Spinoff: Too Many Vaccines?

RezIpsa · June 2015

Maggie0829 said:

lyndausvi said:

I wouldn't go far as to say there are too many vaccines.

However, I think so people are way too focused on vaccines for kids. They are not taking into account that many adults do not have the same vaccinations and/or never got the boosters.

I've mentioned this in the thread on E. I was vaccinated as a kid. However, I still developed whooping cough as an adult. I was surprised since I knew I had been vaccinated. The doctor treating me was pretty meh. He said many people my age never had the booster (to be fair, they didn't know for a while that a booster was even needed).

Honestly, I never had a doctor ask if I ever had a booster. Even moving around seeing new doctors every few years. Not one has asked. The only booster I ever received was for tetanus. I've heard women looking to get pregnant are often asked, but I never fell into that category.

I get why some people get all stabby over being around unvaccinated kids. However, they do not seemed to care about the adults who do not have their boosters. Or have not gotten their flu and pneumonia shots.

My mom has RA and her immune system is shot. The unexposed unvaccinated kid poses little threat to her. The adult who doesn't have their flu shot poses a greater threat. Or the vaccinated guy coughing in the restaurant. My mom has been hospitalized over the years over coughs. Simple coughs that turned into more serious conditions.

I wouldn't exclude an unexposed unvaccinated kid to my wedding when there are shit ton of adults who pose her a bigger risk by not having the flu shot.

The point about adults and being vaccinated is a good one. People always debate kids and whether they should be vaccinated. No one ever really questions if an adult has been vaccinated or has had their boosters. But I guess that is because of Jenny McCarthy and her whole "my child has autism because of vaccine" thing.

Basically everyone should be vaccinated.

___________________________________________

YES YES! I went to law school in my late thirties, and they wanted my vax record from my very dead and out of business pediatrician. I could not supply that so they said just go get titered or revax'd. I titered because I figured I was fine and that would be that. Nope. Not even a shred of immunity, and I had just finished working in a public elementary school for two years with exposure to go knows what (including chicken pox).

So I got to get vaccinated again. There really needs to be more public health education about the need for adult vaccinations. I have never had a doctor mention that I might need a new course, and that sucks. I got lucky, but not everyone does.

Heffalump · June 2015

Honestly, no, I don't feel that there are too many vaccines. The diseases that kids (and adults, for that matter) are vaccinated against are already present in the world. They'll be exposed, regardless. So your choice is basically to be exposed to the vaccine, which likely won't make you sick, or the actual disease, which most likely will.* For me, this is a no-brainer.

I have a pretty strong immune system, so I didn't get chicken pox until I was in middle school, when I caught it from my younger brother. Oh my god, how it sucked. Just misery. I still have a few tiny scars from where I scratched it and shouldn't have, because I just couldn't help myself. Both of my kids got their varicella vaxes right on schedule. Plus, if you have two working parents (or you're a single parent family), a kid with chicken pox is out of daycare/school for like a week, minimum. It's really hard to be away from work for a week, even if you have a spouse and the two of you can juggle back and forth.

You know which vaccine doesn't get a lot of attention? Pneumococcal. It's only been around since about 2000, and prevents several diseases caused by different strains of S. pneumoniae, including some types of pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and even some eye/ear infections. One of the diseases it causes is epiglottitis, which my younger brother almost died from before this vaccine existed. His epiglottis swelled up so much that they had to intubate him in the PICU just so he could continue to breathe. I was 7 and he was 2, and to this day, the memory of the way he looked in the PICU crib brings tears to my eyes.

So no, I don't think there are too many vaccines. There are too many damn pathogens making us sick, but as long as that's the case, then the more vaccines against them, the better.

* I went to ETA my wording, and there's no good way to do it without making everything clunky or completely rewriting my paragraph. So I'll just add in here, I shouldn't say that if you're exposed to a given disease, you will most likely get sick. I don't know that that's true, because I'd have to see the rates of infection for a whole ton of diseases. What I really meant to say is that the odds of getting sick from a disease after being exposed to it are much higher than the odds of getting sick or having side effects from the vaccine. (See? Clunky.)

lyndausvi · June 2015

My mom lived across the street from a hospital and she remember parents on the outside looking at their kids inside the polio unit. Even had a friend in there. She saw first hand what people went through. My mom was born in the 40's.

