Swine Flu Vaccine - Pandemrix or Celvapan Jab - yes or no?

[Luuluu]

I wondered if you are going to have it - yes or no?
Also, after researching there are 2 types here in UK: Pandemrix or Celvapan. If you read this article, you'll see why I am debating which one:

https://https://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Swine-Flu-Vaccine-Controversy-Concern-Over-Use-Of-Pandremix-By-Pregnant-Mothers/Article/200910215405950?f=rss

Any thoughts?

UPDATE:
I saw the Doc today and spoke at length about having the vaccine. I started by asking him to tell me what you would advise if I was his pregnant wife! He said he would advise me TO have it. He said it was because 6 pregnant women have all died from the swine flu who were otherwise healthy.

I aired my concerns about the Pandemrix and that it contains Mercury and he said that if he was a pregnant lady, he wouldn't be concerned about that as the amount is so minimal, but he would be more concerned about the element in the vaccine that can cause the nervous system to attack itself ultimately resulting in paralysis. He said that the research of this particular element (originally used 30 years ago in vaccines) suggests that the paralysis eventually MAY go away, but he wouldn't want that risk if he was to take the vaccine.

He then told me that my surgery has 1000 people as "priority" BUT they will only be getting 200 vaccines in from the NHS. I may not even be in the top 200!!

Lastly, he smiled and said that if it was him, he might wait 6 months or so until the vaccine has been administered to hundreds of pregnant women to see what side effects might show up. He then finished by telling me that his wife is actually pregnant and that she knows of nobody who is having the vaccine and has decided herself NOT to have it and is going against his advice!

So my decision is made...I am NOT going to have it.

Fingers crossed I am not going to catch it now!!!!!

 

[Luuluu]

I've just read some interesting facts about the swine flu:

Pregnant women have a supressed immune system which means they're more likely to catch Swine Flu. The reason it's supressed is to stop the body attacking the pregnancy and expelling if it as if it were a bug! Crazy, but it makes sense.

If, like me, you have asthma, when the baby gets bigger, your lungs are squeezed up and because you're already short of breath with asthma, swine flu attacking your lungs puts you at risk of pneumonia.
They've reported 6 women here in England who died during pregnancy, 2 in Scotland and 4 in Wales.

All this totally has scared me to death!

I am going to have the jab - definitely.

My worry is that the Pandemrix contains adjuvants (booster materials to enhance the 'ingredients' used in the vaccine) which hasn't been tested (obviously!) on pregnant women. So if the body naturally has a supressed immune system, might the adjuvants boost the immune system to the point of trying to expel the baby?

Has anyone had the jab?

Hope this all makes sense and sorry if I've scared you. I found this website REALLY detailed and HELPFUL about the vaccines:
https://https://www.mhra.gov.uk/Safetyinformation/Swinefluinformation/index.htm

xxx

 

[Luuluu]

Has anyone read the Daily Mail today? There's a massive article in there.

I am not sure now whether to have it or not now

Are you going to have it?

 

[Justusmakes3]

Personally I'm NOT getting it. The vaccine from what I have been reading can be more harmful to the baby then just getting it naturally. My thoughts are though it can be risky to get any flu while pregnant, I just started take probiotics (immune builder). Haven't had any problems yet! (knock on wood)

 

[Mervs Mum]

Dont listen to the Daily bloody Mail! Of ALL the papers they are the KINGS of scaremongering and negativity.....

Depending on when it's available I may or may not have it. I work part time, in a secondary school so I only have about 27 days left in work. My GP surgery arent expecting the vaccine till the end of November then they will contact people. It could be mid December before I can have it and I finish for Xmas on the 16th then I have 6 days till mat leave. If that's the case I'll take my chances and stay home. If they said to me I could have it next week then I'd take it, preferably Celvapan.

 

[littledemonme]

Hi, different perspective.
Up until Tuesday I would have said definitely no, thalidomide was my generation and taking anything is a no no. I asked my midwifew at booking appointment and she said she won't take it and wouldn't recommend it.
HOWEVER, I read a very intersesting and balanced article in the somewhat less hysterical guardian. To sum it up it basically recommended that if you have no contact with Joe Public then no don't take it, but if you do - I teach 4 year olds who like to share (!) then definitely do take it.
My other half has been having dreams that the baby and I die and I know he really wants me to take it, my dad is a gp and says there is almost NO chance it can affect the baby and it was just a really unbiased article that made me think twice. Better to suffer a bad cold than the other consequences.
So I'm in the yes camp now - look for the article - Tuesday Guardian supplement.

 

[Luuluu]

my dad is a gp and says there is almost NO chance it can affect the baby and it was just a really unbiased article that made me think twice. Better to suffer a bad cold than the other consequences.
So I'm in the yes camp now - look for the article - Tuesday Guardian supplement.

That's really interesting. Does your Dad recommend the Pandemrix or the Celvapan?

xxx

 

[Justusmakes3]

almost NO chance it can affect the babyQUOTE]

ALMOST NO CHANCE!!!!!! to me that is still a chance idc how low. not to mention, that live vaccines have been proven to cause Autism.... I'm just not willing to do something to harm my child's future.

 

[littledemonme]

I don't know I'll ask Lulu.

 

[cspraggon]

Live vaccines have not been shown to cause autism. One scientist published this discredited work based on insubstantial data. Many previous and subsequent studies provide no evidence to back up this example of poor science.

As for the vaccine, both are dead rather than live, so this shouldn't be an issue.
The major difference is the adjuvant (booster) in Pandemrix which isn't present in Celvapan. The components of the adjuvant are used in other vaccines so should theoretically be safe, but not suprisingly vaccines aren't tested on pregnant women, the safety information all comes from information about side effects once the vaccine is out. Neither vaccine has been out for long enough to get sufficient safety data for me to make a decision easily. But it looks like the NHS are going with Pandemrix so there may only be a yes/no choice rather than being able to pick and choose which vaccine.

