Post Gardasil Dysautonomia: Nina’s Story

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Our story begins in late May of 2007. I took my daughter Nina to the pediatrician for her 12 year old checkup. During the visit the doctor proposed that I have Nina receive the first vaccine of Gardasil. I immediately told him that I was not well informed about this new vaccine. He reassured me that it was fine and better to get it while she was young. I trusted my doctor. As we left the office, I had this strange feeling come over me. I started to question myself about my decision to allow the doctor to administer a vaccine that was new to the industry. My daughter was 12 years old and what was the rush to protect her against a sexually transmitted disease?  Maybe it was mother’s intuition, but I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.

The Early Signs of Illness Post Gardasil

In early July, Nina started complaining of her hair falling out. Nina is beautiful Italian with long thick brown hair. As a mother of three, and Nina being the youngest, I often play down any medical concerns of my children until I see a true problem. I put her to ease by telling her that with her amount of hair it is common to see more of it in the shower or on the bathroom floor.

Over the next few weeks Nina started to complain of flu like symptoms. She would wake up very fatigued and nauseous. The symptoms were intermittent, but becoming more regular as the weeks passed. I did start to notice an abundance of her hair on the bathroom floor. I was becoming concerned. By August, her complaints were becoming more severe. I took her to the local Med Express and they told me she was very dehydrated and they administered IV fluids. Nina felt great and I felt relief.

The next morning, the symptoms returned. She missed the first week of the new school year. The next week I started driving her to school because she was too sick to get on the bus. The school was only five minutes away but by the time we got there she was already too sick to get out of the car. My first thoughts were maybe she was having some type of anxiety about her seventh grade. It did not make sense to me. Nina was a very active child who was always laughing and playing with friends. Her relentless love of basketball always kept her on the go. She played on three different teams.

A Mother’s Intuition

She tried to muddle her way through the first semester of school, but was losing the battle. She was becoming ill at all times of the day. She would sleep on the bathroom floor hoping not to vomit one more time. I made repeated visits to the pediatrician’s office and pleaded with them to help our child. Thoughts were running through my head as to why she became ill so suddenly. Then I remembered my mother’s intuition moment and realized our world began to change after the Gardasil vaccine. The pediatrician was in agreement that we would not proceed with the second dose of the vaccine due to Nina’s illness.

Searching for Help

The next year was filled with illness, doctor’s appointments, diagnostic tests, multiple medications, multiple diagnoses, and many, many disappointments. We were told she was suffering from, Vestibular hypo function, Meniere’s disease, tonsillitis, and last but not least, a mental illness.

My husband and I were baffled. No matter what medicine the doctor’s prescribed for our daughter, her illness continued to invade her body and turn our worlds upside down.  We finally caved in and took her to see a psychologist. The psychologist commended Nina for dealing with this confusing illness in such an adult manner. She reassured us that Nina seemed well adjusted and saw no reason for any type of treatment. How could our healthy child who played basketball 24/7 and aspired to play basketball in college dwindle down to a chronically sick child who was now on home bound study with no social life?  Most of her friends drifted away as her illness seemed invisible to them, as there was no visible signs such a blood spouting from an artery.

We then decided that the traditional medical community was not helping so we decided to try a naturopathic route. We were told it was coming form an adrenal problem and were given vitamins, detoxifying foot baths, and massage therapy know as Reiki. All were complementary, but did not give her any long term relief.

Time marched on and in April of 2009 we stumbled across the television show Mystery Diagnosis. This particular episode was describing Nina exactly. This was the first time I had ever heard the word dysautonomia. I immediately went to the internet to research this illness. I found no specialists in the Pittsburgh area. I began calling every specialist within the United States and faxed all of Nina’s medical information to their offices. We took the first available appointment from the first specialist to return our call.

