this! You’ll just keep defending them forever instead of actually helping those of us who are suffering because you’re all cowards! This virus has taken my life as I knew it, away from me. I will never have another Covid vaccine or booster, ever!
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4 Reactions@kmacky I believe you and you are 100% right. I was perfectly healthy, working in my career and running regularly and working out regularly…..until I got the first Pfizer vaccine. 4 days after the shot my health and life turned upside down. I became ill with dizziness, vertigo, tremors, brain fullness sensation, difficulty walking and talking and listening to my ability to concentrate, and fell into terrible crashes for hours. PEM, memory problems unexplained rashes on face and body. Heart issues, tachycardia, heart cramping pain that came and went, anemia and needed blood transfusion and iron infusion several times. Then pain entered the party. Hair falling out, weight loss 20 ibs without trying. Dx with MECFS; Lupus SLE, Sjogren’s Disease, MCAS and POTS. It took 5 years of suffering and many months sick in bed and dealing with pain everyday to finally get the right dx. The worst part of all this was the Canadian doctors and specialists who refused to acknowledge this sudden onset illness as vaccine induced. This is the most painful part besides the incompetence of physicians. It’s the cover up by government, media and medical community. Doctors getting fired if they linked sudden onset illness to the vaccines. Talk about conflict of interest. Moreover the denial by media and government that there was a pressure campaign in the public on everyone especially healthcare workers(which I was) to get this vaccine. Now everyone acts like “well it was your choice” no one forced you🙄. It’s so disgusting and a blatant rewriting of history. There are no ethics in healthcare, no honesty, no physicians standing by there code of ethics to do no harm. Media is to blame and they’ll never tell the truth because they are responsible for the pressure campaign, government will certainly not own up to their mistake and will rely on the physicians and specialists they threatened to deny vaccine injury or vaccine causal relationship. That’s what the doctors try to argue and that is the semantics of the word causal relationship that they say is hard to establish 🙄 what fools they think we are. How condescending and patronizing that the medical commuting were all idiots. What a huge conflict of interest that we can’t sue Pfizer, we can’t prove causal, because the doctors we see have been threatened by the government who runs the vaccine injury programs. What unethical BS is going on?!!!
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7 ReactionsI appreciate all you have been through regarding these vaccine issues. You
are speaking some of my very own opinions regarding media, medical
practitioners, CDC, big Pharma and others. I am anxious to see the outcomes
of current research in about 10 years. It will surely tell our story
truthfully. Good luck in your future medical issues.
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2 Reactions@artemis1886
I am so sorry for this tragedy you are in. I don’t think they want us to talk about Covid vaccines on here. So so sad. Look at the React19.org website. I learned alot. Meantime, I am praying for you. You are not alone. Heavens! For sure you are not! I am living one day at a time with prayer for all of us who have suffered. May your Angel watch over and guide you. Know we care ALOT!!!
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3 Reactions@artemis1886
My reply hit under @ gently. I am so sorry for this tragedy you are in. I don’t think they want us to talk about Covid vaccines on here. So so sad. Look up React19.org. I learned alot. I am praying for you and all of us who have suffered. May your Angel watch over you and guide you. You are not alone! Heavens! You are not! 🙁 @admeliora