CAN ALLERGY SHOTS CAUSE MUSCLE AND JOINT PAIN?

Yoga has helped me too, but I am still suffering, 7 weeks after my last set of shots. I am undergoing physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, massage and acupuncture, but my muscles still hurt. I feel that I am paying a VERY BIG PRICE for listening to the allergist. The only reason I consented to the shots was because I was led to believe that it would help my food allergies. But I have since found out that shots won't help food allergies, only avoidance will do the trick. I have been dealing with environmental allergies for over 30 years and can do that with both hands tied behind my back...I only have symptoms for a couple of weeks in the spring and then a short time in August, so it isn't worth getting the shots for just a few weeks a year. I was misled by my allergist and I am VERY angry at her for not taking my pain seriously when I informed her at my second visit. I should have stopped them, but I didn't. I got two more sets of shots and had to stop then because I was so very sick. If I had continued, I firmly believe that the allergist would have killed me! I was in excruciating pain from the muscle contractions and extreme fatigue. My face was swollen, including my eyes. I had to wear sunglasses all the time to avoid having to explain to everyone what was happening to me. My sinuses are still swollen and I still have trouble swallowing food. I have lost 20 pounds as a result, but I am always hungry. I never missed a day of work, but I don't know how I did it. I am not usually an emotional person, but I cried every day from the pain as well as the injustice. I have been told many times by friends that I should sue the doctor, but all I want is to get better and put this behind me and live a happy life. I don't know when that will happen. I have improved but the progress is very slow. After over a month of my husband having to wash my hair for me because I couldn't lift my arms, this week I am able to do it myself. But, he still has to wash my back because I cannot twist my arms and reach around. He still has to help me put on and adjust my bra because it hurts my wrists to move them that way. I keep checking this website hoping that someone will tell me when I will be normal again. I am hoping that as you all improve, you forget about it and move on with your lives. I want that too!

i have the same symptoms, but my doc said he never heart anyone having these symptoms. i will stop my shots.

I have been getting alot of pain in my knee and left upper arm. Never felt this before.

Hello, I find your post very interesting. I am an registered nurse and started taking allergy shots in Jan, 2017. In the beginning all I noticed was a small swelling and extreme itching at the injection site. As the dose continued to go up it got worse and I would get substantial swelling and itching, but I was told to use and ice pack. By the time I got to my third vial I was experiencing headache, vision problems, extreme fatigue and moderate to severe joint pain in my elbow, wrists, joints in the hands and my left hip. I did not associate the new symptoms to my allergy shots because I was never warned about these symptoms.

As a nurse you think I would have researched the side effect, but I am busy being a nurse and educating my own patient's, that I expected the Dr. and nurses to do their job and inform me as a patient. This past Monday, I went to get a shot in both arms and my biceps swelled immediately. After two hours my joints in my wrists and hands were so stiff and painful that I could not lift my cup. I was very worried and decided to research as the only correlation I could think of was the allergy shots. To my surprise I found that I was right and I am not crazy.

I called my allergy clinic the following morning and I was told they had never heard of associated joint pain and fatigue. I made an appointment with my allergist and just saw him this morning. He told me that he had never in all his years heard of joint pain and fatigue being associated with allergy shots. He did some research as I sat in his office and he found a great article written by the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) where there was a reported case of a 37 year old woman who reported these symptoms. It was thought to be caused by (Serum Sickness). The recommendation is a full lab work up to first check all inflammatory components and the thyroid because of the fatigue. I was told that these reactions could stimulate an auto immune disease. I went for the labs this morning and I am now waiting for the results.

It is a bummer because my allergies are better, but the pain and fatigue associated with the shots is totally not worth it to me. I have learned a valuable lesson as a clinician. That is to warn my patient's and encourage them to report any new symptoms when starting a new medication or regimen. It doesn't matter how little the symptom is, if they had never experienced it before, or it is something that gets worse, they need to report it....

Thank you for your post and I hope your symptoms are resolved.

