View Full Version : tetanus shot and als?
This may be grasping at straws, but on the other board, Pat had noticed that she had a bad reaction to her tetanus shot and that she subsequently developed the symptoms of MND. There are others who have apparently had similar reactions. On the net, there are articles stating that a tetanus shot may be associated with neuropathy and a couple of other researchers are looking at the possibility of a connection between a tetanus shot and subsequent development of ALS or ALS symptoms.
So, out of curiosity, how many of you with symptoms and PALS can recall developing neurological symptoms consistent with MND after receiving a tetanus shot? If you noticed such a relationship, how long between the time of the injection and the development of symptoms?
duplinwino
07-24-2007, 03:47 PM
Interesting... husband got a tetanus booster for a nail puncture, he also ended up having viral meningitis around the same time. Two years later his symptoms of MND started.
I had a bad reaction to a tetanus shot quite awhile before my symptoms started. After the shot I developed lymphedema, mostly from the neck up. This is a rare side effect of a tetanus shot. I had forgotten about it until my mother brought it up to the neuro at my last appt. The neuro acted as if she didn't hear it. Interesting though. ~Leslie
Yes, quite interesting. The time issue is important here. Since most people receive tetanus shots or boosters at different times in their lives, correlating such an event with the development of neurological symptoms can be tricky.
patricia1
07-24-2007, 08:05 PM
hI eVERYONE i JUST SENT A EMAIL TO DR JEFFEY ROTHSTEIN THE HEAD OF RESEARCH AT JOHN HOPKINS. HE IS A SCIENTIST WORKING ON A CURE FOR ALS FOR YEARS I EXPLAIN TO HIM OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE TETNUS SHOT AND ANY CONNECTION WITH ALS. HOPEFULLY HE WILL GET BACK TO ME I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.PAT
patricia1
07-24-2007, 08:07 PM
Please Continue To Post If You Have Had A Tetnus Shot I Need Some Figures To Get Back To Him Thank You Pat
Pat:
Good idea. Let's hope others will chime in.
joelc
07-25-2007, 11:39 AM
I got a shot but it was about 4 to 5 years later my ALS started. I did not have any reaction to the shot.
Icanmanz
07-25-2007, 09:08 PM
Pat:
Good idea. Let's hope others will chime in.
This is getting scarier, and scarier every day! If these tetanus or whatever shots are causing so much damage, and even death to mankind,,, why are they even advising for people to take these damn shots? If I ever wind up in an accident, or get bitten by a dog or whatever, I'd rather sit and wait for "lock jaw" rather than take one of them stupid shots!!! This is insane!
midwestgirl
07-25-2007, 09:37 PM
This is getting scarier, and scarier every day! If these tetanus or whatever shots are causing so much damage, and even death to mankind,,, why are they even advising for people to take these damn shots? If I ever wind up in an accident, or get bitten by a dog or whatever, I'd rather sit and wait for "lock jaw" rather than take one of them stupid shots!!! This is insane!
Remember, this is all speculation - no real proof a tetanus shot does cause, or trigger, ALS. We all try and figure out what could cause ALS, but nobody really knows. I personally believe there may be more than one, or many, triggers.
joelc
07-25-2007, 10:32 PM
Please, let's not jump to any conclusions. It is easy to blame one thing, but there is no way to know what triggers ALS in each of us and it definitely could be a different trigger for each of us. There is some other groups that are convinced statins cause ALS.
But, we all brush our teeth......so it has to be toothpaste - right? WRONG.
Sorry, but there is still too little known about it to have any clue at all.
There are millions of people who have had tetanus shots with no negative effect.
We keep looking and hoping.
patricia1
07-26-2007, 07:39 AM
There are millions of people who take penicillin and many die from taking it. Everyone reacts differently to things Many people eat peanuts others Its a death sentence Get my drift! Childen get autism from injections ,but it doesnt stop them fro giving it to babies everyday.What does that tell you. There is so much money involved in the pharmaculital companies that even if it is so We dont have a chance.It way bigger than us And when moneys involved LOOK OUT! Pat
Wes_E
07-26-2007, 08:04 AM
I got a shot but it was about 4 to 5 years later my ALS started. I did not have any reaction to the shot.
Same story with me.
I have also noticed from talking with other PALS that we share another common injury trait. Anywhere from 2-4 before DX we had head injuries. I got pile driven onto a sand bar while surfing, 1.5 years later my symptoms started. Don't know if there is any corelation but it could be another possibility!
Wes
Yes, there are many such correlations. Steven Shackel makes the same argument about a cascade effect of various variables. His ideas (http://home.goulburn.net.au/~shack/mystudy.htm), are probaly more likely to be correct.
I think we have to be careful about attributing ALS to various triggers. Almost everyone has tetanus vaccination ,but almost everyone doesn't get ALS. Like wise with head trauma ; there are lots of people out there who have had head trauma , but very few get ALS. That is the problem with trying to find trigger factors in a rare disease such as ALS - too many variables. I have just had a tetanus booster and nothing has changed. I also have never had a head injury,but still have the disease. There are probably lots of factors which come into play and that is why it is so hard to make an effective treatment.We just have to hope that the jigsaw pieces get sorted soon.
Jean
Saubier
07-27-2007, 09:00 AM
I haven't had a tetanus shot in 10 years. I haven't had a head injury in 30 years. But now I have ALS. One thing doesn't "cause" another unless it happens every time. Forget about it. Get on with your life.
Pappy
patricia1
07-27-2007, 09:12 AM
That is so not true People are exposed to all different viruses and Bacterias And some people get sick and some dont. People get injections everyday Some get reactions some dont. People eat food everyday some get reactons some dont .We are all predisposed to certain sickness I am not saying ALS is cause by a tetnus shot However it can trigger the disaese in some people as does asian orange chemical to spray to spray crops bugs ,and yet most people exposed to it dont get ALS so explain that. You may not know you were expose to something and maybe yours was inherited something had to trigger this disease The scientist are working on that and have similar ideas if you been reading up on causes of ALS Pat
paul.t
12-10-2009, 04:12 PM
I just today received a tetanus booster shot at my doctor's office. About an hour later, the tips of my fingers and toes went tingly numb and feel very cold. Knowing that numb finger tips and toes are an early sign of ALS, I googled "tetanus vaccine and ALS" and was surprised to see that there is a forum on this! What's going on??
Paul-
Numb finger tips & toes are NOT an early sign of ALS!
BarryG
12-11-2009, 06:53 PM
Hey wait a minute, I was outside today and had numb fingers and toes!! Is it ALS or is it -40? Now I'm inside and my numbness is gone!!
Big Mike
12-12-2009, 04:36 PM
There always has to be concern for side effects with vaccinations but this whole anti-vaccination movement in our society is getting out of hand. Vaccinations save a lot of lives. Diseases like tetanus are bad as well.
Fernando GCV
10-10-2010, 01:50 AM
My sister had a tetanus (and polio, and diphtheria) shot and about 15 - 30 days (february 07) started to develop ALS symptoms and She was ALS diagnosed some months later.
This post is quite interesting and if there are more people who have developed ALS symptoms after a shot of tetanus vaccine, itīd be interesting to know about them.
