Naomi, Australia: Prior to Gardasil, Naomi was a happy, healthy 25 year old completing her Bachelor’s degree while working full-time in administration. She was about to embark on a Post Graduate Degree in Journalism. Despite being kept busy by work and study, she found the time to go out with friends and dance at their favorite club almost every weekend.

During 2008 and 2009, Naomi’s health mysteriously began to deteriorate into a myriad of inexplicable symptoms including dizziness, nausea, joint pain, a collapsing knee, loss of balance, chronic fatigue and weakness.

Even though she visited a multitude of health professionals, including both general practitioners and specialists, who performed a broad range of tests; no one was able to say what was wrong with her.

Tests confirmed an autoimmune reaction and an MRI showed some demyelination in Naomi’s brain similar to that experienced by MS patients. However, nothing was definitive. She was given pain killers and steroids, but no real explanation.

Just prior to Christmas in 2009, Naomi by chance read an article in the newspaper about a possible link between Gardasil and multiple sclerosis.

She collected her medical file and created a timeline. It showed that her symptoms had begun within weeks of receiving her first vaccination. The onset of the worst symptoms coincided with the receipt of her last vaccination. Immediately, she began to research on the internet. What she discovered was a plethora of other girls with stories just like hers.

Fourteen months after her last vaccination, Naomi is still on steroids. She was forced to discontinue her post graduate studies. She is unable to work full time and sometimes unable to work at all. Naomi still experiences daily symptoms including chronic fatigue and some neurological difficulties.

Despite maintaining a brave face throughout the Gardasil ordeal, Naomi feels like a shadow of who she once was or, could have been.

Naomi created this video, based on her experiences. She would like anyone who is considering an HPV vaccine to watch her video first. You can access it through the following link:

Catherine Bell-Towers -Bendigo,Victoria

My name is Catherine Bell-Towers, I’m 27 and I live in Bendigo, Australia with my two beautiful children, Kaylin and Jamie. I give permission for any of my story to be used in the further prevention of the Gardasil slaughter. I write to you in memoriam of Amelia Rose and Tahni Ian. R.I.P my little angels, this world was never meant for ones as beautiful as you.

I’m sitting here at 3.35am at my computer feeling ill, not only because my nerves won’t settle and I want to tear my face off and my ears are popping in and out, but from reading all the other stories of the young innocent lives this perversion of medical practice has affected. I miss the fact that I should be rubbing my swelling belly and not my face. I miss the sun. I miss feeling crap at the end of the day and not at the start of the day.I miss being me.

I always knew I had discoid lupus, even if it was mild as it runs in the family and the lupoid rash on my hands, obvious, yet tolerable, was well under control with cortisone creams and pain killers if need be. In some cases it is not worth taking the heavy steroids to get rid of it as the medication affects my weight rapidly.It was never an every day thing.

I started my first hit of free Gardasil just before my 26th birthday in 2008. If I’d left it any later I would have to pay for it. I was told there were no side effects. I can tell you my arm was sore for a good week! The second round was somewhat the same, and the third, rather painful! The third shot was in late February 2009. Running around after my two young children I had not noticed the rapid weight loss I had, close to around 20 kgs in a few weeks. I suspected that I may be pregnant. Yes, sure enough I was around 3 weeks. Probably over excited by the news of a 3rd addition to the family, we broke the news to family, including our 3 year old girl. Why would we after having two very healthy pregnancies expect anything to go wrong?

A week later the nightmare began. On the Monday I began bleeding. I had assumed this was a breakthrough bleed and didn’t worry, but by the Thursday the bleeding had got heavier. Ultrasounds through ED showed a happy beating baby at 5 weeks. No explanation to the bleeding, just ‘probably’ the placenta planting in the uterus walls.. The next Saturday I was grocery shopping and the fetus fell out of me. I don’t even want to describe that moment. Ultrasounds, not that I needed one or anyone to tell me what had just happened and to tell me it was okay, showed that my uterus was empty. We lost our Amelia Rose at 5 weeks and 6 days. She was due next week.

Dealing with our grief, 10 weeks later (mind you the bleeding from losing the first baby was still off and on) we discovered that I was pregnant again. But 8 weeks! I think I immediately went to the couch and claimed bed rest! I didn’t do too much for the next two weeks, I spent most of that time in and out of the emergency room. I would stand up and massive clots the size of golf balls would fall out of me. Imagine how freaked out by every single occurrence, it was back in ED, every time for an ultrasound. Every ultrasound showed a clot, getting bigger and bigger. I think I was there everyday. Maybe I missed one or two days. I remember the Saturday night, I said to the kids father, ‘I’m going to bed I just don’t feel right’. On the Sunday morning I woke feeling the same and found myself back in bed a few hours later. Later that afternoon I became very unwell. My body went hyper and I couldn’t stop vomiting. Back to ED. Ultrasound showed ‘Tahni’, 10 weeks and 3 days, deceased. The doctors said ‘his’ heart stopped beating because the blood supply was cut by the extremely large hematoma outside the sack.

