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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

HPV vaccine age 44 - worth it?

29 replies

greenstrawberry · 17/06/2023 19:09

Hi all, in the recent and not so recent past I've had HPV (high risk) as well as colposcopy / LLETZ. My last and very recent pap smear came back HPV negative.

I'm 44 and I've got a short window before I turn 45 and was wondering if anyone around my age has gone for the vaccine despite prior infections that have cleared, and if you think it's worth it from a medical and / or financial perspective?

I understand that it can protect you from strains you've not had before and maybe even stimulate the body to clear dormant strains you may have?

Not 100% sure. Also reluctant to call my GP to chat about it because getting an appointment is a nightmare and they always treat me like an idiot when I go there because they want to get you out the door ASAP as if you're time wasting - not an easy local practice to deal with!

Thank you.

OP posts:
LostAtTheCrossRoad · 17/06/2023 19:18

Pointless really. I'd rather they vaccinated the under 20s of both sexes who've only just missed out eg, my 15yo had it but my 17yo didn't. I'm very tempted to pay for him to have it privately.

WakeMeUpWhenGoodOmensIsBack · 17/06/2023 19:20

Depends how many sexual partners you've had in the past and how many you expect to have in the future I guess.

WakeMeUpWhenGoodOmensIsBack · 17/06/2023 19:21

I had my 18 year old son vaccinated privately a couple of years ago. Very happy with that choice.

Tomnooktoldmeto · 17/06/2023 19:22

absolutely pointless at your age but@LostAtTheCrossRoad please ask your surgery because your 17 year old should have been vaccinated.

Our 20 year old was missed for various reasons but was vaccinated last September and boosted in February at the age of 20 so it’s not too late for them

INamechangedForThisMadness · 17/06/2023 19:23

If you've already had HPV and have cleared it, you're likely already immune. You've already been exposed to the pathogen and your immune system has recognised it, produced the antibodies and cleared the virus.

I don't think you'd gain anything from vaccination.

But if you can afford it, and someone will provide it, you won't lose anything.

Original poster
greenstrawberry · 17/06/2023 19:53

@INamechangedForThisMadness the thing is there are so many strains, and it protects against loads of them. So there's no guarantee I would clear the other ones the same way?

Also I was reading it can hide dormant then come out again later? I was wondering if it might help with that as well?

OP posts:
ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 19:56

Tomnooktoldmeto · 17/06/2023 19:22

absolutely pointless at your age but@LostAtTheCrossRoad please ask your surgery because your 17 year old should have been vaccinated.

Our 20 year old was missed for various reasons but was vaccinated last September and boosted in February at the age of 20 so it’s not too late for them

Your daughter, right?
There's no catch up programme for boys.

I paid for my boys to have it. It might be cheaper now as they are starting to say just one vaccine might be enough, two definitely enough (I think anyway, double check!). Mine had to have 3. Sigh.

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 19:58

Op, I don't know for you.

There's another poster on here somewhere crying that her partner has genital warts. It protects against those so that might be motivation enough in itself?

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 20:01

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 19:56

Your daughter, right?
There's no catch up programme for boys.

I paid for my boys to have it. It might be cheaper now as they are starting to say just one vaccine might be enough, two definitely enough (I think anyway, double check!). Mine had to have 3. Sigh.

Show quote history

actually, just realised you might be right if the boy is 17, it's any boy born from 2006 upwards, they can get the vaccine if they missed it. Was thinking of your 20 year old but a 17 year old might be 2006? Bit crap at maths

WakeMeUpWhenGoodOmensIsBack · 17/06/2023 20:06

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 19:56

Your daughter, right?
There's no catch up programme for boys.

I paid for my boys to have it. It might be cheaper now as they are starting to say just one vaccine might be enough, two definitely enough (I think anyway, double check!). Mine had to have 3. Sigh.

