Gardasil

[Feralpeg]

My DD had the series of shots and had not problems at all. I felt very comfortable having her vaccinated.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Another thing to consider is that we really have no idea if this will effect the future fertility of these women. There is simply not enough research out there yet. JMHO.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm skipping it for my dd but she's only 11. There isn't enough research for me to be completely comfortable with it, and what I have read makes me feel even more uneasy about it. Luckily we have the option of waiting a few more years.
OP, I'm not sure what I would do in your situation.

 

[acejka]

I won't take it. Not until I see long term effects...

My gyn said its not necessary for me anyway, I'm about to turn 25 and have been in a relationship with the same man for 5 years now and I am married to him.

She did say that she would highly reccommend it if I were younger and was dating because she said there is a much higher chance of exposure.

Just my opinion on it.

 

[swald91]

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.

 

[robinb]

I lost a big chunk of my cervix from HPV and I was on bed rest during the pregnancy of my DD from week 21 to 36 because they thought that what cervix I had left would fail and the baby would literally fall out. I thought I was in a committed relationship when I got HPV but I guess I was wrong. My DD will have the Gardasil vaccine when she is 11 at my ped's recommendation. If I were you, I wouldn't take the chance of being in the same predicament.

 

[SC Minnie]

Another thing to consider is that we really have no idea if this will effect the future fertility of these women. There is simply not enough research out there yet. JMHO.

That's why I am choosing to opt out of it for DD14 right now. If she decides to get it on her own as an adult- over 18- then it's her choice. I would never be able to forgive myself if I made the decision to give her this vaccine and it came out that it caused fertility issues or birth defects 10-20 years later.

I agree, for me, its hasn't been tested enough and the long term effects aren't known.

 

[jrmasm]

She is now having the Gardasil vaccine and is having no issues with it.

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

 

[crz4mm2]

I don't mean to sound like a moron, but WTH is this business about a "window"? How can you ever be too OLD for this shot? If you're 30, a virgin and don't have HPV, wouldn't you be a candidate? Because in theory, wouldn't the shot still protect you and therefore, still be useful?

I don't have it, always test clear, so let's say DH passed away and I wanted to date again. If this vaccine protects you, wouldn't someone like me find value in it, according to what they say it does?

I'm not a confirmed believer in the vaccine yet. I just don't get the logic that there is some magic cutoff age at which the vaccine is no longer useful. Seems to me if you don't have HPV, the "window" is still open.

Can someone explain?

Right now, it is only approved up to age 26 and not approved for males.

 

[crz4mm2]

I lost a big chunk of my cervix from HPV and I was on bed rest during the pregnancy of my DD from week 21 to 36 because they thought that what cervix I had left would fail and the baby would literally fall out. I thought I was in a committed relationship when I got HPV but I guess I was wrong. My DD will have the Gardasil vaccine when she is 11 at my ped's recommendation. If I were you, I wouldn't take the chance of being in the same predicament.

 

[MinnieMe87]

I lost a big chunk of my cervix from HPV and I was on bed rest during the pregnancy of my DD from week 21 to 36 because they thought that what cervix I had left would fail and the baby would literally fall out. I thought I was in a committed relationship when I got HPV but I guess I was wrong. My DD will have the Gardasil vaccine when she is 11 at my ped's recommendation. If I were you, I wouldn't take the chance of being in the same predicament.

That must have been very scary for you, I'm glad your daughter made it safe and sound and that you are okay as well. Stories like yours make me very thankful I got the series of shots!

 

[tmq2766]

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

 

[robinb]

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.

 

[clgwli]

To the poster who said that HPV does not have an effect on males I suggest you do some research. You may find that HPV can rarely cause certain cancers for males as well as genetal warts.

Not all strains of HPV are covered by this vaccination and that bothers me. People seem to think they can be immune once they get the vaccine.

I lost a loved one to cervical cancer and I am still not a fan of this vaccine. I am actually quite disturbed with how much this vaccine is pushed compared to other ones for teens.

 

[Pigeon]

We aren't getting it for our daughters because it hasn't been around long enough for me to feel comfortable with it.

 

[rie'smom]

Not enough I known about the side effects for me to risk the vaccine for my daughter.
The fact that Merck makes it does not help. Remember they deliberately hid Vioxx heart attack risks.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

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.

 

[Nette]

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.

I've also had HPV (when I was 21) with LEEP procedures that didn't get everything and had to have HCL treatments on my cervix. I've also had Guillain-Barre. As scary as the HPV was, and the thought of having cancer, I'd rather go through that than have GB again. Apparently the risk of Guillain-Barre is higher with Gardasil than with other vaccinations.

Multiple OB/GYNs have told me that if you have regular pap smears, then they will most likely catch the dysplasia early and be able to treat it. I've also read that in something like 90% of women who have an abnormal pap, that the dysplasia will clear itself up. That was the case with my mother. She had an abnormal smear, and the doctor wanted to wait 6 months to see if it would clear on it's own. It did, and he kept up the more frequent pap smears for a couple of years just to make sure it stayed away.

I don't think that Gardasil is worth the risks (and who knows what the long term effects are?). My daughter will begin having regular pap smears when she is a teen, and I will share all of my experiences with her. If she chooses to get the vaccine after she turns 18, then that is her decision, but for now, there isn't a chance in he-double hockey-sticks I would get her that shot.

ETA: I'm not anti-vaccine at all. My DD is totally up to date on all of her vaccines (even the varicella which I think is just dumb for young kids).

 

[tazdev3225]

My DD found out she had HPV 2 months before she was to lose her medical coverage under my DH's plan. Thankfully she was eligible for COBRA coverage. She had to have 2 paps, a conal biopsy and then the LEEP procedure. Her boyfriend was devastated that he gave this to her. After all the procedures she was told there was a risk that she would never get pregnant and if she did she would be at high risk for miscarraige. She did get pregnant and had to have an ultrasound every other week to monitor the integrity of her cervix and see the dr on the opposite weeks for the entire pregnancy. This will most likely be the case for any other pregnancy also. Thankfully she carried to 38 weeks and has an adorable and healthy DS now. She is also at an increased risk for cervical cancer for the rest of her life. I will never tell anyone else what to do with their body or their child's but I will strongly urge my DGD to get this when she is older. You can't be with your children 24 hours a day and they do things that you least expect of them.

 

[Rora]

My very pushy gyno has been pressuring me to get this vaccine since it came out. I have refused. I am not a fan of vaccinations, especially this one.

IMO, it hasn't been out long enough. My normal doctor told me that he told all of his patients to wait a few more years before they get it incase new information is discovered about the side effects, benefits, etc.

On a more personal level, I have chosen not to get the vaccine because I have been dating/engaged to the same man for 9 years. Neither of us were sexually active before we were with each other and we have never had sex with anyone but each other. Because of this, there's no need to get vaccinated, IMO. Yes, some may say that "Who knows, maybe you and your DFiance will break up and then you meet someone else...". Okay, maybe, but I highly doubt it.

EDIT: just want to also throw in there that the vaccine doesn't prevent all strains of the HPV virus, so you would still be at risk for HPV regardless of being vaccinated or not.
OP, do what your gut is telling you.