to not make DD have last HPV vaccine

[adultcat]

DD (14) had the first injection and promptly fainted. The second one was traumatic. She's just refused to have the third one. They were all done at school but last week she refused to have it and told them I'd take her to the doctor to get it done.
Can I do that? Should she have it?
Tried to research it but there's lots of opinions out there and I'm really confused!

I refused to have mine done at school-- years ago due to severe anxiety over side effects! I was the only one in my year not to have it- I'm sure I had it done a few years later at the doctors though I can't actually remember. They would have told me I needed it right?--

I’m hoping that, in time, DD will lose this fear. She can very clearly see the absolute necessity of all the vaccinations, BUT, at the moment, the sheer and valid terror she has outweighs/shadows/supercedes that. Moving to a time where there is the opportunity to travel, a relationship etc will hopefully blow that worry out of the water and we can look back at it and wonder what all the fuss was about ...

Which is by making it a full choice - 3 jabs and feeling a bit wobbly - or hundreds of the fucking things, invasive surgery, chemotherapy and possibly death (if the same principle/aversion is used in later life in refusing to have smears).

But that's not reality, Mitzi, not everyone who doesn't have the full course will definitely get cervical cancer or pretty much every one of us who is too old to have had it would all have got it .

Regardless of what the injection is for, as a former needle phobic myself, please don't give in to the phobia.

You won't be doing her any favours. Needles are essential for many aspects of healthcare and unavoidable if she and any future children are to stay healthy.

It was signing up for nurse training that "cured" me, not the training but the being a ruddy pin cushion for basically what felt like the first term!

I used to faint and cry and all sorts I still don't like them nobody does. But I can do it if needed, even blood draws (and I have crappy tiny blood hoarding veins!)

Emla cream helps, as has diazepam on occasion, also getting her to focus on not the injection but that she's doing something amazing for her health and that it literally will be over in seconds.

What if that type of thing works will depend what exactly the fear is of. Is it the pain? Is it the fear of fainting (that was an issue for me after one time when a nurse didn't believe me I was prone to fainting and wouldn't let me lie down, I fainted during the blood draw and I fell off the chair and hurt my shoulder!)? Is it the fear of embarrassment of her reaction? Is it the fear of the injection being harmful? Etc you and even a nurse can discuss this and address her fears with her.

My favourite phrase comes in here "this too shall pass" applies to a LOT in life! I even apply it to getting injections or blood drawn "it'll be over soon" or any other painful experience (constipation with piles following c section- yea thanks for that dd! 😂)

Sounds silly but it works - organise something nice for the 2 of you to do after, can be as small as coffee & cake or as big as a trip or holiday that's up to you. Bribery & corruption works a treat on kids & adults alike! Give her something to look forward to.

Dd went through a phase of hating needles and I had to find a way of getting her over it, her timing was shit cos she was in hospital with a serious infection at the time. I ended up asking if nurse would cannulate me so I could "show" her it wasn't that bad, that helped a bit, plus I promised her a treat when she was out of hospital. Planning the treat was a good distraction while it was done (she needed to be on a drip). Nurse was great, used a small needle to site, was chatty and cheerful but didn't faff or "dig about" when she didn't get in first time (dd inherited my crappy veins bless her) simply withdrew and tried again. Got her second time.

Unfortunately I think some nurses are put off by such patients when really in that situation they need to at least appear confident and no nonsense without being stern

Well if you prefer she got cervical cancer later then yes don’t make her have it.

For girls and women who have received HPV vaccine in future they will not have smears. Thise individuals who have not had hpv will be constantly screened as we older women are now. So if you think one faint makes up for a lifetime of this go ahead!

Sorry ‘not had hpv vaccine’ should have said

Decormad38 - I didn’t say she wasn’t going to have it and I am fully aware of the long term implications. Once upon a time I too would have possibly written a flippant remark like that, had I not been the parent of a teenage daughter, but here I am...

Oh for goodness sake. Not getting the HPV vaccine does not mean you’re going to get cervical cancer! 🙄

adultcat, all you can do is talk to her about it and try to get to the root of the problem. Ultimately it’s her decision. I don’t think she should be forced or scaremongered into it. Please make sure she knows about the importance of going for regular smear tests even if she’s been vaccinated.

Decornad “For girls and women who have received HPV vaccine in future they will not have smears.”

Where did you get this information? At the moment there are no plans to remove cervical screening and this is a very dangerous rumour to start.

docteur.nicoledelepine.fr/1785-2/

Get some Emla cream, it numbs the area.

