Offer of swine flu jab

[Saturn]

Hi peeps

I'm new to the site but I have found other peoples threads very informative. I'm 7 weeks pregnant after 2 years of trying!!! So I'm really excited. I've received a letter today from my doctors offering a swine flu jab and can't make my mind up whether I should have it or not. I've googled it and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there whether it is 100% safe or not. After two years of trying I don't want anything to go wrong. Has anyone else received a letter and thinking about having the jab?
Thank you!

 

[Cheryl xx]

I'm not having it hun. I'm classed as at risk because of a surpressed immune system. There isn't really any real evidence one way or the other i don't think, because the vaccine was only created fairly recent and so there won't be any studies to back anything up.
I have chosen not to have it because i just don't want to risk it. If your concerned about not being vaccinated, ask your GP or MW about it, perhaps they have some information on it xx

 

[Gemie]

LOL I posted the same thread just a few hours ago.

Wleocme to BnB

 

[lisaf]

I wonder if it matters which country you are in?
I know they bullied my friend into having it. There isn't much evidence if it is safe or not (and hard to prove if it causes any issues as so many thing can happen even without the vaccine).
However, the nurse who bullied my friend was snapping at her and telling her how she just came from dealing with a woman who is losing her baby because she got the swine flu and hadn't been vaccinated. Scared my friend into getting the vaccine and everything is fine with her and the baby (due in less than a week!!)

I'll probably be getting it since I'll be pregnant through prime flu season. Being pregnant lowers your immune system so even though I rarely get sick, I'm sure to want the protection since the flu CAN harm your baby and there's no proof the vaccine hurts anything!

Good question by the way!!! I was going to ask this myself soon!!
And welcome to BnB!

 

[Gemie]

I've just heard about the horrific things they put into the vaccine like foetus cells and animal cells kinda grosses me out

 

[Tigerlilies]

I didn't even know they had a swine flu vaccine? I know here in the States the push for H1N1 vaccine was huge, in fact I work in the health care system and they threatened us if you didn't get it, PG or not, and didn't wear a mask at work, you'd be terminated and then the H1N1 didn't even amount to half of what they predicted as a pandemic! Now I never get the flu vaccine, but I wasn't going to wear a mask at work and I wasn't PG so I did it.

Now I would just look at what your risk factors are. Where do you work (do you come in contact with a lot of ppl), do you ride public transportation, was the swine flu a huge deal in your area?

Now that I am PG, I really don't know what I'll do this season, I'm really not a fan of it, I never get sick, some ppl have gotten sick due to the vaccination, plus work might threaten us again, who knows. I guess we'll see.

If you think you do want it, but are hesitant, maybe see about getting it once you're in the 2nd trimester and already past this hurdle of PG.

 

[lisaf]

I've just heard about the horrific things they put into the vaccine like foetus cells and animal cells kinda grosses me out

Lol... I don't know that its true.. .the amount of BS out there against vaccines is crazy and most of it is ludicrous.

Did you knwo that one of the reasons there have been shortages on flu vaccines is because people were so afraid of one of the ingredients they used that they had to use an alternative ingredient that there just isn't enough readily available of?
People died because they couldn't get the vaccine in their areas.

And the fears about that ingredient were not scientifically founded...
kind of makes me mad... sorry, lol.

 

[lisaf]

I didn't even know they had a swine flu vaccine? I know here in the States the push for H1N1 vaccine was huge, in fact I work in the health care system and they threatened us if you didn't get it, PG or not, and didn't wear a mask at work, you'd be terminated and then the H1N1 didn't even amount to half of what they predicted as a pandemic! Now I never get the flu vaccine, but I wasn't going to wear a mask at work and I wasn't PG so I did it.

H1N1 is the swine flu

 

[Gemie]

Hmm well I dunno... I have a friend who's daughter died from childhood cancer and she swears it was from vaccines... I've read so much about the nasties that go into it. I really have no idea what to do

 

[lisaf]

But where is the proof that these 'nasties' are bad for you? I know some of the stuff they USED to put in some vaccines were known to cause problems... but only if you took 1,000X the amount as was in the vaccine!

And lots of people think vaccines do all kinds of things that there is no proof of! And I know someone who actually DID have a known reaction to a vaccine and got a huge settlement etc (she has crippling arthritis now as a result of one of the Hepatitis vaccines).

 

[aragornlover8]

Hmm well I dunno... I have a friend who's daughter died from childhood cancer and she swears it was from vaccines... I've read so much about the nasties that go into it. I really have no idea what to do

You hear a lot of anecdotal "evidence" from people claiming that vaccinations cause everything from cancer to autism. The problem is that the medical evidence behind these claims is less than substantial. There are some risks to vaccinations but they are slim; the benefits of the vaccinations often outweigh the risks. For instance, there are people who cannot get vaccinations because of certain immune disorders. Vaccinating yourself is a way of helping ensure that they too are better protected from diseases like rubella. These diseases often pose a higher threat to this portion of the population because of the immune disorder that prevents them from getting the vaccination in the first place.

