Vaccine Injury of Lisa Uhl

Before the vaccine, I was a strong, fit thriving athlete. My passion was staying active, working out, exercising, and participating in races. I had just climbed to the summit of Camelback Mountain and was training to swim a one mile ocean swim competition. I had also just competed in a Spartan race. I was a runner, hiker, climber, swimmer.

2/26/21- I received my second Pfizer Covid vaccine. I waiting the 15 minutes and then drove off the lot. At 20 minutes after the vaccine, we pulled over so I could go to the bathroom and at that point, my leg muscles hurt so bad and were so weak that I could hardly get off the toilet. Three hours after the vaccine, I felt like a ton of bricks hit me. My body hurt so bad. Every nerve in my body, every joint, every muscle hurt so bad that I could hardly move. I took Tylenol and went to bed. In the morning I could barely pull myself out of bed, my body hurt so bad, it felt like I was being squeezed so hard in a vice and it would let up. I never felt that kind of severe pain before in my life. It felt like my body was on fire. I was also extremely fatigued and lethargic and could barely hold myself up. I felt like I was going to pass out. I started having heart palpitations, chills, shaking, and shortness of breath. One week later it wasn't going away or letting up at all.
3/9/21- I called my primary care and told her something was really wrong as my horrible symptoms were not going away after the vaccine. She put me on a high dose of Ibuprofen every six hours.
3/12/21- My stomach and esophagus were burning so bad from the Ibuprofen they felt like they were bleeding. I called my doctor again, she put me on Pepcid and stopped the Ibuprofen. It hadn't helped anyway. My body pain was still so bad, I could hardly get out of bed. It was every nerve, joint, and muscle in my body. It was so excruciating that at times I didn't want to live anymore. It just wouldn't let up. I was still extremely lethargic with heart palpitations, headache, lightheadedness, and brain fog. My PCP then put me on a Prednisone taper. I also started to take Tylenol around the clock. With the Prednisone, I was finally able to stand up and walk around my house a little, but still with severe pain. Some of the lethargy was subsiding. As I moved around though, the pain would become so severe that I had to go back to bed again.
3/16/21- As the Prednisone taper would decrease the lethargy would come right back full force. I took a shower today for the first time and washed my hair and the pain was so bad from using my arms and hands to wash my hair, the nerve pain, joint pain, and muscle pain and weakness. I wasn't sure how much more I could take.
3/17/21-I called my PCP again. She said we should do a slower taper of Prednisone. She increased the dose back up with a much slower taper. In addition to the sever pain, I was still having chills and heart palpitations. I started taking high doses of Tumeric.
3/18/21- Still extremely lethargic. I was trying so hard to try to work. I had been working from home doing telehealth since the pandemic. I could hardly hold myself up at my desk. My body hurt so bad. From my lower back down to my buttocks, down both legs to my toes were numb and tingly. It was so severe that it felt like there was a tourniquet around my cutting off all my circulation. If I tried to do any activities like brush my hair or type, that set of muscles, nerves, and joints would have excruciating pain. I was still not able to stand up for long. I could hardly sit at my desk chair because my butt would go completely numb along with my legs and it hurt so bad.
3/25/21- I was still on Tylenol and Prednisone. My body felt like it was on fire, every nerve and muscle were burning. I would rub essential oils on my body, my arms, legs and feet to be able to go to sleep at night. I was able to work a little during the day, but couldn't take any new patients on.
3/28/21- as the Prednisone was being tapered again, I became more lethargic again. It had never helped with the pain, but it helped some with the lethargy. I could hardly walk up the steps. At night, I was in so much pain that I couldn't even brush my teeth or wash my face. There was a noticeable difference in my muscles as they started to atrophy. At one point my knee and ankle gave out and I couldn't stand at all. All of this was starting to affect my mental health. I was crying a lot.
3/30/21- I called my doctor again. The pain was not going away. It felt like all my circulation was being cut off and my extremities were so numb and tingly, the pain was so severe. It felt like I was walking on pins and needles. My doctor referred me to Rheumatology and Immunology. She said she didn't know what else to do.
4/2/21- Still in severe pain, nothing was helping. I called Johns Hopkins Immunology to schedule an appointment. I was told they they would not see me as they were not seeing people that had a reaction to the vaccine right now. I was devastated.
4/4/21- I was referred to physical therapy who noticed that all my muscles were very tender. He said there was not much he could do and sent me home with stretches to do. I started another herbal anti-inflammatory supplement today.
4/30/21- I saw Rheumatology. I was still with joint pain and stiffness, numbness and tingling throughout my body, lethargy, muscle pain and muscle weakness. I lost 8 pounds. Rheumatology recommended acupuncture.
5/3/21- I got acupuncture and the little bit of progress I had made became much worse. The nerve pain was so much worse.
5/4/21- I went to get anointed by a priest. I wasn't sure how much longer my body could be sustained this way. I was put on a muscle relaxer by Rheumatology, but it didn't help at all.
11/2021- My lethargy is gone. I am not back to working a full day yet and I need to take frequent naps. The pain in my arms is somewhat less, but still there. The pain in my legs and feet is still so severe with nerve pain, joint pain and weakness. I continue with brain fog.
March of 2022. It was a little over a year since the vaccine. I was still dealing with terrible neuropathy in my legs and feet.. I have severe joint pain with muscle pain and weakness. I still could not run, hike, jump or even walk far or do any activities that I once enjoyed. I had difficulty going up and down the steps and even getting on the off the toilet due to the pain and weakness. I continued to follow up with my doctors, but they were not able to help me. I was gaslighted by the Rheumatologist. I was seen by a functional medicine practitioner who did Dr. Patterson's Cytokine 14 panel which showed inflammation especially in my vessels. They started LDN (Low-dose Naltrexone). For the first time at a low-dose of the LDN, I had some slight relief from the nerve pain. However, when they increased it I felt worse all over again. It came right back and the joint pain was much more severe. I weaned the dose back down.
Feb 2024- I found another Functional medicine provider. I have spent a lot of money and time seeking different treatments. I continue to experience severe pain in my feet and legs and arms. The arm pain came resurfaced. I still cannot run, jump, kneel, or hike because of the pain and weakness. I can't stand long or sit long because of the pain. My functional medicine provider says I have MCAS and has me on a low Histamine diet. I spend a lot of money monthly on all my supplements I take. I have anxiety which can be severe at times and have PTSD symptoms. I am crying as I write this. I cry every time I tell my story. I lost my life and who I was and live with severe pain daily. I often don't know how much longer I can work, but I have to work to be able to afford my treatments and supplements.
I continue to seek out other providers who can help me but it's so discouraging because I have hit a dead end each time.

Early on Prednisone helped with my lethargy.
Very low dose of LDN helped slightly with neuropathy, but made the joint pain worse so I stopped it.
Ubiquinol at 100mg twice daily helped with fatigue and lethargy.
Low Histamine diet helps some with body pain, the nerve pain and joint pain. It doesn't take it away but helps slightly.

Acupuncture made my neuropathy so much worse.
Muscle relaxers did not help.
My doctor put my on Glutathione and Quercetin but I didn't see any difference.
PEA Luteolin has helped with insomnia and back pain.

None of my family or friends can understand me. I have felt all alone in this until I found this group. Keep fighting and don't give up.