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Severe Vaccine Reactions: Why Some Americans Feel Abandoned

Several US workers required to get COVID-19 vaccines report severe side effects, feeling abandoned by the government and doctors.

Severe Vaccine Reactions: Why Some Americans Feel Abandoned

United States: The side-effects of COVID vaccines are known across the world; recently, a few patients have shared complaints about getting severely injured and have expressed that now they feel “abandoned” by the government and their doctors.

According to the reports by DailyMail.com, more than dozens of healthcare workers, military staff, and federal employees had highlighted that they were dealing with severe and deadly side effects of the vaccines for COVID-19 infection alone when they were legally required to take it for their jobs.

The news daily has shared the experience of three women who were accused of being anti-vaxxers because they raised their concerns about their injuries – caused by COVID-19 vaccination.

As per the official data shared by the US officials, COVID vaccines have contributed towards saving millions of lives worldwide, and a serious side effect is extremely rare – which is reported among one (1) in 200,000 people.

However, specialists argue that the strong effort to combat harmful anti-vaccine misinformation has resulted in those who suffer from legitimate post-vaccination injuries being marginalized and ignored.

Michelle Utter, a Florida resident, was informed that in order to visit her sons, both in the military and stationed at port, she needed to receive the Covid vaccine in 2021.

Just days later, this once-athletic woman found herself crawling on the floor, engulfed by an overwhelming internal sensation as though her body was ablaze. Now, the mother of three struggles to remain standing long enough to prepare even the simplest of meals, according to reports by DailyMail.com.

Danielle Baker of Ohio had never been healthier when she decided to get vaccinated, doing so to maintain her employment as a nurse.

Only hours after her second dose, she experienced excruciating back pain that rendered her immobile. Now, she grapples with heart and lung failure, uncertain how much time she has left.

In Texas, Gina Henson, who worked at a care facility, received the vaccine to protect the elderly residents she cared for.

Six months later, she was diagnosed with brain inflammation, a condition that led to a stroke and an arduous three-month hospital recovery. Now, she is no longer able to work.

As of September 2024, approximately 13,400 claims related to the Covid vaccine have been submitted to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), a federal initiative designed to provide restitution for medical injuries or fatalities.

However, only one-fourth of these claims have been processed by the Health Resources & Services Administration, a branch of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Out of the reviewed cases, just 58 were deemed “eligible for compensation.” To qualify, claimants must conclusively demonstrate that their injuries were caused by the vaccine itself.

Danielle Baker had never intended to take the vaccine. Having contracted Covid in 2020, she believed her immune system had naturally built up protection, as reported by DailyMail.com.

But in May 2021, the 42-year-old nurse, with two decades of experience, received a company-wide email stating that all employees must be vaccinated by July or risk losing their jobs.

“I felt like I had no choice if I wanted to keep my job,” Baker, now 45, told DailyMail.com.

The first Pfizer dose only brought mild discomfort, but the second dose had profound and immediate effects.

Within hours, intense pain began radiating from her injected arm to her face.

When the discomfort persisted the following day, Baker initially thought the injection might have hit a nerve.

“Unfortunately, the issue ran far deeper,” she said.

Over the subsequent weeks, her health rapidly declined. Debilitating back pain emerged, and soon after, she lost the ability to walk and control her bladder and bowels.

“This kind of thing doesn’t happen,” she confided to her husband. “People don’t just go from being the healthiest they’ve ever been to this.”

Doctors diagnosed her with transverse myelitis, a rare condition in which inflammation damages the myelin coating around the spinal cord, disrupting the body’s communication system. This can result in intense pain, muscle weakness, paralysis, and loss of bladder and bowel function, as per DailyMail.com.

While it is typically triggered by viral infections, there are rare instances where vaccinations have been cited as potential causes, as noted by Mayo Clinic.

Her medical records, which were reviewed by DailyMail.com, indicated her symptoms stemmed from an “adverse reaction to the Covid-19 vaccine.”

Baker’s neurologist suggested that her prior Covid infection may have led to Long Covid, weakening her immune system.

“Taking the vaccine pushed my immune system beyond its breaking point,” she said.

Once an avid outdoorswoman who frequently hunted and fished, Baker now requires oxygen support to breathe and is no longer able to drive. Some days, even dressing herself is a monumental task.

“I don’t know how much time I have left,” she said. “We’re already preparing for my funeral because of all this.”