Edit - That being said, no one should be "bullied" into getting a vaccination either. But everyone should inform themselves as much as possible on the benefits and risks associated with each vaccine.

That's just my opinion anyhow.

 

[KandyKinz]

I was forced into getting the H1N1 vaccine last fall... My university sent everyone in my program a letter stating that we had to receive the immunization or we would be forced to withdraw from the program... I wasn't impressed but since we worked so closely with pregnant women it made sense.....

Anways in regards to H1N1 immunization studies in pregnant women... they're very limited. The primary one they base their recommendations on demonstrated that the immunization does not increase the risk of miscarriage or preterm birth.... Which is good..... But because it is a new vaccine there is no research on any potential long term risks (eg what's gonna happen to the babies 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now.....) nor have they looked at whether the timing of the immunization has any influence on long term effects. The unknown can be a scary thing.....

Also, there is mercury in the vaccine.... but it's the "good" mercury which makes it safe


Still, H1N1 in pregnancy is a scary thing... the virus really doesn't have any negative effects on the baby but it can have devastating effects to the mom. In pregnancy, your immune system is lowered drastically making you far more susceptible at not only catching the virus but becoming very very ill with it.... Like intensive care unit on a ventilator because you cannot breathe on your own ill.... Last winter a friend of mine had a client who developed H1N1 later in her pregnancy... The baby had to be delivered by c-section and the mother died from complications from the virus about a week later...

Edit: I just wanted to add cause when I reread it made it sound the H1N1 doesn't effect the baby... cause it does but indirectly.... If the mom is really sick and is having a difficult time breathing... then obviously the baby will be deprived of oxygen.... In mild cases this can result in things like growth restriction.... in more severe cases brain damage or death could occur.....

 

[Gemie]

Ergh... well it sounds like we're stuck between a rock and a heard place then

Damned if we do, damned if we don't

 

[KandyKinz]

Ergh... well it sounds like we're stuck between a rock and a heard place then

Damned if we do, damned if we don't

I couldn't agree with you more.....

 

[lisaf]

Thanks for all the wonderful information. It's super helpful!!! I guess I don't worry about the effects in 5,10,15 years etc because the risk is now andin 10 years there will be a new virus with an untested vaccine. I've already had to weigh the risks of taking my medication which I need to stay awake enough to work and drive. There is no evidence that it's safe other than a handful of women who took some kind of dose at some point in their pregnancy and all had healthy babies (7 women). There are a few posts online from women who took it and had healthy babies.
Do I know it's safe? Nope. Do I have any proof it's not? Nope. Just have to take that chance

 

[Sophist]

This is one vaccine I do opt out of. I don't feel it's very well studied (in anyone, not just pregnant women), and a lot of the "studies" on it, are really just extrapolated from studies on other flu shots rather than studying it directly because they were in such a hurry to get a vaccine on the market. We ended up having the swine flu last spring and we were all fine. It was less severe than most regular strains we've had in the past. The risk of complications or death from Influenza is much higher than from H1N1.

 

[babysimpson]

I didn't get it done but I had suspected swine flu and was given an inhaler to take rather than the other tablets they were giving out. The inhaler I was told by the GP to be safer but no conclusive studies were done to prove 100%.

 

[Saturn]

Hi Peeps
Thank you so very much for all your comments, however, I'm still not sure what I'll do, like Gemie said we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Good idea by dietrad to wait until the 2nd trimester? Once I get my first appointment with the MW through I'll ask her my already growing list of questions! If I get any more info I'll post it all.
Thanks again - stay happy x

 

[lottie77]

Hi I got the vaccine when I was 6 weeks pregnant as did my neighbour and my sister in law when they fell pregnant.Where I live there were 3 deaths of pregnant mothers in our maternity hospital in the space of about 3 months so that factor made our minds up for us as we all fell pregnant as it was all going on , It is a personal choice and the positives and negatives have to be added up and then a choice made

 

[Gemie]

But where is the proof that these 'nasties' are bad for you? I know some of the stuff they USED to put in some vaccines were known to cause problems... but only if you took 1,000X the amount as was in the vaccine!

And lots of people think vaccines do all kinds of things that there is no proof of! And I know someone who actually DID have a known reaction to a vaccine and got a huge settlement etc (she has crippling arthritis now as a result of one of the Hepatitis vaccines).

Whether they're 'bad for you' or not... I wouldn't want some of things I've heard about in my body. Personal choice really. x