Most of the people on here are so young, they never lived in a world without vaccines. The polio and MMR vaccines didn't come around until the 60's. Same year I was born MMR came out. (eta - I think, need to looked that up) Mandatory vaccines not until the 70's (which is after I was born). That really isn't all that long ago. I lived in a world without the chicken pox vaccine. Of course, I got chicken pox.

I think that is why I don't have a fear about unvaccinated people as others. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely agree with vaccines. I'm anal about getting my own dogs vaccinated, if I had a kid they would be vaccinated. No question. I think it's important to protect our society from these horrible diseases.

I just do not have a overwhelming fear of the unvaccinated. I think they are stupid. I wouldn't wish whooping cough on my worse enemy. Chicken pox sucked. Why would you take expose your kid to such preventable diseases? I don't get it. I do not have a fear being around them either.

PrettyGirlLost · June 2015

RezIpsa said:

Maggie0829 said:

lyndausvi said:

I wouldn't go far as to say there are too many vaccines.

However, I think so people are way too focused on vaccines for kids. They are not taking into account that many adults do not have the same vaccinations and/or never got the boosters.

I've mentioned this in the thread on E. I was vaccinated as a kid. However, I still developed whooping cough as an adult. I was surprised since I knew I had been vaccinated. The doctor treating me was pretty meh. He said many people my age never had the booster (to be fair, they didn't know for a while that a booster was even needed).

Honestly, I never had a doctor ask if I ever had a booster. Even moving around seeing new doctors every few years. Not one has asked. The only booster I ever received was for tetanus. I've heard women looking to get pregnant are often asked, but I never fell into that category.

I get why some people get all stabby over being around unvaccinated kids. However, they do not seemed to care about the adults who do not have their boosters. Or have not gotten their flu and pneumonia shots.

My mom has RA and her immune system is shot. The unexposed unvaccinated kid poses little threat to her. The adult who doesn't have their flu shot poses a greater threat. Or the vaccinated guy coughing in the restaurant. My mom has been hospitalized over the years over coughs. Simple coughs that turned into more serious conditions.

I wouldn't exclude an unexposed unvaccinated kid to my wedding when there are shit ton of adults who pose her a bigger risk by not having the flu shot.

The point about adults and being vaccinated is a good one. People always debate kids and whether they should be vaccinated. No one ever really questions if an adult has been vaccinated or has had their boosters. But I guess that is because of Jenny McCarthy and her whole "my child has autism because of vaccine" thing.

Basically everyone should be vaccinated.

___________________________________________

YES YES! I went to law school in my late thirties, and they wanted my vax record from my very dead and out of business pediatrician. I could not supply that so they said just go get titered or revax'd. I titered because I figured I was fine and that would be that. Nope. Not even a shred of immunity, and I had just finished working in a public elementary school for two years with exposure to go knows what (including chicken pox).

So I got to get vaccinated again. There really needs to be more public health education about the need for adult vaccinations. I have never had a doctor mention that I might need a new course, and that sucks. I got lucky, but not everyone does.

Back in the day, our public health officials believed that as long as you received your full course of vaccines as a child, and all the proper boosters as an adolescent, you were set for life.

Well research is proving that wrong. Our immunity fades over time. This is the answer you give to antivaxx wackos that say, "Well, if herd immunity is a thing and you were vaccinated, then why does my kid have to be vaccinated?!"

As adults we need boosters to maintain our immunity.

I'm also a Libertarian, but there are some areas where we actually do need government regulations to keep the population safe, and public health issues are one of these areas, since people are proving that they can't be trusted to make rational, intelligent decisions, as evidenced by the resurgence of diseases that we had previously eradicated due to vaccinations.

If you don't want to vaccinate your kids, great, but then I don't think they should be allowed to enroll in public schools. Those are the consequences of your inactions. No religious or other exemptions allowed. You don't want to vaccinate, then you need to homeschool.

southernbelle0915 · June 2015

PrettyGirlLost said:

RezIpsa said:

Maggie0829 said:

lyndausvi said:

I wouldn't go far as to say there are too many vaccines.