“The impact has been catastrophic, both emotionally and financially. We’ve lost everything,” she continued, as per DailyMail.com.

“My heart breaks for my family. For the longest time, my son kept asking, ‘When are you going to get better, Mama?’ And I think he’s finally come to terms with the fact that I won’t.”

Despite her ordeal, Baker does not identify as strictly anti-vaccine.

“My concern is with the lack of follow-up for those who suffer adverse reactions,” she said. “If something goes wrong, there’s nobody to help you.”

Michelle Utter, 52, was in the best physical condition of her life prior to receiving the vaccine in January 2021.

The mother of three regularly ran miles each day and participated in CrossFit and martial arts.

“I was at my peak,” she recalled.

However, when she wanted to visit her two sons as they came ashore in 2021, she was informed that all visitors must be fully vaccinated against Covid.

“I got the shot so I could see my kids,” she explained.

Roughly 40 minutes after receiving her second dose, Utter, who had always been up to date on her vaccinations, began to experience an intense sensation akin to needles prickling her skin.

“I felt like I was burning from the inside out,” she said. “I’ve never felt this tired or this sick in my entire life.”

The pain was so severe that she collapsed, crawling to the bathroom as the left side of her body became immobile.

“It was the most terrifying experience of my life,” she said. “I looked at myself in the mirror, and it was the first time I truly felt fear.”

According to DailyMail.com, Utter was eventually diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath surrounding peripheral nerves.

Although the cause of CIDP is unclear, some cases have been linked to the Covid vaccine.

To manage her condition, Utter must undergo expensive antibody treatments, draining her savings and threatening her financial security.

“Nobody is studying our cases. The government has abandoned us, leaving us to bear the costs,” she lamented.

“I’m no longer the person I used to be, and I miss her. This is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Gina Henson didn’t exhibit any symptoms immediately after receiving both doses of the Pfizer vaccine in early 2021.

But six months later, the 52-year-old suffered a stroke.

Doctors attributed it to vasculitis, a condition in which inflamed blood vessels thicken, restricting blood flow to vital organs.

In Henson’s case, the stroke affected her brain.

The exact cause of vasculitis remains uncertain, though infections, blood cancers, and autoimmune disorders are known triggers. Some research has also suggested a link between the Covid vaccine and vasculitis.

In a 2023 case report, a healthy 47-year-old woman experienced severe weakness and back pain after receiving her first Pfizer vaccine dose, as reported by DailyMail.com.

Henson’s stroke left her paralyzed on the right side, and after three months in the hospital, she struggled to return to her daily activities. Though she attempted to resume work, mobility challenges eventually forced her to retire.

“I used to be full of energy, outpacing even the nurses around me,” she said. “Now, I’m barely able to walk.”

Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, acknowledged the rarity of adverse vaccine reactions but emphasized that the risk of avoiding vaccination far outweighs the potential consequences of receiving the shot.

“In 2021, you were 12 times more likely to be hospitalized or die if unvaccinated. By 2022, that number was still six times higher,” he noted.

“A decision not to vaccinate is a choice to embrace a different and, arguably, more dangerous risk.”

Reportedly, data from the CDC indicates that only two severe adverse effects are conclusively tied to Covid vaccines—anaphylaxis and myocarditis, both heart conditions.

The incidence rate for these complications is roughly one in 200,000 doses administered.

Dr. Offit concluded, “These vaccines are likely among the most thoroughly studied in human history. Systems were in place to track any side effects, and no other significant patterns emerged.”

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High BP, Smoking, Afib Linked to Stroke Severity 

Managing blood pressure, smoking, and atrial fibrillation is key to reducing the risk and severity of strokes. 

United States: A cocktail of three risk factors brings about not only a heightened danger of stroke but also improves the chances that the particular stroke is paralyzing, according to new research. 

What does it mean to ‘fail big,’ and what are these three big dangers? According to the research conducted by the group of researchers, it was revealed on November 13th in Neurology magazine that regular smoking, high pressure, and Afib increase the severity of a stroke, as reported by HealthDay. 

Lifestyle Changes Could Prevent Severe Strokes 

“Stroke can lead to disability or even death, yet there are a number of risk factors that people can modify with a change in lifestyle or medication,” said investigator Catriona Reddin, a geriatrics researcher at the University of Galway in Ireland. 

