Did the first round of shots. Bad experience. Do I do the second round?

[stopgap]

DS is 4.5 months old. We're in America, so he got the full round of AAP-recommended shots at twelve weeks. He'd already shown sensitivity to Zithromax I took for a chest infection (screamed for three days, non-stop) and we recently took him off Zantac for silent reflux, as he stopped smiling/stared off into space at the higher dose.

Now, to the first round of vaccines. His colic/reflux was all but done at eleven weeks, then he had the shots, and developed:

Green diarrhea.
High fever.
Inconsolable screaming. Not crying, but screaming.
Screaming gave way to perennial fussiness.
Discomfort and pain during feedings/before bowel movements that has only just subsided.

Now I realise that the gastro stuff could have been developmental "colicky" stuff, unrelated to the vaccines, but it seems awfully strange that it went into overdrive right after the shots. Given his track record of sensitivity to meds and vaccines (and soy and milk in my diet; today, for instance, he had a bloody stool after I experimented yesterday with raw cheese for the first time in our breastfeeding "career"), I am downright confused about whether or not to go forward with the next round of shots. Our current pediatric practice will likely kick us out if we refuse/delay shots, but I have found another pediatrician who is willing to be more flexible.

Any advice? Any useful, impartial sites? Words of caution/reassurance? I've read Dr. Sears' vaccine schedule, but it still seems quite full-on. There is autism, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, asthma and apnea in my family, so I'm likely more cautious than most.

Well, the developmental paediatrician was fantastic. Utterly, utterly fantastic. From my detailed account, she acknowledged that he had a vaccine reaction, as well as reactions to Zantac, the level of which she found worrying, plus the stop-breathing episodes from the reflux concerned her. We're going to see another specialist for his reflux. The other doctor didn't pick it up, but his throat is red raw :(

Even so, she did strongly encourage us to vaccinate, but ultimately said she couldn't force us, and can understand why we have cold feet. First things first, she wants his reflux/stomach issues under control, and if we did proceed, it would be Hib, two-month gap to Dtap, two-month gap to Prevnar, with no pressure as to when to resume the schedule. If we do go ahead, and if he has a strong reaction as per last time, she wants us to video the screaming, and if it lasts more than a few hours, no more vaccines.

For now, my son't digestive health is my only and foremost priority.

That's great that you've found someone who is taking you seriously and not putting you under pressure to do something hat you aren't sure about. I hope your son starts to get better soon. Please keep us posted.

You actually found someone who said it WAS a vaccine reaction. Well done. I have never, ever heard a medical professional admit even the possibility of that.

She was very candid. This is the second doctor, actually, who said in all probability it was the rotavirus vaccine. The thirdthe one whom we leftwas mostly in complete denial. Honestly, all I wanted was someone to be candid. The new paediatrician still urged me to vaccinate, saying she spends enough heart-wrenching hours at the ICU, overseeing children sick with measles, etc. But she understood my nervousness. And that's all I wanted--an acknowledgement and some empathy.

No offense stopgap, but I find it a bit hard to believe that your paediatrician sees many cases of measles in hospital considering that there were only a few hundred cases in the entire US last year. Unless the serious ones that required hospitalisation all happened to be clustered around her particular hospital in your particular town, in your particular state! It's still great that she's taking you seriously but just don't feel pressured or scare mongered into vaccinating unless you are confident that it is the right thing for you and your DS. I think you might be able to check the reporting for certain diseases in your area so you can have a better idea of what the actual chances of your DS catching any of them are.

Stopgap. I have stumbled upon this thread by accident and we are also on the same thread about milk intolerance in breast/bottle feeding currently.
I feel the need to message you as it seems that we have had identical experiences with our babies.
My dd is also cows milk/soy intolerant and has reacted similarly to her vaccinations. Here they do 2, 3 and 4 months then nothing until a year. Well, she had the first two sets and reacted so, so badly for exactly 2 weeks after each time. It was as if she had dairy. Literally screaming in so much pain. I too am bf and have been soy/milk free since november.
There is something I'm looking into but finding it hard to find the exact answer BUT... Whilst on a different forum I happened to notice that someone had posted that one of the vaccines actually contains the bovine protein.
Now, this would make total sense and fit the symptoms perfectly.
I have yet to find out which vax it is though.

I THINK it is possibly the hib, if you go on wikipedia all of the ingredients are listed for various vaccs under different brand names and lo and behold there are some containing bovine proteins.
I am waiting to hear back from my surgery to find out which shot they use and if it's possible to separate them...so far they are not very forthcoming.

I hope you pick this message up, something to look info anyway.

TinyDiamond, that is really interesting. Thanks for the reply.

Funnily enough, our new doctor recommended going with the Hib first, as she reckons she sees the least number of reactions with that vaccine. My question to her was:

"IF we decide to proceed with the next round, and if my son has a reaction as horrendous as last time, what next?".

She suggested contacting an allergist and making up the vaccine without the key allergenic triggers. I don't know if that's possible, or if I somehow misheard her?

Anyway, we're currently engaged in a bout of fence-sitting. DS' reflux and green stools have flared up the last two days, as I believe we've entered teething territory (he's five months in a couple of days). Even so, his discomfort is extremely mild and NOTHING like the post-vaccine reaction.

I'm so sorry you've been though the same experience with your little one. Not fun playing Inspector Morse with so few clues available, is it?

Seriously not fun. Mine was 5 months last week.
I am not positive it was the hib, I am unsure on which exactly it is as its so hard to find stuff available on it. Chances are as you're in the US what theyre using could be different anyway. I just remember finding out myself and things all clicking into place.
I suppose the advantage of you having to pay for your healthcare is that you get to choose your paed. Ours is ok, supportive of me bf but not an expert with gastro stuff so alot of things she says are half guessed.
Although these things are largely trial and error arent they.
We have had an ok couple of weeks in terms of crying, or lack of. Nappies seem ok but I am being so strict.
I don't find the dairy a problem to avoid but the soya I do as it's in EVERYTHING.
I have a handful of failsafe items that I turn to when I need a treat/sugar rush. I have just discovered marshmallows are ok!

THat's really interesting about the bovine protein TinyDiamond. I don't want to burst your bubble about the marshmallows but maybe check that they don't contain gelatine from cows - in case it's anything bovine that would have an effect!

They do contain the beef gelatine and I risked it and no ill affects at all! Wahey so glad as I deserve some treats!

:)

I'm bloody lucky, as I live in NYC, so vegan and raw bakeries are everywhere (and all are so nice about steering me towards the soy-free stuff). Let me tell you that cheesecake made with coconut cream and a cashew nut crust is tdf!