The Desiree Jennings flu shot controversy continues almost a year after she claimed that a seasonal flu shot brought on the neurological condition dystonia. ABC featured a follow up on the Washington Redskins cheerleader on 20/20 Friday night, trying to figure out if Jennings faked her illness.
In August 2009, Desiree Jennings received her seasonal flu shot, something she had done several years before. This time, however, her reaction was severe and debilitating. Over the course of several weeks she lost the ability to walk or talk normally, and began to suffer violent seizures and recurrent blackouts.
Months later, on November 4, a press release indicated that Desiree was making a remarkable recovery. It wasn't clear whether her diagnosis was still dystonia at that time. She was diagnosed by her treating physician, Dr. Rashid A. Buttar, with a number of conditions including but not limited to Acute, Viral Post Immunization Encephalopathy and Mercury Toxicity with secondary respiratory and neurological deficits.
The press release mentions 'neurological deficits' but does not specifically indicate that Jennings suffered from dystonia, as previously determined.
What is dystonia?
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The disorder may be inherited or caused by other factors such as birth-related or other physical trauma, infection, poisoning or reaction to drugs. It is known to be irreversible.
Desiree Jennings became on overnight sensation on the Internet. It was during the time when the swine flu was making people panic, although the shot she received was for the seasonal flu.
On Friday night, July 23, Desiree's mysterious medical issue leads 20/20 to question whether or not her affliction is real.
Comments
For starters, getting a flu-shot from a Costco or any other place other than a hospital or clinic is dumb. I pas on the flu shots. Don't trust them, and since China id producing the vaccine for the American people, you might just want to reconsider them as well. Think about all the poisonous food China shipped to America and killed all these poor animals, look at their poisonous merchandise they make for your kids, and the drywall in your homes.
Stay away from anything with China marked on it. It a prescription for diaster.
I have met Dr. Buttar and he is the most wonderful doctor I have ever met. He detoxes the body so the body can be in a state to repair itself. His son had autism. Dr. Buttar completely healed him from this. Yes, I believe her symtoms were real and I believe Dr. Buttar detoxed the agents that caused it from her body.
Never had a problem with a seasonal flu shot and I've been getting one since the early '80's. As for all the detoxing stuff...if you eat properly and drink plenty of water, the body naturally detoxes itself. Not sure if Ms Jennings condition is legit or not, but it seems doubtful a flu shot can cause such physical mayhem.
Can you list the ingredients of a flut shot? If not, how can you be sure that a shot couldn't cause such physical mayhem? Besides the fact that flu shots have MULTIPLE harmful ingredients in it, it only protects people against a couple strains of the influenza virus and THOUSANDS exist! So you could get the flu shot and still get the flu if the researchers guessed wrong on which virus would be present that year. If you're taking care of your body then you don't need a flu shot anyways, your body will take care of itself! STOP SUPPORTING THE DRUG COMPANIES BY GETTING A FLU SHOT!
The body is a remarkable thing. I don't believe she faked this. Some doctors are idiots---ever watch Mystery Diagnosis?---it takes some people years to find out. Just hope nothing like this happens to you!
Why would a top cheerleader, at the top of her career, fake an illness and lose time & money???
B/c of her utube video, people started doubting the validity of the H1N1 shot.
Pharmaceutical co's spents millions trying to convince us to take a live virus/mercury and other toxins into our bodies, without conducting research on the KNOWN harmful affects.
Other countries rejected this vaccine after their citizens became ill and/or died. But in the US, the FDA & pharma continued to support the H1N1...
Whats the golden rule here?...Those who have the gold make the rules...
Lis,
You do know that the other countries that had vaccines that caused problems/deaths had a different formula for their H1N1 vaccine, right? Oh wait, of course you don't know that. You, like many others, continue to spread innacuracies about vaccines to justify why you don't get vaccinated. In the meantime, while your body contracts the virus and easily fends it off, you and the others pass on the virus(es) to those of us who are immunocompromised. Sometimes, even if we've had our vaccines, we can't fight off the virus in full effect. Therefore, we end up hospitalized or we're extremely sick for months, again. What's the golden rule, REALLY? "Treat others as you would want to be treated." Would you want to be sick for months or hospitalized nearly every year because some people are inconsiderate and/or spread the unnecessary fears about vaccines? I didn't think so. So unless you are allergic to the vaccine syrum (e.g. allergic to eggs), get vaccinated - either by shot or nasal mist, quit spreading paranoia, and do some good for your fellow, less healthy, man.
