My Mother had SEVERE reaction to H1N1!!!

[Nette]

So report it yourself! www.vaers.hhs.gov, or call 800-822-7967.



OP, I started googling to find the manufacturer's ingredient pages. Interestingly, CSL is an Australian company, and while I couldn't find the info on their site, I looked around for someone who had listed the ingredients.


Each 0.5mls contains

* Sub units of A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) v-like virus

* 15ug haemagglutinin

* 0.01%w/v Thiomersal [in the US = thimerosal]

* Sodium Chloride 4.1mg

* Sodium phosphate – dibasic anhydrous 0.3mg

* Sodium phosphate- monobasic 80ug

* Potassium chloride 20 ug

* Potassium phosphate – monobasic 20 ug

* Calcium chloride 1.5ug

* Taurodeoxycholate ≤ 5ug (Bile salt-related, anionic detergent) (can give red eyes, blurred vision etc)

* Ovalbumin ≤ 1.0ug

* Sucrose <10ug>

* Polymyxin B sulfate ≤0.11ng – check for allergies to this antibiotic

* Beta-propiolactone ≤1.4ng



So there's a sulfate in there, and this is the one based on egg protein (ovalbumin).


Novartis *says* they don't use egg, so the doctor shouldn't have been worried about egg allergies. But I found from the Novartis insert PDF that they use neomycin and polymyxin, both antibiotics, and polymyxin keeps being combined with that "B sulfate" ending....



I found this paragraph:

"There is much confusion regarding allergy to sulfa-containing drugs, sulfite as a preservative agent in foods and medications, sulfate salts of medications and the chemical element sulfur. Many of my patients assume that if they are allergic to one of these agents, then they are allergic to all of them. This is not necessarily true."


Now...I'm not interested in pulling out my organic chem books, but "not necessarily true" means that *sometimes* it could be true. So I'd think about that being a possibility, that the sulfa drug allergy has gone to the sulfate in the antibiotic (weird) used in the processes, or actually on the ingredient lists.



I gotta tell ya...searching for those ingredient lists was NOT easy! I've been amassing ingredient lists of vaccines for a couple years, and generally it's pretty easy. Seems that they're hiding them on their websites and even PDFs too...I don't like that. I'm not one to inject myself with bacteria and virii, whether dead, live, or attenuated, but I'm REALLY not into not knowing what ELSE is in the vial. And the difficulty in finding ingredient lists is really peeving me.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like they are "hiding" information about ingredients and the (minuscule) studies that have been done (or not done). I'm disgusted that they keep telling pregnant women to get the vaccine, but every single insert (see FDA website) for flu shot says that flu shots are Category C drugs for pregnant women. (For those unfamiliar with this rating, that means they have no idea what the effect on the fetus might be, enough studies have not been completed.)

I won't ever get another flu shot (of any kind) after suffering from a GBS variant after a 2004 flu shot, but it never would have occurred to me to look for antibiotics (sulfa or otherwise) in a vaccine. Now I have to be extra careful to check ingredients for those vaccines that I will let my daughter have, too. Both she and I have allergies to both Sulfa and penicillin.

OP, I'm so sorry about your mom, and I hope she's feeling a good deal better by now.

 

[C.Ann]

but it never would have occurred to me to look for antibiotics (sulfa or otherwise) in a vaccine. Now I have to be extra careful to check ingredients for those vaccines that I will let my daughter have, too. Both she and I have allergies to both Sulfa and penicillin..

Well as much as I need and want that vaccine, if there are none available without sulfa or anything in the penicillin family, I guess that means I won't be able to get it after all.. I'm allergic to both..

Shouldn't cause too much of a problem though as my DD, her DH, and my DGD will all be receiving it as soon as they can locate it - as will everyone else that comes into their home - so that should cut down on my chances of catching this virus.. Once I move back to their house for the winter, I very, very rarely leave the house to go anywhere - even do my Christmas shopping online..

 

[wdwfan16]

Well as much as I need and want that vaccine, if there are none available without sulfa or anything in the penicillin family, I guess that means I won't be able to get it after all.. I'm allergic to both..

Shouldn't cause too much of a problem though as my DD, her DH, and my DGD will all be receiving it as soon as they can locate it - as will everyone else that comes into their home - so that should cut down on my chances of catching this virus.. Once I move back to their house for the winter, I very, very rarely leave the house to go anywhere - even do my Christmas shopping online..

