Gardasil

Discussion in 'Childhood and Beyond (4+)' started by JenJefLog, Jul 22, 2008.

  1. JenJefLog

    JenJefLog Well-Known Member

    I know this vaccine is being recommended more and more from pediatricians, and is hotly debated, but thought I'd get some opinions from any of you that have had your girls vaccinated, or refuse to have them vaccinated, and what information you based your decisions on. I'm reading up on this right now, but thought I'd check in here as well. Thanks!
     
  2. ehm

    ehm Banned

    My local news station has been 'teasing' an investigation on this. The woman talks about being paralyzed and having to relearn how to do everything. She says she tells everyone she meets not to do it. I think the story is going to be on Thursday. I will try to remember to watch and learn more about it.
     
  3. Donita

    Donita Well-Known Member

    I won't be getting it for my girls. They did a news piece on this here the other night. They said about 6 % have severe reactions. It may not be a lot but I'd just as soon not risk being a part of that 6 %. They had sezures and were hospitalized for as much as an entire month.
     
  4. jamey

    jamey Well-Known Member

    I won't be getting it for my 10 or 13 yo.

    I will have to see what kind of info is out there when the little girls are old enough to get it, before I decide for them.
     
  5. Amanda

    Amanda Well-Known Member

    I hope over the next 5-6 years they can work out some of these side effects as I'd like to vax Berkley. But not w/ those stats.
     
  6. stinkyhobo10

    stinkyhobo10 Well-Known Member

    I am 16 and I have gotten 1 out of the 3 shots. At first when everyone started talking about it my mother was against it because they really don't know long term affects. But then my sister had to go to the doctors for one thing or another and they ended up talking about it. Cervical and Ovarian cancer runs in my family and the doctor went off about how this couls help prevent it and all this other stuff. I haven't had any negative affects from it and many of my friends have gotten the shot too and they have experienced nothing. I suppose it is a good preventative measure but so are alot of other things.
     
  7. Donita

    Donita Well-Known Member

    The persons they were interviewing that had to be hospitalized didn't have any effects from their first rounds either.

    I have had 1st stage cervical cancer and it was easily dealt with in one office visit. As long as someone stays current on your girly visits, I just don't feel the risk is worth it.

    Here is an article I found about the adverse effects.

    QUOTE
    Girls from other countries have been injured by this vaccine, as well. Hundreds of Australian girls have experienced side effects like paralysis, dizzy spells and seizures, but Australia’s Department of Health and Ageing won’t release any of the details ((http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22...) . According to LifeSiteNews, The European Medicines Agency reports that there were two more women who died not long after they received the vaccine, one in Austria and one in Germany ((http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/ja...) . The Financial Times reports that there have been eleven deaths and a wide array of other adverse reactions, including Bells Palsy, Guillan-Barre syndrome, seizures, blood clotting, heart problems, and even miscarriages and fetal abnormalities amongst pregnant women who received the vaccine ((http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/728046c4-e15b...) .
     
  8. Kyrstyn

    Kyrstyn Well-Known Member

    My Dr recommended I get it even though I am in a monogamous relationship. I got my first shot 3 weeks before I got pregnant. Since the drug is so new, the makers of the drug requested to follow my entire pregnancy... I don't know whatever came of it, but I often wonder if that is the reason I went into PTL.

    I also hope they work out some of the bugs before I have to make the decision for my girls. However, the HPV statistics are a lot more staggering and scary to me than the possible side effect statistics. Thankfully, I have quite a while before I have to decide one way or another.
     
  9. TFine

    TFine Well-Known Member

    I am another who hoped they work the bugs out before E is old enough to get it.

    I had cervical cancer when I was 19 and ended up having 3 surgeries on my cervix to remove bad cells. I also had countless visits to have biopsies done. It was painful and very tiem consuming. I would not wish it on anyone.

    E will get this vax as long as it is available.
     
  10. JenJefLog

    JenJefLog Well-Known Member

    Thanks for all the input. It's such a tough thing when you're at the beginning of a new vaccine. Like one article that I read said, most of the information you have is from the maker of the vaccine, so you're not exactly getting an unbiased point of view. I don't even know if our pediatrician recommends it, but I want to be prepared when I take the girls for their yearly check up.
     
  11. twinness

    twinness Member

    I'm 16 and I have had 2 out of the 3 shots. My doctor highly suggested it. She told my mother that people who had the vaccine did not get HPV and HPV related STDs. To me possibly getting HPV is much scarier than the possible side affects of the vaccine. It is very likely that I will come across HPV eventually, and I don't want to catch it. The pros outway the cons for me.
     
  12. Cristina

    Cristina Well-Known Member

    Joy is only three, so we don't have to make a decision for a while. I would love to give it to her if they work out all the issues by then. However, since it is new and it affects their reproductive organs, it makes me very nervous.
     