However, I think so people are way too focused on vaccines for kids. They are not taking into account that many adults do not have the same vaccinations and/or never got the boosters.

I've mentioned this in the thread on E. I was vaccinated as a kid. However, I still developed whooping cough as an adult. I was surprised since I knew I had been vaccinated. The doctor treating me was pretty meh. He said many people my age never had the booster (to be fair, they didn't know for a while that a booster was even needed).

Honestly, I never had a doctor ask if I ever had a booster. Even moving around seeing new doctors every few years. Not one has asked. The only booster I ever received was for tetanus. I've heard women looking to get pregnant are often asked, but I never fell into that category.

I get why some people get all stabby over being around unvaccinated kids. However, they do not seemed to care about the adults who do not have their boosters. Or have not gotten their flu and pneumonia shots.

My mom has RA and her immune system is shot. The unexposed unvaccinated kid poses little threat to her. The adult who doesn't have their flu shot poses a greater threat. Or the vaccinated guy coughing in the restaurant. My mom has been hospitalized over the years over coughs. Simple coughs that turned into more serious conditions.

I wouldn't exclude an unexposed unvaccinated kid to my wedding when there are shit ton of adults who pose her a bigger risk by not having the flu shot.

The point about adults and being vaccinated is a good one. People always debate kids and whether they should be vaccinated. No one ever really questions if an adult has been vaccinated or has had their boosters. But I guess that is because of Jenny McCarthy and her whole "my child has autism because of vaccine" thing.

Basically everyone should be vaccinated.

___________________________________________

YES YES! I went to law school in my late thirties, and they wanted my vax record from my very dead and out of business pediatrician. I could not supply that so they said just go get titered or revax'd. I titered because I figured I was fine and that would be that. Nope. Not even a shred of immunity, and I had just finished working in a public elementary school for two years with exposure to go knows what (including chicken pox).

So I got to get vaccinated again. There really needs to be more public health education about the need for adult vaccinations. I have never had a doctor mention that I might need a new course, and that sucks. I got lucky, but not everyone does.

Back in the day, our public health officials believed that as long as you received your full course of vaccines as a child, and all the proper boosters as an adolescent, you were set for life.

Well research is proving that wrong. Our immunity fades over time. This is the answer you give to antivaxx wackos that say, "Well, if herd immunity is a thing and you were vaccinated, then why does my kid have to be vaccinated?!"

As adults we need boosters to maintain our immunity.

I'm also a Libertarian, but there are some areas where we actually do need government regulations to keep the population safe, and public health issues are one of these areas, since people are proving that they can't be trusted to make rational, intelligent decisions, as evidenced by the resurgence of diseases that we had previously eradicated due to vaccinations.

If you don't want to vaccinate your kids, great, but then I don't think they should be allowed to enroll in public schools. Those are the consequences of your inactions. No religious or other exemptions allowed. You don't want to vaccinate, then you need to homeschool.

To the bolded - I feel the same way.

We're interviewing day care places right now and our first question is whether they require documentation of vaccines and what their policy is for kids who are late/don't get them on time. It's our first question because if we don't like the answers, no other questions are needed.

ohmrs2014 · June 2015

southernbelle0915 said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

RezIpsa said:

Maggie0829 said:

lyndausvi said:

I wouldn't go far as to say there are too many vaccines.

However, I think so people are way too focused on vaccines for kids. They are not taking into account that many adults do not have the same vaccinations and/or never got the boosters.

I've mentioned this in the thread on E. I was vaccinated as a kid. However, I still developed whooping cough as an adult. I was surprised since I knew I had been vaccinated. The doctor treating me was pretty meh. He said many people my age never had the booster (to be fair, they didn't know for a while that a booster was even needed).

Honestly, I never had a doctor ask if I ever had a booster. Even moving around seeing new doctors every few years. Not one has asked. The only booster I ever received was for tetanus. I've heard women looking to get pregnant are often asked, but I never fell into that category.

I get why some people get all stabby over being around unvaccinated kids. However, they do not seemed to care about the adults who do not have their boosters. Or have not gotten their flu and pneumonia shots.

