<p>The foreign travel nurse at my local county health department told me every 5 years for tetanus.</p>
<p>It’s recommended at umich but not required. I don’t have health insurance and am not in good health, so my mom told me I shouldn’t get it because we can’t afford it and it would be too taxing on my immune system. I am really having second thoughts about not getting it but I don’t have any money. :</p>
<p>Both my kids got it for summer camp several years ago.</p>
<p>It’s every 10 years for tetanus, so the foreign travel nurse might be a bit mixed up! Over the past four years, all of the private insurance carriers around here have come around and cover the charge for the meningitis vaccine-quite a change from when the idea was new.
TwistedxKiss, talk to an MD, dear, please. I too, have a compromised immune system, but I make sure to get all needed vaccs, including flu shots- I’m not 100% sure that this vaccine is safe for you, but you would never be able to fight off meningitis, and I wouldn’t take the chance of living in a dorm without it.
If you don’t have health insurance, contact your local county Health Department and ask if they offer the shot at free or reduced prices. If that’s not possible, go to Student Health Services when you get to UMich and see if they’ll give it to you. Most immunizations are covered by health services on college campuses and they’d also be able to talk to you about how it might impact your system.</p>
<p>I’m not a parent, but I came across this forum in the “New Posts” page, so I decided to give my input. I got the vaccine as a rising sophomore in HS because I was doing a camp at Brown University, so I had to get the shot. I don’t mind getting shots, so it was easier for me. My doctor sid we’ll get it over with in 5 minutes, I’ll be right back etc, and there was nothing to it. Not much soreness at all, and I honestly didn’t care about needing the shot, I just want to be protected. I also am not one to want every vaccine under the sun, but you should not let up on your son getting the shot. It is best for him, and they hopefully will realize this soon. Just my humble opinion…</p>
<p>My D had it a year ago (she is only 15 now.) It was absolutely no big deal, with no side effects whatsoever. :)</p>
<p>My S was vaccinated years ago when it was first suggested. When he received his medical records request for graduate school in MA it required either another dose (would not accept vaccine prior to 2004 I believe) or an affidavit of waiver. He was going to waive (not living in dorms) but I insisted, even though he’s 24, and he got the new Menactra vaccine. If his insurance won’t cover it, I will. The school was also unhappy with his Hep B sequence (also done many years ago) and he had to either get a blood test for immunity, or redo the shots.</p>
<p>The meningococcal vaccine my school asks for is called menactra, but in 1997, when I lived in Colombia, I got a different meningococcal vaccine (VA-MENGOC-BC). When I went to my orientation, the lady told me that that wasn’t a meningitis vaccine, but I am 100% sure it is. I really think she was confused.</p>
<p>So I’ve been searching about VA-MENGOC-BC, and found that</p>
<p>“the VA-MENGOC-BC vaccine proved safe and effective in randomized double-blind studies.[3][4][5] The vaccine is currently used in many countries around the world[6], but it was granted a license only for research purposes in the United States.[7] Political differences limit cooperation between the two countries even in this area.[8]”</p>
<p>But like…my school doesn’t even mention if that vaccine is acceptable or not, I’m so confused…=/ Does it only protect against meningitis B? Should I get the other shots?? I’m so lost…</p>
<p>jonjon1324, I would call the school and talk with someone in the health center. Explain what you said here and provide the links to the research which you found. Sounds to me (absolutely NOT an expert) that they are most likely vaccines for the same disease and therefore either should be OK but it won’t matter what any of us think unless the health center agrees. So you have to discuss with them.</p>
<p>Clemson student from suburban NJ died of meningitis this week according to reports in today’s paper. Very sad story; article said she was a junior and had the shot two years ago.</p>
<p>I’m not a medical person but I do believe there are two types of meningitis – bacterial and viral. The vaccine protects against only one type.</p>
<p>I recently checked the CDC website about this (I am a public health nurse but don’t deal much with vacines). The recomendation for is for adults to have a Tetanus booster every 10 years. If someone experiences a deep or puncture wound, or a wound contaminated with dirt, an additional booster dose may be given if the last dose was more than five years ago. I think that is the source of confusion. So unless you are stepping on rusty nails every 10 years should be fine.</p>
<p>Wow. I’ve never been scared of shots and I wouldn’t have thought twice about getting this one, but now I’m kind of nervous! Umm…side effects for a WEEK? What is this vaccination??</p>
<p>The vaccine is to prevent contracting bacterial meningitis which has a higher morbidity and mortality rate than viral meningitis. Most people contracting viral meningitis,while ill, usually get better on their own and tend to suffer a lot fewer permanent complications than that of bacterial meningitis. The Menactra vaccine is the gold standard vaccine. Don’t bother with the Medimmune vaccine.</p>
<p>Side effects for a week have GOT to be rare. I’ve known dozens of friends of my kids and no one has had problems. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal…</p>
<p>Consider the alternative to a potential for a week of side effects- permanently dead or brain damaged- get the vaccine.</p>
<p>I would not think of skipping the vaccine for a kid going off to a college dorm. My HS D already got it. Not a big deal. No one likes shots!</p>
<p>This vaccination is now recommended by the CDC at 11 years old and some states (like DC – okay, it’s not a state) require it in their schools.</p>
<p>She attended a summer enrichment program for 4 weeks and her doctor really wanted her to get it. So she did…No side effects for her! Thank God.</p>
<p>I emailed university health services at umich to see if they do it at a lower price, and I am hoping they have a clinician I can speak to there who can help me determine whether or not it’s safe for me to get vaccines right now given my present condition. I think as long as it’s not a higher risk because of my condition I want to get it. I have developed some kind of a digestive disorder in the past year, but my insurance ran out in the middle of investigating it so we don’t actually know what’s wrong with me besides that I am sick all the time and it has made me very weak-- that’s what makes me nervous. My mom doesn’t research these things, I think, and then says things to scare me. Though she did that for gardasil as well and then as it turns out my doctor told me not to get that one.</p>
<p>Not having real health coverage is a real bother, I did until recently. I can only see a doctor once a year so it’s hard to even get medical advice, I can phone them but they have hardly any idea what’s going on with my condition anymore.</p>