If she goes to the doctor she can have an anaesthetic spray before the jab. Alternatively get some Emla cream from the pharmacy to numb the arm.

We all have to do things for our health that we'd prefer not to.

I didn't have it due to a fear of injections. I was about 15 or 16 and I just flat out refused. I believe it only protects for so many years anyway?

That said I do now wish I'd had it.

Ffs. You're not destined to get cervical cancer if you don't have the jab. Have regular smears.

I went to a therapist last year about my phobia (birds) last year and it definitely helped. Her view was that phobias are an anxiety response and you need to challenge it. Maybe a chat with someone similar (ie Not Mum!) might give her the resolve to do the last one.

On another note my mum (60yo) is currently undergoing radiotherapy and chemo for cancer in the back of her tongue due to HPV. She had no symptoms aside from a painless lump in her neck which the doctors shrugged off initially. She's got ulcers covering her whole tongue, sore throat, dry mouth, nausea and just generally feels like shit and isn't even halfway through treatment. After watching my mum I can only add to the posters imploring you to do what you can to help her finish the vaccine course.

I'm a practice nurse and we do give the vaccines in clinic to those who don't want it in school (rarely). Give the nurse a heads up which vaccine is it though, they might well have to order it in. We don't stock it. Nothing worse than turning up and unable to have it done.

OP. Why are your daughters having 3 injections? Hasn’t it been only 2 for about 5 years? Is it different in your area. Our DDs only have 2 injections.

CBT is effective for phobias but for needle phobia it needs adapting by someone skilled/experienced if fainting likely to occur. You could pay for this privately if you have funds.

But assuming she is consenting and just a bit scared, perhaps a much-desired reward for bravery cheaper than therapy at this stage!

Plus a calm environment, mum there, sympathetic nurse, no friends scaremongering beforehand, emla cream etc etc as well as just getting the jab it would be good to aim to have a positive experience as this will help for future jabs/blood tests. Make sure the nurse knows she has fainted previously so she can adapt approach if needed.

Posters are not reading previous posts to see that the injections are not HPV for op DD. She had her two HPV injections in year 7 and 8 and so does not need a 3rd one as she is under 15.

She is due an injection in both arms now (op words) which are for meningitis (2 in 1) and the 3 in 1 booster that is due in year 9 (diphtheria/polio/tetanus) - my DD has had all these same injections as is 14 too.

OP lots of the girls my DD knows who've just had this said the injections would that bad it's just the thought of it. Some girls bought little cuddles in to give to nervous friends to hold. DD didn't feel the first one and the 2nd one just a tiny bit. It hurt / ached a few hours afterwards though but perhaps don't mention that to your DD.

My friend's daughter had cervical cancer very young. She needed several doses of chemo. Every day during her treatments she needed an IV cannula inserted. The drugs were so nasty that, when they leaked out of the cannula site, they bleached her skin (she still has the white marks). After several weeks of treatment her veins closed and refused to be cannulated so she needed cannulas put on her feet, wrist and throat veins, often the practitioners needed several attempts to site one.

Now, imagine going through this in a needle-phobic person.

Please OP, convince her to have the jab.

To be brutal. Will you be ok with her choice if she gets cervical cancer?
Let’s not lose sight of what’s at stake.
Take her to the GP and show her videos of Jade Goodie. Talk through the process, bribery anything. It needs to be done

I understand they have two injections in year 7 and 8 then it's one injection in both arms in year 9. Apparently it needs to be done by age 15 to be fully protected.

Actually @AnneOfCleavage I think the OP is confused, what you are saying is correct. OP's DD has had her full HPV course. The other injections are the meningitis and tetanus jabs. Great User name by the way. .

@adultcat read AnneOfCleavage's post. You will be probably be requesting the wrong jabs from your GP, as she should have completed her HPV course and the jabs she is due are Meningitis and Tetanus.

I also understand it that the 2 HPV have been given and now she is due the 2 teenage vaccinations, not more HPV ones:

HPV vaccine (girls only)

Protects against:cervical cancer

Given at:12-13 years as two injections at least six months apart

3-in-1 teenage booster

Protects against:tetanus,diphtheriaandpolio

Given at:14 years

MenACWY vaccine

Protects against:meningitis(caused by meningococcal types A, C, W and Y bacteria)

Given at:14 years and new university students aged 19-25

I feel your pain. My dd has seizures. I am going to have this dilemma in a couple of years time. She had one both times I was in hospital. One time she just heard the word injection. She’s not well for 36 hours after. No way will she be having any injections at school. We will try to get it done at our GP surgery.

Thanks Tinty 😁