How are you feeling now? Will you share your test results? I am very interested because it's been 3 months since my last shots and although I have improved, I am still struggling. Still on prednisone and doing physical therapy to build up muscle in my shoulder. The muscle contractions in my arms have subsided but replaced with soreness. I now have lower back pain and muscle contractions in my legs...lots of Charlie horses! I long to feel normal again and I have no idea when that will happen. None of the TEN different medical providers I have seen will even venture a guess. I have lost a LOT of faith in the medical profession over this, especially since a doctor caused this disruption to my life. I feel very betrayed and angry. This is not at all fair to me, you, and all of the rest of the victims whom have posted on this website. I hope everyone gets better and I will definitely let everyone know if I ever get better. I truly hope I do because I have a lot of life left to live and I can't possibly do it in the shape I'm in now. Please let me know how you are doing and thank you very much for your post.

I started having my allergy shot 1 1/2 month ago and 2 weeks later I have pain on my shoulders, difficulty putting my bra on and now have pain to my knuckles and knees

Stop the shots! I am still in pain four months after my last set of shots. I have been to eleven doctors and now have to go to a rheumatologist because they have caused some kind of autoimmune disease that I probably will have to struggle with the rest of my life. I am very scared. Every time I get off prednisone, I hit rock bottom. I am allergic to all over the counter pain medicine so I have to rely on the prednisone. I wish the allergy people would listen to their patients and inform everyone that this can happen. Please listen to your body and stop the shots. Antihistamines are much better than being in constant pain.

I was given a shot at the dentist because they cut my mouth. It was what's in a epipen? Spelling may be incorrect. Now my legs hurt so bad. I passed out 4-15hours. Now the pains a 9 in legs. No sleep now. Was it this epine fern shot? Still hurt like hell. I'm allergic to antihistamines and hv Lyme Disease and my facial and fibro myalgia. What's up?

I've been taking allergy shots since the beginning of October so about 9 months. Since starting the final vial in the build up phase, my arm has a dull ache on the day of my shot. The entire arm just doesn't feel normal. It's hard to describe the feeling. Maybe comparable to a numbing of sorts. My doctor has assured me more than once it has nothing to do with the allergy shot, but there is no doubt in my mind, t has EVERYTHING to do with the shot. The shot I get for molds doesn't affect me whatsoever.

Hi Lisa, it's been a year since you posted; I'm wonder if you ever restarted allergy shots, or if you still have symptoms now?

I'm having a similar issues, and wondering if I should continue my allergy shots.

After months of wondering why my arm muscles progressively got worse (soreness, unable to lift, pain down my right hand) and greater fatigue with each injection, I had a severe reaction the day after my second injection this week. Fatigue and upper body soreness, low temperature (below 98) and extremely cold. I took a hot shower and went to bed with down blankets and a heating blanket. It was an excruciating night. The next day, I saw the doctor. He said that yes, allergy injections could have caused it. It is day three with a slight headache, sore arms and fatigue, but I am not cold. The doctor said the pain should go away in a couple of weeks without shots. I am going to discontinue my shots.I never want to feel that way again.

Good for you! And you're lucky you had an allergist who understood. I am still suffering 5 months after stopping the shots. Hope you get better soon!

Wow! I had only one allergy shot and suffered incredible fatigue and weakness. Arm stayed red and itchy for 6 days. Allergy shots do not agree with me! Shot nurse said I should continue, but I won't be having another shot.

I was taking allergy shots for 25 years for asthma now I hahave neuropathy and diabetes the a the neuropathy came first .I have terrible pain in my feet and legs

I had allergy shots for 25 years for asthma .then I got neuropathy in feet and legs shooting pains in them then diabetes after I quit allery shots my sed rate went from 110 to 40 but still have neuropathy . I tried taking florajen 3 probiotic with centrum silver and I aqn getting more feeling in my legs and feet . the probiotoc helps vitamin b12 absorb into your ste system better in turn helping pain . this helped me a lot