To ask for your MMR un-scary stories

[WhatisaNarwhal]

DD's MMR has been delayed on the advice of Drs (run of ill health at 1 year made them wonder if immunocompromised in some way - she had 6 months of vicious back to back infections that led to multiple admissions via A&E), but we got the all-clear, 'just bad luck, and a nasty, tenacious case bronchiolitis' and now there's measles in our local community so.... she's 2 and having it tomorrow.

She's only having the MMR - the other 12 month vaccinations (late too) will be given in a couple of months time. We're splitting them out - not for any defined medical reason - but because of her extreme high temps after all previous vaccinations, and the fact that she just reacts strongly to vaccinations, viruses, bacterial infections... she gets so unwell with all of it.

Im not anti-vaxx, and while I know there's no proven link between MMR and autism, but I am very aware that vaccine injuries DO happen. I am an anxious mother, in therapy for over 18 months for PPA/PPD- so please do - for AIBU - be gentle with me - and share your 'debunking the myth' MMR stories. She simply HAS to have this vaccination tomorrow, and I'm v anxious about it.

My DD vomited shortly after the MMR. "Ah, interesting side effect" I thought. Then my DP vomited. Then I did. Because it was a stomach bug.

No side effects noticed. Went for MMR with both DDs and would do so again.

DD had her MMR jabs and ... er, nothing.

I had measles (quite poorly) and mumps (most bloody awful earache ever). Fortunately the rubella vacc was available by the time I was a teen; one of my friends was profoundly deaf and somewhat disabled in other ways because his mother had had rubella.

@arkestra - that's q funny. though presumably not at the time for you...

Both my dc had gefs+ so had lots of febrile convulsions and up to puberty and never had one as a reaction to vaccines.

I did not have MMR as a child. I did have an awful case of measles that caused such bad inflammation that I had an ear infection that caused permanent hearing loss.

www.cdc.gov/measles/about/complications.html

My kids have had MMR. My neighbors kids have all had MMR. All are fine.

@Narwhal it was interesting too because I used to be very gung-ho laying into anti-vaxxers and it mellowed me out a bit - hopefully made me a bit less of an idiot talking to people with genuine concerns...

Both of mine are 6 & 7 and fully vaxed. 7 year old DD has an additional genetic condidtion and she was totally fine.
6 year old always caught every cold, sore throat and multiple ear infections. Totally fine. As are all the people I know. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t vaccinated their children :)

I didn't have the MMR because I'm too old, I'm still autistic. I did have mumps as a child and that was shit.

DD was showing signs of autism well before the MMR. I'm really pleased that she is not autistic AND at risk of measles or mumps, because autism isn't optional but measles is. That's the balance with MMR and she will be having it.

I was thinking about taking DD away to our boat at the weekend. (Here comes the anxiety talking) our mooring is v near a hospital, so would be able to see a medic if any problems did come up - but given none of your babies experienced any issues... surely it's not silly to plan to be away this weekend?

Not so D-M thinks I'm being 'selfish' (because it's the boat and she hates me taking DD boating anyway, because.... you know .... danger . Oddly I'm never anxious on the boat because I'm 100% in control/ know what we're doing/ am Captain Safety) ... I think it would be a nice treat for her (and me!)

AIBU about this too?

@posy

That is an extremely sensible way of putting it

Thanks all for being so gentle

It's not silly to think about where the nearest medical facility is in case she has an adverse reaction to the vaccine, but there's no reason why she can't be on the boat for the weekend. She'll be fine. Take her and enjoy.

By the way, I have never forgiven my parents for not getting me vaccinated.

Also - just to confirm- we're not posh-yacht boaters. I have an old narrowboat that I inherited. We used to live on it, but then it turns out babies like to have loads of STUFF....

I worked with a man a few years before I had DC, his son had contracted measles. He was left in an awful state. There was many times this gent could not come to work if there was bad weather if the electricity went down. The child died when he was 4 years old. I never knew if he had the MMR but it was enough to make me take the risk for DC.

MIL and SIL had all the facts how it would cause autism. I watched the DC like a hawk for weeks after, they were fine. Please make sure you get it otherwise every measel scare you will feel so guilty.

Measles is a very, very serious disease. See the CDC link I posted earlier. Every time I think about how the hearing loss held me back as a child or put in my hearing aids I think about how unnecessary it was.

It didn't affect any of my children.

Measles affected me, though, in the 80's. It was hell.

Knock on wood, my son is fine. I also delayed it for as long as possible due to the MMR autism scare. I still believe it does cause it, and if I had a choice I wouldn't have personally vaccinated but it was my DH who wanted him vaccinated as it's a requirement to the country we are going to this year.

It damaged my hearing, too.

My DS also has his MMR delayed owing to several bouts of ill health.

I moved house a bit and changed doctors and by the time I got round to it he was 4.

I was more nervous than him. He said ‘ow! I don’t like that!’, didn’t cry at all and asked for his ice cream. Not a single side effect afterwards either.

He is being assessed for ASD as it happens but his traits were all apparent prior to the injection.

DS had the MMR, it was far less bad than the Men C in terms of side effects. He was s bit hot and grumpy the night after the first one, nothing at all after the second. No rash.

I had it as an adult (healthcare worker, it didn’t exist when I was a child). Absolutely nothing, no fevers, no rashes, nothing at all. Not even a sore arm. I’d had separate measles and rubella vaccines as a child though (as was the norm in the 70s) so I was already immune to those anyway.

DD had MMR, kept her distracted so she didn't even register the needle going in. No side effects, no temperature, perhaps a touch grumpy that evening. No long term effects noted so far either, she's exactly the same as before although hopefully with some immunity to awful diseases.

YANBU to plan to go boating either. If your child does get a bit grumpy or under the weather it will be a perfect distraction

DD got the needle, cried for a minute and went on with her day as though nothing happened. Technically she did have an "adverse reaction" because her skin went red in a 1cm diameter circle around the injection site for several days, but that was harmless.

As an adult I've actually had a lot of extra MMRs because I don't seem to be able to develop immunity to mumps. It barely hurt and no side effects. I've just given up now, as thankfully herd immunity where I live is probably high enough for mumps to protect me. If it was the measles component that didn't work for me I would probably avoid certain areas of my city.

I'm the oldest of 7, we all had it and are all fine

My DS had the MMR 8 weeks ago. He had no reaction whatsoever apart from being a bit clingy the next day. Absolutely fine, and a million times better than any of his other baby injections which he was raging with temperature for days after! A breeze.

Science doesn’t care about your beliefs @MilkyCoffeeAndSkinnySyrup.

Vaccine damage is real, but incredibly rare. Far rarer than damage caused by these diseases. Good luck OP. I’m taking DD for hers today, she’s just gone 1.

Good luck OP, both my sons have had it no problems.
All their friends too.