Gardasil

[wic0721]

My dd is 10 and her doctor mentioned that she should be getting this vaccine soon....I won't let her get it anytime in the future either, as this vaccine has not been out long enough to have any kind of history behind it. I'm not going to let my daughter be a medical guinnee pig either.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Thanks guys. It *was* scary to have a bad pap smear when I was only 28 years old and to have some of my cervix cut out (I had a conal biopsy, google it ... it's not pretty). I then went on to have 2 more bad paps in the next 6 years with accompanying lesser procedures to remove the abnormal cells. At one point I was getting a pap smear every 4 months.

I understand from my DD's doctor that they are currently testing it on boys too. I personally think that both boys and girls should get the vaccine to stop the spread of HPV from both sides of the equation.

I have been diagnosed with HPV and had Leep procedures and so forth for my cervix. Now that I said that, my DD 9 and DD12 will not be getting this shot. Too much is unknown about the shots and they are not even sure how long they last. Anyway, I will educate my DDs on paps and so forth and let them make the decision when they are way older.

Unfortunately, I'm with you two ladies. HPV is none too pleasant and it really nearly ruined a year of my life and for the rest of my life I will have frequent biopsies and PAPS - and quite possibly, cervical cancer to deal with. My DD is only 6 but she will have this vaccine as soon as she is old enough. My Dsis just had them, she is 18, because she saw the horror and emotional garbage I had to go through.

This is a skin to skin disease - there is no guarantee a condom will protect your girls from it. Men don't know they have it until and if they end up with some of the more unpleasant aspects of it (warts, etc.) and they can spread it without even knowing it. Many women have it and don't know it either. IMO the risk is just too great to not take some steps to protect my DD.

Again, just my opinion, but HPV is no walk in the park.

 

[mhsjax]

Seems like a lot of controversy about this vaccine. My daughter's pediatrician suggested she get it (12 yrs. old) & I trust his opinions. After getting the first one, I was concerned about all the hype but she had no side effects and everything is ok. As far as vaccines go, I think there are many out there that we really don't know alot about. Sometimes the decisions we make now (to do/or not) we regret. At this point-I have no problems with it- now 10 years down the road... we'll have to see.

The problem is, 10 years down the road your daughter may be the one having to deal with it not you, She may be the one with infertility problems. They don't know what this vaccine is going to do. I have a friend who is a Nurse Practitioner, and she doesn't trust it, says that these girls could have infertility problems amoung other things, they just don't know the long term results. NO way will my daughter be getting the vaccine.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

My daughter got the shots last year when she was 12. No side effects other than pain at the injection site. I asked my gyno about it and he said he was quite comfortable with her having these injections. He said they have been using something like this in Europe for years and he hasn't seen anything that would lead him to believe it was dangerous. I then asked her ped about it. He said he would prefer to wait a year or so. If, after a year, he was encouraged by what he saw in the studies, he would give the shots to his patients. We waited a year and she got the series last year.

 

[krcit]

My DD14 had the series of shots last year and did NOT have any side effect at all... I will do whatever I can to protect my daughter... I wonder if there was all this controversy when all the other childhood vaccines came out...hmmmmm

I respect your decision to get the shots for your dd but I have to say I resent the implication that by choosing not to get them for my 2 dds, I am not doing whatever I can to protect my dd's. I apologize if that is not what you were implying. I am not comfortable in giving my dd's the shots right now. For me, right now the risks outweigh the benefits. I very well may change my mind in a few years as more research comes out but for now, I am holding off for my girls.

 

[smartestnumber5]

The problem is, 10 years down the road your daughter may be the one having to deal with it not you, She may be the one with infertility problems.

But it could also be the case that 10 years down the road it's her daughter that has to deal with having part of her cervix removed because of HPV and not being able to carry a pregnancy because of that, right? So it really comes down to what the relative probabilities are for each situation.



I don't have a strong opinion about the testing of the vaccine. I just haven't done any research on it. I'm just outside of the age window. (I don't understand the window thing either. I'm not more or less at risk today than I was a year ago. I understand that the first priority is to get young women/teens who haven't had sex yet or who are likely to have additional partners in the future. But I don't see why second priority couldn't also be women over the age of 26.) I could have gotten the vaccine--probably should have--but was just lazy about it.

I do think its worrisome though that the reasoning of so many people in long-term relationships where the partners have not been with anyone else or that one's partner has been tested for STDs and is negative is that there is no risk of HPV. There is never *no* risk. Even people who abstain from sex their whole lives are sometimes sexually assaulted. And more importantly spouses and significant others do cheat sometimes. And marriages/long-time partnerships do break up and spouses do die and people who thought they'd only ever have one sex partner in their life go on to have more than one after these events. (And by the time those things happen, most women would be way outside of the age window so getting the vaccine then is not possible.) If I recall correctly, ex-DIS member JennyinRI told the story many times of how she contracted HIV from her husband at the time. It does happen to people who thought they had no risk.

