There ARE pedis who aren't recommending the H1N1 vaccine

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for starting this thread. People have been way too hysterical about the swine flu. It's the flu.

I agree. The media has completely pounced on this. Showing 'scary' picture on TV and talking it up on the radio.

It's the flu. Of course there are chances of complications. There are chances of complications with the common cold. But it is most likely NOT the end of the world as we know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I agree. The media has completely pounced on this. Showing 'scary' picture on TV and talking it up on the radio.

It's the flu. Of course there are chances of complications. There are chances of complications with the common cold. But it is most likely NOT the end of the world as we know it.

The reason there are such concerns about H1N1 is because children and young adults who are HEALTHY are dying at a significantly higher rate than with the seasonal flu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for starting this thread. People have been way too hysterical about the swine flu. It's the flu.

Tell that to the parents who have lost HEALTHY children to H1N1.

Unless an autopsy is done, no one knows whether these children had underlying health issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Unless an autopsy is done, no one knows whether these children had underlying health issues.

That is true, but YOUR child could have an underlying health issue as well. These were SEEMINGLY healthy children with no conditions that were known by their doctors or parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Unless an autopsy is done, no one knows whether these children had underlying health issues.

That is true, but YOUR child could have an underlying health issue as well. These were SEEMINGLY healthy children with no conditions that were known by their doctors or parents.

I don't think that people who are anti-H1N1 vaccine are necessarily cruel and wishing death upon healthy children, nor are they careless when it comes down to the health of their children. I simply believe that they refuse (myself included) to buy into the media hype.

Last Dec., when my son was 7 mo, he developed a terrible virus - temperature spikes up to 103 degrees. With high doses of Motrin, it went down but only to spike the next day. So we rushed him to the ER at 2am. During that time, his pediatrician was constantly asking us to watch his breathing in case he developed a secondary bacterial infection. After his fever broke, he developed congestion, a nasty cough, and a hoarse voice. That lasted another week.

sound familiar? In retrospect, I wonder how much the medical professionals knew about this new strain prior to the big blow out in Mexico this past spring.

I am by no means a callous person. I'm grateful that our son (who was a borderline preemie) is healthy and am especially grateful that he managed to come through w/o any complications. But to most, H1N1 takes 5 days to run its course. Yes, there are the exceptions. But how many supposedly healthy young men and woman collapse and die overexerting themselves during a competition? . . . later to discover that they had underlying health issues

[Anonymous]

With any recommendation, there will always be some people--including people with some expertise--who will disagree, but I found it interesting that after looking for a couple of weeks, the reporter could find only two local pediatricians who were apparently recommending against the vaccine and only one who would speak to him about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With any recommendation, there will always be some people--including people with some expertise--who will disagree, but I found it interesting that after looking for a couple of weeks, the reporter could find only two local pediatricians who were apparently recommending against the vaccine and only one who would speak to him about it.

I doubt any MD would purposely alienate him/herself from his/her peer group. It's one thing to advise your patients behind closed doors. It's quite another to make your views clear at a local and/or national level. I am not anti-vax at all. We're up to date on shots, and even I had an updated rubella vax b/c I was low after I delivered my first. And each year, my entire family receives the flu vaccine.

But I have to admire some of the MDs who are coming out with opposite - or more cautious - advice. We're so quick to rely on any type of meds to "cure" our health issues. overweight? Here's some Alli. High cholesterol? Take Lipitor. Sexually active? Get your Gardasil shot.

I'm not knocking anyone who thinks this H1N1 vaccine is helpful. I'm sure it is - at least initially. But now - after reading the topic on hives - I still can't help but think that maybe we're pushing something too soon. Take Vioxx, for example. I threw out my back and the ortho. was so quick to prescribe it. I refused b/c it was too new. And later there was a class action suit b/c it caused heart attacks and strokes.

