By Lisa Pipella, from Spokane WA
When I originally wrote my Gardasil story as a cautionary tale for others, I thought the worst was over. I had battled for almost six years and was left with only periodic numbness/tingling in my hands to deal with at that point. I believed the worst was over and I could begin to get on with my life. That was in October of 2013.
In 2014, the roller coaster ride began again. My hands became worse; the tingling and numbness traveled to my legs. I would have moments of paralysis forcing me to rely on crutches to get around for a few days each month. My sleep patterns became irregular. I would stay awake for 4 days straight before collapsing from sheer exhaustion and physical weakness. The numbness and tingling I previously had in my hands progressed to tremors that never stopped, even when I was sleeping. Tremors so bad they stopped me from successful photography, hindering my ability to complete my home-based projects or even use everyday tools.
So, I began a new journey visiting more doctors, doing more tests. After some careful observation, we were able to pinpoint the exact time frame during which my symptoms got worse and I would lose normal function of my hands and feet along with the annoying hot pins and needles feelings. It was around the time of my menstrual cycle.
After determining this, I went to see a chiropracter for the first time where I was given some good lifestyle advice. I started on some new detox programs and parasite cleanses in hopes of seeing some improvement. I had been eating clean organic foods but my blood sugar would still peak and dip causing moments of confusion, mood swings, the shakes and weakness. I was able to correct these problems through a new diet that cut out all sugars. It was a great feeling to eliminate those symptoms once my blood sugar was corrected.
Shortly after, I was able to meet with a new doctor about my symptoms to try and gain a different perspective. She gave me a clinical diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Believe it or not, it was somewhat of a relief to have a diagnosis that would explain the majority of my limb symptoms including why my hands were stuck in a claw position.
Next, I went to get a full blood panel to see what that would tell me. Almost everything came back normal. This was my 3rd blood panel in the years since my Gardasil injections. It only revealed that I was low in B6 and D3. So, for the first time in my life, I started taking supplements. They did nothing for me and none of us could figure out why.
I bought several books and spoke to several amazing Gardasil-injured girls who found healing using different methods. But, none of the methods would work for me. I was growing tired of visiting so many doctors and having to explain everything over and over again. But, I was not going to give up.
I spent all of 2014 seeking answers only to end up having a major life-threatening stroke in January of 2015. I was sitting on the couch and felt a really bad throbbing ache behind my left eye. Then, all of a sudden, I had a ”bursting” sensation. I screamed for my husband and he sat with me. I was unable to speak or even understand where I was at. I was screaming in pain as I felt a traveling sensation go up and over my left ear, resting at the base of my skull. I ended up going to bed because the pain exhausted my entire body.
I woke up in the middle of the night from the lingering pain and experienced a stroke. My left eye was fully dilated and everything was confusing. I immediately went and got an MRI. It came back ”unremarkable.”
Then, I got my eyes checked to see if anything was wrong. Those tests also came back normal.
I felt like I had come to another dead end. What if I did not survive my next stroke? My children would be motherless.
So, I set out on another research adventure and put the doctors aside. They were not finding anything and I was not healing.
Is the answer in your Methylation Cycle?
I work with many parents in the autism community and entered into a conversation with some of them about genetics and genetic mutations. I was absolutely fascinated.
They were talking about MTHFR genetic mutations which were identified by the Human Genome Project in 2003. MTHFR stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. This mutation is thought to be a key to all disease, autoimmune disease, and neurological issues in addition to making people more susceptible to adverse reactions to vaccines, medications and supplements.
If we look at immunogenetics and adversomics we can begin to understand why certain people have adverse reactions to vaccines. Vaccines are causing genetic expression. The methylation cycle is very important in the human body. It also dictates how the immune system functions.
After a few months researching, I ended up ordering a test from 23andme.com. I sent my spit test in and the results came back. Guess what? I have the MTHFR C667T mutation along with other mutations that contribute to stroke (Val12Met) and cancer (BRCA). I also have the ’Fragile X’ gene (FMR1). The results were overwhelming.