Chunky-Monkey, unfortunately your opinion on influenza vaccination is sorely misguided. There is absolutely no difference between the flu-shot at Costco or other pharmacy and those administered at a physician clinic or hospital. Vaccinations are indicated for certain individuals at high risk of having poor outcomes based on medical issues they may have or their age and these indications are based on a mountain of very strong objective evidence that the benefits outweigh risks in these people. Your opinion, on the contrary is based on unrealistic fears that were likely passed on to you by people, who like yourself who are influenced by gossip and anecdotal unsubstantiated claims that really are just not fact.
Chunky-Monkey, unfortunately your opinion on influenza vaccination is sorely misguided. There is absolutely no difference between the flu-shot at Costco or other pharmacy and those administered at a physician clinic or hospital. Vaccinations are indicated for certain individuals at high risk of having poor outcomes based on medical issues they may have or their age and these indications are based on a mountain of very strong objective evidence that the benefits outweigh risks in these people. Your opinion, on the contrary is based on unrealistic fears that were likely passed on to you by people, who like yourself who are influenced by gossip and anecdotal unsubstantiated claims that really are just not fact.
@Donita - You know very well it could happen to you as likely as it may happen to anyone else. As for the whole calling doctors idiots thing... well they make more sense then you are making right now.
Why would someone that beautiful from the inside out waste their life living like this, you can see the pain loss of sleep energy. I also was stuck by several aflictions including fibromyalgia some because of past employment.I am on permanant disability and life is not good I only wish I could turn this off! Stay strong Desiree and thank GOD for your strong husband and family sorry what your going thru I only hope it helps others.
Who knows what the strength of the shot was. I have been in manufactuing for years and know that any thing can go wrong, humans are humans and machines are machines.
I would trust a used car salesman before I would trust a doctor. They know a lot less about health than you think, and they lie all the time. The third leading cause of death in this country is medical mistakes and that was in an article in JAMA.
She should sue all these liberal idiots calling her a liar for defamation of charactor. Let these fools inject their children with monkey serum. The USA is under complete control of these facist industies. The USA has become a Scentific/Corporative dictatorship.
Didn't you see the latest video where she was walking normally in a parking lot? Inside Edition filmed her and the reporter walked up to her. She was NORMAL. Not problems walking AT ALL. But, she "all of a sudden" now speaks with a British accent? The woman is dilusional. She needs psychiatric help.
Glamor shots should have touched her up a little........I mean a whole lot before this picture was taken
I think this woman may suffer from a Somatoform Disorder. This is where a patient will show symptoms of an illness but have no medical evidence of an illness. This does not mean that she is faking her symptoms, she truly has the symptoms and consciously believes that she is sick.
There are many viruses and afflictions that go undiagnosed in this and other countries. There is no reason to attack this woman. She is ill, and her condition, fascinating. Pray that someone who works in these types of orphan diseases can find the answers and prevent any of you from contracting the same ailment, or one worse!
How if she has this problem,is she able to do her hair and make up so good. Well we were just wondering that?
Look up the neurological problems the swine flu vaccine in 1976 caused for some people.
Does anyone know if China is really producing the vaccine. I thought it was produced here in the United States.
Our vaccines aren't produced in China, they are produced in the United States and Europe.
These doctors remind me of BP officials dismissing that dispersents and hydrocarbons are harmful to the body-It's easier to disbelieve an illness you never studied than to appear foolish. It's also hard to hear that a lauded common treatment like vaccines can,at times, trigger illness. It's too bad doctors' egos also get involved, and they end up attacking the patient and the expert healing physician for what their medical school failed to teach them. So, when in doubt the junk diagnosis is " it must be psycological" And you wonder why our healthcare is failing us???
Why are pyschological problem automatically dismissed? Look-up Somatoform Disorder...this fits her situation...doesn't mean that she is faking it.