It just pays to be cautious and to not jump the gun. Taking preventive measures (eating well, exercising, practicing good hygiene, resting enough) is worth the effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for starting this thread. People have been way too hysterical about the swine flu. It's the flu.

Tell that to the parents who have lost HEALTHY children to H1N1.

Oh yes, because of the just over 1000 people who have died of this flu, TONS of them were healthy children.

I think healthy children will have more chance of winning the lotto than dying of swine flu.

[Anonymous]

30% have had no underlying conditions. That is VERY substantial.

I don't think people are taking issue so much with a doctor disagreeing as the doctor's reasoning. Concerns over safety? I could *hear* concerns over efficacy w/ the Cochrane Review info -- completely. But safety? No, not unless they also claim fear of safety with the seasonal vaccine.

Its the same as a seasonal flu vaccine but with this new strain rather than the seasonal (potentially new seasonal) strains. It was tested the same way as a seasonal flu vaccine -- the CDC says even additional tests beyond what is normally done.

So that leaves us with the only part that is different being the strain. Here's the deal -- with the injectible, the virus is dead. A dead virus doesn't do anything TO you -- it is all about how your body responds to that virus. Your body makes antibodies to the specific proteins on the virus, matching the proteins in the same way that your body would if... you got the flu.

So, basically, the backbone of the shot is the same as the seasonal, the only part that differs being the strain. And your body mounts the immune response to the specific strain just like it does to the live virus.

Essentially if there were some NEW reaction to this vaccine that was not present with the seasonal vaccine (one of the safest vaccines on the market), we'd be seeing that SAME response in those catching the flu. We're not seeing high incidence of anything unusual like that, again, which would occur with someone who caught this strain of flu... which we're all likely to get, especially if unvaccinated.

[Anonymous]

I think we're largely having a discussion about how much tolerance for risk each of us has. I was skeptical at first. I subsequently spent two days of mtgs in a room w/ someone whose doc 'thinks' she caught it. I got sick 3 days later with flu esque symptoms. I have an MD brother & pediatric nurse friend in diff states ea who has watched folks die rare those occurences are . The big issue is that flu tends not to peak til late winter, so we likely haven't seen the worst yet. I know that whatever the odds, and esp since my toddler is in daycare, this is not a lotto I want him to win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:30% have had no underlying conditions. That is VERY substantial.

.

How do they know?

autopsy????

what about undetected congenital abnormalities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Its the same as a seasonal flu vaccine but with this new strain rather than the seasonal (potentially new seasonal) strains. It was tested the same way as a seasonal flu vaccine -- the CDC says even additional tests beyond what is normally done.

As PP above stated, it is the same vaccine as seasonal with the H1N1 virus in the mix. If H1N1 had an earlier outbreak than springtime in Mexico it would have been included in the seasonal flu shot, but that shot was already being manufactured so they had to create the 2nd shot. This is why I don't understand why people are so freaked out about the H1N1, the same people who regularly get flu shots. Can someone explain this to me??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30% have had no underlying conditions. That is VERY substantial.

.

How do they know?

autopsy????

what about undetected congenital abnormalities?

It does seem they're doing autopsys to declare this on many, yes.

And regardless, as a pp mentioned, it is irrelevant. If whatever is wrong is so hidden that there have been no signs short of an autopsy, THAT could be your kid as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:30% have had no underlying conditions. That is VERY substantial.

.

How do they know?

autopsy????

what about undetected congenital abnormalities?

It does seem they're doing autopsys to declare this on many, yes.

And regardless, as a pp mentioned, it is irrelevant. If whatever is wrong is so hidden that there have been no signs short of an autopsy, THAT could be your kid as well.

Geez, that gave me the chills...
Annyway, both kids got 1 vaccine each... but nevertheless, I know they aren't 100% protected.

[Anonymous]

Er, pp here, sorry about that. It came out a bit darker than I'd meant, in retrospect. I meant more that it could be anyone's child with some undiagnosed issue, not.. er, sorry.