Synagis- RSV Vaccine

Our ped wants the girls to get it. They were 34 weekers and Natalie was on the vent for 2 days. I am generally pro-vax, but for some reason I'm not so sure about this one. If your babies got it/are going to get it, why did you decide to do it? And are there any side effects or anything? I just feel like I don't know much about it.

Any insight is appreciated!

 

both of our pediatricians were against the RSV vaccination. Apparently the first one was found to have issues, and the second one is pretty new still....

 

My guys got the shot last season AND have been approved again for this season. I am pro Synagis shots. Before one of my guys could get his first round he got RSV. Let me tell you........you would MUCH rather have the monthly Synagis shots than deal with RSV. My little guy quit breathing on us one night. Turned blue and limp. We rushed him to the hospital where he was put on the vent for two weeks with a tube to his lungs so they could pull the fluid off of his lungs every hour. RSV is a NASTY NASTY virus and it is HIGHLY contagious!!! When my guy was in the hospital, we were advised to come home, change clothes (Preferrably take clothes off outside the home (THAT was not an option)) and take a shower BEFORE touching our other child. I would do your homework and see how important these shots are. My guys received the rest of their shots last season and one round this season so far. No side affects at all.....just screaming from the shot...but that is with any shot. Please consider getting these. I would really hate for you to go through what we went through. PM me if you have any questions or concerns.

 

My guys had the Synagis Vaccine last season and if they qualified for it again this season I would definitely get it! They got the first shot in the NICU and then from the Pulmonologist each month thereafter. There are no side effects to the shot except for maybe some aches at the injection site. If I remember correctly it is not a "live" vaccine so there are no vaccine reactions to it like fever, etc... And I think lung issues at birth there is a recommendation for the Synagis because they are more prone to RSV. Try looking at Synagis.com for some other info.

 

Both of mine got it last year every month from Nov-March because they were preemies. We had no side effects from it at all, I have never even heard of any side effects from it. I would highly recommend it if you are approved for it because RSV can be very serious. My full term niece got it at 6 months and ended up in the hospital for 5 days. Sadly, my two did not get approved for it this year.

Here is the link to the website that Rachel gave you.

 

Yeah, they are approved. I'm leaning towards doing it I'm just not totally sure yet. And DH still needs convincing.

Oh and thanks for the link to the site.

 

QUOTE(ldsangel19 @ Nov 2 2007, 01:38 PM) [snapback]478243[/snapback]
Yeah, they are approved. I'm leaning towards doing it I'm just not totally sure yet. And DH still needs convincing.

Oh and thanks for the link to the site.

Why exactly are you not sure? The shots are very expensive, so you are lucky they are approved and RSV can be very serious if they get it, all babies are at risk for RSV, not just preemies.

 

You know, I'm not exactly sure what my hangup is. I know DH just dosen't think it's neccessary. The site was helpful though.

 

QUOTE(summerfun @ Nov 2 2007, 06:42 PM) [snapback]478248[/snapback]
The shots are very expensive, so you are lucky they are approved and RSV can be very serious if they get it, all babies are at risk for RSV, not just preemies.


There is a "reason" they qualify, right?

 

QUOTE(DATJMom @ Nov 2 2007, 01:56 PM) [snapback]478278[/snapback]
There is a "reason" they qualify, right?

I agree! I wish mine were going to get it again this year! Hope you can convince DH on this, to tell you the truth if it were me I would have to override my DH on this one, it's nothing to fool around with.

 

My mom actually works for quality assurance at the plant that makes all of the Synagis for the world. So, if you have any specific questions about it, let me know, and I can ask her.

 

Our babies qualified too--I did quite a bit of research and benefits seem to WAY out weigh the risks (and I'm delaying some vacs). Remember this is NOT a vaccination. It's basically a shot of antibodies, which is why you need to get monthly--it wears off in 30 days. We got our first shot in October--had to wait in the clinic for 30 minutes to see if they had a reaction.

Good luck-it's tough trying to make all the right decisions.
-TL

 

I would do it. Both of my kids qualified because they were in the NICU for 4 and 5 months. 25 weekers! We just had our second round today and it went just fine. The only issue is the needle upset. The actual vaccine has way more prones then cons. If you are qualified you should definately do it. The shots are super expensive....more than $1,000 each. That's one **** of a shot! It is protecting them from something that could do much harm and possible put them in the hospital or worse kill them. Convince the DH that the shot is a good thing. If you have any questions just let me know.

 

we were approved and start the shots next week. I feel if we were approved there is a reason. I was relieved to know that we got approved and my kids stay home and my mom watches them so they are rarely out. However we have a fireplace, school age kids, they were preemies, there were too many reason why they were a good reason and not one reason why they seemed wrong to get.

 

Think of it from your insurance company's perspective. If they approved your kiddos, it means they think it will be cheaper for them to pay for the shots than to pay for whatever treatment they'll need if they don't get the shots. Given how expensive the shots are, this means your insurance company is banking on (if they don't get synagis) them getting RSV and needing hospitalization. The insurance company doesn't pay for this out of the kindness of their hearts; they've done the math.

Our boys got the shots last spring, and they'll get them again this season. We never had any reaction at all, and they never got sick.

 

Mine were approved last year and got them monthly. They had no side effects. I would get them again this year if we were approved.

 

My ped strongly recommended it for us too, but our insurance company denied it... even though they were premature, they aren't 'young' enough at the start of RSV season to qualify. However, if they had approved it we were definitely going to get them. RSV is very serious and even though the shots may not prevent getting RSV, they do significantly lessen the symptoms.

 

Thanks everyone. I talked to DH and we're going to do it. We go for the first round on Wednesday.

 

I was really looking forward to having the boys receive this vac, but my insurance rejected it. I was so upset when I received the letter saying that it was declined due to a non-medical necessity. COME ON, every child so be able to get this vac!!! Has anyone been rejected and then appealed?

 

I'm in the process of deciding as well. My girls born at 34 weeks on June 19th were both approved today. As of right now they are scheduled for the shot next week. I am like others trying to decide if this is what we should do. Sounds like most people have had a good experience with it. For those of you whose children had the shots last year, did any of them get RSV and if so, was it mild or not? I've already had one son who was hospitalized on his first Christmas a couple of years ago have a serious case of it. So I kown how bad it can be unfortunatley.

Thanks,
Melissa

 

QUOTE(Mommy6X @ Nov 6 2007, 02:06 PM) [snapback]483898[/snapback]
I'm in the process of deciding as well. My girls born at 34 weeks on June 19th were both approved today. As of right now they are scheduled for the shot next week. I am like others trying to decide if this is what we should do. Sounds like most people have had a good experience with it. For those of you whose children had the shots last year, did any of them get RSV and if so, was it mild or not? I've already had one son who was hospitalized on his first Christmas a couple of years ago have a serious case of it. So I kown how bad it can be unfortunatley.

Thanks,
Melissa

If your twins are approved I would get them. It's not a vaccine against RSV, but it will make it much less mild if they do happen to get it. My twins got the shot every month last winter and they did not get RSV, but I know there are a few that did get the shots and still got RSV, usually a mild case though.