I had a D&C this time. Three days later I came down with pneumonia in my right lung. Back to ED. I spent another week in a ward and I haven’t been back to the hospital since September. Every week my days get worse. My lupus is in a flare. I have a nasty ‘butterfly’ shape on my face which looks like I have been stamped like cattle. The fluid traps on my palms are gross and debilitating. I have carpel tunnel in my right arm, I can’t hold my children and even after typing all this I’m not sure if it’s on the desk or I’m sitting straight.. No it’s on the desk resting and my wrist is just about nailed to the laptop! My hair falls out in clumps and the scabs on the back of my head make me feel disgusting. Not to mention the skin ulcers on my face, chest, legs and am now getting them on my back. Some days I get up and I just can’t get it together. I am by nature, a go getter, very fit and the sort of person to jump out of bed and open my curtains and make my bed first thing. I spend all day thinking about getting back in it. If I didn’t have the kids or had family support to help me out I would. I sleep terrible, waking in sweats and when I get up in the morning, usually about the first 6 hours of my day I’m not sure what the temperature is, I just feel as if I have a fever. I sweat and I have goose bumps at the same time. Similar to a hot flush I suppose. The sun is screaming at me when I’m in it. The migraines start and my eyes water uncontrollably. After an hour or two of shopping and buzzing around in it I feel burnt out. Push me and I bruise. I am asthmatic but I now get chest pains, not like an asthma attack. They can extend through to my collar bone and shoulders some nights. If it rains my whole body aches. I think I’m on my third consecutive ear infection. I could keep complaining about my daily dramas and the fact that all I want to do is to be able to put foundation on properly on my skin but it all seems mundane in comparison to the babies I lost. Not a day passes without me thinking what they might have looked like, sounded like and what their smiles would have been like.

The doctors deny any connection with Gardasil, my experience and my condition. It’s all coincidental.That will be right!! Yet they have nothing else to offer me but, it was ‘just a bad run’ or the ‘luck of the draw’ and a referral to a rheumatologist. I wonder if the rheumatologist is also sitting in a room with Gardasil advertising on every wall?

Felicia Beaumont -Nunawading, Australia

My problems started a few days after my first Gardasil shot; though I didn’t connect them to it as I’ve never had an adverse reaction to [or been allergic to] anything in my life. My symptoms include skin problems, twitching, muscle cramps and stiffness, muscle weakness, ice pick headaches, brain fog and concentration problems, as well as trouble with spelling and finding the right word. It took me three weeks to think of the word ‘compromise’ (I could have looked it up, but I wanted to see how long it took me). I was so tired for the 8 weeks after the first shot; it was like the life was sucked out of me. Walking [for about 10 minutes] made me light headed and nauseous. I also have severe cramping in my pelvic area and hot flashes.

As I hadn’t connected the problems with the first shot, I received the second shot 1 month later. This made things much worse.

So, the skin problems: my face, neck, chest, and [top of] back and my scalp line were covered in small, painful, but very noticeable yellow boils (which turned bright red once popped). The only way I could get rid of them was to pull the hair follicle out of the middle of it. This meant I had to wax my face (being my cheeks, nose, forehead, etc., etc., not a normal occurrence for me), squeeze the pus and body fluid out and disinfecting myself. They were so bad that, once popped, my white blood cells (yellow body fluid) would leak out my face. My white blood cells went screaming to my face to help heal it, but they failed.

Six months after the first shot, I figured out that my skin problems were linked to another medication I was taking before, during and after the vaccine [called Reductil – a diet pill]. I had no problems while I was on it before I received Gardasil. I had to cover the affected areas in an anti-dandruff shampoo [called Selsun] for 15 minutes, it helped, my skin has healed and I no longer feel the need to scratch my face off. I had gone off Reductil for a month and noticed my skin had begun clearing up. Once I started it again, the boils and the urge to scratch my face off came back. I decided myself to stop taking my diet pill, think it was a wise idea.

Seven months later, I still twitch (mostly my head, fingers and random muscles); have brain fog, concentration problems and difficulty finding the right word, as well as muscle cramps and stiffness. My pelvic pain has been attributed to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), diagnosed with an internal ultrasound.

