Flu Girl Hoax?: Desiree Jennings Gets Dystonia From Flu Shot (VIDEO)
Posted on October 22, 2009
Desiree Jennings decided it would be a good idea to get the seasonal flu shot, but ten days after her shot she got sick and was finally diagnosed with Dystonia. Read more on her Desiree’s heartbreaking story below. Do you think the flu girl is a hoax?
There are many that wonder if the flu girl video is a hoax? But sadly it appears to be all too real, especially for Desiree Jennings.
Jennings went to her local Safeway and got the flu shot as a precaution so she wouldn’t be out sick with the flu, but soon she became very ill.
“I got flu-like symptoms — nausea, vomiting, body aches, fever — then was lethargic for a week and started blacking out,” said Jennings, an AOL employee and Washington Redskins ambassador hoping to become a cheerleader.
Doctors were baffled as to why Desiree’s speech and walking were so affected. So Desiree saw neurologists, physical therapists and psychologists.
“I was hoping for Lyme, praying for lupus, even Graves’ disease,” she said. “Unfortunately they were all ruled out.”
Finally, doctors at Johns Hopkins diagnosed Jennings with dystonia, a rare neurological condition with no cure brought on by infections, brain trauma or, as in Desiree’s case…a reaction to medication. It causes body jerks and abnormal or repetitive movements.
“A simple conversation with two people — you and I could converse on the couch, and if the phone were to ring it would send her into a violent convulsion,” said her husband, Brendan Jennings.
Now Desiree can’t walk more than five feet forward without stumbling, but for some reason is able to run. And she walks backward easily as well. After her health ordeal began, “My insurance wasn’t going to pay for another hospital visit. Matter of fact, they called us as we were driving to Johns Hopkins not to offer a specialist but instead to offer a hospital bed and a wheelchair for our house. I told them I wanted to know what was happening to me and that I didn’t want to be in a wheelchair.”
Desiree’s reaction to the flu shot is said to be one in a million.
“I would’ve much rather won the lottery and bought that ticket instead of gotten the flu shot if I knew that risk existed,” Desiree said.
Watch Desiree’s story below:
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I mentioned this video to my husband, who I trust more with information than people who run around like chickens with their heads cut off. He has what I like to call a healthy skepticism where he likes to have as much information as possible before giving you his opinion. I basically gave him the rundown like you did and when I finished, he chuckled and mentioned that it sounds like a “Get Smart” villain in an obscure episode with the same issues.
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How gullible is the American public. This is a hoax BIG time and shame on all of us for buying into this ridiculous act
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I can only wish that anyone who thinks this is a hoax never comes down with Dystonia!
I have been suffering with it, since the age of 24!
My form of Dystonia involves my speech, hands, and mostly my cervical area, the neck!
I have daily spasms in the neck, with my head shaking out of control
My hands tremor, and my voice quivers!
Dystonia victims have trigger points that when touched will temporarily stop the spasms.
Apparently Desiree can acomplish this when running.
Its a sin to mock us.
Learn before u condemn or judge. Better yet attend a meeting for people with Dystonia!
Guaranteed u will leave balling your eyes out as u pray for forgiveness!
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I work with this woman. It is most certianly NOT a hoax.
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FAKKKEEEE
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I can’t believe how gullible you americans are…
It’s pathetic to watch!!
It has *FAKE* written all over it… very bad taste and certainly NOT funny!!!
Use your freakin’ head and get a life!!
The thing I find hard to figure is WHY the media seems to take it so seriously?!
Never wanted to believe that americans are dumb, but I guess what ppl say is kinda’ true. after all.
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I feel really sorry for Jennings, and I pray that she can be cured. To those who think it’s a hoax, please imagine how she feels being in this condition. She doesn’t like it, and it doesn’t help that people doubt her. Be more sympathetic. Have a heart.
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She had a flu shot. She has dystonia. How are the two related again? She took aspirin two months ago (probably…) — maybe that was it. That “one in a million” is completely bogus — who makes up statistics like that? This is so very tragic and it’s a pity that we jump to conclusions as to the cause. Here’s a list of drugs that can cause Dystonia.. maybe.. : http://www.mdvu.org/library/disease/dystonia/dys_mdmc.asp
Notice that flu shots aren’t on the list.
