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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think about getting the Men B vaccine privately for DD (4)?

95 replies

cinnamongirl1976 · 17/02/2017 18:55

Just that, really. It's expensive but we could probably afford it. I'd love to know the thoughts of others who have had it done privately ... I do know that the risk of her getting it is actually quite small, but it is still a risk and if it did happen I'm not sure I could ever forgive myself. I would really like others' opinions on this, especially as I think DH is less sure about it than I am (and I cannot do this if he isn't 100% about it).

OP posts:
ollieplimsoles · 17/02/2017 18:59

In all honesty, do it.

I know at least one mumsnetter who's poor little girl died of men b, she started a thread raising awareness and urging parents to get their children done if they could afford it. You can afford it, many cant but wish they could- get her booked in.

GraceGrape · 17/02/2017 19:01

I paid to get my DDs (6 and 3) vaccinated privately. It was expensive - I used money from my savings to pay - but meningitis can have such terrible consequences that I felt it was worth it. It is very rare, but something that I did worry about.

If you go ahead, bear in mind that you need two injections a couple of months apart. The only side effect for mine was a very sore arm that needed both paracetemol and ibuprofen to relieve.

Fruitbat1980 · 17/02/2017 19:01

I did it. Best £260 I ever spent. Close friends almost lost their daughter, were told to say goodbye to her. She made it thank god but profoundly deaf. If you can, you should. I do think it outrageous it should be available for all free. But that's another story.

Timefor2 · 17/02/2017 19:01

We did it for our two year old at Boots. Not cheap but I'm so glad we did for peace of mind. No side effects other than a slightly sore arm.

PasDevantLesElephants · 17/02/2017 19:02

I've had both mine done. I don't really have the cash so it was an extra £400 on the credit card. I just thought that if they ever did get MenB and someone offered me the chance to make them better for £400 I'd jump at the chance. Plus I got advantage card points which I used to buy some fancy mascara!

SnowdropInsidethehouse · 17/02/2017 19:03

Men acwy also available and suitable from I think age 2

Cases of men w on the rise and it's a very very nasty strain

Murine · 17/02/2017 19:05

We've done it, our baby was vaccinated under the NHS scheme this year and I didn't like the idea of having one child protected and the other (3 years old) not. We went to Superdrug for it who were excellent (and best value around here!).

dobbythedoggy · 17/02/2017 19:06

We had dd vaccinated at boots. Ds has had it on the nhs and it felt wrong not to provide her with the same level of protection as him. As you say the risk is small but I wouldn't have forgiven myself if it did happen.

Ds had a health scare between dd's first and second dose and we were both glad she was being protected while we were waiting to find out if he had meningitis. She had a bit of a sore arm after each does but nothing like the fever baby ds had after his.

ligersaremyfavouriteanimal · 17/02/2017 19:08

We had both DDs done privately, like a pp I said I couldn't live with myself if anything happened that I could have possibly prevented, but also because DS1 had it on the NHS as part of the newborn vaccinations and it felt wrong that he was protected and they weren't. If you can afford it I definitely would, but I'm not sure about getting into debt over it, as as another pp said it is very rare.

WhoKn0wsWhereTheTimeG0es · 17/02/2017 19:09

We've done it too. I know the risk is small but we felt it was worth it.

Softkitty2 · 17/02/2017 19:09

Do it

WhatwouldRuthdo · 17/02/2017 19:10

We've also done it, when DS was 2. Slight sore arm with second jab. No other side effects. It was expensive for us but worth it.

Chrisinthemorning · 17/02/2017 19:11

DS has had it. He didn't really have any side effects, I am glad he has had it.
He has had chicken pox vaccine as well but if I had to choose one or the other I would do Men B.

HungryHorace · 17/02/2017 19:13

We did it for our two at Boots too. DS narrowly missed out on getting it on the NHS so we just paid for both last summer.

Girlsinthegarden · 17/02/2017 19:13

Boots was cheapest for us and timed with triple points weekend (payday weekend normally) it worked out well for us.

TheProblemOfSusan · 17/02/2017 19:14

If you can find the money without too much hardship it'll protect your child and put your mind at rest - I don't see a downside.

LilacSpatula · 17/02/2017 19:15

My DD gets this automatically but if she didn't, I'd pay. Also considering paying for the chicken pox vaccine.

MoonDuke · 17/02/2017 19:15

I was undecided so asked my Dr. She said it was my choice. I eventually said ok and she said oh thank goodness I saw 2 cases when I was an interne and they've stayed with me my whole career.

We got both boys done and I paid for my nephew to have it done too.

MoonDuke · 17/02/2017 19:16

And we've done chicken pox

OneOfTheGrundys · 17/02/2017 19:16

We did our two. I'm glad. It was quite a tough jab for my two though, they were iller afterwards than any of their baby jabs. Mine were 10 and 8 when they had it.

HeteronormativeHaybales · 17/02/2017 19:16

I had all my dc done privately - aged 10, 8 and a baby at the time. It isn't on the vaccination schedule over here yet (Germany), though many paediatricians recommend it, and rates are apparently 4 times lower here than in the UK, but the awful consequences of meningitis outweighed the smallness of the risk and the limitations of the vaccine* for me.

*It seems it doesn't protect equally well against all the strains it covers and I think it's quite likely to emerge later down the line that a booster is needed. This is part of the reason why the generally very vax-happy Germans haven't incorporated it into the vaccination schedule yet. But for me, some protection is better than none.

CactusFred · 17/02/2017 19:19

We've had this and the other meningitis ones for ds. No 100% guarantee but feel so much better now he's as covered as possible.

Do it x

BaconMaker · 17/02/2017 19:19

I think I'm going to do it (it's not small change for us but we could stretch to it) I just don't think it's an expense I'll ever regret.

SnowdropInsidethehouse · 17/02/2017 19:27

Me and dh got done too with both
Men b caused a v v sore arm for a few days but def worth it for protection

isambardo · 17/02/2017 19:29

I had my dc (aged 4 and 2) done at Boots. The risk of men b is very low but the consequences are so severe. I knew three people who had it when we were children, one died and one has severe epilepsy as a result. £400 well spent imo.

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