I'm 27 weeks, don't work with children and could work from home if people started coming down with it....but I still think I'll have the vaccine (although I would prefer Celvapan if I had the choice).

It's a tricky one....

 

[SmileyShazza]

My husband and I have just been discussing this and personally I think I will not accept it. Not enough research has been done on pregnant women, some reports say there has been no research done with them.

There are various reports coming out of other countries who have started vaccinating people and there have been a number of prople reporting serious side effects including a person who apparently has been paralyzed after getting the vaccine.

https://www.theflucase.com/index.php?opt ... 64&lang=en

https://www.kvp.se/halsa/1.1750592/de-bl ... v-vaccinet

I am going to make sure I am getting all the nutrients / vitamins etc I need and make sure I exercise scrupulous cleanliness with hand washing etc. Hand sanitizer is going to be my best friend over the next few months.

I don't trust this vaccine it all seems to be very rushed and I am worried about what effects it could have on me and/or my unborn baby.

 

[JessiHD]

almost NO chance it can affect the babyQUOTE]

ALMOST NO CHANCE!!!!!! to me that is still a chance idc how low. not to mention, that live vaccines have been proven to cause Autism.... I'm just not willing to do something to harm my child's future.

Which live vaccines cause Autism? Autism is genetic not caused by vaccines.

 

[JessiHD]

I will have Celvapan if they offer it and only in the third tri, otherwise I'll try and do without any vaccine.

 

[mummypeanut]

Personally YES.

Both forms of vaccine are now approved by the WHO.

As i said in a different thread the technology is exactly the same as the seasonal flu vaccine which i had today.

The seasonal flu vaccine is NEVER tested on pregnant women before it is adminstered due to the thelidamide problems outlawing it.

The seasonal flu vaccine is known to be very safe because 18% of pregnant women have health conditions which mean they get ti every year with a very low incidence of adverse side effects.

My GP said today if you have other risk factors like asthma etc she would strongly urge us to get it. In the later stages of pregnancy, as this poster said, your lung capacity is severly restricted due to pressure from the baby and its very hard to shift chest infections. The most severe complication of swine flu is pnemonia so anyone with breathing conditions should think about it seriously and do thier research.

This swine flu vaccine is exactly the same as the seasonal flu vaccine I had today but with dead swine flu in it.

I'm sorry but the people on here worrying and scaring other people about it being a LIVE vaccine really need to do some reading. ITS DEAD, only the nasal spray is live, which as pregnant women we will NOT be offered

Its not 100% safe but then neither is getting in your car everyday. As a pregnant woman and i bet you never give that a second thought.

If your scared do some research - ive been looking at valid and unbias sources all day which all convince me that its worth the risk of the vaccine over the risk of the actual flu given my circumstances.

 

[Luuluu]

Thanks for all the information on here girlies!
I think if I do decide to have it, it will be the Celvapan. But I am going to speak to my doctor tomorrow shall report back on what he says tomorrow.

I also know of 18 other girls who are all pregnant now and am going to text them all and find out from them if they've already had it etc.
I will keep you posted!
xxxx

UPDATE

I have had replies back from friends who are all pregnant right now and they have ALL except 1 said they will NOT be having the vaccine. The 1 who said she might have it hasn't made her mind up for definite. So far I have had 6 replies. xxx

 

[Luuluu]

Has anyone got any pregnant friends who have decided they are or aren't going to have it?

 

[sarahhoney]

I will say this is the most 'educated' reasons to have the jab thread I have since on here and I for one am glad.
I have a heart condition & knowing that the pregnant women who died were all classed as 'healthy' then I can't take the risk of getting swine flu.
I do hate the fact that i have decided (depending on doctors advice) to have the jab and because of this I'm being made to feel like I am endangering my baby. Its a hard enough decision to be made at the best of times without the added pressure of other mothers to be and what their doing.
I think everyone needs to make their own educated and researched decision especially as everyone has different circumstances and whether they be yes or no decisions its nice to see most ladies on this thread doing this xxx

 

[travellinglad]

Hi

I have decided to have the jab after a week of sleepless nights deciding. My reasons are simple, I have a 2 and a 4yr old at home to consider. If I got the flu and was unable to look after them, or god forbid it was a serious case and I had to go hospital. We have no family in the area so it would be incredibly tough. I have been sick whilst looking after them (who were both also very sick at the time) last year and it was sooooo hard. Also me having two little ones in school/playgroup and a husband with a high risk job was another factor.


Reason #2: I have two friends both currently pregnant (both getting the jab), one's a GP the other is a Midwife who also works in ICU. They both highly recommended me getting it as they have both seen the effects of swine flu on pregnant ladies. I guess 30% of all swine flu cases admitted to their hospital are pregnant. She also said that the vaccine does not cross the placenta and if it had been discovered a few months earlier it would be included in the regular flu jab.

Final reason was I have to have a c-section in January and my Mum pointed out if I was to be sick when I was due to have major surgery it would not be good for me or the baby.

Anyway just wanted to share my personal reasons for accepting the jab. I will also add that if I had no other children I probably would be saying NO. My girls are my priority as far as I am concerned.

Good luck in whatever you individually decide, it's a tough one for sure

 

[kelloggs]

I have seen the effects of the flu on my husband and myself... well not the recent one for me.

my husband has the flu right now and providing I don't catch it before and even if I do then I will definitely be getting the jab.

 

[Luuluu]

These responses are EXCELLENT! Thank you girlies for your detailed reasons. I would LOVE to know how you find the jab once you've had it. I presume you're having the Pandemrix? Will you keep us posted on this one PLEEEEASE?

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