“The risk factors we highlighted in our results, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and smoking, should be managed to prevent severe, disabling stroke,” Reddin said in a journal news release. 

Researchers worked with nearly 27,000 people from 32 countries, with an average age of about 62 years. Half of this group have gone through a stroke, including about 4,800 with a severe stroke and 8,600 with a mild to moderate stroke, as reported by HealthDay. 

Researchers concluded that:  

Patients with hypertension had a higher likelihood of experiencing a stroke of severe intensity than patients with normal levels of blood pressure. 

Smokers had a higher chance of occurring with severe stroke, than nonsmokers. 

Global Implications for Stroke Prevention 

“Those are important findings, particularly because it’s the most important modifiable risk factor for stroke around the world,”Reddin said. “In particular, this is important in lower and middle income countries, where high blood pressure rates have been increasing very quickly and there are increasing rates of strokes at younger ages.” 

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Fitness

Is Your Sleep Putting You at Risk for Dementia?

Recent studies reveal a link between disrupted sleep patterns, particularly obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and an increased risk of dementia.

Is Your Sleep Putting You at Risk for Dementia?

United States: An emerging body of research has begun to illuminate a nuanced link between sleep patterns and the risk of dementia, particularly among those in midlife who experience insufficient sleep. This connection, though long speculated, is becoming clearer with new insights into specific sleep disorders and their potential cognitive consequences.

A recent study has honed in on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common yet disruptive sleep disorder characterized by frequent pauses in breathing that often trigger loud snoring. The findings indicate a notable correlation between OSA and an elevated risk of dementia in women, adding a fresh perspective to the broader narrative surrounding sleep health and cognitive resilience, according to reports by huffingtonpost.co.uk.

Understanding the Study

The investigation, conducted by researchers from Michigan Medicine, delved into the extensive health data of over 18,500 individuals aged 50 and above, sourced from the Health and Retirement Study—a comprehensive survey chronicling the health trajectories of older adults in the United States. Importantly, none of the participants exhibited signs of dementia at the study’s outset, providing a robust foundation for examining cognitive decline over the course of the ten-year research period.

While the incidence of OSA appeared higher among men, the study revealed a starkly heightened dementia risk for women with OSA. By age 80, women with OSA faced a 4.7% likelihood of developing dementia, in contrast to a 2.5 percent risk in men with the same condition compared to those unaffected by OSA. Notably, this gender-specific vulnerability to dementia persisted across various age brackets, underscoring the need to explore the underpinnings of this disparity, as per huffingtonpost.co.uk.

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The Role of Menopause and Hormonal Changes

Speaking to News Medical Life Sciences, Dr Galit Levi Dunietz, an associate professor in Michigan University’s Department of Neurology and Division of Sleep Medicine, and co-author of the study, offered insights into the possible role of menopause. “The decline in estrogen as women approach menopause may exert profound effects on the brain. This hormonal shift is often accompanied by fluctuations in memory, mood, and sleep patterns, all of which may contribute to a heightened susceptibility to cognitive impairment,” explained Dr Dunietz.

The underdiagnosis of OSA in postmenopausal women further compounds this issue. As Dr Dunietz emphasized, further epidemiological studies are essential to understand how untreated sleep disorders might accelerate cognitive decline in women, as reported by huffingtonpost.co.uk.

Does Sleep Apnea Guarantee Dementia?

Crucially, this study does not suggest that sleep apnea definitively leads to dementia. The researchers were careful to clarify that they observed only an association, not causation, with the dementia risk among OSA patients never exceeding 5 percent.

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Dr Ronald D Chervin, a co-author of the study and the Director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at the University of Michigan Health, noted, “To establish causality would require a longitudinal, randomized trial that rigorously compares cognitive outcomes between treated and untreated OSA patients.”

Nevertheless, in light of these findings, Dr Chervin urged both clinicians and patients to weigh the potential cognitive implications of untreated sleep apnea when considering diagnostic and therapeutic options.

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Health

Combat Seasonal Depression with This Therapy!

As colder days set in and daylight dwindles, millions facing seasonal affective disorder (SAD) brace for winter’s psychological toll.

Combat Seasonal Depression with This Therapy!

United States: As winter’s chill encroaches and daylight retreats, those vulnerable to seasonal depression feel its shadow looming over their minds and bodies.

