Getting cold feet for the second dose

[Anonymous]

My kids had no probs with their first h1n1, but I find I'm freaking all over agaibn for the second dose. Can anyone help? This is so draining...

[Anonymous]

Hi - I wish I could help, I am on the one on the fence for the first dose! Part of my reasoning is I may not want to do second dose. I'm sure your kids will be totally fine if they had no reaction. Are you getting the same form? If you don't do it, apparently they get partial immunity? Or is it that some kids are protected and other are not? I am confused. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable and comfortable with the vaccine will be able to calm your fears shortly. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Op I am a big pro-vaxer for all the reasons you see on this forum. But I think if you got one vax, that's better than nothing, and if you have any hesitation (after all the research you've done) then hold off. You can always decide to get it later; you can't undo it once you get it, right?

[Anonymous]

20-30% of kids are protected after 1 dose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op I am a big pro-vaxer for all the reasons you see on this forum. But I think if you got one vax, that's better than nothing, and if you have any hesitation (after all the research you've done) then hold off. You can always decide to get it later; you can't undo it once you get it, right?

I guess I don't have anything compelling, i.e., scientific to say NOT to do it. Just the "what if" scenarios everyone keeps touting that I know aren't scienficially sound, but nonetheless make you doubt, you know? Since you're a provaxer, did you get your kids both?

[Anonymous]

penguinsix wrote:I posted this in another thread (http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/81032.page) but it's probably relevant here:


In an early and small H1N1 test of the Sanofi Pasteur vaccine, we saw numbers like this (http://www.nih.gov/news/health/sep2009/niaid-21.htm):
76 % of 10-17 year olds had the necessary protection.
36% of 3-9 year olds
25% of 6 month to 35 month olds

After a second shot in a slightly larger pool of subjects, the results were more encouraging (http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2009/interimpedsdata.htm):

94% of 3-9 year olds
100% of 6-35 month olds

I presume that it is probably equivalent for other manufacturers?
Also, penguinsix, please convince me here. I don't know why I am nervous... I need your rational, cogent arguments.

[Anonymous]

I was nervous too, but just went ahead with the 2nd dose today. I'm glad I did as we are travelling overseas this winter and DS is in Preschool. If I wasn't travelling or did not have a kid in school I might not have done either. My other DS got the 1st dose but I am on the fence for the 2nd dose for him as he broke out in hives after the shot. His doc says it should be fine and to have benadryl on hand but I'm still nervous about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op I am a big pro-vaxer for all the reasons you see on this forum. But I think if you got one vax, that's better than nothing, and if you have any hesitation (after all the research you've done) then hold off. You can always decide to get it later; you can't undo it once you get it, right?

I guess I don't have anything compelling, i.e., scientific to say NOT to do it. Just the "what if" scenarios everyone keeps touting that I know aren't scienficially sound, but nonetheless make you doubt, you know? Since you're a provaxer, did you get your kids both?

Yep. My two year old has now had two h1n1 shots, my 6 YO is due for her second h1n1 mist this Saturday. We have all had seasonal and h1n1 vax this year.

[Anonymous]

penguinsix wrote:Not sure how rational I'm sounding today as I've had a lot of candy and soda for lunch after getting up early with a Thomas the Train engine slammed into my skull replacing the alarm clock.

But basically, you don't really need convincing because really "you have already decided"--you got the first shot. The negative side effects, if any, would likely have been apparent after the first shot and the chances it would somehow materialize in the second go round, while possible, are considerably reduced.

The chances of them having a really serious side effect from the shot like GBS is quoted as anything between 1 in 100,000 (so .001%) or 1 in a 1,000,000 (.0001%) depending on who you like to believe (http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=784 or http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/vaccination/vsafety/gbs_factsheet.html). The fact their bodies have already 'reacted' to the shot (and not reacted negatively) would like reduce this number even more.

So say you have a 3-9 year old. There is a 36% chance they are protected, and a 64% chance they are still vulnerable.

64% they are vulnerable and could still get the flu and the associated problems with that vs. .001% chance they could have a reaction like GBS.

I don't know the numbers for say hives, but I don't think it's very high or even a majority of kids.

It's all about balancing risks. You have a risk today walking your kid down the street and the odds they will die vs. the needs of you to go down the street. If you want a laugh look at the 'odds of death' on google and you'll start to put the odds of a serious reaction from H1N1 vaccine complications into context.

http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2008/03/odds-of-dying-in-us.html
http://www.livescience.com/environment/050106_odds_of_dying.html
http://www.funny2.com/odds.htm

Good luck with your decision.

Thank you so much. You're like the internet version of xanax.

Btw, sorry about Thomas... my son tried to stick it up his little sister's nose the other day ("But Mom, she wanted to see how good he smells!")