H1N1 Vaccine

Marina - posted on 10/20/2009

After discussing the H1N1 with my daughters paediatrician, who won't even give the vaccination to anyone we have decided that none of us will be having it. It was explained in great detail what is in it. Also that a normal vaccine takes years to be approved this one has only had a few months. I also know of other doctors who won't give their children it and of professional workers in hospitals who won't have it. I suggest to anyone speak to your doctor about your concerns see what they have to say then make a decision.

Norita - posted on 10/19/2009

Iam 21 weeks pregnant and I have decided not to get the flu shot at all or H1N1. My aunt is a nurse and these vaccinations have so many things in them that can cause many other problems! I have 2 kids as well and neither one of them are getting the shots! As long as you take care of your self take vitamins and try to stay away from people that are sick then you should be ok thats what we have been doing and none of us have gotten sick i spray the house everynite with lysol!

Sara - posted on 10/19/2009

Quoting Heather:

I think all vaccines are a personal choice. I had vaccines up until I was 18yrs old and did not seem to suffer any ill effects. However, my 5yo son had vaccines until he was 15 months old and suffered fevers, poor weight gain, and was just miserable. My husband received flu shots while in the military and got sick every time he got the shot. So, having seen negative effects of vaccines we are opting to not get the shots. It truly is a catch 22. You can get ill from taking the vaccines, or get sick from the virus -- and even possibly die regardless of your choice. There is no right or wrong answer and best if you make the choice for your family. I have already talked to my doctor and they are not offering it in her clinic. The real risk of the H1N1 and other flu strains is not the flu itself but the secondary infections that can arise from being sick from the virus.

Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree that vaccines are a personal choice.  They are not.  Ever heard of "herd immuniyt"?   (or herd) provides protection to unprotected individuals. Herd immunity theory proposes that, in diseases passed from person-to-person, it is more difficult to maintain a chain of infection when large numbers of a population are immune. The higher the proportion of individuals who are immune, the lower the likelihood that a susceptible person will come into contact with an infected individual.  So, when someone choses not to get vaccinated, not only are they threatening the entire community, they are making a choice that has the potential to affect the lives of other families and children, not just their own.  There are many examples of infectious disease in communities where people are opting out of vaccinations making a comeback.  Boulder, Colorado is a big one.  So, it's not just a personal choice, it's a public health issue. 

Kristi - posted on 10/19/2009

My husband is a firefighter, and they had this discussion last week. In our area, the H1N1 is mostly targeting young children and pregnant women, who will be the sickest. The regular flu doesn't target the kids as much, so mine aren't going to get the seasonal flu. They are getting H1N1 as soon as it becomes available.

Jenifer - posted on 10/17/2009

The bottom line is that it's your decision. Talk to your doctor about it & about your concerns. I do not agree with Donna at all. There was a vaccine in the 1970's that caused alot of concern. The vaccines are not made like that anymore. Do you get the seasonal flu vaccine? I am in the medical profession & have gotten that one for years. The thing that is different about H1N1 vaccine is that it is covering different strains. I am getting it & my 2 small children are.

Megan - posted on 10/16/2009

I was just doing research on this tonight and actually read the vaccine inserts so was glad to see Eileen had already posted the info. I found it interesting that one group they are recommending getting this shot is pregnant women when the drug co. vaccine insert specifically states that there have been no tests on the effects of the unborn baby and that pregnant women should only get it if it is clearly needed.

Heather - posted on 10/15/2009

I think all vaccines are a personal choice. I had vaccines up until I was 18yrs old and did not seem to suffer any ill effects. However, my 5yo son had vaccines until he was 15 months old and suffered fevers, poor weight gain, and was just miserable. My husband received flu shots while in the military and got sick every time he got the shot. So, having seen negative effects of vaccines we are opting to not get the shots. It truly is a catch 22. You can get ill from taking the vaccines, or get sick from the virus -- and even possibly die regardless of your choice. There is no right or wrong answer and best if you make the choice for your family. I have already talked to my doctor and they are not offering it in her clinic. The real risk of the H1N1 and other flu strains is not the flu itself but the secondary infections that can arise from being sick from the virus.

Danielle - posted on 10/14/2009

My five month old son has a heart condition and is not yet eligible,because of his age, to get the flu shot. Unfortunately, I teach high school, which is a cesspool of bacteria. All vaccines have their risks, but you have to weigh those risks against the benefits. Please also remember when you decide to not get vaccinated that your decision impacts families like mine. I have a sick, vulnerable child, who has not yet received his vaccinations. He has no protection against your children.

