Dystonia girl: Reality or a total hoax?

[Sepalcure]

So 20/20 has a featured special on this girl, Desiree Jennings, who's this active, vibrant, and pretty darn attractive person. She participates in running competitions, does cheer leading for the Redskins, and is a native of Ohio. But what has the medical community: doctors, neurologists, physical therapists, etc. completely baffled are the sudden onset of her bizarre symptoms. Supposedly these symptoms were triggered by the metals found in the new flu shot vaccination: amongst the metals? Mercury, known to affect the muscles in the body if ingested in too large of a quantity.

Desiree suddenly started suffering from spasmodic muscles in her lower and upper limbs, unable to keep a steady gait as she walked forward. However, what was more astounding was the fact that she could walk sideways and backwards rather well. Furthermore her Midwestern accent disappeared along with her relatively unaffected speech pattern. She struggled to speak, often stuttering, all while speaking with a heavy British accent or Russian (whichever).

Some people who have witnessed her numerous videos on Youtube, dub her as being a hoax or a fraud, merely displaying these "symptoms" for her fifteen minutes of fame. Others sympathize with her plight. But what do all of you think about this? Is she faking it or do you really think she suffers from dystonia.

Some fodder to fuel the arguments:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPgMo_l_cis&feature=related

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2009/11/desiree_jennings_cured.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo-cIP3VBfo

http://stupidcelebrities.net/2009/1...e-jennings-gets-dystonia-from-flu-shot-video/

Once more: real or fake? You decide.

 

[Channizard]

I remember watching videos about her like.. a couple years ago. I thought it was legit before, now I watch it again and it looks like a hoax... one thing they kept commenting on was how this was happening to a beautiful girl and why it was so tragic because she was so beautiful. So if this happened to an ugly person it wouldn't be as tragic?

Also that whole 'accent' thing is just... no. That's no accent, that's just the typical 'retard' speak.

edit: I thought the 'accent' in question was something entirely different. I'm watching it now on 20/20 and her speech has dramatically changed from what I last heard.

 

[Sullivan0930]

i think its real because faking movements like that seems very difficult. i tried right now and failed. shes smooth and consistent. And if she is faking then she should be an actress but first killed for doing such an act.

 

[Rydia]

I saw this is a class of mine and they said she had a conversion disorder, which basically presents several neurological conditions, however, there is no medical explanation for these symptoms. It usualy occurs after a traumatic event, or after a period of extreme stress. In the hopsital, I have seen it with people who have symptoms of a stroke, however, there is no evidence that a stroke occured.

So yeah, I think it is real.

 

[van fanel]

actually, it can happen because if a bone, or ligement is broken or twisted in the right spot, it can happen and the pain will be excruciatingly painful, but you will be able to walk again but not for a while. i know this from personal experience when i was on the wrestling team.