Synagis? - Page 2

[kkiolbassa]

We wanted to do the synagis shots, but we couldn't get our insurance company to approve it. Clara was 35 weeks so they didn't consider her premature enough (even though she only weighed 3lbs 10oz at birth and the ped really wanted her to get the shots) We stayed in most of last winter. It was really hard, but we got through it. We'll probably be staying in a lot this winter too. Hopefully my older kids won't bring home too many things from school.

[myjulybabes]

Originally Posted by ksera05

Out of curiousity LOL

did you stay in the house with the second one? or did it work well enough you felt you could leave occasionally? Our NICU director was telling me that we pretty much should still stay isolated even with the Synagis shot. But, then again, my daughter's lungs are pretty bad.

(this is going to be a long winter...my daughter should be coming home Oct/Nov ish )

We took sort of a middle road with the youngest. It's just so much harder to stay home all the time when you have another kid at home. : So the Synagis helped me worry less about necessary trips, but we still didn't make many "just for fun" trips, KWIM? We made people come here, and they all knew the drill-- take off your coat, then straight to the bathroom to wash your hands before you even LOOK at the baby! (and I wonder why dh doesn't want another baby! )

BTW, your dd is adorable!!!! Here's hoping she's healthy and headed home soon!

[Knittin' in the Shade]

Originally Posted by ksera05

Out of curiousity LOL

did you stay in the house with the second one? or did it work well enough you felt you could leave occasionally? Our NICU director was telling me that we pretty much should still stay isolated even with the Synagis shot. But, then again, my daughter's lungs are pretty bad.

(this is going to be a long winter...my daughter should be coming home Oct/Nov ish )

Not the one you asked, but I'll give my 2 cents anyway, LOL! My third was my NICu preemie (although all three were *technically* preemies born at 36, 34 and 32 weeks, respectively) The 32 weeker was the only one to get the Synagis. He was born in Dec, came home New Years Day, and we really did not go out of the house with him till well into Spring - I think the first time we took him to church was Easter Sunday, in late April. He didn't go into a grocery store till he was WELL over 7 months old - I just did the grocery shopping in the evening when Dh could stay home with the kids. We did allow him to be around immediate family members (my parents, DH's parents, and his brother and SIL) That was it till probably May or so - we were very careful. He didn't get RSV that first winter, but he did get it the following October, and was hospitalized. It was sort of bizarre, cause that's early for RSV and it was before we'd even been scheduled for the Synagis again for that season's cycle.

[nathansmom]

We had to fight to get our insurance to pay for the shot for one of the twins. We ended up with a copay of $50. However after the huge medical bills from a bad case of rsv in the twin who didn't get the shot (who now has rad because of the rsv) we are now covered fully for shots for both boys until age 3.

[sehbub]

Yes, DD will be getting Synagis, starting at her next appointment. She will technically be too old (6 months) but her pediatrician petitioned for her to receive it using her adjusted age. She just barely makes the cut off for receiving the injections.

I started doing the research the day after she was born. I asked the NICU nurses for as much literature as possible on the benefits/risks of Synagis. I had pretty much decided to have her get it even before my milk dried up completely 10 weeks post partum. When I realized that I had no choice but to formula feed my daughter, I decided right then and there that she would get all the help she could to stay alive, no matter how "engineered" that help may be. If it keeps her lungs functioning, I say shoot her up!

And Knittin, thank you. Before I got to your post, I had a racing pulse, was red in the face, and breathing heavily with tears in my eyes. This road is hard enough to travel without being preached to about things we KNOW are important, especially bfing since so many of us have struggled.

:

[mamadawg]

Originally Posted by jkpmomtoboys

p.s. We went through a winter with Synagis with our 29 weeker and he never once got sick...good luck to all of you...

Two of my friends' 29 weekers did too. s to you all with wee little preemies.

[srmina]

Geez, what a thread. I just wanted to say that I was not able to get my dd the synagis her second year (she was not elgible because she was full-term and had had good respiratory function for her first year...off the vent for 11 months) and she got RSV. It was bad. A nightmare. She now has some lung damage which more than likely came in part from RSV. So ignore crazy poster and go with your gut if your child is elgible for the shot.

[sunflowers]

My dd was approved for her 2nd season of Synagis and I am relieved! We were going to spend the winter in lockdown again but with the injection she should be able to enjoy some time with others

[usolyfan]

DD got only one shot last season because by the time I found out about it we were at the end of the season. She was born at 36 weeks, spent time on a vent, was given serfactant, has had laryngotracheamalacia, and I, along with several others in my family, have asthma. She has not had any respiratory infrections. Do you think I need to pursue getting her Synagis again? When does the season start?

[twinvillageiowa]

Sorry to join this thread so late, but what are the qualifications for getting the shots? Would my twins qualify if they were born right around 36 weeks? I always am getting colds and am sick and I would just die if I got one of them sick with RSV.

[kondonis]

wow, it's a good thing I came to this thread late... there was another thread on Synagis right in the begining that got moved... our drifter was a gem on that thread too. People just don't get it.

We got synagis from Nov - April (CA) and will get it again this year. ds still has respitory issues and even though he will be 2 in Feb, being ventilated and being born so early, well, it definately took a toll.

But, we were really isolated last winter, and ds still got a few colds (7!) but none requiring breathing treatments, and definately not RSV. We also got the flu shot.

