What do you tell your doctor at well visits?

[Leah_R]

I am taking my daughter to her yearly well visit for school. I personally think they are kind of silly, but I like to keep a relationship with my doctor -- who I like -- and it is required for school.

My doctor is pro vaccine, but does not push exactly. She will ask if I will be vaccinating and then ask me why.

It is terrible, but I do not know what to say as to the why. I know I do not want to vaccinate and researched it heavily when I was pregnant 7 years ago. But now.... my answers would be different than 7 years ago.

What do you say?

[crunchy_mommy]

"Because I have heavily researched it & weighed the pros & cons and decided that it is not what I want for my child." Then switch the conversation to something else (or gather your stuff to leave if the appointment is otherwise over).

[kathymuggle]

It has been awhile - but I basically told them I was not sure they were as safe as I would like, and that the numbers of actual diseases did not seem to be that high.

I usually did not frame it in strong anti-vax words (as that might cause a debate) but more as a "I am not going to at this moment.  I might revisit later".  I often switched the topic to nursing - and how breastmilk gave some immunity.  I would let them know I would breastfeed for a long time and this seemed to pacify them.   

In some ways people age out of well child visits - I always did it for the under 6 month set, but that is about it.  Post 6 months they go if they are sick.  

The doc/vaccine discussions do fade as time goes on.

[Peony]

I just say it isn't up for discussion and move the topic along. 

[Leah_R]

I know how to end the conversation. That is not the issue. My doctor does not push. I was just curious what you said when asked. I guess I was thinking about the reasons you actually do not vax.

[kathymuggle]

Here is a link on why people on this forum do not vax.

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1318885/top-3-reasons-you-do-not-vaccinate

[nia82]

I don't discuss why. He mentioned autism fear a couple of times and I said that's not my concern. But I'm not willing to lament forever. I keep saying we will reevaluate later. I did start with DS at 2.5 years, but only one round so far. They keep saying oh let's start DD at 12 months. I just don't say no for now as I'm not willing to discuss. Her next WBV is the 12 months anyways and then I say nope (will take DH along for this).

[WaitingForKiddos]

I dont discuss out reasoning and it's not asked. Back when DS was tiny I said 'we are still researching them', had a visit to discuss the vax policies with the head Dr of the practice and it's never been brought up again. There's no mention of them

[emmy526]

we didn't do well baby visits...but when a nurse would ask about it, i just said religious exemption and that was it.. 

[cyberfish]

Originally Posted by Leah_R 

I am taking my daughter to her yearly well visit for school. I personally think they are kind of silly, but I like to keep a relationship with my doctor -- who I like -- and it is required for school.

I just wanted to note that in many states, you can get an exemption for well visits for school the same as you can get vaccine exemptions.  Many people are unaware of this obscure fact.  I was also told it was required for school but I did some digging and there in my state's code was exemption language.  So we don't even do well visits at all.  But I understand wanting to keep a relationship with a doctor and if well visits are the only way you can do that, then go for it, but I feel bad when people feel like they have to do something they wouldn't otherwise do. 

[Monkeygrrl]

When I'm at a doc visit for whatever reason and I am asked about vaccines, I just state that we do not vaccinate. When I am asked why, I state that I have done a lot of research and find that they are not worth the risk and I am not scared of the illnesses they are supposed to protect against. 

I had an ER doc tell me that my son was having seizures because I did not vaccinate.

I had a ped tell me that he has seen children with these illnesses in other countries and they scared him, so I should vaccinate my children.

I had a ped tell me that I should not believe anything I read on the internet about vaccines being bad. None of it is true.

When it comes to doctors, I don't really feel like I need to explain why. These are my children, not theirs. I am there for a specific reason, and vaccinating is not that reason. I prefer they deal with the immediate problem, not one that we are not having.

[emmy526]

Originally Posted by Monkeygrrl 

When I'm at a doc visit for whatever reason and I am asked about vaccines, I just state that we do not vaccinate. When I am asked why, I state that I have done a lot of research and find that they are not worth the risk and I am not scared of the illnesses they are supposed to protect against. 

I had an ER doc tell me that my son was having seizures because I did not vaccinate.

I had a ped tell me that he has seen children with these illnesses in other countries and they scared him, so I should vaccinate my children.

I had a ped tell me that I should not believe anything I read on the internet about vaccines being bad. None of it is true.

When it comes to doctors, I don't really feel like I need to explain why. These are my children, not theirs. I am there for a specific reason, and vaccinating is not that reason. I prefer they deal with the immediate problem, not one that we are not having.

just out of curiosity, how old were the drs who told you those things?

[Monkeygrrl]

Originally Posted by Monkeygrrl 

I had an ER doc tell me that my son was having seizures because I did not vaccinate.

I had a ped tell me that he has seen children with these illnesses in other countries and they scared him, so I should vaccinate my children.

I had a ped tell me that I should not believe anything I read on the internet about vaccines being bad. None of it is true.

Originally Posted by emmy526 

just out of curiosity, how old were the drs who told you those things?

I am not a great judge of age. In fact, I suck at it. lol I think the ER doc was older, 60-70's maybe? The ped was at least 50's, maybe 60's. He retired this last year, and he was our ped for 3-4yrs. We now have a younger one, 30-40's maybe, and while I've only seen him twice, he hasn't questioned me not vaxing at all. *shrug*

[Chloebelle]

When my DH went to the doctor because he had shingles, our family doc told him to make sure our kids didn't get CP from him, because it can be deadly. Gotta love doctors.