Both my dd's have already started the series of shots. From what I hear, it's become quite a controversial topic...to get the vaccine or not to get the vaccine, that's the big question.
I chose to do it for a couple of different reasons. First, women who have had multiple partners or who engage in sexual relations with a partner who has had multiple partners are more at risk for contracting HPV, and that is the leading cause of cervical cancers. Although my dd's do not sleep around, by the time they are 25, a) who knows how many partners they will have, and b) who knows how many partners thier partners will have had. Second, the FDA has approved it and while that isn't good enough for me (since they approve bad drugs for money all the time), I have read all that I can and I feel confident, for the most part, that this vaccine is safe. And lastly, so many of us complain that the AMA and health insurance companies are not doing enough or offering enough in the way of preventative medicine and IMO, this is preventative medicine.
OTOH, when I allow my paranoid thoughts to enter I begin to think of things like sterility down the line or other cancers now not known to be caused by the drug gardisil, or I think of the few vaccines that have done more damage than good. There are so many ifs out there. I talked it over with our DR and she strongly urged both my dd's to get the vaccine. I hope she's right.
I have boys, so this is not something I have to worry about at this time. But, I have to say, if I *had* girls, I think I would probably get them the vaccine. (Kinda hard to know for sure, but I *think* I would.) And you, h&r, did probably what I would do...read as much as you can on it and talk to the kids' doctor. As far as the paranoid thoughts go, geez, we can second-guess ourselves on everything we do. ALL we can do is go with the information we have, the recommendation of those who should know (in this case, the dr) and make the best decision we can at the time.
My problem (which it really isn't, since I don't have girls!)is a governor telling me I *have* to give my 9 year-old daughter the shots in order to go to school.
I'm waiting for the use of the vaccine to become more widespread, so we have a better idea of what the side effects might be. If my daughter were sexually active, I'd probably go ahead and get her the vaccine now, though.
As for waiting until a girl's sexually active - that's the wrong tack to take - once you've been exposed to the virus the vaccine won't help - so they're encouraging girls to get the shots before they're sexually active. (hence the paranoia by some folks that giving the girl the vaccine will "promote" promiscuity; which is a load of hooey IMHO)
Already started my DD on the series of shots. She went to see her NP for another issue in December, and the NP talked to her about it then. (At 15 I let her got to the dr or NP by herself, but if I have concerns I talk to him/her before the visit and then I ask for a report afterwards.) When DD asked me about getting it, I told her I wanted to find out more, talked with MY doc as well as her NP, and we went ahead with it - my doc said that some studies have shown that as high as 50% of sexually active women under the age of 25 already have the virus, and based on that statistic alone, if DD becomes intimate with only one man in her life, and he has had only one sexual partner before DD, she still has pretty high odds of getting the virus from him. My doc has never been one to prescribe a lot of meds, tends to treat things conservatively, and usually views new treatments with a healthy amount of skepticism, so if he's recommending something, I tend to trust him. Rose
The Hep B vaccine was kind of the same thing....schools require it but unless the kids are sexually active or there's contact with body fluids, chances for transmission are minimal. Eventually it just becomes one more shot added to the list, and we forget about exactly which bug it immunizes against. If I had girls I'd go ahead with it, though.
I didn't mean that I was waiting until my DD is sexually active. I just meant that she isn't right now, so I think we can afford to wait a few months to see how things go with this vaccine. Her doctor was in total agreement with this.
I am definitely thinking about getting it for my DD, who is turning 18, so I better hurry up. Then I read that the 3rd injection has to be given 6 mos. after the 1st and by that time, she will probably be away at college, so I have to call the dr. to find out what I can do about that. I figure that I really wouldn't want her to have cervical cancer, so if there's anything I can do to prevent it, I should do it.
I tried to start the shots.... but our group of pediatricians won't give the shots yet. They are affiliated with a large teaching hospital in Chicago... and I'd like to trust their advice... but I'd also like to protect my DD. Has anyone else run into this situation?
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Both my dd's have already started the series of shots. From what I hear, it's become quite a controversial topic...to get the vaccine or not to get the vaccine, that's the big question.
I chose to do it for a couple of different reasons. First, women who have had multiple partners or who engage in sexual relations with a partner who has had multiple partners are more at risk for contracting HPV, and that is the leading cause of cervical cancers. Although my dd's do not sleep around, by the time they are 25, a) who knows how many partners they will have, and b) who knows how many partners thier partners will have had. Second, the FDA has approved it and while that isn't good enough for me (since they approve bad drugs for money all the time), I have read all that I can and I feel confident, for the most part, that this vaccine is safe. And lastly, so many of us complain that the AMA and health insurance companies are not doing enough or offering enough in the way of preventative medicine and IMO, this is preventative medicine.
OTOH, when I allow my paranoid thoughts to enter I begin to think of things like sterility down the line or other cancers now not known to be caused by the drug gardisil, or I think of the few vaccines that have done more damage than good. There are so many ifs out there. I talked it over with our DR and she strongly urged both my dd's to get the vaccine. I hope she's right.
I have boys, so this is not something I have to worry about at this time. But, I have to say, if I *had* girls, I think I would probably get them the vaccine. (Kinda hard to know for sure, but I *think* I would.) And you, h&r, did probably what I would do...read as much as you can on it and talk to the kids' doctor. As far as the paranoid thoughts go, geez, we can second-guess ourselves on everything we do. ALL we can do is go with the information we have, the recommendation of those who should know (in this case, the dr) and make the best decision we can at the time.
My problem (which it really isn't, since I don't have girls!)is a governor telling me I *have* to give my 9 year-old daughter the shots in order to go to school.
yup - DD15 started the series in January.
As for waiting until a girl's sexually active - that's the wrong tack to take - once you've been exposed to the virus the vaccine won't help - so they're encouraging girls to get the shots before they're sexually active. (hence the paranoia by some folks that giving the girl the vaccine will "promote" promiscuity; which is a load of hooey IMHO)
Sue
Rose
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http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM
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Not an issue here but I had to say, having read several threads on this on different boards, that is the most meaningful argument I have seen.
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