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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:
megandmogatthezoo · 19/10/2015 12:43

Not NHS doctors can't recommend anywhere. Some private GPs offer the vaccine, or if you google you will be able to find the nearest vaccination centre that offers various vaccs. It is approx £150 per vaccination, and your child will need 3 in total.

tinytumble · 19/10/2015 12:46

Thankssugar
OP, I think you made the right decision and I'm very impressed that you took the courage to rethink and reassess.

megandmogatthezoo · 19/10/2015 12:47

Forgot to mention my ds had his second one three days ago. He didn't really react with either. My dd had very little reaction with her first. A temp and some vomiting with her second. A temp and sleepless night with her third. All in all not very distressing in comparison to the illness itself.

SparklyTinselTits · 19/10/2015 12:48

My DD never had any kind of post-vaccination fever, but did get it after the meningitis b injection....yeah she poorly for a few days, and had a hard lump at the injection site for a week or 2 - but that's preferable to meningitis surely? Hmm

Youcantscaremeihavechildren · 19/10/2015 12:55

I'm still confused about the catch up programme and if my ds will get it or will need to have it paid got. No one at his last set of jabs had a clue. He's 30 weeks. Does anyone have a link to anything that shows what vaccines he'll get? Also dd is 5, I assume we'd have to pay for hers.
It does seem wrong, as it is we can't afford to pay out for them both until after my mat leave finishes but at least we can find the cash. Some families just won't have that kind of money to spare bur will have only just missed the cut off.

Blackpoollassy · 19/10/2015 13:07

info on catch up programme here:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/437906/150622_MenB_bipartite_letter.pdf

if you're born prior to the 1st May 2015 you're not covered.

Also, megandmog some will only need 2 doses, rather than 3, depends on the age. I think it's over 12 months is 2 doses

Youcantscaremeihavechildren · 19/10/2015 13:09

Thanks. That's so wrong! Ds missed out by 3 weeks, so now we have a £300 bill. Great.

Youcantscaremeihavechildren · 19/10/2015 13:11

Oh sorry, £450! I feel for those who have suffered or know others who have, but can't afford it for their other children, it's a crazy amount to.have to find.

Fugghetaboutit · 19/10/2015 13:11

Well done, Op! Hope your dd is ok

LittleMiss77 · 19/10/2015 13:19

OP, in a few hours late to the party on this one but all the vax will do is give your DC a high temp. They will sleep for most of the day, but with regular doses of calpol they will be fine. The next day its like nothing had ever happened.

I have had first hand experience of meningitis twice and if this vax wasnt available on the NHS i would be paying for it privately. A high temp really is nothing compared to what Men B can do.

expatinscotland · 19/10/2015 13:20

Please get it!

We have had to pay for it privately.

sugar21 · 19/10/2015 14:00

Thanks again everybody.Arch I really do hope my posts save a baby.
Maybe I'm being a bit of a nuisance and I do think people have a right to their own decision but I'm posting to tell what can happen.
If I had realised that my dd was so ill I would have been quicker to react. She had a habit of sleeping with her hand on her head, so I didn't even begin to think she had a headache! Realised she was very hot and rang the surgery. GP said take her to hospital as you'll probably get there quicker than waiting for an ambulance. Fair enough but it was 5.30 pm ish so I got stuck in the traffic. Eventually got to hospital, abandoned car and ran in, dd was hooked up to all sorts of tubes and monitors but she died at 3.42 am
I am posting this to try to stress the bloody awfulness of meningitis. Cant really say much more.
On a lighter note i got a speeding ticket on from a camera on way to hosp.

Hope this makes sense !! Its bit hard to type iyswim

expatinscotland · 19/10/2015 14:05

I'm so sorry, sugar. I understand. My DD1 died from leukaemia, age 9, 3 years ago.

sugar21 · 19/10/2015 14:07

Flowers oh God expat so sorry. Its a horrible world. Hope you are managing alright.

HorseyCool · 19/10/2015 14:10

This vaccine been around a while but is very new for the NHS.

