Our kids didn’t get hep vaccines when they were infants or toddlers because it hadn’t been invented and approved yet. They have received it later–I had them get both the B and C vaccines because it seemed prudent. H and I got ours as adults as well.
I get pretty hot and bothered about chicken pox which I got about six months before they finally approved the vaccine in the US. I ended up losing a month of work. I had pox in my vagina and in my mouth. I have never been so miserable. I’m terrified about getting shingles. I turn 60 this year and will go get the vaccine on my birthday.
I have a friend who has lost much of the sight in one eye because of shingles.
I had shingles already and I’m in my early 50s. It was during college application time. I truly believe that it was the extreme stress of that time that brought it out. Luckily, it was a relatively modest case—but it was on my face. Obviously, I couldn’t go to work. I missed about a week and was on a high dose of prednisone.
There’s definitely a correlation between shingles and stress weakens one’s immune system. My husband got it before age 30 during a high stress period.
You don’t need to wait until 60 for a shingles vaccine, although you might need to pay the full cost out of pocket.
^^ My husband got shingles at the age of 38 in the most stressful place on earth - Disney World! (The heat! The lines! The screaming kids!) He had such a mild case that at first we just thought it was bug bites.
I got the shingles vaccine when I was 52, but my HMO approved it at no-cost because I have diabetes. Not that there’s any correlation between the two - I just played the Chronic Disease Card when I made my case.
@HImom …wait…HepC vaccine? Do you mean HepA vaccine? I was not aware of a Hep C vaccine.
Hep B can remain communicable in dried drops of blood on surfaces for up to 7 days. Scary! Especially for toddlers who touch everything and then put their fingers in their mouth!
@mathmom - so sorry to hear about your friend losing sight in one eye from the shingles! I have had shingles in my eye twice and it honestly was the most painful experience I’ve ever had. I ended up with some corneal scarring but it is small enough that it hasn’t affected my vision. Again, I’m really sorry for your friend.
My husband got chicken pox as an adult when our daughter brought it home from kindergarten (in the pre-vaccine days). He had had cpox as a child, but a very mild case and apparently didn’t build immunity from it. He had a horrible case as an adult and was so very sick. It was scary!
I didn’t go back more than a few pages so forgive me if this was already covered:
Meningitis B vaccine is available. This has not been offered at our pedi’s office (yes, D 16 still sees pedi!) but we will be asking for sure:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/mening-serogroup.html
Whoops, I guess it was Hep A and Hep B. Sorry–hard to keep up.
@HImom …no worries! I have heard of experimental HepC vaccines and I was thinking you may have been in some super cool unique group that got to take part in the research! It IS hard to keep up with the alphabet soup of the Hepatitis vaccines.
No, I know they’re working on HepC vaccine. It’s such an alphabet soup. I have no urgent desire to be 1st with vaccines, but do like having the protections that are prudent and readily available for me and my loved ones.
Very sad that this **** is still being perpetuated.
I still believe that every parent who doesn’t want their child vaccinated should be required to spend a month in the children’s ward of a hospital in an area without widespread vaccination. Let them see what not vaccinating does.
For what it’s worth, Michigan’s unvaccinated rates have plummeted since it became harder to get waivers. Gee, I’m shocked. Maybe those “sincerely held beliefs” aren’t all that sincerely held when parents aren’t allowed to take the lazy way out.
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/michigan_vaccine_waiver_rates.html
Follow-up. Commented on some story or another about this movie that popped up in my newsfeed.
I basically let loose about how I felt about anti-vaxxers, especially as someone who is immunosuppresed and has to rely on herd immunity. I have been a forever and vocal supporter of vaccines but it’s become so much more personal lately.
For better or worse, my comment quickly got “liked” to the top of comment thread and, as expected anti-vaxxers began messaging me on FB to tell me that my Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis were caused by vaccines. Unfortunately, they said it to the wrong person. If you’re going to spew your anti-vax conspiracy theories, it is best not to do it to a medical historian who works in a time period before widespread vaccinations.
Strangely enough, none of them have responded. :-??
You go, Romanigypsyeyes!
I just heard that de Niro changed his mind and the film is not going to be shown. Yay!
Here’s a source for the reversal:
http://www.etonline.com/news/185387_robert_de_niro_vaxxed_pulled_from_tribeca_film_festival/
I’m very relieved.
Yeah! Am SO relieved anti-vaxxers aren’t getting more disinformation to spread. My kids can’t get flu shots because it makes them VERY ill, every time, even if they get small split doses. They have to depend on herd immunity, as they always get very sick whenever they are ill. There are a lot of people who benefit from herd immunity, including the very young, very old, transplant patients, cancer patients, and the many with auto-immune issues.
Thanks, Romani and everyone who is helping inform folks and urging vaccination. It is the right thing to do and does so much good for society. Our nonprofit always urges everyone to get pneumonia shots (as appropriate) and flu shots.
Hallelujah, ML! Great news. I want that little weasel who shall not be named (rhymes with Fakefield) to never, ever have any legitimate platform from which to spew his crap.
One of them did respond to me… more nonsense (several blocked me lol). I asked her if she would like to skype her into the cancer treatment center where I go for my infusion treatments to explain to the chemo patients why she doesn’t mind potentially causing their deaths. She’s since blocked me, too.
I have long since given up trying to be reasonable. Reason doesn’t work so I’m trying shock instead. If I can just get ONE person to understand that they can literally be killing people because of a myth and reevaluate their stance, then I’ll consider it a success. (ETA: This is also the angry, ill part of me doing the shocking. The public health part of me is disappointed in my scare-tactic methods. lol)
On a related note, it surprises me that there is no screening or anything before going in to the cancer center where I get treatments. I would’ve thought that they would at least ask if people are vaccinated or sick or anything before going in. All the infusion patients are in the same room (large room with chairs in a circle so patients and anyone with them can talk to everyone else) and they ask before each treatment if you’re sick, but not the people you’re with. I think the public health part of me is just screaming “NO! Keep the germs away! Don’t let it spread!” lol
Glad to hear this news.