My mom has RA and her immune system is shot. The unexposed unvaccinated kid poses little threat to her. The adult who doesn't have their flu shot poses a greater threat. Or the vaccinated guy coughing in the restaurant. My mom has been hospitalized over the years over coughs. Simple coughs that turned into more serious conditions.

I wouldn't exclude an unexposed unvaccinated kid to my wedding when there are shit ton of adults who pose her a bigger risk by not having the flu shot.

The point about adults and being vaccinated is a good one. People always debate kids and whether they should be vaccinated. No one ever really questions if an adult has been vaccinated or has had their boosters. But I guess that is because of Jenny McCarthy and her whole "my child has autism because of vaccine" thing.

Basically everyone should be vaccinated.

___________________________________________

YES YES! I went to law school in my late thirties, and they wanted my vax record from my very dead and out of business pediatrician. I could not supply that so they said just go get titered or revax'd. I titered because I figured I was fine and that would be that. Nope. Not even a shred of immunity, and I had just finished working in a public elementary school for two years with exposure to go knows what (including chicken pox).

So I got to get vaccinated again. There really needs to be more public health education about the need for adult vaccinations. I have never had a doctor mention that I might need a new course, and that sucks. I got lucky, but not everyone does.

Back in the day, our public health officials believed that as long as you received your full course of vaccines as a child, and all the proper boosters as an adolescent, you were set for life.

Well research is proving that wrong. Our immunity fades over time. This is the answer you give to antivaxx wackos that say, "Well, if herd immunity is a thing and you were vaccinated, then why does my kid have to be vaccinated?!"

As adults we need boosters to maintain our immunity.

I'm also a Libertarian, but there are some areas where we actually do need government regulations to keep the population safe, and public health issues are one of these areas, since people are proving that they can't be trusted to make rational, intelligent decisions, as evidenced by the resurgence of diseases that we had previously eradicated due to vaccinations.

If you don't want to vaccinate your kids, great, but then I don't think they should be allowed to enroll in public schools. Those are the consequences of your inactions. No religious or other exemptions allowed. You don't want to vaccinate, then you need to homeschool.

To the bolded - I feel the same way.

We're interviewing day care places right now and our first question is whether they require documentation of vaccines and what their policy is for kids who are late/don't get them on time. It's our first question because if we don't like the answers, no other questions are needed.

We will be interviewing day cares as well and to be quite honest, I hadn't even thought of that. In NJ, vaccines are required unless you can show religious reasons not to and in NJ, that in itself is strict. I will most definitely be adding those questions to my list.

STARMOON44 · June 2015

I think we have too few vaccines. We don't have a vaccine for HIV, or Ebola, or many types of cancer, or diabetes. The more vaccines the better in my book.

Cookie Pusher · June 2015

There was an episode of L&O:SVU where a doctor was falsifying vaccination records. I'd never thought of that happening, but it's a scary thought.

randomslove · June 2015

I looked into vaccination and decided that the only logical thing to do in most cases is vaccinate-- get vaccinations myself, vaccinate any children I have. I understand there are some exceptions-- such as people whose immune systems are too weak/nonexistent or those with specific allergies that prevent them from getting vaccines. I used to view it as a purely logical thing.

And then I met my FI, who has lupus. His brother, mother, and an aunt all also have lupus. His mother also is HIV positive.

No I look at it as a logical choice with extremely emotional ramifications. These immuno-compromised people aren't theoretical. They are living, breathing people I know and love. And I often times have to make myself step away from debates, ignore ignorant posts I see (posts that argue against established science) and remind myself I can't change the world by getting angry.

But it's hard. It's really, really hard when I see people who are probably healthy with probably normal immune systems making decisions for others. And here is my FMIL getting vaccines while he T-cell count is up and she's capable of getting them. My FI has the scar on his arm that marks him as having had the smallpox vaccine. These people care enough to get vaccinated while they are healthy enough to get vaccinated, because some protection for themselves and others is better than none at all.