I’d always had “period pain” whilst on my pill (have been on it for years to control pimples), but once I had the vaccine the pain was 10 times worse and very debilitating. Having to stop at work to concentrate on your breathing to make the pain go away is not easy or comfortable. Especially when your colleagues are staring at you because you look like a ripe tomato after you’re done.

My GP had prescribed me an anti-inflammatory called Diclofenac (Voltaren in a pill), to help with my pelvic pain (even though I was already taking a different anti-inflammatory called Celebrex for my knee problem, which I wasn’t allowed to take concurrently with Diclofenac). It took 90 minutes to kick in and even then it didn’t last long enough. My GP sighs and changes the subject when I blame the vaccine.

In the last month I’ve visited a Gynaecologist, who reacts in a similar to my GP when I mention the vaccine (the only person that went “oh, really?” when I mentioned the vaccine, was the Specialist Women’s Ultrasound Doctor whom I saw two weeks ago). She has put me on a high oestrogen and progesterone pill which, so far, has miraculously helped with my pelvic pain, but not obliterated it.

When I say ‘pelvic pain’, I’m not talking about that regular, dull ache and occasional sharp stab. My pain was cervical dilation pain and a pain sort of like someone was squeezing my ovaries and my uterus as well as giving them their own personal Chinese Burn (you know, when someone grabs your forearm and twists each hand in a different direction?). Sometimes it’s one at a time, most times it’s simultaneous. Even having a very high pain threshold, dealing with this pain, intermittently, 2-3 weeks out of every month (for 7 months) makes you a frustrated and irritable person.

There is also something “wrong” with my cervix. I write it like that as two pap smears in a month have shown my cervix to be normal. Me on the other hand (no pun intended), I can feel a small, hard bump on it that wasn’t there before.

I have also noticed that I have acquired quite a few freckles. As I don’t frequent the sunshine for long periods of time [because of 2nd and 3rd degree sunburn I received 2 years earlier], this is strange. They’re on my face, abdomen and arms….so far.

Oh, and the areas of my skin that have tattoos swell and itch when it’s warm.

I do consider myself to be one of the “lucky” Gardasil victims, considering most girls are suffering so much worse than I. I’m researching the best I can, ladies, so if you’re comfortable letting me know all your symptoms and want some help with research, do not hesitate to let me know.

My thoughts and prayers are with you all. P.S. – I guarantee you there’s something I’ve left out. Good ol’ brain fog.

Kristin Clulow- Newcastle, NSW

Kristin: PGS Victim

UPDATE: My name is Kristin. I’m 28, and live in Newcastle, Australia. Three years ago, I received two out of the three Gardasil injections. Following these, I sustained a myriad of health problems. My immune system and nervous systems were eaten away, the mylein sheath surrounding my nerves dissolved, my white blood cells were attacking themselves, and my cerebellum was switched off. I was unable to speak, walk, write and eat. I would tremour repeatedly. I was believed to have ADEM and was gived IV Immunogloublin for 12 months. I underwent painful rehabilitation and extensive exercise to attempt to regain some of my former body as I knew it. Fast forward three years, and it has been worth it. I have most function back. There are still many things that I cannot do, but I’m determined to get these back. I recently completed my Masters of Teaching (Secondary), and most importantly, my cerebellum has switched back on.

This is a miracle, and has my doctors stunned. Really, who recovers from irreversable brain damage?!

If I can do it, then so can you. You don’t know how strong you are until you have to be. When I was at my worst, I had two options: Sink or Swim. Choose to swim. Take control of your life and show everyone how amazing you are! Get medical professional who believe your story, surround yourselves with awesome friends and family, and for me, having faith and relying on God was and is imperative to my recovery.

There is light at the end of the tunnel – it’s not just a train! If you want to talk to someone, add me on facebook (Kristin Clulow) or email me at kristinclulow@live.com.au.

KRISTIN’S ORIGINAL STORY:  Firstly, I must make a disclaimer, although this is a website dedicated to Gardasil victims, there is no medical proof that directly links my symptoms to the vaccine, however extensive personal research and the opinions of highly trained medical professionals point to one trigger – Gardasil.

I am 26 years old. I had two shots of Gardasil – May and August 2008. From this time, my life changed. Before I got sick, I worked four different jobs (100+ hours a week) – I worked at a top accounting firm in business development/ marketing/ events, I managed a performing arts school (450+ class enrollments), I worked in retail at a newsagents in customer service, and prepared tax returns. I constantly ran between jobs – but loved it. I bought my first house at 21 as well as renovating it, another house, and a three storey building. I was constantly on the go, always looking for the next project. I had a degree – Bachelor of Business (double major in Industrial Relations / Human Resources & Management), as well as completing various other courses. I was highly regarded by my peers and management at my workplaces, and was always deemed to be an excellent worker. I was quite good musically and artistically. I was at my final grade in piano and had plans to finish my music studies and obtain teaching qualifications. I was fit and healthy, and was quite a tom boy, taking part in most things. I didn’t drink, smoke, take drugs or do anything that could harm my body. I was not overweight (I am about 55kgs). I loved being outside, playing sport and socializing with friends. I was extroverted and outgoing.