“It’s a consuming sense of trepidation, an amalgamation of panic, fear, and anxiety,” shares Germaine Pataki, 63, hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Pataki is among the millions diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. To navigate its challenges, she employs an arsenal of coping techniques, including yoga, frequent walks, and antidepressant medication. Additionally, she’s part of an online support group on Facebook dedicated to individuals with SAD, according to vinnews.com.

“I channel my energy into helping others navigate it,” Pataki explained. “It grants me a sense of purpose.”

For individuals with SAD, depressive episodes commonly commence with autumn’s arrival and recede as spring approaches. The reversion to standard time, set to occur this weekend, often acts as a catalyst for SAD symptoms. Beyond the primary form, experts recognize a less severe variant called subsyndromal SAD, as well as a lesser-known summer form of seasonal depression.

In 1984, Dr Norman Rosenthal, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, first illuminated and coined SAD. “I believe the acronym endured because it’s memorable,” he noted, as per vinnews.com.

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The Underlying Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Scientific inquiry is increasingly revealing the way certain specialized cells in our eyes convert blue-spectrum light into neural signals that influence mood and wakefulness.

Sunlight, abundant in blue light, stimulates these cells, triggering our brain’s alertness centers, fostering a sense of vitality and sometimes even upliftment.

Kathryn Roecklein, a researcher from the University of Pittsburgh, has studied blue light sensitivity in individuals with and without SAD. Her findings indicate that people with SAD display reduced sensitivity to blue light, especially during the winter. This could shed light on the onset of wintertime depression.

“In winter, diminished light exposure combined with reduced sensitivity may push levels too low for optimal functioning, leading to depressive symptoms,” Roecklein explains.

Miriam Cherry, 50, from Larchmont, New York, spends her summers mentally equipping herself for the dark winter months. “It’s as predictable as the seasons,” she says. “The sun dips early, by 4:45, and suddenly my mood plummets.”

Can Light Therapy Alleviate SAD Symptoms?

According to Dr. Paul Desan of Yale University’s Winter Depression Research Clinic, many SAD patients experience significant improvement with light therapy.

“Light should be the primary intervention,” Desan suggested. “Exposing patients to bright light for about half an hour each morning has yielded substantial improvements. Often, medication isn’t necessary,” as per vinnews.com.

The therapy utilizes light sources approximately 20 times brighter than typical indoor lighting.

Research advocates a brightness level of around 10,000 lux, with 30 minutes of exposure each morning. This can benefit not only individuals with SAD but also those experiencing milder seasonal lethargy.

Specialty light boxes range from $70 to $400, though some products labeled for SAD may lack sufficient brightness, Desan warns.

Yale provides a list of tested light products, and the nonprofit Center for Environmental Therapeutics offers a consumer guide for selecting an effective device.

If diagnosed with SAD, patients may want to consult their insurers about coverage for light therapy devices, Desan suggests.

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Exploring Talk Therapy and Medication

Antidepressants often serve as a frontline treatment for SAD, complementing light therapy. Medical professionals also recommend maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and spending time outdoors, even on cloudy days.

One potential drawback of light therapy is its transient benefit, which may fade when use ceases. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), however, has shown more lasting effects, notes University of Vermont researcher Kelly Rohan.

CBT involves collaborating with a therapist to identify and reshape unconstructive thought patterns.

“A common belief among SAD sufferers is ‘I despise winter,’” Rohan explained. “Reframing this to ‘I prefer summer over winter’ presents a factual, neutral perspective that lessens the negative impact on mood,” according to vinnews.com.

Therapists can guide individuals toward small, pleasurable activities, gently encouraging them out of hibernation mode. Rohan suggests even simple plans like meeting a friend for coffee as steps toward reinvigorating one’s routine.

Additional Coping Strategies for SAD

With half the year to prepare, those affected by SAD often devise personal methods for weathering the depressive season, though scientific backing may vary.

Elizabeth Wescott, 69, from Folsom, California, advocates for contrast showers, a method borrowed from sports medicine involving alternating hot and cold water. She also employs a lightbox and takes an antidepressant.

“I’m always on the lookout for new strategies,” Wescott said.

Cherry, based in New York, has cultivated a garden patch dedicated to early bloomers: snowdrops, winter aconite, and hellebores, which begin flowering as early as February.

“To me, these blossoms signify that winter’s hold is temporary,” Cherry reflected. “Spring will come, and things will brighten once again.”

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