I immediately sought out additional information on this and joined a MTHFR group. I started out by trying a B12 supplement tailored to my genetic mutation(s). It was called Methylcobalamin. The first time I took it, it knocked me out flat. I was wiped out for several days – almost as if I was in an alcoholic stupor. The fatigue was terrible. I felt betrayed.
But then I switched to taking it before bed, and what do you know, I slept the entire night! So I was taking this every night because research says you must be on it regularly to keep in in your system. Every day was a new milestone for me. My hands unclenched from their claw positions. My legs stopped tingling. I could feel my feet for the first time in a long time. My hands were able to feel again. My tremors, paralysis, burning, tingling, pins and needles sensations dissipated a little each night until they were no more. It was almost unbelievable. I cried tears of joy!
After regulating my methylation cycle with the B12, I decided to try the supplements again. I started taking chlorella, selenium, vitamin D3, Lithium Orotate and probiotics. It was as if every single supplement kicked in all at once.
I was happy again. I could keep up with my children. I finally have my life back!
My Gardasil injections were in 2007. This is the first time in 8 years I can finally say I feel ”normal” again. So far, it has been three entire months of being healed. I believe my Gardasil Nightmare is finally over.
I would like to take a moment to thank the autism community and particularly The Thinking Mom’s Revolution. Without them I would have never known the importance of the methylation cycle, MTHFR, and glutathione.
Please understand that what works for one Gardasil-injured girl may not work for another. Sometimes you have to take very slow steps when introducing new healing methods in order to avoid further injury. It was a very long and slow, trial and error process discovering which methods would work for me. The amount of detoxing I did through the past year set the stage for further healing.
I highly recommend genetic testing as a good place to start. It gave me a blueprint to go by; maybe it will do the same for you!
Thank you for your story about your recovery. I hope your problems don’t return.
My daughter has been suffering since her injections in 2012. Reading your story gives us hope.
I wish you well for the future.
Phil
I am happy for you! Many women have not yet found healing and are daily doubled over in pain. Hormonal imbalance is related to the thyroid (central to the entire endocrine system). Take lots of iodine!
No, no, no! Never ever take “lots of iodine!”…You need to find out whether or not your thyroid condition is due to low iodine and other nutrient deficiencies, or if it is autoimmune. Iodine in large doses can cause hyperthyroidism and can make the immune system’s attack on the thyroid gland, as well as symptoms, worse. Always work with a practitioner who is well-versed in optimizing thyroid function.
Reading this with tears streaming down my face! So sorry for you injury and so happy for you that you have found some answers !!
This is great information — about how methylcobalamin has helped you (and the genetic testing, too) — and I bet a lot of other Gardasil-injured girls and young women will read your story and benefit from your experience! Interesting, too, how the methylcobalamin was the key to all those other supplements working for you.
I know doctors who treat autism are saying that the MTHFR genetic mutation is one thing that makes some kids more vulnerable to developing autism from vaccination. So it makes perfect sense to me that maybe this mutation makes some girls and young women more vulnerable to being injured by Gardasil. Checking for this mutation and addressing it if it’s present may be a real key to recovery for many Gardasil-injured people.
My own daughter (vaccine injured but not by Gardasil) was prescribed methylcobalamin injections for macrocytic anemia. We have used compounded methylcobalamin from Hopewell Pharmacy (Hopewell, NJ). So I’m familiar with this substance, but as “methyl Vitamin B12”. It struck me as I read your symptoms that some of them sounded like symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency. So perhaps you benefited not just from getting your “methyl” in there, but also from getting an effective form of B12 into your system? Can’t help but wonder if the docs tested you adequately for B12 deficiency…
Thanks again for sharing your story! It will give lots of people hope and inspiration, plus specific information on several different treatments that could help…that’s great!
Lisa,
I am so sorry to hear your story and your struggles. I certainly hope that your recovery continues and you can fully heal from this ordeal. Are you also supplementing with L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, too? I know that’s important for those with MTFHR.
