Please note that the basis of this report is from Rene Najera at the examiner.com. Please click here to read the original article and for more detailed information. Youtube videos of a former NFL Washington Redskins cheerleader who allegedly acquired dystonia from a flu vaccine has been making the rounds online. The cheerleader, Desiree Jennings, says that symptoms of dystonia started appearing shortly after taking the flu vaccine.
Dr. Leigh Vinocur
Dr. Leigh Vinocur completed her undergraduate coursework at the University of Michigan where she graduated with high honors. She subsequently earned an M.D. at Wayne State University in Detroit where she also completed post-graduate training, including an internship in general surgery and in urology and a residency in emergency medicine. She is licensed to practice medicine in the State of Maryland.
Dr. Vinocur has received numerous awards including the Medical Award from the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence and the prestigious Emergency Medical Award from the American College of Emergency Medicine.
Dr. Leigh Vinocur is currently employed as an emergency medicine doctor from the University of Maryland Medical System offered an alternative cause to Ms. Jennings’ syndrome. Dr. Vinocur stated that there have been no cases of dystonia associated with the flu vaccine and that neurology experts at the University of Maryland were using Ms. Jennings’ case to teach neurology residents about psychogenic dystonia.
Desiree Jennings (2.bp.blogspot.com)
Dystonia is a movement disorder that causes the muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily. The neurological mechanism that makes muscles relax when they are not in use does not function properly. Opposing muscles often contract simultaneously as if they are “competing” for control of a body part. The involuntary muscle contractions force the body into repetitive and often twisting movements as well as awkward, irregular postures. Dystonia affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Dystonia is a neurological disorder where twitches and other repetitive, involuntary reactions occur. Normally, these repetitive actions do not let up. On the video, Ms. Jennings’ symptoms subside at times. According to Dr. Vinocur, neurologists saw the video and were convinced it was psychogenic.
Psychogenic disorders originate in the mind or in mental or emotional processes; having a psychological rather than a physiological origin. This does not mean that a person is faking their symptoms. Rather, it means that the person truly believes that the symptoms are real. However, there is no physiological reason for the symptoms. It truly is all in their head. Psychotherapy or some medications to treat the mental issues can help deal with psychogenic disorders.
Dr. Leigh Vincour says that Ms. Jennings’ story that she acquired flu from the flu vaccine is a scientific impossiblity. The flu virus in the injected vaccine is dead, inactive. In the solution being injected, the virus has no cells in which to live and reproduce. Viruses are, by definition, obligate intracellular parasites. They need cells to live, grow, and reproduce. There has been no recorded case of acquired flu from the flu shot vaccine.
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Tags: Desiree Jennings, Dr. Leigh Vinocur, Dystonia, Emergency Medicine, H1N1, H1N1 Vaccine, Leigh Vinocur, psychogenic, swine flu, University of Maryland, Washington Redskins
Vitals TweetTeam | November 4, 2009 at 2:52 pm
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Galactic Butterfly | November 4, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Psychological origin? Yeah Right! America please educate yourself an stop listening to all this Disinformation BS. The Shot is what did it, if you have any doubts about whether or not its the cause, please don’t take anyone’s word for it (including mine) and do the research yourself. Vaccines aid in reducing the human (useless feeders) population !
Liz Walley | November 4, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I’m sure your opinion is of no comfort or assistance to Mrs. Jennings. Until a definitive study conducted by unbiased qualified researchers is conducted to prove or disprove your opinion concerning the connection between vaccines and health issues, your opinion will mean very little, and you will be of limited assistance to those who suffer with such complications.
Mark | November 4, 2009 at 7:29 pm
this doctor is not even a neurologist… She specializes general surgery, urology, and emergency medicine. In my opinion, this doctor is not qualified to make this diagnosis.