Finally a Diagnosis: Dysautonomia

Nina was finally diagnosed with dysautonomia by Dr. Hassan Abdallah at The Children’s Heart Institute in Reston, Virginia.  As sad as it may sound, we were delighted to finally have a name for her illness. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. Dr. Abdallah started her on blood pressure medication, followed by a vasoconstrictor medicine, followed by a medicine used for people with Attention Deficit Disorder. These medicines all help push more blood to the heart and brain, thus making her illness less violent. Typically, people with dysautonomia do not perform well in the morning.  It takes hours for their bodies to function and begin their day.  Even though we had a diagnosis for Nina, we still could not get her back to functioning like a teenager. We continued our battle by getting a second and third opinion from The Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Medical Center.  It was at Case Western that a doctor finally admitted that they had seen an increase in dysautonomia since the Gardasil vaccine was introduced.

She also takes melatonin to sleep at night. She constantly has issues with low Vitamin D which requires a prescription dose of the vitamin periodically. She takes an anti-nausea medicine as needed. She has recently been diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and insulin resistance. She combats all this by pushing herself to exercise with a trainer who specializes in strength and heart rate monitoring.

I have researched Gardasil and the facts against it are astounding.

  • Why would the FDA place a vaccine on their fast tract program (which means it only requires six months of research) if this vaccine was being administered to little girls?
  • Why are there over 2000 class action lawsuits against the manufacturers because of debilitating side effects and even death?
  • Why do the manufacturers constantly ignore the facts of websites such as Truthaboutgardasil.org?
  • Do they really think that all these people are just complainers and really don’t want to have a normal life?

We are currently seeking information about a new procedure called Transvascular Autonomic Modulation. It is an invasive procedure where they feed a catheter through the jugular vein and stretch the nerve fibers near the vagal nerve. This is said to reset the autonomic nervous system, thus giving patients relief of symptoms. It does have a 75% success rate. It is only performed by an interventional radiologist in California.

Six Years Post Gardasil

Nina was on the home bound program for high school. She never got to play on her high school basketball team. She never got to attend any proms. Regardless of the adversity she faces, she managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. She now attends the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg as a full time student. She struggles through each and every day with the perseverance of a soldier. Her strength and relentless integrity to live her dreams inspires everyone who has the pleasure of knowing her. The light at the end of the tunnel is that most people with dysautonomia will out-grow it. The doctors agree that Nina’s case is severe and it may be much longer before she gets relief from most symptoms.

Lessons Learned From Gardasil

Gardasil has taught us some valuable lessons. First, never think your doctor knows everything. They are human. They work for you. If you have questions, never stop asking until you are satisfied. Always trust your gut feelings or mother’s intuition. We are better people because of this illness. We no longer take life for granted. Our days of long hours at the gym watching basketball games and striving for the most points and the biggest scholarship have been traded in for a day of no pain or a friend who cared enough to spend some time doing nothing with Nina just because she is a fun person when her symptoms simmer down. Never judge a person with an invisible illness. Everybody carries some type of a burden in their life. Lastly and most important, we trust God has a plan and we will continue the battle until his will we be done.

Participate in Research

Hormones MatterTM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with Gardasil and its counterpart Cervarix. If you or your daughter has had either HPV vaccine, please take this important survey. The Gardasil Cervarix HPV Vaccine Survey.

To take one of our other Real Women. Real Data.TM surveys, click here.

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18 Comments

  1. My son has also suffered after receiving a Gardasil shot! Thankfully I refused the 2nd ONLY because of stories I had heard from other people as my son’s symptoms presented slowly and we didn’t make the connection at first! I hope that you and all the other parents commenting have filed VAERS reports! You as a parent can file even if you don’t think you have enough info! The main thing is to know the date of vaccination and where it was administered! Praying for your daughter!

    • We reported to Vaers immediately after we realized the vaccine may have been the cause. This was in 2008. Although it is the national database, it really serves no great purpose to the individual. They wanted to throw a few hundred dollars at us to make us go away. This whole ordeal has educated me as to the corrupt government that exists in the US. Vaccines aren’t about saving lives anymore, it’s about money. It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. Nina is found much better as the procedure in California, along with lifestyle and diet changes have helped. She is currently in her third year of college. Her life is finally resembling that of a young college student. Daily life is still a work in progress. She still needs certain prescribed meds, but they have been reduced. Many natural supplements has he!lped with the healing. I’m not sure if her symptoms will ever totally diminish, but she is very strong willed and she knows God will guide her path.

