Gardasil – Olivia’s long road back to health

Stuff co.nz 14 February 2016
Family First Comment: More justification for concerns about the HPV Vaccine. “Finally she was diagnosed with an autonomic nervous disorder… Research on the internet led her to other girls around the world displaying the same or similar symptoms. They all had one thing in common – Gardasil. Whether the vaccine triggered the problems or caused them is not proven.”
“Isn’t it crazy that life can be one thing – and in an instant it can be changed forever,” a Timaru teenager blogged at the end of last year.
Since then she has come to the conclusion that it was no coincidence she fell acutely ill after getting the HPV vaccine.
Olivia, 16, cannot prove her belief is correct, despite going through 14 months of hell.
A week after being vaccinated in July 2014 she become allergic to various foods. Then fatigue and breathing difficulties set in.
Over the Christmas holidays she struggled to walk up stairs.
“Following this I got shingles, had poor vision and was dizzy every time I sat up. So basically, I spent those summer holidays in bed.”
Back at school in February, Olivia had a breathing episode and her legs failed to hold her weight. She was taken to Timaru Hospital but no diagnosis was forthcoming.
“Not being diagnosed was the worst part. At this stage I thought I may never walk again.”
For the next eight months she was in a wheelchair, as her legs were constantly tingling and all purple and blotchy-looking.
Then her heart was affected and she kept blacking out, leading to a cardiologist sending her to Auckland’s Starship Hospital.
Finally she was diagnosed with an autonomic nervous disorder. After a week of treatment she spent two months at the Wilson Rehabilitation Centre, also in Auckland.
Research on the internet led her to other girls around the world displaying the same or similar symptoms. They all had one thing in common – Gardasil.
Whether the vaccine triggered the problems or caused them is not proven.
READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/73963166/Olivias-long-road-back-to-health