Brianna | November 4, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Obviously this doctor doesn’t know how to search the CDC’s adverse vaccine reaction public records. If she spent the time she would have saved herself a lawsuit and embarassment among the medical community. Generation Rescue did their homework: http://generationrescue.org/desiree_jennings.html
Psychogenic? | November 5, 2009 at 7:52 am
Wow Leigh,
It’s pretty offensive to diagnose this patient’s condition via a youtube video. As somebody who supposedly graduated from medical school, you should know better than this. Do you diagnose and medicate your patients via text messages and phone conversations as well? Your opinion is not only misleading, but it also comes across as a failed attempt at a cover up of huge catastrophic medical blunder.
Although the reaction that this young lady had was rare and probably due to her own immunity, there are numerous cases that have been reported exactly like hers. Are they all psychogenic? Because you don’t have an actual scientific answer, you label it “Psychogenic”? To all the doctors who minimize and attempt to cover up this medical error, you will eventually get yours. That is not a threat, it’s a law.
Open your mind, remove your God complex, and admit that modern medicine is still very unscientific and dangerous.
PS- I also graduated from Medical School, Leigh, and think you are an embarrassment to the medical profession. Your board should be notified.
drea | November 5, 2009 at 8:45 am
Educate yourself first before making such comments that the flu shot is the root of all evil. Yes people can have adverse reactions to the shots, such as if they have allergies to eggs, or if for a fluke reason they simply have a response. But it is the same as taking any other prescribed medication where there is a potential to have an adverse reaction. I don’t see anyone jumping all over Aspirin, Metoprolol, Nitro, Plavix or any other medication that may cause an adverse reaction. The only drug that is completely safe is Oxygen–and yes it is considered a drug. People who think they get sick, as in getting the flu, from the flu shot are usually one in the same to jump all over it when an unfortunate reaction occurs. The flu shot is an inactive form of the virus. No disrespect to Mrs. Jennings, but I highly doubt people would be so upset if it were a middle aged woman or man, who work an average job.
K | November 5, 2009 at 12:13 pm
This goes to show how intertwined the vaccination industry and medical industry are (profit over people). It is clearly an attempt to distract people from learning a lesson from Mrs. Jennings’ case; they want to make sure that NO lesson is learned from what happened to her. Take your blinders off, people!
Ilo | November 5, 2009 at 12:44 pm
To Drea,
You should educate yourself too. No, it is not the roots of all evil, it is the root to this one, as well as many other neurological problems. The problem is not even the vaccine itself but what is used to make it and preserve it!!! Secundary effects are registered on paper, when you went and got the vaccine, did you have a chance to read about its secondary effects? It is all about knodlege and choice, get it?
Dami | November 5, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Just curious, you say it’s psychogenic meaning her symptoms are psychological so are you in effect saying that her brain makes her think she can’t walk properly anymore..? How come she didn’t get something like diarrhea or chronic pains or head aches and stuff like that?? Like I said, I’m just curious..
Tim | November 5, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Well, the Director of General Neurology at Yale, a practicing clinical neurologist made the same assessment. She’s not exhibiting the clinical symptoms of actual dystonia.
In fact, NO medical authority has actually been interviewed saying she has dystonia. All we have is her word.
There’s never been a documented case in any of the years of literature on the topic of any flu vaccine causing dystonia.
So, basically it’s evidence for Desiree’s claims : ZERO
The consensus is wholly against.
Desiree is making extraordinary claims for which she must meet an extrordinary burden of proof, one she perpetually fails.
I think the doctors are being generous in calling it psychogenic. I’m calling Desiree an outright fraud.
Nick Lento | November 5, 2009 at 8:42 pm
There are billions of dollars at stake here.
It’s no wonder that Doctors would be crawling out of the woodwork to downplay this patient’s horrible illness.
The orthodoxy will always react like this when challenged, it’s “normal”. Dr. Vinocur needs to be checked out (by investigative journalists) for any connections to the industry, and she needs to be monitored to see if and when she goes to work for or, in any way, derives profits or benefits for herself or her family from Pharma.
I hope the media really does it’s job on this one. Jennings isn’t faking this….and it’s not in her “head” it’s in her messed up BODY!!!
