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
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autoimmune Diseases Support Group.
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@tls5alex You are so right about healthcare workers. My daughter is a nurse and was working during COVID. So many of them got autoimmune diseases who were working at the same hospital after having to take those shots!! A number of them got MS and these were young nurses including a 22 year old. Her mother who was also a nurse got it too. That is not coincidental when they both had to take that horrible "vaccine" which isn't really a vaccine at all. They ran an experiment on the population and it failed miserably. There were so many who were hurt by these shots its criminal. I thank goodness I didn't take the shot as I have my own business. After about a year, I did get Covid but it was very mild and I recovered in less than a week. When my doctor asked me if I got my shot "yet" when they first came out, I told him no way, I'm not taking anything experimental. There is so much literature and many studies about how the side effects were covered up so that the approvals could fly through. Horrible!! And now so many people are suffering needlessly. It's no wonder people don't trust the medical profession. It certainly changed my perspective.
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2 ReactionsI guess that's the Party line?
My first autoimmune diseases, uveitis and lupus were diagnosed at age 16. Then at 52, I developed RA. Then colitis. After that was secondary adrenal insufficiency. Then came covid with all the vaccines, which I took .I'm convinced they kept me alive, despite getting covid three times. I had all Moderna shots and various treatments or infusions when I caught the covid viruses. I'm thankful I was able to get the shots and treatments. Because of my terrible immune system, I have no doubt that covid would have killed me. I'm 69 now and you couldn't pay me to skip vaccines. My doctor even tested for my measles antibodies just to make sure I still had them.
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6 Reactions@tls5alex Exactly.
I experience the same symptoms, along with SJS. The difference is that I've been living in Germany since 2020, where I've encountered many poorly informed doctors. Instead of helping me find the cause, many ultimately blamed me when my symptoms didn't improve.
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3 Reactions@kjoed53
Very well said and I'm with you on that road.
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2 Reactions@tls5alex
I am in the same situation as you: 2 doses of the Moderna vaccine in 2021 in Italy gave me the same symptoms, SLE diseases, sensory polyneuropathy, colitis, antral gastritis, and who knows what other diseases because doctors were afraid to do medical tests and analyzes, to make a diagnosis caused by the vaccine. The Moderna vaccine destroyed my body and my entire life. You described everything very clearly, concretely. All my admiration for you. All my best for you!
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1 Reaction@theodorastronger well, for me look like I only had two vaccines. My immunologist told me I never should’ve had any.. I developed personage Turner syndrome, which has turned to my life upside down as I no longer have complete use of my right arm. John Hopkins did the study and they had an uptake of over 1000 cases reported. Cause an auto immune response in my body.
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3 Reactions@lkirnbauer
I took the jabs several times and I never had an issue until I caught the new strain of covid last June. That covid virus caused a bout with vertigo and from vertigo I went into PMR. The covid virus caused my PMR and I'm no damn coward for saying so. I'm one of the suffering!
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1 Reaction@tls5alex , Hi, fellow Canadian here. Did you watch 60 minutes on TV Sunday July 26th? The first story is called Inside the US Vaccine Court. You should watch it, if not.
I too was diagnosed with SLE...but have all the symptoms of Sjogrens.....since having 4 Pfizer vaccines starting Apr. 2021. Thanks for writing here. You have my heart felt sympathy. P.S. how did you get your diagnosis of Sjogrens?
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1 Reaction@lkirnbauer
Not wanting to debate vaccines but I have to throw this in. When I got Covid early on in the pandemic, before there were vaccines, the first symptom besides a raging headache was loss of taste & smell. I ended up in the hospital but thankfully recovered. Since then I’ve had Covid 2 more times each less severe. I’ve also had the Covid vaccines. Moderna caused a bad reaction but Pfizer was ok.
I feel like I never fully recovered from having the original Covid variant. But the vaccines didn’t change anything after. I know it was the virus itself that messed with my immune system.
Everyone is different & I don’t think the scientific community knows enough yet even though much has been learned about the immune system, including autoimmune diseases from studies on long Covid. Vaccines have helped many people and have possibly hurt as well. Hopefully we can keep learning but for now everyone has to make that decision whether to take the vaccines with guidance from their doctor who, hopefully they trust.
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