  13. ehm

    ehm Banned

    So the story wasn't as 'bad' as I expected (the tease only had the girl saying how bad it was). I am sure these stats are out there but basically 7% of people who have received the vaccine have had serious reactions which they said is half of what other vaccines that are in the regular schedule have for serious reactions. They interviewed several doctors, most of which said the good outweighed the bad. There was one who said that she thought more research was needed (and research is her job, she does research for Merck). What she concentrated on was how the recommended age is 11 and she thinks that might be too low, if it was more like 15 she wouldn't be as cautious about it. The doctor that is an employee of the tv station and a practicing doctor at a top hospital said as a doctor and parent she believes in the vaccine but understands people's cautiousness (and went on to explain why age 11 is the optimal time for the immune system to handle this type of vaccine) and of course ended the segment with talk to your doc and reach an educated decision together!
     
  14. momotwinsmom

    momotwinsmom Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Amanda @ Jul 23 2008, 11:29 AM) [snapback]891388[/snapback]
    I hope over the next 5-6 years they can work out some of these side effects as I'd like to vax Berkley. But not w/ those stats.

    Yeah, I agree with Amanda. I would like my girls to get it, but I think it is still too 'young' now. We do have a few more years, so hopefully they will have info when our time comes.
     
  15. JenJefLog

    JenJefLog Well-Known Member

    I do find it interesting that in that news program they said the side effects were about half of what most vaccines have. :huh:
     
  16. twinness

    twinness Member

    People think that vaccines given as toddlers can cause autism. Yet people have to have their children vaccinated for school. I asked my doctor how long this vaccine has been around and its been around for about 8 years. Atleast thats what she told me. And people that have had the vaccine did not get HPV. It is interesting that the risk is lower than usual and people have no problem giving their child those vaccines with a higher risk and they are required to have them for school and daycare yet Gardasil has less chance of severe reaction but the reactions are more heard of so parents don't want to risk it.
     
  17. Donita

    Donita Well-Known Member

    I missed the program. What was their reason for 11 being the optimal age.

    As for the other immunizations, when my kids were younger and getting them all, I didn't know there were side effects. When they got their shot for chicken pox I put it off until the school told me I had to pick them up and couldn't bring them back, before I got it for them. I was hoping nature would take care of it for me. Daniel and Bradley didn't need the shot since nature did take care of it with them. Now that I'm even older, and more informed, if this shot became mandatory for school I would sign the waiver.
     
  18. sharongl

    sharongl Well-Known Member

    Donita, the biggest reason for 11 being the optimal age, is that the vaccine has been shown to be most effective if the series is complete before any sexual activity has taken place. As a result, they would like to see it complete before girls reach their teens--because as you and I both know, no matter what you say, teach, etc. kids about sex, you never know what will happen, and unfortunately it may even be against their will. Does that make more sense?
     
  19. rubyturquoise

    rubyturquoise Well-Known Member

    Put me down for glad my girls are younger and more research can be completed before they reach that age. I am generally a vaxer. I did, for instance, get my girls vaxed for chicken pox, but I did because DS2 had a SEVERE case of chicken pox. Prior to his getting it I had no idea what a big deal chicken pox can be.
     
  20. Kathlene

    Kathlene Well-Known Member

    I too am thankfull that I a have a good 6 years before having to make a decision on that vaccine. It sounds good. However, I want to know more about the long time effects. The vaccine does NOT completely prevent HPV. Only certain strains of it. Which is still better than no protection. Depending on the long time results, of course.
     
  21. Donita

    Donita Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(sharongl @ Jul 26 2008, 06:00 AM) [snapback]897336[/snapback]
    Donita, the biggest reason for 11 being the optimal age, is that the vaccine has been shown to be most effective if the series is complete before any sexual activity has taken place. As a result, they would like to see it complete before girls reach their teens--because as you and I both know, no matter what you say, teach, etc. kids about sex, you never know what will happen, and unfortunately it may even be against their will. Does that make more sense?

    That makes perfect sense! Thanks!

    Unfortunately I don't have any more years to wait for kinks to be worked out, and I'm not willing to risk paralysis, so we won't be vaxing for that one.

    Jennifer, I love your new avatar!!
     
  22. ehm

    ehm Banned

    QUOTE
    and I'm not willing to risk paralysis,
    This is something I wish they had covered more on the segment I watched. They showed the girl in the hospital when she was being treated and she talked about her outer fingers and outer toes being numb but she doesn't seem to have any issues today. I wish they had talked more about how she was treated and if she has any long term effects(she didn't appear to in the video but as we all know, looks can be deceiving).
     
  23. Donita

    Donita Well-Known Member

    The news program I watched showed 2 girls. One was in her early teens and one was I think 18. They had both experienced paralysis, as in not being able to walk and both spent approximately a month in the hospital.
     
  24. Donita

    Donita Well-Known Member

  25. JenJefLog

    JenJefLog Well-Known Member

    QUOTE
    Jennifer, I love your new avatar!!

    Thanks Donita! :hug99:
     
  26. Ali M

    Ali M Well-Known Member

    At this point, we're definitely not planning on getting it for the girls but there are years ahead of us before it becomes an issue.