Amanda - posted on 10/14/2009

My close friend's husband is a pharmaceutical rep. He discusses this topic with many of the doctors that have all replied with the same answer. They told him the FDA does not back this one up yet 100%. I'm not sure??? This is just what I've heard through the grapevine. I'm just going with the flow on this one.

Brenda - posted on 10/14/2009

Chelsea-

This is your post and you will obviously decide what is best for yourself and your baby. I am one of those people who is torn between this decision. I chose to immunize my daughter but only with some of the shots. I won't go into detail as to which ones I chose not to give her and why but it is a very personal decision that each of us has to make. I applaud all of you who have shared with us even if I disagree. We each have to weigh the options and the facts. Eileen, thank you for reading directly from the packaging and giving us the link to read for ourselves. Also, thank you to the medical professionals who gave us some great links. I know it is hard to stand up for what you believe and I am sure many will agree there are pros and cons to vaccinations. One thing I will not do is begrudge a person for stating how they feel on a very touchy subject. As far as how many people are in each other's circles, not all of us have the time to add every mom we know let alone check up on others making posts. I only have a few close friends in my circle and that is all I want!

Jenifer - posted on 10/14/2009

Amanda - what do you mean that the FDA does not fully back the shot? They announced they approved the 4 different brands back in Sept:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/P...

Is there something more that they are supposed to be doing?

Amanda - posted on 10/14/2009

I know this is out of the ballpark with your question. I have no clue if you should get the vaccine being pregnant or not, but it's a huge deal with the children right now on whether or not they should get vaccinated. I have to post my opinion on this one:



I feel that if your child is healthy and has had their regular routine flu shot, then they should be okay. If they get the H1N1, it's not as bad as getting the your normal winter flu bug. If your child has any heart problems, then they should recieve it.



The FDA does not fully back up this shot yet!!! There are many side effects to it!!! I'm still pretty 50-50 on this. My child's school already sent home papers for parents to fill out on whether they will let their child get the immunization or not. I signed "NO." I have a healthy child and I'm not taking any risks on my child getting a side effect such as "paralysis" (yes this could be a side effect). I will take my chances this winter for my son until the FDA backs this one up 100%.

Sharon - posted on 10/14/2009

What I find amazing? Thea, Michelle, & Donna all have 1 post to their names, no one in their circles and all have the same stance on this topic. huh, interesting.

Thea - posted on 10/14/2009

I agree with Michelle. Show some respect. Donna or anyone else shouldn't be addressed that way. Let's educate each other and share what we know. Each individual has to form their own opinion and do what's right for them. Unless you are the scientist actually creating the vax you really don't know. All we can do is make informed decisions from a collection of information.

Tyan - posted on 10/14/2009

I got a flu vaccine last year when I was only a few weeks pregnant and I was fine. I was also nervous because of how it might affect the baby but my doctor reassured me it was very safe. My daughter is too young this year to get a shot (she's under 6 months old) but both me and my husband will get both the regular flu shot and the H1N1 flu shot to protect her. Once she is old enough I will also get her flu shots every year. I see far more people have serious issues with getting the flu than I have seen from flu vaccine side-affects. I say talk to your doctor, weigh your actual risk of getting the flu, and make the decision you are most comfortable with. There are people who have very strong opinions on both sides of the issue but ultimately you have to trust yourself and the experts you choose to treat your child.

Brandy - posted on 10/14/2009

honestly i would rather get the vaccine or any other vaccine and have whatever very small risk of a birth defect or whatever people think vaccines cause, because of the fact that if you don't get the vaccine and you get the virus then you could die.

Sharon - posted on 10/14/2009

1. I did a quick scan of the posts and I didn't see anyone call someone else an extremist.



2. Yes - everything has risks. However, in the case of vaccines I'm fairly certain the risk of dying in a car accident outnumbers the risk of dying by vaccine or being crippled by a vaccine but I don't see the lot of you screaming at people to stop getting in cars.



3. If you have a difference of opinion, state it. Give your personal testimony. Stop telling LIES. The damn vaccine is NOT made with monkey cells, you cannot get AIDS with the vaccine, and not all of the vaccines contain thimerosol. And telling people that all shots are unsafe is ludicrous!!! Claiming that the FDA & CDC are liars is insanity. If you can't believe them - you shouldn't be getting medical help in this country ever, or eating foods from our grocery stores. THAT would be extremist.



