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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have not let her have the meningitis vaccine?

241 replies

jadorecakesnbiscuits · 19/10/2015 07:53

My daughter is 15 weeks and she goes for her second lot of vaccinations today, with her first lot I was happy for her to have them all apart from the new meningitis because it had only been around for about 4 weeks when she had her first lot and I didn't like how I had to give her calpol as it would cause a spike in her temp, also I just don't trust it.

Now I'm starting to wonder if I was a dick for not letting her have it? I'm not anti vax at all I just don't like this one and what it would do to my baby, has anyone else refused this vaccine? The nurse tried to argue with me and I'm anxious she's going to pressure me again today!

OP posts:
TwinkleCrinkle · 19/10/2015 09:40

I've just moved to the UK so don't fully understand the health system here...

How do I go about getting this vaccine for my ds privately?

bumbleymummy · 19/10/2015 09:40

Fugg, for MenB, they recommend giving paracetamol in advance. It's different advice to the other vaccines where they say not to do this because it can impact on immune response.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 19/10/2015 09:44

I've never given calpol before or after vaccinations and my 2 and 1 year old have been fine. According to my DH (dentist) and GP, there's no evidence that it helps prophylacticly and some evidence - although not conclusive - that it may slightly lessen the effectiveness of the vaccine. If the DC were ill after getting the vaccine, I'd give it but not before

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 19/10/2015 09:46

Cross-posted with Bumbly!

Am going to ask re: men vaccine specifically. Thank you for that.

I am expecting DC3 so they will get the vaccine but thinking about having the 1 and 2 year old vaccinated too. Have most people done that?

Catsgowoof · 19/10/2015 09:49

Can I ask Cat what will you do when your child has a temp/in pain from a bug/teething? Not give painkiller?

not to a 6 week old baby i don't

purplefizz26 · 19/10/2015 09:50

I read about child who had all his limbs amputated thanks to meningitis. He was close to death.

I would rather have a slightly under the weather baby with a high temperature for a little while, and take the chance of possible protection from such an awful illness.

tinytumble · 19/10/2015 09:52

Fugg, yes, you're absolutely right - and since his meningitis actually came from an enterovirus in the family unit we wouldn't even have been able to use herd immunity, but it was a definite motivating factor for me this time round - I would have paid privately if nec. He's fine now, thanks, though caught every illness going for a long time and still has gut/digestive/immune issues that I think might be connected to that period and the antibiotics.

OP, my husband works in a safety monitoring capacity in the pharma industry and I assure you if there had been any worrying and significant adverse effects during the 10+ years of trials, he wouldn't have allowed it for his own DD.

sugar21 · 19/10/2015 10:00

My baby DIED from meningitis dont let yours

LostInMess · 19/10/2015 10:01

Hi OP,

just come on looking for info about this, having had a truly alarming conversation with one of the key workers at DS1's preschool whose grandson did suffer serious side effects from the jab - so I don't think you are BU at all for giving it serious consideration. Relieved to see so many positive stories here but will be asking for plenty of information before DS2 (4 weeks) is due his.

I will probably get it done, as I think the benefits outweigh the risks and it's rare to have the reaction but unfortunately that's the only person I know who's had it done. And before I get flamed I have 3 other DC who've had all vaccinations as due but the potential side effects of this one haven't been explained to me and I think it's wise to know what to watch for. Don't want to scare you, OP, as I think it is very rare, but I think you're right to consider it fully - always best to be aware what to lookout for in case of an adverse reaction.

Hope it goes well!

Aramynta · 19/10/2015 10:05

YABU.

Catching meningitis would be far, far worse for your DD - fever, poor circulation, severe pain, potential loss of limbs and perhaps even death.

Compared to a slightly raised temperature and the need to give her calpol. I know which I would rather choose.

thebartenderandthethief · 19/10/2015 10:07

I've been thinking about paying for this vaccine for my daughter. She's almost nine months and so missed the cut off by only a few months.

I dearly wish she was being offered it. I hated vaccination days with a passion but they are wonderful, wonderful things and we are so lucky to have them freely available.

Salene · 19/10/2015 10:12

taliz

I don't know where you have got your information from but it's totally wrong

The men b vaccine has been part of routine vaccines in various countries in main land europe for 10 years .

The U.K. are slow to pick up on it. It's a very well tried and tested vaccine.

bumbleymummy · 19/10/2015 10:14

Bexsero (the vaccine being used in the UK) has been licensed in Europe since 2013 so it hasn't been given for 10 years.

Meandyou150 · 19/10/2015 10:15

Taliz your totally wrong this vaccine has been around in Europe for 10 year/

Flambola · 19/10/2015 10:23

Sugar I'm so sorry for your loss.

sugar21 · 19/10/2015 10:24

Sorry to keep posting but please please take up the offer. To put in very bluntly, how would you cope knowing your lo was seriously ill and trying to get her to hospital but got stuck in traffic. This is what happened to me 4 years ago and I have to live with the outcome. I was too late!

bumbleymummy · 19/10/2015 10:29

Sugar Thanks

TattyDevine · 19/10/2015 10:31

Ring your doctor and get them to do a callback to discuss your queries and questions, and get them booked in to have it.

One day your baby's temperature will spike due to one thing or another, and it will be okay!

And it probably won't be meningitis if you have the vax.

Don't feel silly - get it sorted and then feel empowered. It will erase the feeling of silly! Grin

All the best

IamSantaClaus · 19/10/2015 10:36

Thanks sugar

CactusAnnie · 19/10/2015 10:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fugghetaboutit · 19/10/2015 10:43

Flowers Sugar

Cat well you can't give Calpol to under 2 months anyway. But if your child was to have a fever after the jab would you give paracetamol then or risk a seizure to preserve virgin gut?

Fugghetaboutit · 19/10/2015 10:44

Tiny I'm glad he recovered and hope his immunity gets stronger Flowers

Ricardian · 19/10/2015 10:51

I find it very odd the way in which people talk about "doing their own research". I'm well versed in reading scientific papers (and I have access to them, being an STEM academic at a university with a med school), I've done enough undergraduate-level statistics that I can roughly understand the numbers in observational studies and if it comes to it I've got acquaintances in the biomed space whom I can ask to explain the tricky parts (although interestingly, the biologists often say they don't know the landscape very well either).

Nonetheless, I find primary research in epidemiology very hard going, and when I've had cause to want to know about the value of treatments I've struggled to get much from anything other than the Cochrane Collaboration summaries. In particular, I just don't have the background in medicine to understand the methodological limitations in studies, or to have an instinctive feel for whether or not a study dealt well with confounders or the issues around proxy outcomes (to name but two).

And yet, whenever the topic of vaccines arises, seemingly everyone is equipped to "do their own research hun". What research are they doing, when I found it very heavy going? Do they all have PhDs in epidemiology? What makes them think that their "research" is so reliable? I have a suspicion that "research" means "google uncritically".

thebartenderandthethief · 19/10/2015 10:52

Can someone advise me on how I would go about paying for my daughter to have the injection? Would I just go to the GP or do you have to do it through a private healthcare provider? I'm in Scotland if that makes any difference.

Sorry to hijack!

sugar21 · 19/10/2015 10:53

Cake Thank you everyone.
My dd was 17 months and the vaccine was not offered to her.
Again sorry to keep posting but surely a small dose of whatever the nurse offers is a better outcome than watching your dh carry a tiny casket into church.
Apologies if this is hard reading .