      • I am so glad I read all this! Especially the Nina story. My daughter has exactly the same symptoms. We have been told vasodepressor and extreme migraines. She was put on BP , meds for migraines, and looking at autoimmune disease now. My daughter catches every bug…Like one month with a kidney infection that never went away. I feel antibiotics destroyed her immune system. Take care Nina and family. May God continue to make you strong

  2. How to overcome the effects of Gardisil

    Hi, I can relate to Nina as I had the gardisil vaccine in 2009 and was diagnosed with PCOS early last year.

    What cured me was taking Taurine supplements. I take 6000mg Taurine/day along with Kelp 600mcg daily.

    Make sure your daughter never uses oral contraceptives/ birth control as it will give her a high chance of having ovarian failure after being on gardisil.

    I also take melatonin 10mg daily also, which is good. Best of luck,

    Jessica

  3. I would encourage you to look into the GAPS protocol for your daughter. It focuses on re-normalizing the bacteria living in the digestive tract lining. These microbes control many body functions besides digestion, including immune function and are very susceptible to pharmaceutical damage. I try to share this information with anyone I encounter who has experienced vaccine damage as I feel it can provide the missing piece of the puzzle for their recovery. http://www.gaps.me/

  4. Fran…after reading your complete story on Nina (I never knew “all of the story” – I am now fearful and suspect, as Alanna also suffered similar symptoms following her Gardasil regime (she has had all 3 shots). She suffered with an acute cystic attack (if there is such a thing)of her left ovary -> with rupture when she was early in her eighth grade year. She continues to complain of persistant (significant) loss of hair (always finds major “piles” on her bedroom/bathroom floor), and she too, has very thick hair. Fortunately, she had not and does not suffer from the (extreme) nausea or fatigue. Perhaps Alanna’s symptoms are related. She has had blood work completed, related to irregular menstrual cycle, and no glaringly abnormal results have shown themselves. Now I am worried about Jordan, as he just received his first of three Gardasil injections and is due for his 2nd shot in early October. He did immediately exhibit a red dotted rash on his upper torso and neck area, but it subsided after a few days. I will let his pediatrician know when we go back for the 2nd shot (who knows, I may leave the office w/o him receiving it)! Thank you, Fran, for sharing Nina’s story…she is VERY lucky to have a mom like you. God Bless Nina and your family. Praying for a quick “out-growing of the symptoms of dysautonomia”

  5. Francine, don’t give up searching! While you haven’t had significant success with “alternative” therapies, keep looking. While I highly recommend naturopathic, chiropractic, homeopathy, etc… I also recommend looking into Biophoton Light Resonance Therapy, as it can reverse the effects of vaccinations.

  6. Dr. Diana, thank you for the question. Nina does not have a hyper-mobility issue. She is quite the opposite and even though she has always been very athletic, she has always had to work at her flexibility. I am surprised that the condition includes frequent injuries. She has always had sprains and fractures, and knee surgeries. Could be a coincidence or her love of playing basketball or just clumsy. I enjoy your web page and videos. We are considering Transvascular autonomic modulation with an interventional radiologist in California. We are being very cautious as I have worked with an interventional radiologist for many years and have many questions about the procedure. Your video about vascular issues and dysautonomia was very interesting. Thank you again for all your information.