This summer we've been no-holds-barred on the germs, and ds got a few doozy colds which required breathing treatments, but nothing too horrible. This winter, we'll be going on semi-lockdown, getting synagis and the flu shot again, and won't rest again until April.

RSV is one scary virus - even for full term kids.


You know, I think it's funny when people state that it hasn't been tested on preemies - it's been tested on EVERY preemie I know, and the results are great. As for not knowing if it causes death or neurolgoical issues and not tested on pregnant women - well, it's like saying it hasn't been tested on horses and cats. I think they'd have to say the same thing about artificial sweetners. absurd.

hugs to everyone who was pissed off. Ignore that person - we know what's best for OUR kids, and don't need any ignorant narrow minded fool giving vulnerable people bad (really bad) advice.

stella

[nathansmom]

Originally Posted by twinvillageiowa

Sorry to join this thread so late, but what are the qualifications for getting the shots? Would my twins qualify if they were born right around 36 weeks? I always am getting colds and am sick and I would just die if I got one of them sick with RSV.

Well only one of my twins (born at 35 weeks 6 days) qualified. He was born with lungs that weren't mature and spent time on the vent along with getting serfactant (I don't think I spelled that correctly). His twin was born fine. However both qualify now until age 3.

[boscopup]

Originally Posted by kondonis

You know, I think it's funny when people state that it hasn't been tested on preemies - it's been tested on EVERY preemie I know, and the results are great. As for not knowing if it causes death or neurolgoical issues and not tested on pregnant women - well, it's like saying it hasn't been tested on horses and cats. I think they'd have to say the same thing about artificial sweetners. absurd.

Agreed! Synagis is *mostly* given to preemies. The only full term babies that get it are ones with lung/heart issues at birth, as far as I know. So hasn't been tested on preemies? It's tested on preemies everyday! And when I was doing my research (because I researched this pretty fully when DS got out of the NICU and we were getting close to RSV season), I could not find any *serious* adverse effects of this product. With vaccines, you can find everything from brain injury to death, but for Synagis, all I found was upper respiratory infections. And as has been stated repeatedly, RSV is a LOWER respiratory infection and much more dangerous than upper respiratory infections to a baby born with immature lungs.

And why should I care if Synagis hasn't been tested in pregnant women? My preemie isn't getting pregnant anytime soon, even if he were a woman!

[ksera05]

Originally Posted by splendid

If you want to talk about this with some of us, feel free to start a thread. I know technically it is a breastfeeding forum thing, but maybe those of us who "know" you can give you some ideas if you are open to them.

P.S. the ignore button is an awesome function.

Thanks, but I have unfortunately researched and tried everything over the past month, trust me. If you look back there's even a thread that turned into pumping tips for me. After that thread I changed the one thing I hadn't been doing which was to only go 5 hours between sessions at night (I was going 7). Even that didn't work. My body just isn't working the way I think it should. : It's just time for me to admit defeat.

And I hadn't noticed the ignore button before oops

[Lousli]

My daughter got Synagis for 2 seasons. She qualified for the second season since my older daughter attended preschool at the time. If you are particularly concerned, talk to your ped, they can usually help you decide if the second season is useful or not and find a way for insurance to cover it if you choose to do it.

And Knitting in the Shade....

[Periwinkle]

Preemie mommies

Just want to let you know for those who don't go to the Vax forum or those who are new here that there have been TONS and TONS of threads about Synagis and I personally did HOURS worth of research on PubMed on at least one of them. These threads always go badly. Always. Some well meaning but uninformed asshat always comes on and says fresh air and sunshine and washing the hands well with Dr. Bronner's is all that's needed to prevent RSV, and if you get it what's the big deal with a little runny nose and cough because squirt a little breastmilk in the nose and give a teaspoon of organic flaxseed oil and you're back in business UGH!

Go do a search of MDC of Synagis and hopefully the threads will come up. The one I posted a jillion links on was closed : because it got going like this one is and all that good research went with it :

But in summary, not only have I done my research and then some, but my career is in drug safety and I have over 10 years of experience working with commerical pharma and FDA on this (and I'm going to come back here and delete that in a few hours because I don't like what I do "out there" in cyberspace) and after thorough research (including sources only I and a few others have access to) I gave my 31 week preemie twins Synagis without batting an eyelash. They and my latest child are unvaxed. They have never had antibiotics. They have fevers that reach 104.5 and I don't give Tylenol. I treat their ear infections myself with garlic mullein oil and Vitamin C. They eat organic and whole foods. We have a "green" house. And you know what? I STILL GAVE THEM THE DAMN SYNAGIS and I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had another "real" preemie.

to everyone who has to justify your existence and decisions to people who have never walked a mile in your shoes.

[jule924]

Thanks for your input, Periwinkle. I posted this thread and am interested in all views on the subject. Thanks for your honest opinion!!

[OneWithTwo]

What is it, is there a link to information about it? benefits/risks?

[jule924]

Your best bet on the internet is probably to google it. I don't know of any great websites to recommend, though. Ask your ped. as well. It is not a vaccine. It is a shot made with antibodies from a person who is more resistant to RSV (at least this is my understanding from what my ped. told me.). You have to be approved for it.

[boscopup]

Originally Posted by jule924

It is a shot made with antibodies from a person who is more resistant to RSV (at least this is my understanding from what my ped. told me.).

I think it's actually made from antibodies from horses. They inject horses with RSV, then pull out the antibodies and make the Synagis from that. Or so I heard/read somewhere.