In March 2008, 2 months prior to my first shot, my marriage broke down, which is bound to cause stress and a decrease in my immune system, which may have impacted on this. I moved house, got a new job, and enjoyed my new found single life. In May, I got my first shot. Two weeks after this, I fell at karate (playing leap frog for warm up) and broke my left foot. I should mention that I was quite tough and didn’t often break bones or have injuries. I mean, we were doing exercises the week before and I kept going even after blood was coming through my uniform from my scraped elbows. I didn’t think it was broken, but knew I had an early meeting at the office the next morning, so I thought best to get it strapped up right.

I broke the ‘little toe’ bone and was restricted to a moonboot and crutches and rest & elevation for 6 weeks (a fantastic fashion statement!). That didn’t happen. I started a new job as an Executive Assistant to the Managing Director at a property development firm the next week, so I lived on painkillers for the next few weeks and still went out most nights. I was due to go to Thailand in July but I cancelled.

I didn’t relate anything at this point as being Gardasil related, I just put it down to being clumsy. I got my second needle in August 2008, soon after I came off crutches. In September (fathers’ day weekend, about four weeks later), my eyesight went. On the Thursday night, my eye began to hurt, so I took my contacts out and put my glasses on. It continued to get worse on Friday, it became redder, and my eyesight got worse so I went to the GP and an eye specialist who informed me that my contact had scraped the skin off my eye. Mind you, it has never done this before or since. I was given drops and cream and told not to see for the weekend. Me being me though, I had to work the next day at the Newsagents, so I drove (stupid idea!) about 30 minutes where I was promptly told I was an idiot and to go home and rest. My eye was in agony now so I did that. I was later informed that I could have gone blind. My eyes cleared up and were fine. Everything then started to gradually happen. I started feeling sick – like morning sickness (I assume) – nausea all day. I would look at food, know I had to eat it, but would throw it up each night. I was so tired but couldn’t sleep at night. I would doze on and off in the midst of throwing up. It must be noted that I loved food – I was not in any way bulimic – but it felt like that. I thought it was just a bug and that I would quickly get over it. I went to the doctors (the same place as I got the injection) and was told it was a pinched nerve and that I would get over it.

I’ll mention at this point that I had told my GP about my marriage breakup and subsequent events, and my broken foot, and they were aware of this prior to the shot, but still administered it – and did not warn me of any potential side effects. I was going to physio for my foot so I could regain my balance and coordination. I can’t recall why but I had to get marbles out of a jar one at a time and put them back in. I struggled with this – weird I thought. The physio recommended that I go back to the GP and get a referral to see a neurologist (once again, I sought assistance from the same people who gave me the vaccine).

They said there was no proof of anything being wrong from their tests (mind you, it was an ear examination and a knee reflex test). I was told it would be months before I could get in to see a Neurologist. I was getting sicker by the day, and couldn’t understand why. It was just like I was being poisoned. I was still working insane hours, and by this stage, had lost my handwriting, which is not good when you’re in charge of organizing some very busy people! You learn to rely on your memory and typing skills, and compensate however you can.

To make things worse, I was now dragging half of my body around as I had paralysis to my right side. I lost the ability to run, dance, jump and was losing my ability to walk. I walked like a duck, could not keep shoes on and I had no balance or coordination. I had to learn how to do everything with my left hand. I was having vertigo blackouts and would fall down stairs (yes, I fell down concrete ones too). I would see things, and know they were there, like a coffee table – but I would run into them. I could no longer wear heels. I started getting tremors. This made it even more difficult to do things. My whole body would shake; I couldn’t even carry a drink or plate of food without spilling it everywhere. I was getting brain fog and double vision and oversight in my right eye

In November, my granddad passed away. In the space of a few months, my world as I knew it had disappeared – I had lost all that I knew – my husband, my job, my home, my health, a family member – no one should have to go through this. I must mention also, that my immune system was shot. So on top of this, I would get every cold and flu that surfaced. But I would be out of action with it for a week and be impacted worse than everyone else. Everyone was telling me it was ‘stress’ – I knew it wasn’t. Stress does not do this.