    • Francine. Our daughter who has been sick for three years beginning in 2013, finally received a diagnosis of dysautonomia in summer 2016. In November at the end of hope God led her to the doctor in Southern California to which you refer. She and her husband and two daughters spent a week there where she underwent the procedure to restimulate the nerve. Within hours her brain fog began to clear and within days she began to feel her body like waking up from a long sleep as many changes happened. One of the biggest is that she was able quickly to get off her prednisone and has lost all the weight gain. She finally has energy and is able to be a mom again. If you would like to speak with her she would love nothing more. Please email me for her information. She is in the Houston area. Blessings and Grace for your daughter. The physician in California did tell her that Gardasil is believed to strongly be the reason for such a huge increase in this disease in young women. BA

      • Bettiann,

        Thank you for replying. We did go to Dr. Michael Arata in California back in december of 2013. Nina is now in her last year of college. We are forever grateful to Dr. Arata. Nina also had immediate relief from certain ailments. We also continue the gluten free diet, dairy free and supplements. She has reduced her blood pressure medication and hopefully going off of it at the next cardiology appointment. I’ve worked with doctors my entire career and Dr. Arata is above and beyond any physician I have ever met. It’s been 3 years and we still have regular consults and prescription refills. He truly is a gift to the medical world. I hope your daughter is still doing well. Take care.

  7. Have you checked to see if Nina is flexible? Folks with connective tissue disorders are not only hyper-mobile, but 70% develop dysautonomia, usually after a “trigger”. My kids and I did. Running treatment trials now, after 10 years of research. There is a way out of this horrendous condition. Meanwhile, if she shows hypermobility, please know that her vessels are likely fragile. Big hug…

  8. Sue, regarding Nina’s Vitamin D issues. Actually, I did refuse the prescription this time around. It seems that every 12-15 months her Vit D levels drop. Since this has been happening, I have her on a maintenance dose of 5000 iu’s per day of Vit D3. The prescription dose is 50000iu’s once a week. No one can really answer why her body seems to deplete her levels of Vit D. Also, on one blood test, her Vit B levels were high and the doctor told us to stop her supplements. Well, she wasn’t on any supplements. Nothing seems to make sense or have a rhyme or reason since this vaccine. Roxie, we did try the liquid drops and I actually use them as I received them from a naturopathic doctor. But, she hated the taste and hated counting and so on. I think they taste good, but I guess she had another opinion. Dr. Owens, we have actually gone to two chiropractors and a reiki therapist. The chiropractor was actually very interested in pushing the vitamins on us and trying to get me to stop the prescriptions, but it was counter productive. She just became worse over a period of 6 months. The Reiki therapist always made her feel better, but it was short lived and the distance we had to drive to her office was difficult since she gets motion sickness quite easily. I think I may have gone to the wrong chiropractor even though he professes he can help people with Dysautonomia. Thank you everyone for you suggestions. I truly appreciate your thoughts.

  9. I would be interested to see if chiropractic adjustments would be beneficial. They have been proven to improve the immune system and work directly to improve the nerve supply to each and every cell in the body.

  10. Another idea on Nina’s vitamin D deficiency – our daughter bottomed out on D3 after Gardasil as well. The RX versions hurt her more than helped. An alternative dr placed her on D3 drops (BioD Mulsion Forte), which have made a tremendous difference. It is difficult to OD on these drops which are absorbed under tongue. We started her on 20 drops a day in 2009 after RX D caused issues. She now uses about 12 – 15 drops daily which have helped boost her immune system, strength, etc.
    praying Nina finds complete relief!

    • We’ll be running a story on Thursday about Vitamin D deficiency. Sue Ryan, who commented previously is our resident expert on all things vitamin D. I tasked her with gathering the research on vitamin D depletion in adverse events – w/ gardasil and other meds it appears common. Am looking forward to reading it. And, stay tuned for tomorrow’s post on POTS/Dysautomia by Dr. Lonsdale – a fantastic line of research.

  11. Nina’s Story sadly adds to the burgeoning reports of the Gardasil-injured teenagers and women.

    Regarding Nina’s low vitamin D that requires a prescription dose, I recommend checking the ingredients of “prescribed vitamin D” before filling the Rx. At least in the United States, prescription vitamin D usually is in the form of vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). Medical research indicates that vitamin D2 is not nearly as effective as vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 supplements are available in retail and online stores in a wide variety of doses. Best to supplement in concert with a periodic vitamin D test so supplementation can be titrated to attain optimal levels.

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