Swine flu vaccine - Page 3

[crbyard]

Originally Posted by gen24

I won't be getting it and my 16 month old won't be getting it either. I don't even think I have ever had the flu in my life (well, maybe when I was a kid) and the vaccine has never been tested on pregnant women before.
Also, they advise that kids from 6 months to 2 years old get 4 FLU SHOTS this year (2 for regular flu and 2 for swine flu) which has never been done before...who knows what the side effects will be!?!
I'd rather take a chance with the flu than take a chance with the shots

I just read some information about this vaccine on Dr. Mercola's website yesterday. I was surprised to find out that there have never been ANY trials of ANY vaccines on pregnant women (really, would you want to volunteer?). So, essentially, we are the guinea pigs whenever a new vaccine comes out. Just something to think about.

[whozeyermamma]

This is not in direct answer to the OP but I have to say I think it is so cool how this discussion has played out. Everyone has been so respectful of the "other side," so to speak - something that has not been the case on Facebook pages I've seen.

I think that says a lot about the Mothering community that an issue that can be very divisive - people have been respectful, informative, helpful and supportive of everyone's decisions. If someone makes a different choice, no one is saying "you're a bad mom," or "you're an idiot," or anything. I think that's quite fantastic.

(FWIW: I will probably get H1n1 but I typically don't get seasonal flu shots. DD will get is as well, she will not get regular seasonal flu. My mom, a public health nurse who specializes in infectious diseases and pandemics, said she thinks it is a good idea.)

Yay us!

[whozeyermamma]

... oh and this ...

I just checked out the idea that some of the vaccines contain MORE thermisol than others and found this from the CDC:

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccinati...merosal_qa.htm

Apparently if you get a single-dose shot - or the nasal version - there is no thermisol. (Thermisol is used as a preservative, so if it's a single shot thing, no need for preservative.) I know PG women are NOT advised to get the nasal version, but they do only need one shot so you should be able to get a thermisol-free shot if you want one.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...110202274.html

So that's something to think about.

[CorasMama]

Originally Posted by aaronsmom

No flu vax for us. From what I've read H1N1 isn't proven to be anymore dangerous than any other flu strain.

except for certain populations, including pregnant women.

Originally Posted by tjjazzy

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-ale...g_h1n1-eng.php

"Q4. Is it true that there is mercury in the vaccine? How much mercury?
Both vaccines contain a small amount of thimerosal. Thimerosal is a form of mercury used in the H1N1 flu vaccine to stabilize it and maintain its quality during storage. Thimerosal is a different form of mercury than the mercury known to cause health problems. The amount in the H1N1 adjuvanted flu vaccine is much less than the daily limit recommended for environmental exposure to mercury. For example, there is significantly less mercury in the vaccine than you would find in a can of tuna fish."

I find it odd that Canada doesn't have any thimerosal-free ones. We have them. I got one!

Originally Posted by at_the_hip

Yes both vaccines have thimerasol. The adjuvant is not recommended for pregnant women. However, the non-ajuvanted vaccine has 10x the amount of thimerasol. I'll take my chances with the flu, although to be honest I believe we were exposed last March when people came back from Spring Break (ours is earlier than in the US).

Do you have a source on this? Because it's not the information I'm finding.

Originally Posted by juleslane

Well, we didn't get the vaccine, but we DID all get h1n1. And I have to say, it was not that bad for me and dh. Our was all confirmed by test. The only ones to really suffer were my 5 yr old, who was real bad for 3 days, and my 1 yr old, who is going on day 4. She just is super sleepy and has a fever when not medicated. As for me, I felt HORRIBLE for one whole day, and today, I feel better, aside from the morning sickness.

Media really plays it up....seasonal flu is way worse.

Well, as far as anecdata goes, of the dozen or so people I know who have gotten it, at least half were laid out for a week. I am very glad that you didn't get too sick, though!