So I'm not saying the right choice is to get the vaccine. Just that in weighing the options you have to consider that there is some risk to almost all women no matter how unlikely they may think it is and how much we trust our partners.

 

[RadioNate]

My daughter got the shots last year when she was 12. No side effects other than pain at the injection site. I asked my gyno about it and he said he was quite comfortable with her having these injections. He said they have been using something like this in Europe for years and he hasn't seen anything that would lead him to believe it was dangerous. I then asked her ped about it. He said he would prefer to wait a year or so. If, after a year, he was encouraged by what he saw in the studies, he would give the shots to his patients. We waited a year and she got the series last year.

That is what I was going to ask about. Hasn't there been a HPV vaccine in use in Europe for many many years? I swear I remember that from somewhere. How similar is that to Gardasil? What are the problems there?

My SIL got the series with no ill effects. DD is only one so I don't have to decide for many years.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

That is what I was going to ask about. Hasn't there been a HPV vaccine in use in Europe for many many years? I swear I remember that from somewhere. How similar is that to Gardasil? What are the problems there?

My SIL got the series with no ill effects. DD is only one so I don't have to decide for many years.

Call me naive and stupid, but I didn't do any further research past asking my gyno about it. I trust him implicitly. When DD's ped concurred, I didn't think much past that either. I'm sure if you know what to look for, the information is out there, but I can't point you to it.

 

[Laura]

I thought once you had HPV the vaccine was useless. Anyone know for sure?

There is more than one strain of HPV and Gardasil vaccinates against several.

I'll be getting the vaccine for my DD when she's old enough--she's only 3 months old now.

 

[swald91]

The problem is, 10 years down the road your daughter may be the one having to deal with it not you, She may be the one with infertility problems. They don't know what this vaccine is going to do. I have a friend who is a Nurse Practitioner, and she doesn't trust it, says that these girls could have infertility problems amoung other things, they just don't know the long term results. NO way will my daughter be getting the vaccine.

I know. But we will all be dealing with it-those of us who believe their doctor & think they should get it. It's definitely something that we as parents would totally regret if the outcome of our choices were wrong. You hear many different things about this-so many people are against vaccines to begin with-sometimes you don't know if any of them are any good, but she has never had any issues with any. I feel that as parents we have to make these decisions for our kids-& sometimes they are right-sometimes wrong but when our doctor thinks they should we follow their advice. All in all, I don't want anything bad to come about b/c of this vaccine, but I would much rather find out that she has infertility issues than die of cancer-have seen too much in my family. And yes, there is still no guarantee of that either.

 

[dismom2]

My kids will not be getting it. Thier doctor tries to talk us into it every time we go---I have to wonder if they get some sort of kick-back. Either way, it's too new, and I have read too many stories about bad things that happened to girls after they got the shot. And, who knows what it might do down the road---just too new for me. And from my experiences, a lot of doctors don't tell you the negatives, just the positives.

 

[dismom2]

My kids will not be getting it. Thier doctor tries to talk us into it every time we go---I have to wonder if they get some sort of kick-back. Either way, it's too new, and I have read too many stories about bad things that happened to girls after they got the shot. And, who knows what it might do down the road---just too new for me. And from my experiences, a lot of doctors don't tell you the negatives, just the positives.

Just wanted to add... I don't believe that doctors always give the best advice. Our pediatrician refused to give me a referral years ago to get my child allergy tested because he thought it was too traumatizing to put kids through the scratch test. I knew she needed to be tested and it's a darn good thing I did it anyway because I found out she has some severe allergies, including some food items. I needed to know for sure---she has to carry an epi-pen now.

 

[m&m's mom]

My daughter got the shots last year when she was 12. No side effects other than pain at the injection site. I asked my gyno about it and he said he was quite comfortable with her having these injections. He said they have been using something like this in Europe for years and he hasn't seen anything that would lead him to believe it was dangerous. I then asked her ped about it. He said he would prefer to wait a year or so. If, after a year, he was encouraged by what he saw in the studies, he would give the shots to his patients. We waited a year and she got the series last year.

That is what I was going to ask about. Hasn't there been a HPV vaccine in use in Europe for many many years? I swear I remember that from somewhere. How similar is that to Gardasil? What are the problems there?

My SIL got the series with no ill effects. DD is only one so I don't have to decide for many years.