It may be that she happened to be one of the few people who is overly sensitive to some component of the vaccine…..it’s conceivable that the vaccine may save more lives than it destroys….but to deny this poor woman her credibility and dignity like this in service to a marketing agenda is sheer evil.
The “psychogenic” diagnosis could be used to account for ANY illness in which it’s not clear precisely why someone is ill.
In the old days Dr. Leigh Vinocur would be saying that someone dying of a heart attack was being hysterical and that they should just relax and that it was all in their heads.
Sheesh!
Wayne Headrick | November 6, 2009 at 12:51 pm
1 in a million means we’re going to have up to 300 new cases of this every year!
Wayne Headrick | November 6, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I posted my previous comment before reading the others. Now I have a reaction to all the talk of this being psychogenic. It’s easy to forget that the brain is a physical organ and can be affected negatively by pathogens like any other organ. The idea that it’s “in her head” doesn’t mean it’s a fraud. Her brain may simply not be operating properly.
dystonia mom | November 8, 2009 at 12:24 am
How many people were told their dystonia was psychogenic? It was implied my son’s was behavior when he was a toddler. By neurologists. They had no idea what they are talking about, and he now has severe, severe dystonia and has been through so many attempts at treatment.
This doctor is not a neurologist. I don’t think she has any idea what she is talking about. Brain damage can cause dystonia. And it’s pretty well known vaccines on rare occasion cause brain damage. Too bad if it’s you….. you won’t care much that it’s “rare.”
cbmc | November 8, 2009 at 7:08 pm
arguing with anti-vaccination people is a waste of intelligent people’s time. people who are opposed to vaccines are idiots, deeply in love with the sound of their own idiocy. they can’t be persuaded, because they spend a lot of time telling each other than their cause is righteous.
CW | November 9, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I’m a neurologist. It’s physically and neurologically impossible to be able to walk like that and then run and walk backwards normally. In fact, it takes more effort to hold yourself up to walk like she is without falling over than to walk normally. It’s psychogenic, I see it all the time.
And it wasn’t the vaccine. Do your research.
Francis | November 11, 2009 at 10:04 am
You really think vaccines are used to reduce the human population??
Ever heard of small pox? Polio?
Also, if you follow what has happened with the story, Desiree Jennings has gone to a naturopathic doctor and recieved chelation therapy and is now instantly CURED! (which would be impossible if this was physiologic… it would take much longer).
Janet | November 11, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Thank you for this post. I never doubted this woman’s symptoms, but for anyone to claim without scientific proof that her symptoms were caused by the seasonal flu shot is irresponsible. Is that OK to say? That we don’t know enough about this to fully realize what is going on? Nope…probably not. If you don’t want a flu shot don’t get one. I have never gotten a seasonal flu shot, but many people I know have, and none of them have ever had a problem. I would very much like an H1N1, but I can’t get one for love or money in the State of Washington. Thank you for an excellent article.
Frank | November 11, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Why would the opinion of a doctor (or doctors) that did not examine Mrs. Jennings hold more weight than the opinion of doctors that did examine and treat Mrs. Jennings. In fact, a quick google search reveals that all of articles claiming this woman is faking are based on the opinion of Dr. Leigh Vinocur. Since Dr. Vinocur has not contacted Mrs. Jennings nor her doctors to ask inquire why they don’t believe her condition is psychogenic while writing articles and appearing on TV to attack Mrs. Jennings, it raises some serious ethical questions. In fact, before Dr. Vinocur suddenly appeared early this year telling people to get flu shots and that they were safe, the only other media coverage Dr. Vinocur received was while she was promoting a cosmeceutical called Pyratine, marketed by Senetek (pharmaceutical company) to treat rosacea.
There article makes Vinocur look very bad. Ms. Jennings never claimed “she acquired flu from the flu vaccine” so one wonders why Vinocur would tell this lie. My guess (as a medical student) was it allowed her to say “scientific impossiblity” (which is true if she is talking about the flu). If she were to be honest that Ms. Jennings acquired a neurological disorder from the vaccine then she would have to admit that it is a possibility since there are numerous scientific, peer reviewed studies that have been published on the subject.
