I am so torn up about what to do with the whole H1N1 vaccine.
My OB and perinatologist are pressuring me to get it. My friends (and some family) are recommending that I don't get it. I've read what feels like a million articles, and I still have no idea what to do.
Mike is around sick people all of the time at D.I. and Adam goes to school, which is crawling with a million germs. I am going to have a newborn in a few months, with a not-so-stellar immune system. Right now I'm a pregnant woman with asthma, and I know if I were to get H1N1, it wouldn't be good. At all. If the baby were to get it, it wouldn't be good, either. And, honestly, I can wash my hands a million times a day. I do. It doesn't help much when Grace coughs in my face, you know?
Or sticks a bite of cookie that's been in her mouth into mine, when I fall asleep on the couch.
True story. Gross.
On the other hand, I've read the CDC's website on it. There have been no studies done on pregnant women, and testing on children/adults won't be complete until June 2010. And even though it's a small chance, I'm worried about getting the vaccine while pregnant and having my kids get it, too (to protect the baby), just in case there is some awful side effect.
Ugh.
So. What are you and your family doing about the vaccine? Getting it? Opting out?
Because, you know, it's not like I don't have enough opinions on this or something. ;)
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7 comments:
Allison,
In my opinion, I totally think you should get both the regular flu shot and the H1N1 vaccines. Why would you not want to? You are only protecting yourself and your family.
When I was a junior in HS, I got the flu. And every year since then I have always gotten a flu shot. To me it is not worth feeling as though you just want to crawl into a hole and die.
Now I did learn something interesting regarding the regular flu vaccines that I didn't know before. There are tons and tons and tons of strains of the flu virus that exist (I don't know the exact #, but there are a lot). Prior to flu season when "they" are preparing the flu vaccine, they basically are guessing which strain of the flu will be going around for the upcoming flu season. I was told that they pick 3 and that is what is made to protect us against the upcoming flu season. It's a guessing game really.
Now regarding the H1N1... we KNOW that this is a strain of the flu virus that is going around so why not protect ourselves against it. We have the science and technology and we live in a country that has wonderful things such as vaccines that can protect us.
I totally agree with all of the things that you were saying as far as you are a pregnant, woman with asthma with a husband and 2 small kids who all are exposed to many different kind of germs and virus's on a daily basis. It is only when our immune system is weakened that we become as risk to becoming ill.
I guess you could just ask yourself is it worth getting sick? And what reasons are there for not getting it. Why not get vaccinated? That is what I say.
And honestly, if Nevada has H1N1 vaccines available, consider yourself lucky. I work in a pharmacy who supplies these types of things to assisted living facilities and nursing homes, and the president of the company made an annoucement yesterday that there is a shortage of the vaccine in Arizona and our pharmacy is definately not receiving any of the vaccine.
Last month we received 4,000 doses of the regular flu vaccine and they were gone within a week. That was it. That was all that we are getting until next flu season. Elderly, pregnant woman, and small children have always been considered first priority in receiving the flu shot. I go to a specialist (Arizona Asthma and Allergy Institute) and they have always looked highly upon their patients receiving the flu vaccine because the type of patients that they are.
Sorry for the long novel.
You asked for opinions and I guess I took it and ran with it.
Allison, I am so sorry if we have put any pressure on you. I worry about you and the baby ALL the time with this dilemma. Danyel will call you later with some info from her relatives. But, the final decision is yours, and we will love you and support you and help you, no matter what! You and Mike pray, and we will all pray that you will be guided in the right direction.
We are not getting it. It is too new and untested for me to feel comfortable with it.
We also do not get the regular flu vaccine because that is just a big guessing game.
We aren't getting the vaccines either. For me, there isn't enough evidence to show that it does any good.
Hey Allison.
My mom said that if she was pregnant she wouldn't get it. She is leery.
-Cam
I don't know what to do either. Being pregnant is scary because we are at higher risk and getting sick is even worse for us. But I worry about the newness of the vaccine. Even the regular flu shot I worry since I never have had it before and luckily I've always been healthy...but I worry about the risks. It's frustrating but maybe they won't even have enough available and I won't have to make that decision based on default. :) Good luck in your decision and please blog about what you decided! I always love reading your thoughts.
I'm not getting the H1N1. I agree that there is just too little testing done on it. Plus, I know a good chunk of people who have gotten the actual swine flu and were okay. It's just a longer version of the flu. Also, several of those who got the swine flu only passed on the regular flu to their family, so it's not even a 100% that if the kids get it that you'll get it.
Keep in mind, the companies that make the vaccines have immunity from lawsuits. What kind of motivation to protect people is that?
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