I read a recent article on anti-vaxxers wherein a mother living in Arizona finally decided to vaccinate her daughter against measles because of the Disneyland fiasco. She was still frightened to tears that her child would get autism (thanks, fraud Wakefield), but acknowledged that a dead child was worse than a changed one. I'm glad some people are waking up, but it scared me to see such blatant lack of research into the topic.

This is not a faraway issue to me. It's not one wherein personal freedom matters. If personal freedom matters more than public health, why not allow people to drink and drive? After all, if everyone else knows how to drive defensively, it shouldn't be an issue, right?

Anyway, interesting points brought up by all. I'm also glad to see most people here aren't crazies who argue that Big Pharma is out to get us all.

EDIT: Also, herd immunity is no longer truly effective once it dips below 95 percent (at least for measles), and the country is below that mark as a whole, with some elementary school classrooms as low as 40 percent.
http://www.cdc.gov/scienceambassador/lesson-plans/2013-herd-immunity.pdf

flutteringinfl · June 2015

STARMOON44 said:

I think we have too few vaccines. We don't have a vaccine for HIV, or Ebola, or many types of cancer, or diabetes. The more vaccines the better in my book.

Yes! A coworker said to me today, "I think it's suspicious that we have way more vaccines now than we did when we were kids," and I said, "That's because they've developed more vaccines since then. And it's awesome!"

julieanne912 · June 2015

My basic answer? No, there aren't enough.

FI has Crohn's disease, and his treatment (Remicade infusions every 8 weeks if anybody cares) kills his immune system. If he gets a cold, he has it for 3-4 weeks, instead of 3-4 days like a regular person. Thankfully, I've got a crazy good immune system so I rarely get sick, but when I do we pretty much have to stay away from each other... I sleep in the guest room, we don't interact much at all. I can't IMAGINE what would happen to him if he contracted something like measles from some person who decided that the vaccine wasn't necessary. I also worry about when we do have a child, and what that child could bring home with them.

banana468 · June 2015

I don't think there are too many vaccines. I remember getting chicken pox and while I wasn't in the hospital, it sucked. I was out of school for a week they were in my throat and I still have scars on my face and torso.

DH experienced shingles two years ago for Christmas. If I was pregnant at the time it would have been thoroughly sucktastic. So lucky for me it only sucked for him - but suck it did. And it took months for that patch to heal. Others with shingles are left with nerve damage. And apparently shingles when you're younger increases your risk of a heart attack - which is a lovely worry I now have about the man I love.

I'm not as worried about the diseases for myself but my kids are young. DS is too young to be vaccinated for some but he's old enough to be at the age where he wants to put everything in his mouth. That makes for a SPECTACULAR combination let me tell you. As a mother, I don't want to see my children suffer. Selfishly, I don't want them to be bad sleepers either.

artbyallie · June 2015

flutteringinfl said:

STARMOON44 said:

I think we have too few vaccines. We don't have a vaccine for HIV, or Ebola, or many types of cancer, or diabetes. The more vaccines the better in my book.

Yes! A coworker said to me today, "I think it's suspicious that we have way more vaccines now than we did when we were kids," and I said, "That's because they've developed more vaccines since then. And it's awesome!"

Wholeheartedly agree. Actually, wasn't there a group working on an HIV vaccine and having some degree of success? Obviously, the time it takes to develop and test new vaccines is a bit of a downside, but maybe my children/grandchildren some day could be vax'd against other nasty stuff, and that's awesome.

Link, though upon scanning, I'm afraid people will flip out over the genetic element of this vaccine and not want it, which is a shame. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31511244

LondonLisa · June 2015

Breaking bones naturally makes them stronger. They calcify more creating a stronger joint. That is why I don't let my kids wear helmets, sports pads, or shin guards when engaging in sports. Sure, they are at risk for infection or permanent disfigurement, but helmets and pads aren't natural. Don't you think it is better to let them to aquire this strength naturally rather than prevent it with unnatural products. I know people who have dedicated their life to studying this disagree, but it's my right as a parent to prevent all those harmful helmet chemicals getting in their body. I want natural protection!

sassercake12 · June 2015

I don't think there are ENOUGH vaccines! Gimme all the vaccines you have, doctor, and give them to all my kids and their classmates and anyone they will ever come in contact with.