I went and saw my parents and stressed something was wrong. I must say, I am not a drama queen, and will only go to the doctors when I am on my death bed. Mum got me in to see a doctor that same week. I got in to see a GP straight away (Dr Ted Bennett) who knew there was something wrong but to my immense frustration he couldn’t explain it. He simply wrote ‘bizarre’ on the referral and got me in to see a Neurologist (Dr Michael Katekar) the next week. He sent me for an MRI scan, diagnosed me as having MS (as my symptoms were similar – there was no evidence on my scans however), and he admitted me to 3 days intravenous Methylpredisolone treatment. This treatment had little effect. I felt sick, sweaty, but still somewhat the same.

I went for more scans as there was no proof that I had MS. I had heaps of tests, sought Eastern methods of treatment and attempted everything to make myself feel better, all with no lasting improvement. I had MRI / CT scans / X-Ray tests for (inter alia): Thyroid, Sarcoidosis, MS, Brain Tumour, Stroke, Back Scan, Front Scan, 2 x Spinal Taps, Visual Evoke potentials, Sensory Evoke Potentials, Brain stem Evoke response Audiomentry (Bera), 2 x EEG, Petscan, Many Blood tests for Lupus & HIV (amongst others).

I gave up my executive assistant job role in December 2008 as I didn’t know what was happening to me. I knew I wasn’t normal but didn’t know why. I had January off to rest and had to force myself to get up off the couch – for an active girl that you couldn’t pin down, it was abnormal. I went to see a Neurologist in Sydney (Prof. Michael Halmagyi) to get a second opinion. He told me that, in his opinion, and the opinion of others, it was the vaccine. By June, sixteen girls had presented to him with similar symptoms. They had all responded to Methylpredisolone treatment. I informed him that I had this treatment in November but had not responded. He admitted me to hospital to have five days of this treatment. To say that I was sick when I got out of hospital would be an understatement. I was sweating, hallucinating, dizzy, less coordinated, couldn’t speak normally or eat normally. I went back to my old job at the newsagents and felt sick every day.

The next few months (February 09 – July 09) showed further decline. My motor skills were getting worse, my speech was much worse, as were the tremors. My days were jam packed full of work, physio, doctors, scans – and meanwhile you’re still expected to eat properly, exercise, sleep 8 hours a night, work 40 hours a week – it was impossible. I was wrecked carrying around half my body, trying to speak semi-normal. I gave up work in July and thought, for the first time, my life is about me. For the first time, I’m being selfish. And it felt good!

At the advice of Prof Halmagyi, Dr Katekar and Dr Michael Barnett (my immunologist) I went back to hospital for 5 days of Human Immunoglobulin treatment, called Sandogoblin. This was administered intravenously. This medication, which I believe helped save my life, had to be purchased from the company that manufactures Gardasil in Australia. I also had a PET scan (Google it) a few weeks before this and the results came back when I was in hospital – there were 2 main areas of concern – my ovaries were overactive, and my cerebellum, which controls my motor functions, had switched off – it wasn’t diseased, it had simply turned off, like a light bulb. There was no guarantee that this would ever switch back on. I refused to believe it. I was so sick of being sick and that made me more determined.

I had an immediate ultrasound of my ovaries, which showed that there was no problem. Every 28 days I have a ‘top up’ of this treatment (I now get a drug called Octogam which does the same thing) and this, all being well, will continue indefinitely. I have improved gradually and slowly but it’s a lot better than going downhill. My days are now filled with the gym (2 hours of cardio, weights, stretch, aqua, swimming and hydro), Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, cooking and cleaning. I have found that the Nintendo Wii is awesome for coordination, and the Singstar is great for speech. For a list of any other exercises, please contact me – I’m happy to help! From a process of elimination I have been diagnosed with an illness called ADEM (once again, Google it). Basically, the myelin sheath that surrounds my nerves has been eaten away. Dissimilar to MS patients, the sheath should grow back with the help of the treatment and good old fashioned hard work exercises. This diagnosed illness can be caused by a vaccine and cause paralysis down one side of the body. From Google, a definition is as follows: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a neurological disorder characterized by inflammation of the brain and spinal cord caused by damage to the myelin sheath. The myelin sheath is the fatty covering which acts as an insulator on nerve fibers in the brain. ADEM may occur in association with a viral or bacterial infection, as a complication of inoculation or vaccination, or without a preceding cause. Onset of the disorder is sudden.

Symptoms, which vary among individuals, may include headache, delirium, lethargy, coma, seizures, stiff neck, fever, ataxia, optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, vomiting, and weight loss. Other symptoms may include monoparesis (paralysis of a single limb) or hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the body). The disorder occurs in children more often than in adults.