Originally Posted by crbyard

I just read some information about this vaccine on Dr. Mercola's website yesterday. I was surprised to find out that there have never been ANY trials of ANY vaccines on pregnant women (really, would you want to volunteer?). So, essentially, we are the guinea pigs whenever a new vaccine comes out. Just something to think about.

It's against medical ethics to do ANY medical trials on pregnant women. That's why they have to go on animal trials, and a history of safety (which the flu vaccine has, and this is just the flu vaccine, but with a different strain, like every year). It isn't just a guessing game or a random, fingers-crossing gamble. There's a lot of science that goes into this.

AFM, we got the vaccine (well, DD and I did. DH isn't in a risk category, so was unable to get it.) And I'm very grateful. We're selective/delayed vaxxers, and this was one I felt strongly about.

[flowers]

I wouldn't have, but it just so happens I found out I was pregnant WHILE having the flu. As sucky as it was these past few weeks to have the whole family laid out I am so glad to be done with it and have natural immunity.

[at_the_hip]

>>Originally Posted by at_the_hip
Yes both vaccines have thimerasol. The adjuvant is not recommended for pregnant women. However, the non-ajuvanted vaccine has 10x the amount of thimerasol. I'll take my chances with the flu, although to be honest I believe we were exposed last Marchwhen people came back from Spring Break (ours is earlier than in the US).

>>Do you have a source on this? Because it's not the information I'm finding.

A source for what? The amounts of thimerasol in the Canadian vaccines? There is 10 in the adjuvant version not recommended for pg women, and 50 in the non-adjuvant version...that is directly from Health Canada although if you need an actual link I'm sure I could find it again for you.

Or were you wanted to know more about why we think we had it in March? There are numerous reports that I read suggesting that it may have been circulating in Mexico as early as January. However, our belief that we had been exposed is certainly anecdotal at best. There were a lot of news sources that reported that the USA brought it home with them on their spring break...however our spring break in Canada is earlier in March. At my dh's workplace, one of his staff returned from Mexico on spring break very sick...not long after the illness went around the store, including dh and the kids although I had a milder case in comparison. Stomach upset with the fever and cough. We were careful to stay home so we certainly did not spread it further ourselves, but after being exposed in numerous other settings haven't been sick again. In fact, the flu just went around the store again and despite being in close quarters with more people who didn't stay home when they should have and were hacking all over the place, dh didn't get sick...and the manager who did get sick wasn't working in the store back in March. So it is just a hunch, but a hopeful one!

[SwanLake]

I work for a hospital that had a very limited number of shots for pregnant workers. I called my Midwife and was recommended to get the shot and then called employee health to see if they still had shots. I was told to go immediatley and ended up getting on of the last single dose shots of Monday afternoon. I think I felt a little pressured to get the shot as there was such a limited supply.

I also ended up telling my boss that I am pregnant and got the shot as they are encouraging all employees in our department to get the flu mist. Hope I made the right decision. I have my first appointemnt tomorrow.

[neldabean]

we wont be getting either vax. I actually think we have had it and my ds is has a fever and cough that started today after playing with his friend who's family had H1N1. I really hope I don't get the flu!

[GoBecGo]

I'll be getting it, but i'm in the UK, so i can't get it until it's made available (mid-November they were saying). They don't offer the seasonal flu vaccine here for me (pregnant or not) so i wouldn't be getting that anyway. I'm happy to get it, but also glad that i'll likely be out of the first tri (i'm 10+1or2 today) before i get it. I'd planned to wait until i was past 16 weeks, but my GP pointed out i would be unprotected during the peak flu season and i see his point. Luckily he is very conservative so i feel able to trust him when he recommends something. I'm not worried about the actual shot. I think i'll be getting pandemrix h1n1 rm glaxosmithkline, but if the baxter vaccine is licensed in time we might end up with that one istead, it will depend on what my GP's surgery is given by the health board. The baxter one, celvepan, doesn't contain thiomersal, but i will have to take what i'm given. I don't personally fear anything more than a rash from thiomersal.