Seriously though, I was a little wary at first about the chicken pox vaccine because I had it when I was three and didn't think it was bad, but apparently it was really bad. And now I'm at risk for developing shingles. A friend from college got shingles and said it was the worst pain she's ever felt. Why risk it when you can stop it before it becomes an issue?

What really chaps my hide is when people say they don't like the flu shot because of the mercury in it, when the mercury in the flu shot just flushes out of your body. The dangerous mercury (ethyl vs. methyl, can't remember which is which) isn't in the shot. That, and when people say they feel sick after getting it. Your immune system is fighting the virus, so yes, you might feel a little funky or tired for a day or two.

People need to learn science and listen to their doctors.

lachattefatale · June 2015

ohmrs2014 said:

So I hope this can be a healthy debate and not one where we tear each others heads off for opinions.

The vaccine threads had me thinking a bit, especially since I am expecting my own little peanut in 5 months.

Let me start this by saying I am getting my child vaccinated and DH is on board. We were both vaccinated and turned out fine, as were our parents and so forth.

But I do know people who question and wonder about the amount of vaccines children need to receive now versus when we were all children. For example, when I was a child, there was no chicken pox vaccine and now, depending on the state, its mandatory that children receive the chicken pox vaccine before entering school.

I know people that do believe that there are certain things children should be exposed to in order to build up their natural immunity, chicken pox being one of them.

Thoughts?

Edited for more clarity.

*boxes*

That is what vaccines are. That is how vaccines work. You are exposing yourself or your child to horrible diseases, but you are doing so in the way least likely to do harm or cause death.

As many others have said, I would like to see stronger herd immunity by making sure adults receive appropriate vaccines, and I would like to see vaccines for more diseases. I would also like to see vaccines become mandatory for anyone without a medical exemption, including for "just" chicken pox and the flu.

dolewhipper · June 2015

I got Gardasil, so thats how I feel about vaccines.

flutteringinfl · June 2015

One thing that also annoys me is when people say, "I don't trust vaccines because I think it's just doctors/insurance companies/drug companies/whatever trying to make money." First of all, these are all businesses, and yes, businesses want to make money. What makes these entities more evil than any other company that wants your money? Second of all, you realize that, when it comes to insurance companies at least, they push the vaccine because the vaccine costs less than treating the actual illness. It costs you less, it costs them less, it's easier for the doctor and it's probably easier for the drug company too. They're not trying to make money as much as they're trying to save money.

ETA: And the idea that there's some shadowy organization pushing vaccines on us just because gets me because, we're not being offered vaccines for exotic illnesses that only exist in tiny pockets of the globe. These are illnesses that just a few years ago ran rampant across our country, and will again if we don't vaccinate. These are illnesses that some of us have already contracted. They're here. They affect us. To say you don't "trust" them is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

novella1186 · June 2015

flutteringinfl said:

One thing that also annoys me is when people say, "I don't trust vaccines because I think it's just doctors/insurance companies/drug companies/whatever trying to make money." First of all, these are all businesses, and yes, businesses want to make money. What makes these entities more evil than any other company that wants your money? Second of all, you realize that, when it comes to insurance companies at least, they push the vaccine because the vaccine costs less than treating the actual illness. It costs you less, it costs them less, it's easier for the doctor and it's probably easier for the drug company too. They're not trying to make money as much as they're trying to save money.

ETA: And the idea that there's some shadowy organization pushing vaccines on us just because gets me because, we're not being offered vaccines for exotic illnesses that only exist in tiny pockets of the globe. These are illnesses that just a few years ago ran rampant across our country, and will again if we don't vaccinate. These are illnesses that some of us have already contracted. They're here. They affect us. To say you don't "trust" them is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

I had a friend who said that, and got it from her mom. Her mom thought EVERYTHING was a big government conspiracy. She told me to never throw food out because expiration dates are a government conspiracy to force people to keep buying food. Um...?

They also both told me that they'll never get a flu shot because the one time they did, they both got the flu. (I doubt this is true. This girl is the biggest hypochondriac I have ever encountered. She once called 911 because she accidentally took TWO Zantac and needed an ambulance for her overdose). So yeah. I tried telling them that the flu shot is not actually the live virus but they didn't believe me. Whatever.

l9i · June 2015

The whole idea that there is even an anti-vax movement drives me INSANE. I will gladly take anti vaccine that will keep me healthy.