I have a relationship with MTHFR. I have one copy of the C677T allele and my spouse has one copy of the C677T allele and one copy of the A1298C allele. After 4.5 years of infertility (45 negative pregnancy tests), my 3rd IVF doctor ran an autoimmune/coagulation panel and I tested positive for Antithrombin and MTHFR. The next embryo transfer we added blood thinners to my cycle and, Voila! We FINALLY conceived and delivered a healthy baby girl. MTHFR can play a role in fertility issues for women. I sometimes wonder why this was a journey for me to walk, but, in retrospect, had I not learned of our MTHFR issues, I would have been like so many others and offered our daughter up for vaccination without having done any research or known any better. Because of the research I did and knowledge I gleaned, I saw the studies regarding MTHFR as a common thread among many autistic children and also as a genetic mutation that is known to cause a higher risk of serious adverse events from vaccination. I am SO GRATEFUL now for my fertility issues because they helped me protect my daughter from vaccination, and very possibly, serious injury.
All the best to you and your continued healing.
Thank you so much for sharing your story.
One more thing, did you ever read any of Dr. Andrew Moulden’s work? He used to advocate that vaccines inflict harm by causing mini strokes. I would encourage you to review his videos on the subject. http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/dr-andrew-moulden-every-vaccine-produces-harm/
Thank you for your story! I’m so happy you found some answers. I just ordered the 23&me test for my daughter who has been suffering the last 2yrs.
Thanks you for sharing your story. It is so wonderful to hear about your recovery and learn from your experience. My daughter has been suffering since she was vaccinated with two doses of gardasil in 2014/2015. She is 15. She has tested positive for Lymes disease. I want to leave no stone unturned and see her returned to full recovery. How did you interpret your results from 23andme – and how did you know what action to take? If I get my daughter tested how do I know what to do next. 🙂 All best, Kate, Irish mum
Thanks for your story! I suffer from chronic fatigue, pain, neurological and bowel problems, thyroid dysfunction, food intolerances and more – all starting after my first Gardasil shot in 2010. I have already improved a lot by changing my diet to SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet – i.e. no complex carbohydrates, no sugars), trying natural ways to detox (most efficient for me has been fasting), and a complex supplement regime. But after reading your story I think I will continue to look further into some of the genetic aspects you describe. It’s uplifting to know that it IS possible to heal completely again! Wish you to stay healthy and vibrant!!
Hello, thank you for telling your story. I went to 23andme, unfortunately they don’t do MTHFR or anything else you’ve listed. I’m at a dead end! Is there anywhere else you know that test these certain genes. Please get back to me ASAP if you see this.
Much love & I hope better health continues.
Chloe
Dear Chloe,
23andme only gives you raw data, you then have to use this raw genetic data in another website, like this one
https://geneticgenie.org/methylation-results-23andme/
To see what mutations you have that could lead to MTHFR. The mutations involved are more than one, not just the C667T, and can be heterozygous, or homozygous (these lasts are worse)
I have twins and both were given the vaccine at the same time. Both developed a headache and one of them has had a migraine or headache 24/7 since the vaccine 10 years ago. Also both girls on their first pap smear came back with mild dysplasia. Neither were sexually active? I swore then that the vaccine gave them HPV. Girls are both 26 years old now and one still has the headache. No way to prove and no way to sue in the USA. Now it’s just trying to get better and I really appreciate you telling your story
I and my daughter have the C667T mutation too, but it is an heterozygous mission.
Is yours homozygous or heterozygous?
no medical evidence that you experienced a stroke. all tests were normal. sorry but you are wasting your life running after vaccine
She could have had a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Since the blood flow interruption is short term a CT or MRI scan is likely to be normal. However a TIA can be a warning that the risk of a major stroke is elevated.
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for sharing your story. It may help some patients to discuss with their physician having a test done (cytokine panel) regarding their Th1 and Th2 balance. I was reading how some new vaccines temporarily adjust dendritic cell antigen presenting cells (APC) to change a patient’s Th1/Th2 balance and increase their response to a vaccine.
What happens to a patient whose immune system is unable to re-establish their Th1/Th2 balance? Do those patients develop anti-NMDA or anti-phospholipid antibodies? How do those vaccines react in persons with a methylation mutation?