I don’t believe Vinocur is stupid so I’m betting she is just being intelectually dishonest. I can only hope that whatever she gets out of it is worth the karmic price she’ll pay.
Frank | November 11, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Why would the opinion of a doctor (or doctors) that did not examine Mrs. Jennings hold more weight than the opinion of doctors that did examine and treat Mrs. Jennings. In fact, a quick google search reveals that all of articles claiming this woman is faking are based on the opinion of Dr. Leigh Vinocur. Since Dr. Vinocur has not contacted Mrs. Jennings nor her doctors to ask inquire why they don’t believe her condition is psychogenic while writing articles and appearing on TV to attack Mrs. Jennings, it raises some serious ethical questions. In fact, before Dr. Vinocur suddenly appeared early this year telling people to get flu shots and that they were safe, the only other media coverage Dr. Vinocur received was while she was promoting a cosmeceutical called Pyratine, marketed by Senetek (pharmaceutical company) to treat rosacea.
This article makes Vinocur look very bad. Ms. Jennings never claimed “she acquired flu from the flu vaccine” so one wonders why Vinocur would tell this lie. My guess (as a medical student) was it allowed her to say “scientific impossiblity” (which is true if she is talking about the flu). If she were to be honest that Ms. Jennings acquired a neurological disorder from the vaccine then she would have to admit that it is a possibility since there are numerous scientific, peer reviewed studies that have been published on the subject.
I don’t believe Vinocur is stupid so I’m betting she is just being intelectually dishonest. I can only hope that whatever she gets out of it is worth the karmic price she’ll pay.
Danno | November 12, 2009 at 1:40 am
OK, this doctor here is a shill.. Diagnosing patients without even seeing them except on youtube. You are a joke to the medical profession and I can only wonder if you were compensated to say this.
notepad | November 12, 2009 at 4:20 am
@Frank, a quick VAERS search will show you Jennings’ report that looks like it was submitted by the hospital. Even the admitting neurologist thought her symptoms looked psychogenic. Dr. Weiner and a lot of other distinguished experts are saying it looks psychogenic. How kind they are.
Margaret Diann | November 25, 2009 at 10:15 am
Many issues (such as this one) are autoimmune issues. The most probable cause of multiple autoimmune issues going on at once is exposure to glycol ether of which 2-butoxyethanol is the most frequently used glycol ether. Exposure to glycol ether ‘looks like’ the flu. For sure doctors should also consider this cause of flu symptoms. It is not as likely to be a virus as is thought. http://www.valdezlink.com/re/health/anothercauseofflu.htm#8
Annette Renee Wyler | December 12, 2009 at 6:47 pm
My name is Annette Wyler. I am the mother of Desiree Jennings. After going through the life-threatening illness of my oldest daughter, Desiree, I recently went back to re-examine the undiagnosed auto-immune disorder of my youngest daughter, Morgan in 2006 at age 5. Two pediatricians, an infectious disease expert, a rheumatoid arthritis expert and a juvenile orthopedic surgeon couldn’t figure out what was wrong with this child. None of these experts ever asked if she had recently been vaccinated. Several weeks ago, I went back to look at her immunization records and found that she had received seven vaccines in one day in order to meet the requirements for kindergarten prior to her illness. I had five children, three have had no reactions to the vaccines. Morgan’s pediatrician could not tell me with any kind of certainty that Morgan’s vaccines did not contain Mercury/Thimerisol. Please, please don’t vaccinate your children until we get answers into what toxins are in these vaccines. I am confident that no one can “spin” this one as “psychogenic”.
Imnofool | December 22, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Folks, I found this story incredible to believe. Shortly after being able to only walk backwards and run forward normally, Desiree was interviewed at a 13K marathon. Lo and behold she was talking normally(although she made a great show of being breathless) but finished the marathon. Oh and while standing still during the interview she didnt jerk one time. Hey, I’m just saying… N ow she and a new age doctor have found a cure for a disease that is incurable. This girl needs a lot of attention and was looking for a way to cash in on her 5 minutes of fame.
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