Growing up I had all the normal, required vaccines but didn't get the optional ones like the hepatitis series, etc. Going to college and living in the dorms I had to have some of those vaccines that weren't required for public grade school (I think just chicken pox, mmr, and tetanus) and boosters. They listed required and recommended vaccines for living in the dorm. I think for me it totaled about 12+ vaccines over the course of the next year since many were series vaccines. I think before that I was just naive to what all I could protect myself against because I only got vaccines when my parents or doctor told me.

I agree completely that there should be more vaccines and that eventually we will see new vaccine developments. Our future children will be vaccinated, no questions asked.

banana468 · June 2015

Yeah, I see other people say the same thing about how it's all a government conspiracy and they can't believe the CDC. I have to roll my eyes hardcore at that.

sarahufl · June 2015

Lots of good discussion here, good to see that there aren't a bunch of nutters.

RE: Jenny Macarthy- whoever thought taking medical advice from her was a good idea is beyond me. I hate, hate, hate when celebrities get on soapboxes and everyone thinks they are God. Now, if you are Michael J Fox and turning your celebrity into a way to recognize and fund raise for diseases, bring it on. But if you have no medical training you should not be writing books and offering medical advice to anyone.

When we have kids, we will take them to a doctor we respect and trust and plan to comply with the medically recommended vaccine schedule. Doctors get training for a reason. H is a software engineer and I run a master's program- neither of us are qualified to decide that our kids are somehow immune from needing medical treatment.

lyndausvi · June 2015

banana468 said:

Yeah, I see other people say the same thing about how it's all a government conspiracy and they can't believe the CDC. I have to roll my eyes hardcore at that.

That is because they were fortunate enough NOT to see what my mom saw. They are young enough not to live in a world of polio wings, people dying of measles and such. My mom however, remembers those things. Her generation didn't have vaccines. Those didn't come out until my generation. She saw first hand how polio and measles affected people.

It's easy to pull the conspiracy theory when no one you knows gets the diseases the vaccines prevent. As I said earlier, it was less then 50 years ago vaccines stated appearing. They were only mandatory a short 40-50 years ago. That could be 2 generations for some families.

VulgarGirl · June 2015

Fufu will be on a delayed schedule, but s/he will get all of his/her vaccines. The only reason we're doing delays is to watch for any bad reactions, if s/he has one we can narrow down what caused it a lot faster. I had a bad reaction as a kid, even though Fufu shares none of my genetics it's still something I worry about.

I have to admit I kind of rolled my eyes at the chicken pox vax when it first rolled out (I was a teen at the time, already had chicken pox) because for me chicken pox was no big deal. But then I started to hear stories about how for some people it is a big deal. So yes Fufu will get the vax cause as my mom pointed out dealing with a kid wit chicken pox is the exact oppositie of fun.

photokitty · June 2015

I wish they had the Chicken Pix vaccine when I was a kid - shingles sounds super awful!

I got all my boosters when there was a measles scare - dTAP and MMR, held off on tetanus, since I think it's still current or you can get it after, should you step on a rusty nail or what not...

If you are going to consider TTC it's good to go get the boosters sooner than later for herd immunity for the infant and bc you're advised not to get pregnant the month after the vaccine. Boosters are recommended for the SOs as well, but since they won't be caring the baby they can get it anytime before the baby is born.

emmaaa · June 2015

I'm so glad I had my Chicken Pox vaccine when I was little. I would have hated that mess. Apparently I need to get the booster soon, JIC because it can be super bad if you're pregnant and get chicken pox.

I think it is best to follow the doctor's reccommendations. However, a good doctor will willingly answer questions and even work on a delayed scheduled (like @MagicInk suggested) if you feel uncomfortable or need to watch for reactions.

PrettyGirlLost · June 2015

photokitty said:

I wish they had the Chicken Pix vaccine when I was a kid - shingles sounds super awful!

I got all my boosters when there was a measles scare - dTAP and MMR, held off on tetanus, since I think it's still current or you can get it after, should you step on a rusty nail or what not...