Stop spouting lies, tell your personal stories and FACTS and maybe we'll find a smudge of respect for your opinions.

Melinda - posted on 10/14/2009

I am not going to tell anybody what to do either way. I'm 3 1/2 months pregnant, I got the flu vaccine with no side effects, and I plan on getting the H1N1 vaccine also. My daughter and husband both got the regular flu mist over a month ago, and also got the H1N1 flu mist on Monday. So far, no side effects. I can't get the flu mist, but will def be getting the shot when it's released. I will mainly be getting it because it protects the baby for the 1st 6 months of life, when they aren't able to get vaccinated against it. For me, the possible risk of not getting the shots outweighed the possible side effects of getting them.

Michelle - posted on 10/14/2009

Because people have different opinions doesn't make them extremists. I would expect you to know the difference! There are and have always been risks and statistics with vaccines. People have a right to choose what they feel is best for them. Donna didn't need to be talk to like an idiot, she's not!

Amy - posted on 10/14/2009

I am an L&D nurse and I would definately be getting the seasonal flu vaccine as well as the H1N1 vaccine if I was pregnant. Talk with your OB doc, but the H1N1 has been very aggressive in the pregnant population. We have had deaths in our area involving pregnant moms. I would assume you would not be a candidate for the nasal spray because it contains a very small percentage of a live virus, but the shot form is a dead virus and is completely safe. Don't listen to all the "extremists" on here. Do your own research and talk with your doctor.

Jenifer - posted on 10/14/2009

Quoting Eileen:

Hospitals are claiming that they are pushing the H1N1 vaccine for employees for the protection of the hospital's patients.

So, this would mean that if the health care worker takes the intranasal vaccine, the hospital is giving them 21 days paid leave before they return to work? Why do I say this...because on the package insert, I have sitting in front of me, the H1N1 Influenza A Monovalent Vaccine, Live on page 21 of 21:

Transmitting the flu to someone after receiving FluMist is exceedingly rare. Here's one analysis (of many), if you're interested:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles...

Even if someone does contract the flu from someone who's received FluMist, they'd contract the attenuated virus that's in the vaccine, which cannot replicate properly, and won't produce the typical influenza symptoms. The likelihood of that attenuated virus reverting to wild type is estimated to be 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, although it hasn't actually been observed.

http://www.flumist.com/ui/pdf/FluMistQuestionsForYourDoctor.pdf

Its nice to hear that some doctors and hospitals are skipping FluMist to avoid the rare possibility of transmission, but I don't think it is necessary. Of course, since pregnant women aren't given the FluMist vaccine anyway, this is not relevant to the poster's question.

Skye - posted on 10/14/2009

if it wasnt safe for pregnant people then it's simple, they wouldnt be pushing it as much as they have been

http://www.healthemergency.gov.au/intern...

i'm 37 weeks pregnant and have so many people down my throat about how bad of partenting it is for me to get it blah blah blah! it's my body, my baby and i trust what my midwife and doctors say hence why they are in the profession not me....

Amber - posted on 10/14/2009

Actually, I am an RN at a hospital and they are NOT even offering the Flumist to us because of the 21 day "shedding" period. We will be waiting for the injection and will be recieving it. We are seeing cases of H1N1 on the floor where I work. I have a 6 year old daughter at home with asthma and am terrified of bringing it home to her. Needless to say I will be recieving the vaccine and she will too when it is available to her.

Eileen - posted on 10/14/2009

Hospitals are claiming that they are pushing the H1N1 vaccine for employees for the protection of the hospital's patients.



So, this would mean that if the health care worker takes the intranasal vaccine, the hospital is giving them 21 days paid leave before they return to work? Why do I say this...because on the package insert, I have sitting in front of me, the H1N1 Influenza A Monovalent Vaccine, Live on page 21 of 21:



17.2 Vaccination with a Live Virus Vaccine

“Vaccine recipients or their parents/guardians should be informed by the health care provider that influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine Live, Intranasal is an attenuated live virus and has the potential for transmission to immune compromised household contacts.”



The section that specifically covers Transmission (14.5 page 19-20) does not specifically cover H1N1 but FluMist (and there are no citations for the studies they mention). The end of the first paragraph of this section clearly states ”The relationship of viral replication in a vaccine recipient and transmission of vaccine virus to other individuals has not been established.” At the end of the section, it is stated that “The duration of FluMist vaccine virus replication and shedding have not been established.”



