Terrified of mmr vaccinations

[Rosiebelle17]

Hi
My twins are due mmr vaccinations in a few weeks and I’m terrified
They had bad reactions to previous vaccinations with very high temperatures and were sick for weeks
I’m crying writing this as I’m so scared
My doctor just fobbed me off
She was very rude

[quote Ilovecranberries]@Bitchinkitchen
Well - you can take me as an example of your average idiotic mum who had no idea of that an ibuprofen-based very similar product from the same manufacturer exists, and definitely bought it as "calpol" from some chemist (I would have never asked for "calprofen", I even had no idea it exists, not British and not familiar with the local medication names). But if I am the only one, it is actually a relief to me.

It does not invalidate my earlier point though that calpol is not advised by the NHS because there is (weak) evidence that it can affect the immune response, not because they are concerned about the child becoming dependent on the pain killers.[/quote]
Do you not read the bottle before you give your children drugs!? Jesus still weeping.

@Ilovecranberries also to address your second point, that is not the NHS advice for vaccines containing MenB, as the risk of temp is higher than the risk of reduced immune response. As PP have said.

Some babies are unaffected by the jabs but others are like your twins and have raging temperatures, you do have my sympathy with that. I was unaware that giving calpol could be bad and was encouraged by the Dr to give it before the 2 and 4 month ones and soon after the others. Given your twins reactions previously I would directly ask your Dr whether there is benefit to your twins being given calpol before the next jabs or immediately after by the nurse.

@Bitchinkitchen
Do you read the "calpol" label every time? If it is pretty much the only medicine you have in the house? I don't. I also take, say, a lemsip myself every time when I feel a cold starting without re-reading the label and detailed googling of symptoms.

The discussion in the post is not about MenB vaccine though, it is about a vaccination where the NHS advises not to give calpol beforehand.

Hi OP,

I would feel exactly the same. People have their strong opinions about how it doesn't matter how it affects your child just put those 4 injections in their tiny body and just do what you're told to do and telling you that you're being unreasonable. You want what's best for you and your children which makes a you good mother.

I would only give them the MMR first and then follow with the others a couple months after. Don't forget that they had the 6 in 1 already twice which means like 97% chance of effectiveness or something?

I would even consider giving one twin the MMR 4 weeks before the other. Any pediatrician in their right mind would not mind this and any good GP would not vaccinate your child unless they have not had any sort of illness within the last two weeks before receiving the injection.

Your children could have got measles in the last 12 months, did they? No they didn't, the chance of one of them catching measles in the next 4 weeks is VERY low.

Everyone who even questions anything about a vaccine is being put down and name shamed as an anti vaxxer whereas it's simply not true. I'm against my child received 30+ vaccines in their first 4 month of their life and that's ok. People will have their opinions - do what you think is best for your children and fuck the haters x

I’m Afraid they will have a fit or seizure and I won’t know what to do

If that's the worry, then you're in a really good position to empower yourself by finding out in advance what you'd need to do if that ever happens (whether following vaccinations, or at any other time). Find yourself a book or online course in infant first aid, and you'll be able to build up your confidence considerably.

Nostro they don’t have a 6in1 at 1 year. They do however have MenC and the MMR which are given at 1 year for the first time so any delay is a longer period of no immunity at all to those diseases.

HappyPotato the advice has changed, the NHS guidance is now that only the 1st and 2nd doses of MenB require prophylactic paracetamol, the 3rd dose at 1 year only requires it if clinically indicated

Could you ask that the vaccinations be given individually and spaced out? EG measles one week, mumps the next and then rubella?

I'm sorry but you are being highly unreasonable.

A fever and feeling sick for a few weeks is a low cost to pay considering what the outcome could be if they caught one of those diseases.

Lets go with what measles can do if not vaccinated. If you're lucky, your twins will only get a rash, aches and pains, flu like systems and they will be in pain for 7-10 days. However complications can arise and with them being young it's more likely to happen. That can include d&v, ear or eye infections, possible fits etc. If you're very unlucky, it can cause meningitis which can kill your children or mean that the doctors have to amputate their limbs to save their lives. At very worst, and rarely, measles will kill the patient by itself.

The potential symptoms from an injection are obviously far better than the actual symptoms that will happen if your child catches it. And considering that we've had measles outbreaks in the UK, I would not be taking my chances. Burying your child is not something you want to go through, or watching them struggle while missing a limb. Harsh, but true, and you need to see that. A fever for a week is a small price to pay for what the opposite could be. Try not to panic about it, you're doing the right thing by vaccinating.

My daughter had her 1 year jabs on thursday and we were still told by the nurse to give paracetamol within the hour because of the MenB vaccine, and the NHS website still recommends paracetamol at 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year vaccinations.

@Ilovecranberries yes I do read the bottle every time I give a dose, just to check the dosage for the age of my child.
Also, the 1 year injections do include MenB which can cause fever (less likely from the 1 year ones than the earlier ones) so its something to be aware of. Its advised to give 3 doses of paracetamol after the MenB vaccine when they have them at 8 and 16 weeks.
There is not a children's pain relief product that combines paracetamol and ibuprofen

1 year:

Hib/MenCvaccine given as a single jab containing vaccines against meningitis C (1st dose) and Hib (4th dose)
MMRvaccine (measles, mumps and rubella), given as a single jab
PCV (pneumococcal) – 2nd dose
MenB vaccine – 3rd dose

It's much better than them getting mumps, measles or rubella. It's not just about your children. You have to be selfless and think about vulnerable people that your children may pass these illnesses on to. Some one whose immune system is compromised may not survive, which in turn will rob their family of a loved one. Measles can cause miscarriage in pregnant women, meaning that they lose their precious babies before they are even born.