Did you ever see the Simpson's episode where he orders a package from China or Japan (I forget which) and the person sneezed into the box and the sealed it. Homer gets infected when he opens the box. I happens all the time!

 

[C.Ann]

Did you ever see the Simpson's episode where he orders a package from China or Japan (I forget which) and the person sneezed into the box and the sealed it. Homer gets infected when he opens the box. I happens all the time!

Thanks for the tip! I'll let the "vaccinated" folks open the packages..

 

[shortbun]

my friend who's a pediatrician actually whispered to me, lol, that she is not getting the H1N1 vaccine. She says it's just gotten too many weird reactions. I asked her about all those reactions being isolated-like the OP's mother being the only one in NJ. She said,'it's too new.'

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Thank you everyone for your kind words.

My mom did have a tough weekend, she was worried that she actually had gotten the H1N1, her entire body ached had a slight fever but only on Saturday and felt like she had the flu. She took it easy ( I made her haha )

Most of the Dr.'s at my mother's office are also not getting the shot because (prior to my mother's reaction) they said that there has not been enough trials to see what side effects could happen to all patients.

I am for vaccinations BUT I want them to be tested so that you have more information.

 

[KAMLEM]

I am incredibly frustrated by the glut of information, some of it obviously biased, available on the internet. Between the fear-mongering, attention-getting reports by the media (SHAME on them) and the contradictory information from one internet article to another, who the heck knows what to trust anymore?

I totally agree. People have access to so much information on the internet and I'm not sure it's always a good thing. I was just reading an article about how there are so many more hypochondriacs now because people look up every little symptom on the internet and turn it into something it's not. They even question their doctors because they hear something they didn't expect to hear based on their internet research. I have even seen it here on the DIS. People need to be informed, but they need to be careful about what they do with that information.

 

[sbell111]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like they are "hiding" information about ingredients and the (minuscule) studies that have been done (or not done).

By now, you've probably read down just a few more posts and found a link to the CDC's website where it lists the ingredients in all the vaccines. The information is not being hidden. It simply hadn't yet been located by the earlier poster.

I'm disgusted that they keep telling pregnant women to get the vaccine, but every single insert (see FDA website) for flu shot says that flu shots are Category C drugs for pregnant women. (For those unfamiliar with this rating, that means they have no idea what the effect on the fetus might be, enough studies have not been completed.)

Of course they haven't been completed. Drug studies are not performed on pregnant women. Heck, if pregnant women were to volunteer for these studies, many would argue to have their children taken away immediately after birth.

I won't ever get another flu shot (of any kind) after suffering from a GBS variant after a 2004 flu shot, but it never would have occurred to me to look for antibiotics (sulfa or otherwise) in a vaccine. Now I have to be extra careful to check ingredients for those vaccines that I will let my daughter have, too. Both she and I have allergies to both Sulfa and penicillin.

This is something that your doctor should be checking for. I'm somewhat shocked that the OP's mom's doctor failed to do so.

my friend who's a pediatrician actually whispered to me, lol, that she is not getting the H1N1 vaccine. She says it's just gotten too many weird reactions. I asked her about all those reactions being isolated-like the OP's mother being the only one in NJ. She said,'it's too new.'

Wow. My child would never again be seen by that doctor. If she had done the most basic research, she would have discovered that it was just as 'new' as every other flu vaccine EVER given.

Most of the Dr.'s at my mother's office are also not getting the shot because (prior to my mother's reaction) they said that there has not been enough trials to see what side effects could happen to all patients.

I am for vaccinations BUT I want them to be tested so that you have more information.

Again, these would be doctors that never treated me again. Had they looked into the issue prior to opening their mouths, they would have discovered that the H1N1 vaccine was put through the same trials as the regular seasonal flu vaccine.

It troubles me that so many medical professionals appear to be getting their medical knowledge from internet blogs and sensationalistic news stories, rather than reputable sources.

 

[ma2jr]

I'm so sorry this happened... sending your mom get well soon wishes.

 

[justhat]

By now, you've probably read down just a few more posts and found a link to the CDC's website where it lists the ingredients in all the vaccines. The information is not being hidden. It simply hadn't yet been located by the earlier poster.


Of course they haven't been completed. Drug studies are not performed on pregnant women. Heck, if pregnant women were to volunteer for these studies, many would argue to have their children taken away immediately after birth.

