Anyone had a problem with neuropathy after receiving the vaccine?

I had a similar experience. I had my first two shots with no particular side effects, and was working a job on my feet on concrete several hours a day, so I attributed my burning feet and numbness in feet and then in hands to my work. After my booster shot (All Moderna) I was violently sick to my stomach after 10 hours, and my entire legs were reververating, numb, etc. I have hald off getting the recommended 2nd bivalent booster, although it has now been a year since my last one. My feet, legs to my knees and my hands and face are feeling hot, stiff, numb and sometimes electrical shock type feelings. My doctor believes it may be small fiber non-length dependent neuropathy. I want to protect myself against COVID but I am very apprehensive that the moderna may in fact have caused or contributed to my worsening symptoms.

Hi. I also am debating whether or not to get the 2nd booster, as it appears my SRSN either began or was exaserbated by the COVID 19 vaccines. I had moderna for 3 shots.
You mention that your symptoms may "flare" after a vaccine. That indicates that they also abate. Is that your experience? I am more willing to have the bivalent if it may not cause permanent damage. So far my symptoms have advanced on the whole, with the odd day of some relief, but not what I would call a flare. I am hopeful though!

Hi @ssibc, Welcome to Connect. My experience with getting the vaccines and the booster is it didn't make a difference either way for my neuropathy - didn't make it worse and didn't make it better. I'm not sure there have been any clinical studies to draw any conclusions. It's good to be hopeful!

Did you report your adverse side effects to Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System?
-- https://vaers.hhs.gov/

I have SFN and also have developed terrible sweating. I have had heat intolerance off and on for some time, but I think this did become worse after vaccine. I also have fatigue (had it immediately after vaccine) and now have it more and more. Is there any data or articles about this side effect from the vaccine.

Those of us here who are not physicians really can't comment on this one, but this is a great question for your doctor.

That said, I had two Moderna shots (I will NOT get the booster). Soon after the Moderna shots, I quickly developed bilateral peripheral neuropathy to the point I could only walk using a walker. I have since progressed to a cane, but every single step feels like I am on fire from the inside out. It is excruciating.

I would not wish this on my worst enemy (not that I have any, but you know what I mean).

I am curious who diagnosed you with vaccine-induced neuropathy. My neurologist shrugged his shoulders when I mentioned the vaccines. He just said, "Hmmm, maybe...?" (shrug).

P.S. - I found your doctor's diagnosis encouraging. I wish I could get someone here to acknowledge it.

I’m so sorry to hear about the severity of your neuropathy. I also presented with bilateral neuropathy after my first Moderna booster. I was extremely worried about what was happening to me. I had the great fortune of finding a wonderful neurologist in Cleveland who had seen several patients with the same problem after vaccination. Hearing that made me feel less alone. She could only say that there was “high suspicion” of vaccine induced neuropathy. Obviously, it can’t be proven. She was open to the possibility especially after seeing a photo of my arm after my first shot. I had a rash on almost the whole upper part of my arm a week post shot. She prescribed Gabapentin to help with the discomfort and for me, it was effective. The other thing that she told me was that she thought that this type of neuropathy could possibly heal. Regeneration is very slow when it does happen. I am so thrilled to say that after 9 months, I am just now trying to completely stop the medication and am able to return to walking 3 miles a day and hiking. When this started, I could barely walk from the bedroom to the kitchen. Incredibly blessed and I hope this gives you and others in this situation some hopeful, positive thoughts. I wish you the best.

I have neuropathy still - year later!
I started having neuropathy throughout my entire body after 2 months of receiving 2 doses of the Phizer vaccine.

My first odd symptoms right after the vaccination was chest pain, and shortness of breath.
October 25th the real scary stuff stated! I had one leg during the night go completely dead to the point I woke in terrible pain as if my circulation was cut off. October 30th while mowing my lawn I started to have extreme wrist pain, and shortness of breath. It was so terrible I had to stop mowing my lawn (never had wrists pain prior) October 31st after the extreme wrist pain, I woke the next morning with both my hands and forearms so swollen I couldn’t close my hands to open my bedroom door. I couldn’t use my hands!
Super overwhelmed, in terrible pain, and absolutely confused what was happening, I tried to nap. While Napping my left arm went completely dead, so I I thought “am I having a heart attack?” I decided I better go to the ER right away.

