My daughter was diagnosed with ATM in 1993. At the time she was 7 years
old. Her peditrician and her neurologist have two different theories on
what caused this. Her neurologist says it was a virus that caused her body
to attack her emiune system and her peditrician thinks it was a severe
sinus infection that through her emune system out of wack. Her lesions
were C-2 to C-5. She is a quadriplegic that has severe lung and breathing
problems. Her peditrician feels that if she was to get the flu giving her
lung problems if it would kill her. So every winter she gets a flu shot.
She does not have any adverse effects from it. As for any other vaccines,
she hadn't had one for atleast two years previous to her onset of ATM.
Before she got this she was a perfectly healthy child.
Unfortunately, TM is financially devastating even if you have great
insurance. I sincerely hope your research is successful. It wouldn't help
us, but there are a whole lot of others it will. Good Luck.
Tami Chavez
----------
> From: Gary G. Linkous <linkous(AT)mornet.com>
> To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> Subject: Re: Tri valent flu vaccine
> Date: Saturday, June 14, 1997 2:39 PM
>
> Dear Mr. Chavez:
>
> Thank you for your response. I cannot recall from my reading of the
E-Mail
> at this address the medical status of your daughter. Is she currently
> diagnosed with TM, and if so what is her current physical condition?
What
> if any causation was attributed to her TM?
>
> Based on my current understanding of the possible causes of TM, I believe
> Cathy Morris' explanation of T-cell reactions to virus stimulation in her
> June 2, 1997 E-mail is currently well accepted in the medical community.
> This being the case, I am focused on a theory that it is possible that
flu
> vaccines, which are specifically designed to produce immune reactions,
> cause stimulation of T-cells that may produce antibodies that attack the
> myelin sheath thus causing TM.
>
> I became interested in this theory when I reviewed the literature that
> basically confirmed the causal relationship between flu shots and
> Guillian-Barre. Guillian-Barre has some medical similarity to TM. I also
> read an old diagnostic text book that indicated about one third of TM
cases
> appear to be associated with viral infections or vaccine injections. The
> most relevant aspect of my research is why some people appear to have an
> episode of TM from a vaccination, while others do not.
>
> As of late many members of this group have been concerned about medical
> care insurance. The purpose of my research relates to those individuals
> that may be eligible for financial assistance through the federal Vaccine
> Injury Act and its related National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986.
> Generally, the impact of TM is financially devastating. Currently TM is
not
> listed as a specific compensable diagnosis, and flu shots are not listed
as
> one of the vaccines for which compensation is available if a medical
injury
> occurs. I believe both the Tri-Valent Flu Vaccine and TM need to be added
> to the list.
>
> Currently only DTP, MMR and Polio Vaccines are on the list, and as I said
> before, TM is not specifically listed as a compensable illness if it
> results from one of these vaccines. I believe the federal act needs to
> expand its coverage for those person who cooperate with mandated vaccine
> programs (schools in particular) or respond to the general public
campaign
> staged by the medical community every flu season, and then end up with
TM.
> Before I can tackle a change in the legislation, I need to compile the
data
> that will make the medical community at large accept the diagnosis of
> vaccine induce TM.
>
> My hope in joining this group was to here from those person that may have
a
> physician that believes in the causal diagnosis of vaccine induced TM or
> from persons that have developed TM in close proximity to receiving a flu
> shot. I find your comments very interesting and very relevant. I am
eager
> to here your answers to my initial questions, as they may add a new
> dimension to my research.
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Gary
>
> PS
>
> I would also like to thank the rest of you who have contacted me. I have
> been remiss in replying to your responses, and I apologize. This is the
> first time I have had read the mail since I made my inquiry. I will be
> contacting all of you for more information.
>
>
>
> ----------
> > From: Joseph M. Chavez <jchavez(AT)mato.com>
> > To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> > Subject: Re: Tri valent flu vaccine
> > Date: Tuesday, June 10, 1997 12:57 PM
> >
> > Gary,
> > I don't have any medical literature on flu shots and tm but I do know
> that
> > my daughter would not survive a winter without one. She gets one every
> > winter along with the rest of my family and this winter she got two
> because
> > of the predicted bad flu season.
> > Tami
> >
> > ----------
> > > From: Gary G. Linkous <linkous(AT)mornet.com>
> > > To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> > > Subject: Tri valent flu vaccine
> > > Date: Wednesday, May 14, 1997 7:03 PM
> > >
> > > I have been researching the causal relationship between flu shots and
> > > transverse myelitis. I have found a number of suspect cases. I would
> > > appreciate hearing from anyone with information or with knowledge of
> > > medical literature on this topic.
> > >
> > > Thanks linkous(AT)mornet.com
> > >
>