How is vaccinating the health care workers with the intranasal vaccine protecting the patients when it is a known fact that attenuated live virus from a vaccine is transmissible (oral polio, FluMist, Varicella)? This vaccine may not be an exception to the rule. They do not know whether the vaccine derived virus can infect not only immune compromised individuals, but healthy individuals as well. Healthy individuals have contracted vaccine induced polio, flu and varicella (see the vaccine specific package inserts), so they cannot technically rule out the possibility of this happening with H1N1. It is also unknown if the transmission goes beyond the 21 days studied as mentioned above. This is clearly not in the patient's best interest as there is a very real possibility that the intranasal vaccine can indeed infect the exact population that the hospital is claiming it wants to protect.



This is also the case when they give Dick and Jane the intranasal vaccine at school and they bring it home to the family, grandma, etc.



Read the package insert for yourself:

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBl... .



As for the injected H1N1 vaccine, page 10 of 19 the package insert clearly states that...



"Animal reproductive studies have not been conducted with Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine or Fluzone vaccine. It is also not known whether these vaccines can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reporduction capacity. Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed."



What this simply means is that they have no idea if this vaccine will harm the fetus or impair the mother's ability to carry the baby to term. It would seem to be quite irresponsible to push and market this vaccine to pregnant women without any scientifically sound safety data.



Again, read for yourself (http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBl...).



Also, the multidose vial, which has been approved for children 6 months and older contains 25 micrograms of mercury per each 0.5ml dose (page 4).



In addition, page 13 of the package insert states: "Neither Fluzone vaccine nor Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine have been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility".



It is your right and your responsibilty to know this information before opting to take any medication and a vaccine is no exception.

Jenifer - posted on 10/13/2009

The flu can be miserable when you're pregnant. You should talk to your doctor and find out if he or she recommends you get the vaccine (both seasonal and H1N1). The seasonal flu shot has been recommended for pregnant women for several years now, and the H1N1 shot is made the exact same way, but with a different dead virus. If I were pregnant now, I would get it. When I was pregnant with my son, I did not get the flu shot, caught the flu, and had never been so sick. Here's some recent info on the shot that might help:

http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/vaccination/p...
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccine...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/opinio...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...

Cassandra - posted on 10/13/2009

Sharon...Great post! It's nice to see there are still rational, educated people out there. I should have mentioned as well that I will be getting the vaccine this year as I work in a clinic and see dozens of patients daily. My children will also be getting this vaccine as my 4 year old is in preschool and dance classes. It's my job at work to give out the H1N1 vaccine so I'm all for it. Just do your research about the vaccine and the disease.

Sharon - posted on 10/13/2009

Don't pay attention to Donna there, I think she was dropped on her head as a baby.



Some vaccines do contain thimerosol. IF you ask for single dose vaccine for the flu it will not contain thimerosol.



IF you are going to believe Donna - then you can't believe anyone in the medical establishment and have no business accepting help from doctors or pharmaceutical companies. Not that you would - just for the benefit of others reading.



Now - whether you should get the vaccine or not.... Do you or husband have a lot of contact with the public? Will this flu hit your area hard? (It usually doesn't in my area) Do you have school age children or frequent contact with school age children who will be in high risk areas? (think of densely populated suburban areas)



Our town is being hit this time because the returning troops have had H1N1 flu where they were stationed.



We haven't gotten the shot before because our rural area has been fairly secluded from the infectious flu. Not so this time.



We have held back from getting the flu shots until the last possible minute waiting for test results and public reaction. With the positive results (being reported by friends and family who have been vax'd) by the media - we will get the shots.



I've read every bit of published info and stats from the CDC & information from the FDA - who I trust more than Donna and feel that its fairly safe.



If I were pregnant I'd be scared too and not want anything extra in my body. But the number of pregnant women succombing to this virus is scary.



good luck with your decision.

Cassandra - posted on 10/13/2009

I'm not pregnant, but I am a nurse who specializes in immunizations. If I were pregnant, I would get this vaccine. Hope that helps!

Donna - posted on 10/13/2009

If I were you, I wouldn't touch the vaccine or any other for any reason! The shot has mercury in it (even when they say it doesn't), the nasal spray has live flu in it (avoid anyone who's had the spray, it is contagious!) The shot also has other ingredients which are safe neither for you nor for your unborn child. Do research!!!! There's lots of info out there as to why one shouldn't get these vaccines, or any other!