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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Gp receptionist says I am not entitled to MMR vaccine, is this correct?

70 replies

AbsentmindedWoman · 04/04/2019 17:24

Pre conception blood tests (before I moved practice) showed that I have no immunity to rubella, despite having MMR in my teens. I also have an autoimmune condition so it would be pretty bad news to get measles.

I've just called to ask to book a jab with the nurse. They say no, I have to pay privately, as they only give the MMR to teenagers and I'm rather older!

Is this correct? My new practice are generally all round shit, so just checking here. The NHS website says MMR is available on the NHS, but makes no mention of it being at the discretion of the practice?

OP posts:
SirBobblyofSock · 04/04/2019 22:05

It might be better to try and speak directly to a GP. It used to be in the NICE antenatal care guidelines that if a woman was found to be rubella non-immune in pregnancy, she was be offered the vaccination once the baby has been born before any future pregnancies. I was vaccinated myself on the NHS in this situation . However, the recommendations on rubella screening have now been removed from the guideline which might explain why you were refused?

WhiteCat1704 · 04/04/2019 22:05

I had rubella as a child and I'm immune. Was confirmed when I was pregnant. How long do vaccines actually work for...why aren't adults getting routinely vaccinated if they have no immunity.

You hear about how selfish not vaxinating your child is and how they are relaying on herd immunity but how can such thing exist if considerably amount of vaccinated adults have no immunity..

PookieDo · 04/04/2019 22:08

I had mine though work as I missed MMR as a child I am too old - or the immunity had worn off. Not sure

I also had chicken pox vaccine because I had no immunity to that either despite my sibling and both kids having it around me Confused

CarlGrimesMissingEye · 04/04/2019 22:14

My rubella immunity disappeared some time after having my first baby. We found out when u was pregnant with my second. My surgery just booked me in to get my jab again when my son had his vaccinations. I was told it was standard!

PookieDo · 04/04/2019 22:45

I recall having immunity during pregnancy
But 10 years after these I was not immune anymore

KoraBora · 04/04/2019 23:08

@mollyslips you were too old for the MMR as standard. I would speak to your Dr. I am 100% certain I had the MMR went I went to university (I had several injections) but none appeared on my records when they were checked a number of years later and I needed an up to date immunisation schedule. They definitely happened but all my records were paper then and some must have been mislaid. They gave them to me anyway as they said it would not do any harm. Better safe than sorry. Imagine if you passed measles on to a loved one who died or had serious complications.

Justajot · 04/04/2019 23:16

What would be the point in offering pre-conception screening of they then do nothing about it?

Gth1234 · 05/04/2019 00:37

I would pay for one if you really want one.

Louiselouie0890 · 05/04/2019 00:46

I'm the same I had another injection after having my first child. Told my midwife second time round she said they don't do it anymore as it's so rare they took it off, so didn't have another one second time round.

havingtochangeusernameagain · 05/04/2019 15:33

I was born in 1972 and was vaccinated against rubella at 12 (and also had the illness twice though maybe it wasn't and I actually had something else).

I was told I was immune when I had my pregnancy blood tests.

I had mumps (twice though again perhaps it wasn't) and measles as a child so have never looked into the possibility of a catch up MMR, I didn't know until this thread that adults could have it.

Derbee · 17/07/2019 15:21

I am about to TTC, and didn’t know if I was immune to rubella. GP referred me last week for blood tests, which I have done today at a local health centre. Next week I will get the results from GP. If I’m immune, I can TTC. If not, I will have an MMR, and the second one a month later, all on the NHS. Then wait a month after the second MMR before TTC.

There has been no mention of needing to pay privately for any of this. It looks like it’s NHS wide, so your practice is probably incorrect to day you will need to pay.

Derbee · 17/07/2019 15:22

*say

Camomila · 17/07/2019 15:31

Before I started TTC I phoned my gps surgery and asked if I could have an MMR jab as I was born abroad and never had it and they gave it to me no problem.

wigglybeezer · 17/07/2019 15:38

i was born before 1970 but I remember all the girls getting a rubella jab in high school because of the birth defect risk.

mumwon · 17/07/2019 15:49

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Contraception/Documents/Rubella-pregnancy.pdf
take this in to the receptionist & ask her to book you appointment now!

Namechangingallthetime · 17/07/2019 16:15

Don't pay for it. You are entitled to it on the NHS. There was actually a sign up in my surgery last time I was in (few months ago) advising adults who might have missed the MMR to get it done. I was born in the mid 70s and did have a rubella jab but know I never had the mumps jab, not sure about measles. The receptionist, despite the big sign by her desk Confused told me it was only for children. I pointed to the sign and she booked me in.

MrsBosh · 17/07/2019 16:53

Laughing at the fact a nurse claimed there hadn't been any measles cases in the UK in three years!

NoBaggyPants · 17/07/2019 17:07

The thread is from April. Hopefully the OP has sorted things by now!

Misswig · 17/07/2019 17:27

Speaking as a practice nurse you are entitled to the vaccine as you have been proved to not be immune. Catching rubella when pregnant can be extremely harmful to the baby which is why they check imms status. Advise is NOT to become pregnant if possible for 3 months following receiving the vaccine as is a live vaccine. In addition if you have an autoimmune disease your immune system may be compromised which could potentially rule out having the vaccine depending on what medication you are taking etc. It’s a bit of a minefield to be honest x

Rachie1973 · 17/07/2019 17:43

My 21 year old had bloods done recently and they checked her Rubella status because of a rash they couldn’t diagnose. It was actually an allergy but she’s got no immunity to rubella either, despite having had the whole vaccine program.

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