Last week, there was an article in a few Australian newspapers that links Gardasil to MS symptoms and all girls with this have made a full recovery (music to my ears!). It must be noted that I, nor anyone in the known history of my family has had MS or any such disease. The only issue that I had was cysts on my ovaries as a teenager, for which I went on the contraceptive pill. There is a strong history of cancer in my family (hence the injection being administered), but we have since found out that Mum does not carry the gene, so it therefore cannot be passed on to me.

So, what is next? Although I am not currently working, my days are dedicated to exercise and therapy. I have applied for University next year, to do a postgraduate degree – Master of Secondary Teaching. This will be two years full time, which will allow me time to recover. I am continuing to improve, and I am determined to get my health back to 100% – to wear heels, to play sports, and to dance. I cannot wait to work again. I have lots of plans, including educating girls in a similar situation. Being sick has made me realize the important things in life.

Elif’s Story

August 31, 2009 by Gertrude Green

My condition got worse after the second and especially the third vaccination (2008 July). As nobody informed me of the adverse side effects, I unfortunately kept having the last shot. Simultaneously, I also had a gynecological problem which ended up being a chronic inflammation and chronic pain condition.

My first symptoms were numbness, pins and needles in the extremities, nausea, extreme fatigue, dizziness, confusion, depression, seizures, trembling, metallic taste in the mouthI also had a major candida outbreak, which is still present. It is unfortunately getting worse and worse, although I am on a diet and I tried taking some antifungals, nothing appeared to be working and my immune system is falling apart. I am currently diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, and my recent test results show that I am also developing an autoimmune disease, in addition to chronic inflammations in my body.

For treatment and management, I am having to rest and avoiding food allergies to speed my recovery. I have visited at least 10 doctors and none believed that the vaccination was the cause of this. This broke my trust and made me vulnerable as I don’t know where to seek help from. Even though I am convincing myself that maybe there is nothing to do but wait, I am developing new symptoms and not knowing how to deal with managing and treating them. I recently developed an inflammation in the back part of my head with severe pain and burning sensation, this is a new symptom and again, confusing. This whole experience is very difficult to deal with, both emotionally and physically. I do believe that things would be easier with less damage if medical professionals were informed properly and careful with what they are doing. I really feel like a victim and still hoping to find a solution and help.

Phillipa’s Story

December 8, 2008 by Gertrude Green

I am a fit healthy 26 year old woman. I exercise almost everyday, eat a healthy balanced diet, have never smoked or taken drugs and only drink socially. On 15th October last year I experienced my first bout of pancreatitis although at the time, I just thought it was a gastro virus. The stomach pain came on quickly and lasted approximately 24hrs on and off. It was a bloating stomach pain that I have never experienced before and at times I felt as if my stomach was going to explode. When the pain eventually subsided, I experienced chest and shoulder pain for about 24hrs. I went to the doctors to have this checked and she put it down to a virus.

On the 8th February, 2008 I suffered the same stomach pain again followed by chest pains. Two days later this pattern repeated itself. I saw the doctor and again we put it down to being a virus because I’d had the flu the week before and nothing else seemed apparent at the time. The third attack was two months later (20/04/08). This time my doctor decided to test for pancreatitis. My amylase blood result was 792 (normal levels are from 1-100) indicating I had suffered a bout of pancreatitis and indicating that this was the cause of my previous episodes.

My doctor referred me to a gastroenterologist and after several tests (x-rays, CT scans and an MRI) over several months and even a second opinion, no physical causes for pancreatitis have been found (ie. alcohol, gallstones, physical defects, increased levels of calcium or triglycerides in my blood etc).

Around this time, my mother heard an ABC radio report that the TGA was investigating three cases of young girls experiencing pancreatitis after having had their Gardasil injections. I checked the dates of my Gardasil injections against the stomach pains. My first injection (04/08/07) was trouble free as far as I can remember. My second, on 06/10/07, was nine days before my first attack and the third on the 17/04/08 was 3 days before my third attack of pancreatitis. I reported this to the TGA and they are still investigating the potential link.

On 24/08/08 (after I’d once again had the flu) I had an attack which was so severe, I was rushed to hospital. My lipase level was 2913 (normal is 1-60) and I was placed on an IV and remained in hospital for four days. Still no cause for the pancreatitis was found. I have now had 4 attacks of pancreatitis over the past year…two of which occurred days after I received the Gardasil shots. I have never had pancreatitis before and believe the link with the Gardasil injections is not a coincidence. I want to highlight the need to investigate this link and hope to raise its profile as more cases may exist however, as other women like me, haven’t either identified an attack as pancreatitis or associated the potential link to the Gardasil injections.

Although I currently feel well, the pancreatitis has significantly affected my life over the past year and especially my plans for the future. I was planning on travelling and working overseas next year but now can’t get travel insurance. I would welcome any discussion on the topic as I think women need to be made aware of the risks. Had I known of the potential link to contracting pancreatitis, I would certainly have reconsidered my decision to have the Gardasil injections.