If you are going to consider TTC it's good to go get the boosters sooner than later for herd immunity for the infant and bc you're advised not to get pregnant the month after the vaccine. Boosters are recommended for the SOs as well, but since they won't be caring the baby they can get it anytime before the baby is born.

As an adult, you can get the Shingles vaccine. If you had chickenpox as a child, you should probably do this.

labro · June 2015

PrettyGirlLost said:
photokitty said: I wish they had the Chicken Pix vaccine when I was a kid - shingles sounds super awful!
I got all my boosters when there was a measles scare - dTAP and MMR, held off on tetanus, since I think it's still current or you can get it after, should you step on a rusty nail or what not...
If you are going to consider TTC it's good to go get the boosters sooner than later for herd immunity for the infant and bc you're advised not to get pregnant the month after the vaccine. Boosters are recommended for the SOs as well, but since they won't be caring the baby they can get it anytime before the baby is born. As an adult, you can get the Shingles vaccine. If you had chickenpox as a child, you should probably do this.

The only thing that sucks about this is I think you still have a 1 in 3 chance of getting shingles even with the vaccine. All I know is my mom's BFF did this, and still ended up with shingles and it absolutely sucked. Not to discourage anyone from getting it, I just wish the vaccine actually reduced your risk more. I think it goes - if you had chickenpox, you have a 1 in 3 chance of getting shingles, and if you get the vaccine you still have a 1 in 3 chance beyond that.

artbyallie · June 2015

l9i said:

The whole idea that there is even an anti-vax movement drives me INSANE. I will gladly take anti vaccine that will keep me healthy.

Growing up I had all the normal, required vaccines but didn't get the optional ones like the hepatitis series, etc. Going to college and living in the dorms I had to have some of those vaccines that weren't required for public grade school (I think just chicken pox, mmr, and tetanus) and boosters. They listed required and recommended vaccines for living in the dorm. I think for me it totaled about 12+ vaccines over the course of the next year since many were series vaccines. I think before that I was just naive to what all I could protect myself against because I only got vaccines when my parents or doctor told me.

I agree completely that there should be more vaccines and that eventually we will see new vaccine developments. Our future children will be vaccinated, no questions asked.

Huh. Really? The public schools I went to required all the Hep vaccines as well as tetanus, MMR, etc. They now require the combination Dtap/TDap vax/booster not only for students but for all teachers and subs because I had to get the booster when I got certified to substitute. I guess different times and/or different area. The only one I was missing when I went to college was meningitis, and so I went when they were giving it out on campus. Had a terrible reaction with flu-like symptoms for days, but that's still better than the horrible death I could've had from the disease.

TrixieJess · June 2015

artbyallie said:

l9i said:

The whole idea that there is even an anti-vax movement drives me INSANE. I will gladly take anti vaccine that will keep me healthy.

Growing up I had all the normal, required vaccines but didn't get the optional ones like the hepatitis series, etc. Going to college and living in the dorms I had to have some of those vaccines that weren't required for public grade school (I think just chicken pox, mmr, and tetanus) and boosters. They listed required and recommended vaccines for living in the dorm. I think for me it totaled about 12+ vaccines over the course of the next year since many were series vaccines. I think before that I was just naive to what all I could protect myself against because I only got vaccines when my parents or doctor told me.

I agree completely that there should be more vaccines and that eventually we will see new vaccine developments. Our future children will be vaccinated, no questions asked.

Huh. Really? The public schools I went to required all the Hep vaccines as well as tetanus, MMR, etc. They now require the combination Dtap/TDap vax/booster not only for students but for all teachers and subs because I had to get the booster when I got certified to substitute. I guess different times and/or different area. The only one I was missing when I went to college was meningitis, and so I went when they were giving it out on campus. Had a terrible reaction with flu-like symptoms for days, but that's still better than the horrible death I could've had from the disease.

I didn't get the Hep ones when they did them at our school because I was getting over Mono and wasn't allowed. I would have to pay for it if I want them now. They are seen as an "extra".

Spinoff: Too Many Vaccines?

Re: Spinoff: Too Many Vaccines?

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