I heard the same thing when it 1st came out.
I got my 12 yo DD the 1st shot a month or so ago when our next door neighbor had her DD vaccinated as well.
Both girls had slightly sore arms but that has been the only side effect at this time.

 

[mhsjax]

But it could also be the case that 10 years down the road it's her daughter that has to deal with having part of her cervix removed because of HPV and not being able to carry a pregnancy because of that, right? So it really comes down to what the relative probabilities are for each situation.



I don't have a strong opinion about the testing of the vaccine. I just haven't done any research on it. I'm just outside of the age window. (I don't understand the window thing either. I'm not more or less at risk today than I was a year ago. I understand that the first priority is to get young women/teens who haven't had sex yet or who are likely to have additional partners in the future. But I don't see why second priority couldn't also be women over the age of 26.) I could have gotten the vaccine--probably should have--but was just lazy about it.

I do think its worrisome though that the reasoning of so many people in long-term relationships where the partners have not been with anyone else or that one's partner has been tested for STDs and is negative is that there is no risk of HPV. There is never *no* risk. Even people who abstain from sex their whole lives are sometimes sexually assaulted. And more importantly spouses and significant others do cheat sometimes. And marriages/long-time partnerships do break up and spouses do die and people who thought they'd only ever have one sex partner in their life go on to have more than one after these events. (And by the time those things happen, most women would be way outside of the age window so getting the vaccine then is not possible.) If I recall correctly, ex-DIS member JennyinRI told the story many times of how she contracted HIV from her husband at the time. It does happen to people who thought they had no risk.

So I'm not saying the right choice is to get the vaccine. Just that in weighing the options you have to consider that there is some risk to almost all women no matter how unlikely they may think it is and how much we trust our partners.

I see your point, but I have worked for an OBGYM for 10 years and I remember asking one of the Docs (and this was way before the vaccine came out) why these young girls were getting HPV. WEll lets just say that I won't repeat his answer because it may offend some people. But needless to say my daughter won't be getting the vaccine.

 

[mhsjax]

Also, I would hate to think that I caused a potential problem for my daughter by insisting that she get this vaccine. If she makes poor choices then she has to live with them, But I would never forgive myself for my daughter having potential problems from something that I forced her to do, when we really don't know the long term outcome. And also this vaccine only protects you from very few of the HPV strains. Big price to make someone else pay, at least in my book. But to each his own.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I see your point, but I have worked for an OBGYM for 10 years and I remember asking one of the Docs (and this was way before the vaccine came out) why these young girls were getting HPV. WEll lets just say that I won't repeat his answer because it may offend some people. But needless to say my daughter won't be getting the vaccine.

I'm confused. What could the Gyno possibly say other than they're having sex? And do you think that by not getting your daughter vaccinated, she won't have sex? I'm not questioning your decision, I'm just confused what one has to do with the other.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

I see your point, but I have worked for an OBGYM for 10 years and I remember asking one of the Docs (and this was way before the vaccine came out) why these young girls were getting HPV. WEll lets just say that I won't repeat his answer because it may offend some people. But needless to say my daughter won't be getting the vaccine.

I'm curious too. I'm assuming the answer was rubbing, touching, oral, etc... These are all things our "kids" will be doing at some time or another - and you'd be surprised how early they start - even some of the more "innocent" stuff can spread HPV.

Again, it's up to each family what they feel is right. But from my experience and for my family, we will vaccinate.

 

[CF'er]

I just had my 11yo DD at the pedi today for her annual exam and vaccines for 6th grade. We discussed this and got the info for later down the road. Our pedi doesn't recommend it until 14-16yo typically. I'm sure if she thought there was a "need" she would. (On an individual basis.) I totally agree with her and trust her. I will be getting DD this vaccine.

I too had HPV and a cone biopsy and had to have my cervix sewn closed when I was preg. I don't want this for her. If there are more neg things to come out in the future then I can always revisit. Until then.... she's on the list.

 

[Cindyluwho]

A couple of things about this thread that I find perplexing and amusing.

1. People are wayyyy more worked up about the vaccine than they are about anti-lice shampoos. In other words, they are perfectly willing to put poison on their child's head, risking long term disability and sometimes death. But they are worried about a vaccine for their child that may save that child's life?

2. And seriously, the only person you can be positive is faithful is yourself. You cannot know with 100% certainty that your spouse, christian boyfriend, etc is faithful. You can only know that you are faithful. How many wives and girlfreinds have we seen just on the Dis that have been shocked to learn that their partner is having an affair??

For me, taking out the emotional response to the vaccine and looking only at the rational - it was the right thing to do for my DD.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

With all due respect, I am not making an emotional decision. I am making an informed decision and my children will not be receiving this vaccine. It is not the only one that I have declined.