Elizabeth Snelling – Melbourne

I was a happy healthy 25 year old girl working full-time and studying and to complete a degree at Monash University. I went to get my Gardasil vaccination after being prompted by the strong government campaign. I was never asked whether I was pre-disposed to auto immune conditions, had a compromised immune system or had any family history of such. If I had been asked I would not have gotten the shot. After my first shot I had a really sore arm for weeks. I have never experienced that before with other vaccinations but at the time I thought it a small price to pay to reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

I went in for my second shot and was never asked if I’d had any problems since the first shot. A few weeks later I started having some problems with my legs. They felt stiff and walking wasn’t as easy and it should be. I couldn’t get comfortable at night and my hands and feet kept cramping. I was also experiencing moving pains and was in quite a bit of discomfort. I started to get regular physio, massages and cupping therapy to alleviate my symptoms. I was also running (about 5kms a day) as I thought this may help loosen me up if my pain was postural. It never occurred to me that it could have something to do with my vaccination.

I went for my third Gardasil shot and was never asked about my health post the initial two vaccinations. Within a week my knee became inflamed and then started collapsing underneath me. My pains became debilitating and I could not sleep at night. All my joints were aching and even made a clicking noise when I tried to go up or downstairs. My knees had a spastic feeling when I tried to walk and my legs became very shaky. My knee seized up and locked in a bent position.

My doctor ordered some blood tests and they showed up a positive ANA test which is indicative of some kind of auto immune problem. I was in a bit of a mess and was put on 25 mg of prednisolone and referred to a rheumatologist. The rheumatologist told me that my problems were probably down to ‘anxiety’. I have never heard of anxiety giving anyone an inflamed knee before but she was getting paid the big bucks… I refused to accept what she was saying and so she ordered an MRI.

Apparently steroids (like prednisolone) can take evidence from your MRI’s so I had to stop taking them in the lead up to the MRI. And then my world fell apart… I was so weak and shaky I could not stand. My body was tingling and numb and all of my bodily responses felt delayed. I could not feel strands of hair when I picked them up. My feet were cramping and I was dropping things. I was going to the toilet all the time! My legs were jumping and giving me shocks and tremors almost like mini seizures. And then I felt totally disconnected from my legs.My legs did not feel like they fitted on to my body. I would walk and it didn’t feel like I was using my own legs.

My skin felt uncomfortable at times as though it was crawling and didn’t fit properly. I was also feeling dizzy, tired and sick and could not follow the Doctor’s pen with my eyes. My eyes were jumping and playing up randomly. I also got sick with some kind of gastro bug and I kept vomiting until I had to go to E.D. My heart began racing and my legs were having problems and I experienced what they said was a panic attack and I had to be sedated. Things only got better when I went back on the steroids.

My MRI showed up a lesion of demyelination on my brain indicative of an episode of multiple sclerosis and I was sent to see a neurologist. She explained to me that it was not a typical result and further evidence would be needed for any kind of diagnosis. I did an evoked visual response test and passed. The follow up MRI (6 months later) showed no progression of the demyelination since steroid treatment and finishing Gardasil. I have changed some meds for neurological conditions, pain and am slowly weaning off the steroids ½ a milligram at a time. Every time I reduce my dosage it knocks me around and gives me chronic fatigue. So far I have reduced my dosage by more than half but I still have a long way to go. At the rate I am going, all going well I will have spent about three years of my life on steroids. I have my fingers crossed this will not result in diabetes or osteoporosis. I know I still have a long hard fight ahead of me. I still have no formal diagnosis or medical explanation as to what has occurred. However, my symptoms and vaccination timeline all point to one thing – Gardasil.

Shania – One Less Olympic Hopeful

At 12 years old, Shania’s dream was to represent Australia and compete for the Olympic Gold. Being a junior State Champion for three years in a row definitely put her on the right track.

She broke many records in her young career, including one that had been standing for 22 years and another that had remained unbroken for 17 years. She was accustomed to being a Champion.

It was not at all unusual for her to return from a swim meet with 8 gold medals and a couple of silvers. Her medals and trophies line the shelves in her proud parents’ living room. There were many who thought she just might make it to the Australian Olympic swim team. After all, Shania “the Flyer” was unbeatable in most events, especially the butterfly.

By the tender age of 12, she had already been selected for the state swim team and handpicked by Swimming W.A. to join a special training squad for the State’s elite junior swimmers. Everything she did led her closer to her dream.