What is worse, your children having side effects for a few days or your children getting sick with these horrible illnesses, and potentially infecting others with possible disastrous consequences?

Hi @ilovecranberries they are very similar bottles, we keep both in the house and got caught out once when DD was a baby and gave her the wrong one. Just a word of warning re calprofen that the dose isn't the same as the dose of calpol (for many other brands it is but for Calprofen specifically the dose is less).

@Mimishimi there is not an option for single jabs for measles, mumps and rubella

Hi OP, sorry about your anxiety. I totally get it. Some of these responses are totally shit and fob you off just like the doctor seems to. It's not that you are scared of the vaccine but are scared of your life dealing with two screaming babies. And yes it isn't as bad as getting mumps and measles itself but that doesn't take away the fact that ITS HARD! So sorry for those responses

Like many nicer posters have suggested, could you get any help? Any family you could stay with? My doctor told me to give my little one nurofen as it works better than calpol with temperatures and it's efficacy was far quicker. He was an inconsolable mess and calpol did nothing but nurofen really did help. I hope they don't react too much to this vaccination like they did the others.

Thanks for all the responses
As I said I’m not anti vaccination I’m just looking for some ideas to cope with a fallout and yes I understand they could be sicker if they got the diseases themselves. It’s not a few days generally they are off colour it was nearly a month the last time

It's not that you are scared of the vaccine but are scared of your life dealing with two screaming babies. And yes it isn't as bad as getting mumps and measles itself but that doesn't take away the fact that ITS HARD!

But being a parent in general is hard anyway. It can mean sleepless nights for days, or even weeks, it's dealing with your sick child, dealing with a hyperactive child, putting up with the screaming when your child is hungry, and doing all of that when you're possibly sick yourself. Many babies get colic when young and that can mean days of the baby screaming because they are in agony. These things can happen without vaccinations. It's part of being a parent. Does no one know this before becoming one? I know and I'm not even a parent. Being a parent is doing all of that, and paying to do it, you don't get thanked, you just watch your bank balance reduce quicker than normal.

It's shit, but it's part of being a parent and it's obvious. Thankfully at least the good times hopefully outweigh the bad, but you can't have only good times, or at least very rarely. This is one of those shit moments, and you have to weigh up the possible outcomes on which is better. Vaccinating is better, no matter what anyone tries to say otherwise, if you can vaccinate, do it. It's immunity for your child and hopefully herd immunity for those that can't get it. You have to deal with it, not run away because you don't want to. It will only end up worse if you don't do it. And it could end up a lot worse than you actually feared.

I'd give Calpol ten mins before and just keep them topped up

My youngest was the same after her first 2 sets, ill for about 3-4 weeks after the first. I was prepared for the next to be the same but she was absolutely fine. Prepare yourself, but they might not react in the same way this time.

My older 2 kids didn't get the men b jab as newborns. I was shocked at how much worse those early vaccinations were for my 3rd baby whi had the new men b.

But i can honestly say mmr was nothing like the newborn jabs for any of my kids. It was very straight forward compared to men b. I think one of mine had a low grade temperature one week later and that was it - very different to the newborn baby jabs.

Their immune systems should be a bit stronger so hopefully they will not react as badly to this set of immunisations. Buy pain relief to use if required and ask friends/family for back up if they do have a reaction

I would give them both calpol 20 min before the jabs, and then again 4 hours later regardless of how they are feeling. Can you plan something fun for after that will distract them? Like a trip to the playground but maybe something closeish to home incase they don’t fancy it. I would take some snacks with me to distract with after... take alcohol hand jel so you can clean their hands. Can someone come with you! Even if they just wait in the car if not allowed in.

Please don’t let this ruin your whole weekend, it will be fine. They may get a temp and be agitated but you know this and can plan for it and it will Pass. Or they may be totally fine so all the worry was for nothing.

@Rosiebelle17

I have followed all medical advice about cal pol etc I had to call out doctors at night with the high temperatures They all just shrug and say it will pass I don’t have help

But you do have help. You have a husband and a MIL who’s at your house almost constantly.

[quote Ilovecranberries]@Bitchinkitchen
Do you read the "calpol" label every time? If it is pretty much the only medicine you have in the house? I don't. I also take, say, a lemsip myself every time when I feel a cold starting without re-reading the label and detailed googling of symptoms.

The discussion in the post is not about MenB vaccine though, it is about a vaccination where the NHS advises not to give calpol beforehand.[/quote]
Yes, i do! Because the dosage changes with age, because i won't remember any contraindications off the top of my head, because it's best practice, because my child is too precious to be lax with!

I don't do the same for myself because i live in my own body and have been taking paracetamol for decades, i know how much i need, it's the same as it's always been, and aren't we all as parents more cautious with our children than we are with ourselves?

RE the paracetamol, you really have no idea what you're talking about, do you? The 1yr vaccines include the third dose of MenB, hence the calpol. In future do your research before you start talking out of your arse and giving bad advice to scared parents looking for help.

I don’t have much help
My husband is away a lot , my mother in law was never any help only hanging around and it was annoying me even more as she wouldn’t do anything
They got even worse when she was there