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Old 10-22-2009, 03:26 AM  
Libertine
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Quite interesting, I looked up a bit more about this case, and there are several noteworthy things - if you ignore the "diagnoses" offered by the reporters, at least.



First thing to note: it's suggested that she got the flu from the flu shot. However, the flu shot causing the flu is impossible. Unlike some other vaccines (including the nasal spray flu vaccine), the flu shot contains killed instead of merely attenuated viral particles. Those trigger an immune response which can cause some mild flu-like symptoms for a day or two, but they cannot cause the flu. Ever.

Second thing to note: she says she came down with the flu ten days after the flu shot. Any flu-like symptoms caused by the flu shot would have occurred much, much sooner, since the body reacts quite quickly to what it identifies as pathogens. So whatever the cause of her symptoms, the flu shot is an exceedingly unlikely suspect.

Third thing to note: her symptoms are atypical for dystonia, and she's actually being used as an example of psychogenic dystonia by neurologists teaching residents.

On the bright side, psychogenic dystonia can actually be treated. So she has a chance of making a full recovery
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