All of that came to an abrupt halt on August 9, 2009, 9 days after her second injection of Gardasil, when she collapsed in front of hundreds of spectators during a swimming competition. Shania was rushed to the hospital and had to be wheeled in because she was unable to walk. She felt nauseous, had a headache and blurred vision. She complained of being dizzy and hovered on the edge of consciousness. Her asthma, which had been under control for so long that she had forgotten about it, came back with a vengeance. She could hardly breath and was coughing a lot. She had no reflexes and could not stand on her own, much less walk. Shania said her arms and legs “felt dead.”

Six hours later, after various doctors had performed every test they could imagine and were still shaking their heads, Shania was allowed to go home with the understanding she would be seen by her own doctor the next day.

As it turns out, August 9 was not the beginning of Shania’s nightmare. She had been suffering many symptoms since her first Gardasil shot, but like the champion she was, she toughed it out and kept going until she completely collapsed.

Her symptoms have included extremely high fever, headache, aching heavy limbs and extreme tiredness. She seemed nauseous and had a difficult time concentrating. Her parents noticed she was losing her hair. Where her menstrual cycle had always been as regular as clockwork, now it was not. Shania began to constantly complain of numbness, or a “pins and needles” sensation in her limbs. She developed a severe rash that extends over most of her body. The slightest physical exertion causes her to spend several days recovering.

Shania has been tested for everything under the sun, to no avail. Her doctors are still calling it a “mystery condition.” They can find no answer other than Gardasil, yet they can not seem to prove the connection.

Two of her specialists told her parents not to expect doctors to be ‘helpful’ with trying to make the connection to Gardasil, regardless of the evidence, because the moment one of them admits it was Gardasil, it would open them up to lawsuits.

Meanwhile, over 8 months later, Shania is still trying to recover some semblance of her normal self. She is a long way from back to normal, but she is experiencing some improvements.

Her parents know she will probably never be able to return to the pool. They hope and pray their daughter will someday have the energy to participate in some of the things she used to enjoy. They wonder how you compensate someone for a lost dream.

Everything Shania lived for and trained for was aimed at reaching her dream of the Olympic Swim Team. She had one goal, one dream — a dream that was turned into a nightmare by Gardasil.

Chescia Kimberley Tunley – Sydney, Australia

Our daughter’s nightmare following the first and subsequent Gardasil vaccinations – April to September 2009

On Tuesday 28 April 2009, our daughter visited her GP’s rooms in order to have cold symptoms checked – temperatures, congestion etc. Whilst there her GP asked whether she had the Cervical Cancer vaccinations, to which she replied that she hadn’t due to being absent from school (being chronically fatigued to the point where we had to withdraw her officially from year 12 in 2008). As the free vaccinations were due to cease as of 30 June 2009, her GP suggested our daughter commence the immunisation programme, and she therefore had her first vaccination. Her arm was rather sore and she got an immediate headache.She was asked to come back in a month to have the second vaccination.

On Tuesday 26 May she again visited her GP and had a second Cervical Cancer vaccination.Upon leaving the surgery she almost fainted on the street and over the next few days experienced painful headaches, hot and cold temperatures, she vomited a couple of times, blacked out momentarily, and had stomach pains. She also started drinking large quantities of water which didn’t quench her thirst.Over the next three weeks she progressively felt more unwell with headaches, fatigue and experienced cold symptoms, ie congestion, cough, muscle aches and a sore throat.

Since then she has suffered seizures, which were described as “panic” attacks, respiratory issues, leg, arm and facial tremors, she had periods of great thirst, she could not sleep, leg collapses, fainting and more.She was attended by paramedics on 10 to 12 occasions and taken to hospital emergency on 7 to 8 occasions.She has seen 3 GP’s, 3 neurologists, 1 psychiatrist, and a myriad of other medical specialists.Almost all dismissed her symptoms as anxiety related. No one could explain, however, how a 19 year old girl about to go on a 3 month overseas holiday would be anxious. God bless the open minded medical profession!

A TV program on Gardasil and adverse reactions gave an insight into probable cause and since them we have been able to track it all back to the 2nd dose of Gardasil.My daughter is in a leading Sydney hospital under the care of a top immunologist and neurologist and both state that in their opinion it is likely that she has POTS syndrome or POTS syndrome type symptoms brought on by Gardasil. She still has respiratory issues, leg tremors, tachachardia type issues, minor seizures.

An EEG taken 1 month after the 2nd dose of Gardasil showed disrythmia, however the most recent EEG is much better,. But a bit like squeezing a balloon, as soon as you push one bit in, another issue seems to emerge.

She remains in hospital, she walks maybe 150 metres a day and that exhausts her and we remain hopeful that over time she will get better. To date we have resisted using medication.

Email address: stephentunley@gmail.com