Show quote history

Yes - when I say I'm happy about the choice to vaccinate privately, I'm less than happy about having paid for three jabs at 150 a pop when they now say one is enough: but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Tomnooktoldmeto · 17/06/2023 20:07

@ArcticSkewer it was a girl, but I think it’s important for parents to know that if for any reason their DC was missed in the normal age category they can still access the vaccination later especially if they are still not sexually active which is why the original age of vaccination was set

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 20:11

Tomnooktoldmeto · 17/06/2023 20:07

@ArcticSkewer it was a girl, but I think it’s important for parents to know that if for any reason their DC was missed in the normal age category they can still access the vaccination later especially if they are still not sexually active which is why the original age of vaccination was set

You're right of course, for any boy born on or after 2006.

Sadly though a 20 year old young man would not be eligible for the catch up vaccine. Your 20 year old daughter was of course. Young men are left to pay £300 or risk cancer in later life, unlike women the same age. Very cheapskate of our government in my opinion, not to extend it to all under 25 year old men as it is for women.

LostAtTheCrossRoad · 17/06/2023 20:11

@ArcticSkewer @Tomnooktoldmeto Son yes, born early 2006 and is in Y12 now. His year group definitely didn't get it through school here. His younger brother has had both doses through the school programme. I think a catch up programme for boys/young men under 20 would be brilliant. I will ring the surgery actually, I'm really keen for him to have it off at all possible.

LennyBalls · 17/06/2023 20:12

Boys up to current year 11 are eligible. Boys year 12 and above will have to pay privately.
From September this year it will only be one dose of the Gardasil 9 vaccine and not two doses six months apart as it is currently.

cptartapp · 17/06/2023 20:16

The vaccine is free to men up to the age of 45 at sexual health and clinics if they are gay or bisexual.
Or who claim to be!

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 20:18

LostAtTheCrossRoad · 17/06/2023 20:11

@ArcticSkewer @Tomnooktoldmeto Son yes, born early 2006 and is in Y12 now. His year group definitely didn't get it through school here. His younger brother has had both doses through the school programme. I think a catch up programme for boys/young men under 20 would be brilliant. I will ring the surgery actually, I'm really keen for him to have it off at all possible.

It's so crap.

Last I heard, there would definitely not be a catch up campaign for those boys/young men under 25 but over 16/17.

You can buy it at boots or superdrug/other pharmacies. GPs don't usually do it privately. At least it sounds like the advice on only one vaccine really is coming in. Save you ££££.

Private pharmacies usually do gardasil 9. It's what my boys had a few years ago now

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 20:19

cptartapp · 17/06/2023 20:16

The vaccine is free to men up to the age of 45 at sexual health and clinics if they are gay or bisexual.
Or who claim to be!

I so wish mine would have done that! Altogether cost me almost £1k!!!!

ArcticSkewer · 17/06/2023 20:24

Sorry op - not really answering your question.

If it really is only one vaccine in future though, that might swing it for me - why not go for it, as long as it isn't contra-indicated for any reason

mycoffeecup · 17/06/2023 20:28

Also reluctant to call my GP to chat about it because getting an appointment is a nightmare

That's a good level of awareness - it would be ridiculously selfish to take up a GP call to discuss this. Do your research, make a decision, and book the private vaccine if you decide to do it. If you need a GP to talk to about it, book a private GP. This is nothing to do with the NHS.

Original poster
greenstrawberry · 17/06/2023 21:03

Is the one dose vaccine given at private pharmacies gardasil 9 and if so is that the same as the post september one dose vaccine will be does anyone know?

OP posts:
Original poster
greenstrawberry · 17/06/2023 21:03

I mean is the TWO dose the same as the upcoming september one dose

OP posts:
LennyBalls · 17/06/2023 21:15

Up until about a year ago it was Gardasil 4 and two doses was required six months apart.
Then Gardasil 9 was introduced which prevents against 9 strains of the HPV virus. Two doses were still being administered but the JCVI and Public Health England have now said only one dose is sufficient so getting it done privately shouldn't be as expensive. Unless of course the private companies decide to put their prices up to cover the loss.

LennyBalls · 17/06/2023 21:16

@greenstrawberry it will be the same vaccine. If private companies are still recommending two or three doses, I would say it is for financial purposes.

Original poster
greenstrawberry · 17/06/2023 21:20

@LennyBalls thank you. So if i get one dose now of gardasil 9 for about 150 quid that should cover me. Makes the decision a lot easier!

OP posts:
LennyBalls · 17/06/2023 21:22

@greenstrawberry Yes.