Does anyone know if China is really producing the vaccine. I thought it was produced here in the United States.
ok, so did you guys see the inside edition? they found her and she started talking in that accent but didnt dr battar "cure" her? if she was "cured" then why does she still have that british accent lol? but really...cant you see this is all staged? sure, shes a cheerleader but how many of you guys knew who she was when she was just a cheerleader? im sure none of you did..but now that she got "sick" we all know her! what time and money is she losing from being "sick"? you think she does these news reports for free?? haha this is america baby no one does anything for free you know fox news, abc news, inside edition, ect paid her for them to film "exclusive" footage of her with these "symptoms". cmon people i know everyone is smarter than that to believe this...as she would say: "rubbish!"
I was wondering about her hair and makeup also. Maybe the symptoms are erratic?
Michael A - Somatoform Disorder is the DSM-IVTR way to say "psychogenic illness" - a neurology or layman's term. As soon as I saw this story, I also thought it was Somatoform Disorder. I am a neuropsychologist & her symptoms do not fit any known pattern of neurological dysfunction. Her symptoms do, however, correspond to a psychogenic (somamtoform) disorder. You are correct in saying that this does NOT mean she is faking. Her mind is making her sick. Psychological treatment is indicated - not neurology or any of the other specialists she went to.
For goodness sake, Johns Hopkins said it was psychogenic and every colleague I have who saw the story agrees! At some point, you just have to accept what is going on. (Example, I had a patient who was paralyzed from the waist down due to somatoform disorder. Meaning - nothing was physically wrong - it was all psychogenic). So, she still needs treatment - just a different type. I wish her the best.
Dr. Kaiser....you are absolutely correct on accepting what is going on. I'm truly surprised that somewhat hasn't gone to further lengths to explain Somatoform Disorder to her instead of just saying "its pyschogenic." But like some people on this blog are implying, her symptoms are not fake, they are very real to her. Unfortunately though, mental illness carries a very heavy stigma which then causes people to not acknowledge there problem that they have. I hope she starts to get more specific diagnosis and accepts her illness for what it is.
so on her recovery video she has no accent but on this here, she's got a very thick one....what the heck? google it
"cheerleader flu shot" its the 2nd link on justaguything.com
She is worse than ever. Why would she fake it and get no media attention at all now. Flu Shots are poison.
I don't get flu shots because of stuff like this. Sure, it's 1 in a million. But so is dying from the flu if you're a healthy adult. Weigh it - sick for 24 hours, 5% chance, or 1/1000000 Life ENDING/Changing disease. I'll take the 1/20 chance of being sick for 24 hours, thanks.
Dr. Kaiser, you are wrong and you should be ashamed of yourself, along with your other unprofessional associates who are willing to bestow your medically ignorant diagnoses on this poor woman without so much as a cursory consideration of the development of the medical understanding of previously unknown disease processes. Somatoform disorder isn't a cash cow for neuropsychologists like yourself. One of the first conditions for a somatoform diagnosis is the complete absence of a physiological illness, which in this case hasn't been established. On the contrary, there is loads of evidence attesting to disturbing new disease processes that demands tremendous research in the field of toxicology.
When small-minded physicians like yourself are too lazy to perform the research required to learn about a newly recognized disease process, you need to step aside and allow those who have the compassion, interest, and ability to understand the time to do their work. Reckless people like you would have allowed surgeons to continue operating without gloves because you had not yet understood what germs were.
Brainfan, Have you every been to medical school, at that have you been to college, wait did you even graduate high school? you sound ignorant there are so many diseases and germs and anything else you have no idea about the these doctors who take care of you when you are sick had to spend years of money and time learning and stressing and sweating over these things. If i were you i would keep my mouth shut because guess what.... if your the next one to get cancer or any disease guess who has to take care of you hmmmm a DOCTOR!
Ms. Jennings' case was investigated and it turns out she was taking numerous illegal drugs. Her symptoms were actually caused by either a dangerous combination of these drugs or a contaminant in one.
Much of the influenza vaccine administered in the United States is actually produced here. Medimmune is just one of the companies that produces the vaccine and they have facilities located in Maryland and California. They also have a facility in the United Kingdom but not one in China.
Contrary to popular belief, the injected influenza vaccine cannot actually give you the flu, as the vaccine is not made from live components (and unalive things cannot simply come to life). It takes approximately 2 weeks after vaccination for your immune system to mount an adequate response. Unfortunately some people are exposed to the flu during this time or just prior to being vaccinated, making it seem as though the shot gave them the flu.
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