HPV vaccine age 44 - worth it?

Did you get it in the end? I would have recommended you to go for it. They are now using the hpv vaccine for this reason in VIN and PIN

Hey! I saw this and I wanted to say…. My boyfriend had a strain of HPV not covered by the shot. It caused TUMORS on his vocal cords and there’s no cure. After he had a major surgery, I was like my GOD…. At least get the Gardasil and try… what if it works?. But you also will protect yourself and the women you sleep with from the dangerous strains. He got the shot and hasn’t had a single flare up or lump on his vocal cords since. It’s been over a year. He gets check ups every 3 months normally and they’ve moved it to 6 (and he can schedule if he feels scratchy, but he doesn’t). It’s worth a shot, YES. It wasn’t supposed to work. But it did. And even if you don’t have sex regularly or multiple partners, assault is still a thing we don’t address nearly enough. We can’t be around to protect our children forever. I’d rather know for sure. I was SAd in college, before I ever had sex. I did get a strain of HPV from it. Thankfully, I had my shot and I’m protected, so he would never have power over my body more than he took that horrible night. That story is what convinced my bf to get the gardasil to try it. It’s better to have it and never ever need it.

No. But I take immune defence vitamins from Boots, let’s see what they do in 12 months which I’ll imagine is nothing..

41 years old told I’d got HPV at last smear (barely sexually active) but did spend 4 weeks in an nhs hospital in the months leading up to said smear. I overheard a doctor telling someone on day of discharge they didn’t want to stay in long cos of what may be caught.

Who knows tbh. I had a vaccine for hep B and felt weird as fuck for ages after, I was supposed to get another dose but fuck that. Haven't had a few because of that.

@greenstrawberry Yes.

@greenstrawberry it will be the same vaccine. If private companies are still recommending two or three doses, I would say it is for financial purposes.

Up until about a year ago it was Gardasil 4 and two doses was required six months apart.
Then Gardasil 9 was introduced which prevents against 9 strains of the HPV virus. Two doses were still being administered but the JCVI and Public Health England have now said only one dose is sufficient so getting it done privately shouldn't be as expensive. Unless of course the private companies decide to put their prices up to cover the loss.

Also reluctant to call my GP to chat about it because getting an appointment is a nightmare

That's a good level of awareness - it would be ridiculously selfish to take up a GP call to discuss this. Do your research, make a decision, and book the private vaccine if you decide to do it. If you need a GP to talk to about it, book a private GP. This is nothing to do with the NHS.

Sorry op - not really answering your question.

If it really is only one vaccine in future though, that might swing it for me - why not go for it, as long as it isn't contra-indicated for any reason

I so wish mine would have done that! Altogether cost me almost £1k!!!!

It's so crap.

Last I heard, there would definitely not be a catch up campaign for those boys/young men under 25 but over 16/17.

You can buy it at boots or superdrug/other pharmacies. GPs don't usually do it privately. At least it sounds like the advice on only one vaccine really is coming in. Save you ££££.

Private pharmacies usually do gardasil 9. It's what my boys had a few years ago now

The vaccine is free to men up to the age of 45 at sexual health and clinics if they are gay or bisexual.
Or who claim to be!

Boys up to current year 11 are eligible. Boys year 12 and above will have to pay privately.
From September this year it will only be one dose of the Gardasil 9 vaccine and not two doses six months apart as it is currently.

@ArcticSkewer @Tomnooktoldmeto Son yes, born early 2006 and is in Y12 now. His year group definitely didn't get it through school here. His younger brother has had both doses through the school programme. I think a catch up programme for boys/young men under 20 would be brilliant. I will ring the surgery actually, I'm really keen for him to have it off at all possible.

You're right of course, for any boy born on or after 2006.

Sadly though a 20 year old young man would not be eligible for the catch up vaccine. Your 20 year old daughter was of course. Young men are left to pay £300 or risk cancer in later life, unlike women the same age. Very cheapskate of our government in my opinion, not to extend it to all under 25 year old men as it is for women.

@ArcticSkewer it was a girl, but I think it’s important for parents to know that if for any reason their DC was missed in the normal age category they can still access the vaccination later especially if they are still not sexually active which is why the original age of vaccination was set

Yes - when I say I'm happy about the choice to vaccinate privately, I'm less than happy about having paid for three jabs at 150 a pop when they now say one is enough: but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

actually, just realised you might be right if the boy is 17, it's any boy born from 2006 upwards, they can get the vaccine if they missed it. Was thinking of your 20 year old but a 17 year old might be 2006? Bit crap at maths

Op, I don't know for you.

There's another poster on here somewhere crying that her partner has genital warts. It protects against those so that might be motivation enough in itself?

Your daughter, right?
There's no catch up programme for boys.

I paid for my boys to have it. It might be cheaper now as they are starting to say just one vaccine might be enough, two definitely enough (I think anyway, double check!). Mine had to have 3. Sigh.

If you've already had HPV and have cleared it, you're likely already immune. You've already been exposed to the pathogen and your immune system has recognised it, produced the antibodies and cleared the virus.

I don't think you'd gain anything from vaccination.

But if you can afford it, and someone will provide it, you won't lose anything.