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im sorry but there is no way this is real..dont get me wrong i feel horrible for people wiht this disease but there is not way that this is just going to happen and she had no symptoms…plus how can u walk backwards and talk fine but cant talk fine if your not running and stuff..plus how can u run just fine and not walk…that part is a hoax…the tremoring might just might be true but everything else isnt
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if this was fake, why would it come out on the news all over the place? not only the internet but like tv, and radio…
its really heartbreaking to see something so horrible happen to someone, imagine it was you, and people didnt believe you guys.
how would you feel?
please stop making fun of this you guys, its really sad.
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Becky, the differences in the way the body works are not that simple. For instance, when you walk you use different muscles than running, thus the brain sends different signals with different receptors. The way i look at it, the brain is like an LCD tv, if one cluster is corrupted it can mess up a portion of the picture. In her case a portion of her brain is damaged from a chemical used to make the vaccine (or other unknown source) thus messing up her function. with the TV you can still see a decent portion but there will always be that one spot. It’s just to bad for her that the TV can be fixed.
Desiree, you are in my prayers.
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I feel really sorry for her. I don’t believe this is a hoax.
However, I do wonder if it was caused by the flu shot for one reason: they say it’s a 1 in a million chance to get this disease. I have never heard of this disease before. Don’t millions of people take flu shots every year? Shouldn’t we be hearing about a dozen or so people getting this every year then? Something isn’t adding up.
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Im sure she would never want or even think of making this up!!! Im praying for her healing!!!
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Dystonia experts already determined that her disorder isn’t physiological, that it’s psychogenic (in her head). It’s either psychogenic or faking. If you look at the VAERS report online, you can read that she was diagnosed by a neurologist, before she went public, with “weakness” and a strongly psychogenic component to her movement disorder. Generation Rescue (Jim Carrey’s anti-vax org.) has already dropped her off their website.
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This is soooo fake. How does she run, which requires more energy than walking, but cannot walk? magic? I think not. She made this up. And she only has “spasms” while standing but not sitting? And FYI dystonia has NO cure. Sounds more like a scammer than anything.
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NFL Cheerleader Disabled by 2009 Flu Shot On Road to Recovery
Her Personal Website Documents Improvement, Encourages ‘Informed Consent’
Ashburn, Virginia – November 5, 2009: After having her life turned upside down by a routine influenza shot, and discharged by three major hospitals after four visits – despite worsening symptoms – Desiree Jennings is finally making great strides in her recovery. The vibrant, 25-year-old Washington Redskins Cheerleader Ambassador has a website to tell her story and keep well-wishers from around the world informed of her progress as well as to promote “true informed consent.”
Jennings was training for a half marathon in August 2009 when she 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.
Jennings was misdiagnosed multiple times with a variety of diagnoses since receiving the influenza shot, which she thought would protect her from illness. She has since been 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.
Since then her story has made headlines here and abroad, with videos explaining her disorder garnering millions of hits on YouTube. The responses she has received have been overwhelmingly supportive, encouraging.and informative. Celebrity couple Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carey helped point Desiree in the right direction through Generation Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and reversing autism.
The treatments with Dr. Buttar at the Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research in Charlotte, NC are working, and the results are nothing short of amazing. Jennings can now walk and talk normally throughout the vast majority of the day and the seizures/convulsions have significantly decreased. Although her full recovery will take an undetermined amount of time, her family is now for the first time, convinced she will make a complete recovery. She is now more than ever, driven by a desire to educate others to be informed of the potential side effects caused by vaccines and prevent others from suffering a similar fate.
Visitors to her new website, http://www.DesireeJennings.com, will find regular updates on her progress, helpful details on her treatment and valuable information on the importance of “informed consent” – truly knowing ALL of the options before making important medical decisions.
“I set up the site to tell my story and warn people of the neurological side effects that can result from vaccinations,” Jennings said, “Especially knowing that in the majority of cases, these stories are seldom heard outside of immediate families and friends.”
Visit http://www.DesireeJennings.com for more information.
Desiree Jennings Update Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD1BAxVnFdc
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Clipart, no they didn’t. GenerationRescue.org is still supporting her.