The ER diagnosed me with carpal tunnel syndrome. Mind you, I’ve never had any symptoms of carpal tunnel my entire life. This diagnosis frustrates me to this day! To have a sudden onset of carpal tunnel in both hands overnight is absolutely not “carpal tunnel” Not knowing any better, I accepted the diagnosis. I was referred to a carpal tunnel specialist and saw him the next day. He tapped my wrists, my hands flung up and said “oh yeah you have carpal tunnel” “what would you like to do?” “Surgery or steroid injections?” me being the hard worker I am said “steroid shots” “I got to get back to work!”

A week later I started to get neuropathy in my my legs. I couldn’t find anything online about carpal tunnel causing numbness in legs or feet, so I called the carpal tunnel Dr to ask why I would have numbness in my legs and toes. He said “oh that’s not carpal tunnel” and I was then referred to a spine specialist.
The spine specialist ordered a MRI and the MRI came back fine. The Drs were confused why I would be having neuropathy on my upper body and lower body simultaneously.
The two specialists referred me to a nerve specialist whom confirmed with nerve test that I didn’t have carpal tunnel or a neck/back injury causing these new onset symptoms.
The 3 specialists decided they think it was a reaction to the vaccine and thought no Drs in my area could even help me. They called me and said I needed to go to ER in Salt Lake City right away!

The ER Dr completely in salt lake dismissed the Drs, he literally laughed and asked me “are they even Drs?, “this isn’t from the vaccine” he was completely rude and certainly unprofessional!
He did think I had enough neuropathy issues he referred me to a neurologist.

(After months of thinking I’m dying, I was finally able to see the neurologist)

The neurologist tested me for MS, and my Brain scan came back normal. Not even one lesion. Confused, he then referred me to a muscular neurologist who was also confused and couldn’t seem to find anything to explain my symptoms. The muscular neurologist then referred me to a rheumatologist, to test for auto immune disease. I have a positive ANA, ANA Hep 2 substrate, and elevated white blood cell (WBC). However all the specific auto immune tests are normal. The rheumatologist seemed stumped too! She did say “it could be from the vaccination or an infection” not very confident or satisfied with her answer, I requested to be tested for the possible “infections” HIV, Hepatitis, etc… all came back normal!

I was at square one again! No help, no answers, no certainty! Feeling like I’m dying, do I have cancer? Are they missing something? I’ve been miserable for months and no one has answers??! I feel and felt so scared and alone.

I wanted a second opinion and found a rheumatologist whom reviewed all the MANY tests and is confident this joint pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, numbness, tingling has been caused from the vaccination!
Finally a Dr who gave me a definite answer. He however said “I should get better “ hoping I would and trying to stay positive, I recently had a setback and been dealing with both my hands going to sleep every night, waking with numbness and pain. The muscle spasms in my arms and legs are super strong again! I am now seeing a new neurologist and hope he can get me to the right Dr or test for CIDP possibly to ensure that I don’t get more nerve damage from this vaccination!

It seems like no Drs have no answers, I’m exhausted from the extreme amount of tests with no real answers for my future or what can I do to get better? Is there anything to help?
Our government needs to step up and step in! The news needs to report on how many people are debilitated from this and stop scaring people to get vaccinated!

My own life has been dramatically changed by the decision to get vaccinated. I haven’t been able to work since November 9th of last year!

I personally would have rather contracted Covid vs making the decision to get the vaccination! At least then if I ended up with the same side effects I wouldn’t be punishing myself for causing myself to go through this debilitating pain and now DEPRESSION to the point I am selling my house and unsure how to support myself and what my future has to offer!

We need answers now!!

All medical procedures and medications come with some risks. Vaccines are no exception. Vaccines in general seem to be associated with various side effects at a rate that is generally in the ballpark of a few cases per million doses. Thus everyone must always weigh the risks of medical-induced problems (side effects) vs. the problems that are being treated.

As I understand it, the potential risks from covid (including "long covid" problems that can occur even if the covid infection is relatively mild) are far higher than the risks from the covid vaccines. There is no such thing as a risk-free option. Doing nothing has its own risks. The smart gambler will generally go with the lower comparative risk and I would like to think of myself as a smart gambler. I wish I didn't have to gamble on health at all, but that is simply not an option.

Bottom line: There is some evidence of a possible link between small-fiber neuropathy and covid vaccines, so that is part of the risks when rolling the dice. Here is a link to a PubMed article that addresses the connection.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8250971/

I had a spinal stroke in 2018 which resulted in neuropathy (among other things) and it got worse after my 2 Moderna shots and the first booster. In fact the symptoms were more severe and lasted longer every time. Having said that, 6 weeks is not that long and the side effects of long Covid could be worse. I'm getting my second booster this week and my doctor suggested to give me just half a dose as it would probably work just as well and might have fewer/shorter lasting side effects. Did anyone else do this and if so, what were the results?