    The thing is, it does not prevent cervical cancer and only protects (partially) against 4 strains of HPV so it's not exactly the miracle cure that it's made out to be. If you are sexually active and catch the HPV that can cause cervical cancer, it would be great to have the vaccine but I think it's inappropriate to even discuss making it a mandatory vaccine. What it is is a vaccine for a specific strain of sexually-transmitted disease, not a cancer vaccine.
     
  27. JenJefLog

    JenJefLog Well-Known Member

    It's true that it's not a cancer vaccine, but it does protect against 4 of the leading strains of the virus that can cause cervical cancer. The thing is, you'd hate to have a situation a few years from now where your daughter becomes sexually active, catches one of those four strains and gets cervical cancer and then to be thinking, "If only I'd had her vaccinated all those years ago." :( Such a tough decision.
     
  28. melstofko

    melstofko Well-Known Member

    Wow-I don't know now. I will have to talk to my ped again. I was planning on getting my DD vaccinated next month (she just turned 12). Maybe I will put it off a while longer.
     
  29. Amanda

    Amanda Well-Known Member

    actually, HPV isn't considered a sexually transmitted disease exclusively, that's ONE way of getting it.
     
  30. Ali M

    Ali M Well-Known Member

    Yes, but 95% of HPV is transmitted through sexual contact. Almost all of the rest is from a mother to baby during birth or it is due to child abuse. Both of those modes of transmission would not be protected by the vaccine. There is some talk about transmission from contact with an infected person but there is really only one study that has shown any connection and it was tiny. The CDC still only lists sexual transmission as a mode of infection and calls other modes "myths".

    According to this article on CNN, the HPV vaccine partially protects against 90% of the HPV strains that are able to cause cancer. Only four of those strains are protected against well while the other 8 are admitted to be partial because they weren't focused on for the vaccine. That leaves 3 strains that can cause cancer that are not prevented by the vaccine and then the chance that you'll still catch HPV because the vaccine just didn't work for you for some of those other 12 strains. Thankfully, two of the strains that the vaccine focuses on cause 70% of cervical cancer and the vaccine if 99% effective (according to Merck) against those for at least 3 years. So, the vaccine may be a good idea if you think there is a chance your child might become sexually active soon but don't think for a second that it prevents cancer. You really have to weigh the risks individually with each child.
     
  31. Amanda

    Amanda Well-Known Member

    "it doesn't prevent cancer"
    not directly, but it can protect girls from getting a disease that DOES/CAN cause cancer.

    . . . hopefully this drug/vaccine will make some strides before I'm faced w/ this decision.
     
  32. Four_to_Six

    Four_to_Six Well-Known Member

    It'll be awhile before I have to make the decision about it for my dd but I do have some questions if anyone knows. Does it actually "kill" the hpv virus or does it just prevent it from becoming cancer? Would a vaccinated girl still be a carrier able to pass it it to her partner(s)? If girls get the virus from her partner, why are boys not being vaccinated too? Does hpv effect boys or are they just merely carriers??
     
  33. Amanda

    Amanda Well-Known Member

    from the CDC website:
    http://www.cdc.gov/std/Hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm

    QUOTE
    Effectiveness of the HPV Vaccine
    This vaccine targets the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical cancer and genital warts. The vaccine is highly effective in preventing those types of HPV and related diseases in young women.
     
  34. Ali M

    Ali M Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Four_to_Six @ Aug 13 2008, 03:49 PM) [snapback]928175[/snapback]
    It'll be awhile before I have to make the decision about it for my dd but I do have some questions if anyone knows. Does it actually "kill" the hpv virus or does it just prevent it from becoming cancer? Would a vaccinated girl still be a carrier able to pass it it to her partner(s)? If girls get the virus from her partner, why are boys not being vaccinated too? Does hpv effect boys or are they just merely carriers??


    It's a vaccine for HPV (not cancer) so it prevents certain types of HPV. Some of those types cause most of the cervical cancers caused by HPV. The vaccine was not formulated for males although there is some talk about making an HPV vaccine for guys.

    HPV comes in both low risk and high risk varieties and has no symptoms is most people and their own immune system fights it off. When a high risk form of HPV is contracted though it has the possibility of causing cervical cancer in females. Another symptom of HPV is genital warts and both males & females can be affected by that. Boys can't get cervical cancer (obviously ;)) but they can experience other symptoms.
     
  35. Donita

    Donita Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(Jennifer916 @ Aug 4 2008, 10:16 PM) [snapback]913821[/snapback]
    It's true that it's not a cancer vaccine, but it does protect against 4 of the leading strains of the virus that can cause cervical cancer. The thing is, you'd hate to have a situation a few years from now where your daughter becomes sexually active, catches one of those four strains and gets cervical cancer and then to be thinking, "If only I'd had her vaccinated all those years ago." :( Such a tough decision.


    It is a tough decision.. but I'd also hate to be standing over her hospital bed wishing I had stuck with my instincts and not got it for them. Cervical cancer is treatable..

    Our pedi said that they are considering making the vaccine available to males. My boys won't get it either.
     

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