The people who are so quick to call this a hoax sound incredibly ignorant. Just because this is something you can’t wrap your mind around, something so bizarre it’s hard to comprehend, does not mean it is a hoax. Fear and a lack of understanding cause people to jump to irrational conclusions. When I first heard about this story and the backlack about it being a hoax, I decided to do a little research of my own. From what I can see, the only people accusing this girl of being a liar are those with little to no information regarding not only dystonia but neurology in general. I am not suggesting you all crack open neurology text books, but before you jump to conclusions you should do a little digging…no one really takes an uninformed opinion too seriously.
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Hmmm… as updates come in, starting to look more and more like a hoax!
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ladyfree: I don’t think people are dissing those who have dystonia, they’re arguing with the claim that it’s because of the vaccinations.
many people have spread paranoia about treatments like the flu shot. while desiree may have gotten dystonia at around the same time that she got the shot, that does not mean that the shot caused it.
there’s no scientific reason for the shot to cause it, and claiming that it did will only make other people scared of the flu shot.
that is the big problem, not the dystonia. nobody says there is no dystonia, just that either she’s faking, or that it’s caused by something else.
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My cousin, who is a neurologist sent me the youtube url to check it out. It is fake first off and the entire medical community is laughing at her. They show this video to med students to show what faking looks like!! Her symptoms are psycho-genic meaning it’s all in her head. Her symptoms are not consistent at all with dystonia. The doctor that is treating her isn’t even a certified medical doctor!! Get your facts straight people. Notice how no news organizations, even inside edition isn’t running this story? Because their asses got duped and now they’re too embarrassed to cover the truth!
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It turned out to be a hoax, and of course perpetuated by people who think with emotions instead of logic. She has now “fully recovered” and anyone with dystonia will tell you that’s simply not possible, especially within the timeframe that she developed the systems. While I very much believe that we should have pity for those with disorders, we should hold contempt for those who take advantage of the “sick role”
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First this store really shocked me and feel sorry for her and anyone that has this problem and I hope the best for them.
Is it hoax? I don’t know, I’m not a doctor, but like mentioned earlier, how was it narrowed down to the flu shot? i know it says it’s 1 in a million, so there has to be more cases, where are they? flu shots have been giving since what year now? several so there has to be more cases.
The thing here is pointing fingers to the flu shot, specially now with the H1N1 and the concern people have about it. There should be test done to determine if it was really the flu shot that did this or a combination of things with the flu shot so the rest of people can avoid it.
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This is fake. Dystonia has no cure. All those people who supported her are to embarassed to realize thqat they were wrong. And saying that the doctor “HOPES” she has lupus?! WHAT IS THAT?!
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Her “sickness” wasn’t a farce but the people who exploited her “sickness” as trying to help, should be ashamed of themselves. She miraculously recovered in 36 hours? Brain damage doesn’t fully rectify itself in 36 hours….sooooooooo…don’t believe the hype. How many people did this happen to who received the flu shot this year? Yeah, that’s what I thought….not enough to be statistically significant in terms of placing HUGE uncalled for blame on vaccines.
Here’s a thought. You don’t believe in vaccines, don’t get them. No one’s going to force you but don’t get upset when you aren’t allowed to do activities that require vaccination. You made the choice NOT to get vaccinated, don’t think people will succumb to YOUR needs, especially when it’s obvious you don’t understand the science behind vaccines. And when your blamed for initiating an infection and killing others, don’t get upset when your held accountable. Simple as that.
Apples contain arsenic. I don’t see Mother’s of autistic kids racing to get that fruit off the shelves.
The whack jobs believing in pseudo science in these comments should go home and lock themselves in the house, so they can stay safe. You guys have no idea what you can catch out in that nasty world. Leave living to those who know how. You’re better served staying home to worry about whether or not you’ll live.
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I had a brain aneuryism in 06 caused by a brain tumor I didnt even know I had. Brain surgery was performed and some of the cerebellum was removed. I was in ICU like 2-3 months. When I did return home basically ANY conscious muscle activity was like starting over from scratch. My hands felt like how T rex hands look and it was all like a fish outta water……Walking,talking,eating,moving,etc. I myself did the “zombie” walk for several months till I could walk better. And even to this day I still cant talk plain and may never again honestly so I do think its just a little odd how her speech was so fragmented and within like 3 months she is talking normal again. Also odd how she can jog PERFECTLY then go to zombie walk in like .5 miliseconds. Hey I hope God heals this woman dont get me wrong. I just wonder if maybe she did develop some symptoms from her poke and now maybe she is exaggerating just a little? This is one of those things like “neck pain” no test or doctor can tell you you have it or dont if you say you do. I know I know this is two different situations however IF you can barely walk then how can you run? ( a feat I cant do to this day and I myself use to run like twice a week ). What about balance? Half of the thing with zombie walk was terrible balance which I had to take 6 months of physical therapy for. Either the TV studio had to do 50 takes to keep from showing her falling down ( which I doubt considering falls on a concrete sidewalk and multiple takes dont generally do well ) OR she has a genuine odd and unique situation/condition. OR she is faking…..God forbid……………………
I wont say faking though, I think “exaggerating” is the word. The kinda thing you do when lawsuits are involved.