This is something that your doctor should be checking for. I'm somewhat shocked that the OP's mom's doctor failed to do so.

Wow. My child would never again be seen by that doctor. If she had done the most basic research, she would have discovered that it was just as 'new' as every other flu vaccine EVER given.

Again, these would be doctors that never treated me again. Had they looked into the issue prior to opening their mouths, they would have discovered that the H1N1 vaccine was put through the same trials as the regular seasonal flu vaccine.

It troubles me that so many medical professionals appear to be getting their medical knowledge from internet blogs and sensationalistic news stories, rather than reputable sources.

to this entire post! I am so glad that where I live all medical professionals I encounter (which is a lot, between the pediatrician's office, OB's office, and hospitals my husband works at) are informed and knowledgable enough on this vaccine (and others) to give educated advice, and not spew false fears around.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

So only those medical professionals who favor the vaccine are informed and knowledgeable?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

BTW, Mickeyistheman, I'm glad your mother is feeling better.

 

[sbell111]

So only those medical professionals who favor the vaccine are informed and knowledgeable?

No, but those who give advise about the flu that is obviously based on easily disproven internet gossip are clearly neither informed nor knowledgeable.

(All GSDs are dogs. All dogs are not GSDs.)

 

[Jenvenza]

OP - How scary for you and your mom! I am glas she is okay now!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

No, but those who give advise about the flu that is obviously based on easily disproven internet gossip are clearly neither informed nor knowledgeable.

The pediatrician, based on her knowledge and experience, doesn't feel comfortable with it. How can one assume she's not done research and that her decision is fueled by internet gossip?

my friend who's a pediatrician actually whispered to me...that she is not getting the H1N1 vaccine. She says it's just gotten too many weird reactions. I asked her about all those reactions being isolated-like the OP's mother being the only one in NJ. She said, 'it's too new.'

 

[3boymthr]

My youngest got the H1N1 last week. In addition to eggs they gave us a list of 6 drug families (sulfa drugs and a few others were on the list) that if you were allergic to them you couldn't have the shot. My kid's aren't allergic but My DH can't have it because he's deathly allergic to Erithromycin (he bleeds internally) and that family was on the list.

 

[Shoshana]

OP - I'm glad your mother is feeling better.

I had my flu shot last thursday because I'm in the high risk group (serious asthma). I am allergic to five different classes of antibiotics including sulfa drugs. The screening nurse asked what type of reaction I had, I said, "hives." I had the shot with absolutely no reaction whatsoever. My daughter had the nasal mist and she had no reaction either (she does not have allergies or asthma).

I'm just thrilled that we both we able to receive the vaccine!

 

[Va-bear]

Or the thread about the DISer who died from H1N1. I am sure here family wished she had the vaccine with all it short comings. She did have asthma, so that did make it worse.

I did not know here, not here that long, but I feel bad for her family.

I missed that thread - do you have the link? I am so sorry to hear this.

As others have said, all vaccines involve a risk, so does eating seafood. I will take my chances w/ the vaccine, based on my personal research...it's something we all have to decide for ourselves.

OP, I hope you mom is doing better - sounds awful.

 

[wdwfan16]

I missed that thread - do you have the link? I am so sorry to hear this.

As others have said, all vaccines involve a risk, so does eating seafood. I will take my chances w/ the vaccine, based on my personal research...it's something we all have to decide for ourselves.

OP, I hope you mom is doing better - sounds awful.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2335573

 

[JessicaR]

OP - I'm glad your mother is feeling better.

I had my flu shot last thursday because I'm in the high risk group (serious asthma). I am allergic to five different classes of antibiotics including sulfa drugs. The screening nurse asked what type of reaction I had, I said, "hives." I had the shot with absolutely no reaction whatsoever. My daughter had the nasal mist and she had no reaction either (she does not have allergies or asthma).

I'm just thrilled that we both we able to receive the vaccine!

My son is also allergic to many antibiotic drug classes. He had an anaphylactic reaction to a Sulfa drug. He received the H1N1 vaccine weeks ago with no adverse reactions.

Just curious but have you ever had Serum Sickness? Glad you got the shot and it was uneventful!

OP - I hope your Mom continues to feel better! Allergic reactions can last for days and the medications to reverse the reaction can make you feel really crappy for a while.