to change my mind and tell the school I don't want dd to have cervical cancer jab?

[lowfatiscrap12]

Yes, I know there's another (very long) thread about vaccines.
I was going to post my question there, but thought it would be lost under twenty odd pages of replies.
Last week I gave dd1 (aged 12) a consent form to have all 3 of her vaccinations for cervical cancer.
Now I should point out that I am very pro-vaccination. All three of my dc's have had, after plenty of research and reading by me, all of their childhood vaccinations. I've read and researched and looked at all the pros and cons and am generally pro vax.
But I've been umming and ahhing over this one.
I've checked and it's Gardasil she'd be having.
I've looked at the reasons for and against it.
I decided last week that the benefits outweighed the negatives, but now I'm wavering slightly.
I'm 39. I didn't have cervical cancer vaccinations at school.
I had safe sex and smear tests.
I've read about some of the side effects of Gardasil and I'm now quite tempted to phone the school and ask them to destroy my consent letter. Or send another letter in. Or just keep dd at home the day they do the HPV jabs.
AIBU?
What does everyone on Mumsnet think about the new HPV vaccine?

Scotch, maybe, maybe not but I know that it could have been much worse if I hadn't had a smear which picked them up early and allowed them to be treated.

pumpkin, I think you got that slightly wrong - it doesn't protect against sme types of cervical cancer. It may protect against some strains of HPV that may cause abnormal cell changes that may develop into cervical cancer.

Are any of the side effects as bad as cancer?

Why secret? It's not like if you don't get the vaccine you're definitely going to get cancer.

No but if it helps to prevent the disgusting disease that is cervical cancer than I'm all for it.

Mum had it, along with a brain tumour. I went ahead and had the HPV jab straight away.

bumbley - I am familiar about LLETZ procedure because I have had it done. You said your abnormal cells were "lasered" which is another procedure.

What do you mean by "it wasn't done properly"? Sorry to pry, but this interests me for obvious reasons.

Btw, I know it was you who said it. I often use "you" rather than "one" in that context, like Americans.

LeBFG, maybe you'd like to walk a mile in my shoes, oh I forgot, I can't walk a mile in my shoes :(

The vaccine has been shown to protect against some cancer-causing virus strains. In these women, there is zero chance of developing cancer caused by these virus strains. Why would you not vaccinate?

What age was that at secret? I don't think it's effective after you've become sexually active because you could already have been exposed to hpv.

Sorry to hear about your mum.

I'm sorry you're in a bad way Hope...

We're discussing whether or not to vaccinate and people frequently like to make simple links between two (probably) unrelated events. This is really common with vaccines. But I believe vaccines almost always save/improve people's lives more than they harm. So I argue when people don't think this is the case.

Bumbley-same thing though isn't it, even though i worded it wrong.
I even know a virgin who got cervical cancer so it can happen to anyone, sexually active or not.
Why not give something that could save your childs life?
Cancer is not something you want happening to your child, the jab isn't going to cause promiscuity-i find that a stupid thing for people to say

I know I did, someone had said it in a post just before mine and I was posting quickly and just wrote lasered. I didn't bother correcting it then because I didn't think it was that important which treatment I'd had- I was just pointing out that I'd also had abnormal cells removed.

It was at 18 bumbley. 2 years ago.

They just hadn't removed all of the cells in the area so they redid it.

LE, there is not zero chance. No vaccine is 100% effective.

I've never said that it causes promiscuity although I do share the concern that some medical professionals have about whether it will cause complacency wrt smears. Particularly when I read so many people saying that it will definitely prevent cervical cancer etc.

Smears caused a huge reduction in the number of cervical cancer deaths. I don't think the HPV vaccine will do anywhere near as much (although it will probably get a lot more credit and recognition if it does make a difference) and I worry that smears are going to be pushed back further or disregarded because people think the vaccine keeps them safe.

My DDs have had and will have the vaccination. If it was offered then DS would as well. IMO waiting until they are becoming sexually active is dangerous. There is every chance that their first sexual experience will be with someone who isnt a virgin. That being the case there is risk right from the start.

Protecting DS would potentially be protecting my future DiL.

Gnome
Your ds can get the vaccine through your gp surgery, unfortunately, it will cost.

Thanks Dawn, I will look into it.

I quite agree gnome I shall try and get DS done too. He may be in a reationship woth a vaccinated girl, he may be in a reationship with a boy. He needs to be protected too!!

reationship relationship

My DD is 13 and I chose not to have her vaccinated last year. My reasons were/are that it hasn't been around long enough yet to know what the long term side effects are (if there are any) , and more to the point if it actually works. DD isn't any where near sexually active, provided this continues I will keep defering it until she is 16 when provided there have been no issues she can have it (if she chooses).

LE, there is not zero chance. No vaccine is 100% effective.
The vaccine does not confer immunity to ALL the strains of HPV which cause cervical and other cancers, but, if the course of vaccinations is completed, then it does give pretty much 100% protection against cancers caused by those strains of HPV (over 90% of cervical cancers and over70% of mouth, tongue and throat cancers are caused by the HPV strains covered by the vaccine).

Several people have mentioned smoking and drinking as a cause for these same cancers - they are a risk factor yes, because it make it more likely that tissues already infected by HPV will undergo cancerous changes.

Even if you have been sexually active, no matter what your age, it could still be worth having the vaccine as you may not have been exposed to the most dangerous strains of the virus (or any strain).

Wormshuffler DD2 was among the first to get the vaccinations I wasn't sure but she chose to have it as she had the right to so I signed it knowing she wanted it they don't need parental permission it's their body they aren't babies. Not critisising just saying the facts.

IIRC its also only affective for about 10 years if that.