I had to pay for £155 for my 3 year old to have the vaccine, the private GP has administered over 1500 of the vaccines and I will be paying another £155 for the second dose. If I had the option for this to be free then I would jump at the chance. My DD didn't get a temp spike, I didn't give her Calpol, nor my friends children (at the same clinic).

The GP has said that she hasn't had a single telephone call/revisit regards any temperatures or side effects from any parents of the children that she has vaccinated.

Meningitis B is a horrific illness, I would strongly recommend the vaccine.

Topseyt · 19/10/2015 14:31

I am glad you changed your mind OP.

I would have jumped at the chance to have this vaccine for mine as babies, but it wasn't around then.

They still had all the vaccines going though, and I am glad they did.

I do, however, know how it feels when you don't know how to respond due to controversy or question marks about a particular vaccine. My three DDs were all babies during the years when the scares about a possible link between MMR and autism were at their height (research now discredited). It was not easy, I did question myself and was nervous, but went ahead and they were all totally fine.

Stormtreader · 19/10/2015 15:01

This year saw the first confirmed death in America from Measles in over 12 years, these diseases kill. I'm not sure what side-effects anti-vaccination parents think they're going to get that are worse than their child dying unnecessarily.

There's also the fact that un-immunised children increase the risk of other children for whom the inoculation didn't work 100% getting it and possibly dying as well, but I'm assuming that they don't care about that at all, otherwise they'd already have had it done. Far better other children die than your own risks feeling a little poorly.

Topseyt · 19/10/2015 15:04

Agree totally Storm.

That is why I went ahead with all vaccinations. I have never regretted that.

TaliZorah · 19/10/2015 15:04

Far better other children die than your own risks feeling a little poorly.

Again why do people feel the need to be so venomous about those who disagree? I stated the reasons DS won't be getting it. Everyone has their own reasons. I know that wasn't at me personally but I don't like it being implied that I'm happy to let other children die so mine doesn't get a sore arm. It's not about that at all.

bumbleymummy · 19/10/2015 15:09

Tali, these threads always get very heated. Ignore people making their little jibes. You're making the best decision you can for your child with the information you have. Thanks

Topseyt · 19/10/2015 15:19

I am making no digs Tali. You have to do as you see fit.

My own sentiments on the subject do tally with Storm's and were the reason I went ahead for my own family.

Lilipot15 · 19/10/2015 15:26

Sugar thanks for sharing your story, so sorry for your awful loss. But I think your sensible words will persuade people to get the vaccine.

OP - glad you got it sorted.

In a baby group I go to, there was a real "hooha" about the fever from the menB jab. Mums were getting on their high horse and saying it was terrible. So frustrating when you consider how lucky we are to now have this vaccine on the NHS. I hope some of them may read this thread. And whilst a fever is unpleasant, it passes. MenB is a terrible disease.

sugar21 · 19/10/2015 15:30

I think everyone has their own reasons for and against. Obviously I am for, but I do understand if someone chooses not to.
Yes I agree there is no need to be venomous, we are all adults and make decisions based on the facts we are given and the health of our dc.
I do not know where my dd caught the illness from, there was and is no point in finding out because it won't bring her back
I'm just trying to urge other mners to really really consider your decision as you don't want to be in my situation.

Stormtreader · 19/10/2015 15:49

I'm sorry you don't like it being put so bluntly Tali but your decision for your own child is also choosing for the children around them. That's not my personal opinion, that's a fact. If every person on the planet made the same choice that you have, we would still have children dying from smallpox, measles, and all the other diseases we vaccinate against. It's not coincidence that the rates of death from these went down around the time we started vaccinating.
I'm not trying to attack you as a person, but these are the factual consequences of people making the choice you've made.

mrscee · 19/10/2015 15:53

Having had my 10 month old daughter get pneumococal meningitis and nearly dying I would without a doubt get her vaccinated if it was available to her. Thankfully she survived. You seriously wouldn't want to go through that just because a vaccination is new to the UK and you were unsure of her getting a bit poorly from. Having a slight temp is nothing to having to spend 3 weeks in hospital being pump full of drugs and being lucky to be alive. If it was available to my now 5 year old daughter and her twin brother I would defo be getting them vaccinated.