Vaccine Incident, Flu Vaccine, Pneumococcal Vaccine,

The Vaccine Incident

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/columns/story20250308-5975505

 

(Translated from Chinese by Doubao app of China)

By Yao Yaoguang

Lianhe Zaobao 

March 8, 2025

 

I have always had a dream - to cycle in Japan. It can not only satisfy my love for traveling but also allow me to immerse myself in the freedom of cycling. A friend suggested joining a cycling group that starts from Tokyo. The route is to go north from Tokyo to Kashiwazaki, cycle along the coastline all the way to Niigata City, and then make a round trip back to Tokyo. I didn't hesitate to sign up. After all, April is the season when cherry blossoms are in full bloom. What could be more romantic than cycling in the spring with falling cherry blossoms?

 

Thinking that the daily cycling mileage would range from dozens of kilometers to over a hundred kilometers, I began to deliberately train myself, insisting on cycling every day to fully prepare for this journey.

 

Not long ago, I participated in the Health SG program, and the doctor recommended that I get vaccinated with two recommended vaccines - the Flu Vaccine and the Pneumococcal Vaccine. Coincidentally, I had just seen the news that the Taiwanese artist Barbie Hsu passed away in Japan due to influenza complicated by pneumonia, which made me feel a little nervous. Considering that this trip requires long-distance cycling, if I were to get infected with a virus during the journey, the consequences would be unimaginable. So, despite my misgivings about the vaccines, I decided to follow the doctor's advice and got one injection in my left arm and one in my right arm.

 

In fact, my concerns are not unfounded. Since I received the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the end of 2021, I have experienced a series of side effects: leg muscle pain, vertigo, and shingles infection on my legs... These experiences have always made me a bit resistant to vaccines.

 

The day after the vaccination, I felt a bit weak and dizzy, but after resting for a day, everything seemed to return to normal. However, on the third day, I started to have a fever, and on the sixth day, my body temperature soared to 38.5°C. Even more terrifying was that my legs seemed to have all the strength drained out of them, and I couldn't walk at all! At that moment, I panicked and quickly went to see a doctor. The doctor gave me antipyretics, and the fever subsided, but my legs were still weak, and it was even difficult to walk.

 

I have suffered from sciatica in my left leg before, but I have never experienced such a situation. Considering that I had just seen a doctor, I decided to observe for a few more days.

 

After getting the COVID-19 vaccine before, I had an MRI scan due to leg pain. Although the doctor briefly explained the report, out of curiosity, I input the report into an AI for analysis. Unexpectedly, the AI's interpretation was both detailed and professional, and it also came with various suggestions. This made me develop a certain trust in AI. Therefore, this time I decided to consult its opinion again.

 

The AI's answer was: The phenomena I experienced after vaccination might be a transient nerve stimulation or an inflammatory reaction, and usually, there is no need to worry too much. But I should be wary of a rare but serious vaccine-related complication - Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), which may cause leg weakness and swelling, and I should seek medical attention as soon as possible. This answer made me alert. I looked down and carefully observed my knees, and indeed, I found some swelling. Without hesitation, I immediately made an online appointment with a neurospecialist.

 

After arriving at the clinic, the doctor first conducted a series of examinations, such as the leg strength resistance test and the push-pull test. The results showed that the leg strength was normal, and there were no obvious pain points. The doctor's judgment was: a temporary inflammatory reaction caused by the vaccine. He said that there was no need to take medicine, and I just needed to rest more and avoid strenuous exercise.

 

Sure enough, on the 12th day after the vaccination, I could finally walk normally, and the swelling in my knees gradually subsided. After resting for a full two weeks, I couldn't wait to get on my bicycle again and feel the refreshing sensation of the wind blowing on my face!