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By the way. How many of you have seen the press conference held with vaccine maker doctors put on just a couple of weeks before the injectable h1n1 vaccine started becoming available? In this news conference one of these doctors talked about how they should pretend there is a vaccine shortage to entice more people to get the shot because people tend to line up for anything that is in short supply? Does that make you feel manipulated at all? It should. Do you trust liars and manipulators? I don’t.
P.S. – There was a time when people who said you shouldn’t smoke cigarettes because they cause cancer were treated the same way as anti-vax people are treated (hey, go watch the movie “The Insider” while I am on the cigarette topic and see how science is not automatically altruistic). Same can be said about asbestos, and BPA in certain plastics (unfortunately the most common plastic used with food and drink packaging). BPA is only in the past few months finally being admitted to affect fertility and other hormonal issues…last year it was conspiracy land to say such things.
You see, average people and non-industry scientists see these things called data points. They begin to find trends indicative of a problem. Those behind the products argue to their dying breathe that their money making science is completely safe or inert. Why wouldn’t they, it is their butt and cash on the line afterall. No conflict of interest there, right? You see, when money/profit is the motivator, safety is often compromised. Ask those who die because they used Bayer’s “Factor 8″ medication. Then get back to me.
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The evidence certainly works against her
dystonia causes convulsions in the same motion and yet there are discrepancies while walking or running
although im not an expert i think that, based on basic muscle contraction theories (all or nothing principal), that running requires the muscles to contract at the same time and if even a single fiber doesn’t contract then there will be no movement
when desiree walks there is no need to use every muscle in her legs to their full potential but that is not true of running
I dont think it has anything to do with the shot though
there are so many factors from the environment that ruling everything out would be imprudent
perhaps it was not the shot so much as environmental factors or even malpractice at the location at which she received the shot
you also cannot rule out this being caused by psychogenic means
right now i am more concerned about what really caused this disorder than petty arguments of if this is an elaborate hoax or not
if it was the flu shot then why did no one else in her area become affected in the same way as she did?
this case may very well be something genetic
the point is that there has only been a doctors hypothesis of what triggered this event and no evidence to support it
if scientists focus on a cause then maybe they can find a cure
i dont understand what she is going through besides the information from a friend’s cousin but it must be devastating after living a completely different life then what she was accustomed to
this state of paranoia fed by the media is also astonishing
there were no reported cases in her area and there is a statement that this is a one in a million case
don’t think so highly of yourself to assume that you are one in a million
vaccines are a general form of acquired immunity
to say that something meant for mass production is causing harm is quite the blunder
blind faith won’t save your soul but the evidence maintains that the shot is not contaminated and that the very same batch that “caused” her disorder is not doing the same to others is something that indicates that it is only the guess of a doctor
i hate to break it to you but being a doctor is as easy as getting a degree online
you can easily cheat because of google
in short there are unqualified people in the work force and this isolated incident is something that may indicate something greater than the possible contamination of a vaccine
advances in science as opposed to doubt of something that follows a basic prevention method
if there was something wrong with the serum then it is more than likely that she would have gotten the flu instead of a neurological disorder
to those that took the time to read I apologize for taking so much of your time
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Wow, I even get thumbs down votes for detailing liesw being posted in these comments and proving it. That is INSANE!
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If she was faking all of this wouldn’t the doctors know? You can’t just pretand to have a disease and have the doctors go along with it..they would know.
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Wow Trent, you must feel like a total moron now.
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I understand completely with whats going on with her brain its the same things with people with different disorders like kids with cerbral palsy for me i find its alot easier to walk while roll stepping which is what you would see a marching band doing than walking like normal its weird but its true
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