Cheerleader Can't Walk after Getting Flu Shot

Cheerleader Can't Walk after Getting Flu Shot

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

KTLA News: ASHBURN, Va. -- A 26-year-old cheerleader in Virginia claims she came down with a rare neurological disorder just days after receiving a flu shot.

Desiree Jennings, a Washington Redskins ambassador, says her problems began ten days after receiving the seasonal flu shot at a grocery store. She claims she fell ill with flu-like symptoms and then experienced convulsions and blackouts.

"Inside Edition" showed video of Jennings, an avid runner, struggling to walk forward and speak properly. When attempting to walk forward, Jennings appeared to jerk around and have difficulty moving. However, she could walk backwards and run without any problems. Also, while running, Jennings could speak clearly.

Jennings says after seeing dozens of doctors, she was diagnosed with Dystonia -- a rare and debilitating neurological disorder that affects muscular control. The condition, with no known cure, is usually caused by head trauma, drug use, and poisoning.

According to Jennings, medical hospitals ruled out everything after all her tests came back normal. The only explanation, she says, is that the shot caused her condition.

The FDA reportedly found nothing wrong with the batch of influenza vaccine given to Jennings.

Prior to getting the shot in August, Jennings was training for a half marathon. She says she received the flu shot in 2007 and 2008 without any problems. Her case is apparently a one-in-a-million occurrence.

Copyright © 2009, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles

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9 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

so tired of this site twisting things. When they wrote about the boy being burned the headline said it was over a video game dispute, I watched the video and games had nothing to do with it, it was over a him telling on his friends for stealing a bike. Now this says in the video caption that this happened to this girl from the swine flu vaccine when the video clearly states it was a seasonal flu vaccine. Stop trying to create controversy, if you are going to write then why don’t you stick to the facts.

- Jenny

Posted 10/27/09 01:08 PM

I agree with Jenny. Why not write about all the people that are not going to die due to the flu? So one sided around here!

- Rachel

Posted 10/27/09 03:12 PM

Wow, this is amazing. Why do all of the mothers of autistic children get lambasted for coming out and saying vaccines are causing some kind of nueurological damage. Look at what a vaccine did to this women, why couldn’t it be plausible that vaccines are triggering some kind of neurological response in certain people.

- Kristen

Posted 10/27/09 04:11 PM

I’m not buying it. FAKE!

- Anonymous

Posted 10/27/09 10:33 PM

This is terrible journalism - no evidence is supplied for this being flu related except for this woman’s opinion. What has happened to her is tragic, however this article is only fueling hysteria and misinformation.

- Dana

Posted 10/28/09 06:59 AM

In defense, Momlogic didn’t make or labeled the Youtube video and the article (written by KTLA news) does not say it was a swine flu vaccine. There is a chance that this woman was indeed hurt by a vaccine and I don’t see it as “fueling hysteria” since the video clearly stated how extremely rare this condition is.

- Robin

Posted 10/29/09 11:09 AM

There is no scientific method to attribute this condition to a vaccine. I’m sure if someone wins the lottery within 10 days of getting a shot the media won’t make post the headline: ‘Man wins Millions after getting flu shot!’. Things like this rare disorder happen to people every day..regardless if they get a shot or not. It seems our current society has to place blame on someone, or something for every negative event that happens..of course the blame is never placed on themselves.

- Brad

Posted 10/30/09 09:51 AM

I feel like this…i hate it happened to her, and i do believe it is real, but she had to have done something bad in her life in order for this to happen. She probably thought she was above the other cheerleaders and better than everyone else. Karma gets you all the time…..god has to take away the things that mean the most to you…for you to appreciate what you have

- Kasey

Posted 11/09/09 03:58 PM

Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a known potential side effect of any vaccine. She wasn’t diagnosed with it but they have lots of characteristics that are the same. Knowing that this disorder is caused by poisonings, sure does put a scientific method of believing that a vaccine (which contain known carcinogens and other toxins) could be to blame.

- Anonymous

Posted 11/12/09 08:01 AM