Sorry to start another MMR thread...

[HunkerMunker]

But I don't have the time to read through everything in the hope that my questions have been answered!

DS is 10 months old, we live in west London and I have a crap immune system. I had postviral arthritis (after getting parvovirus (slapped cheek) when I was 22), which lasted two years and left me unable to walk or use my hands without pain. In the meantime, I was diagnosed with endometriosis, which, the more I read about it, the more I think it has an autoimmune root.

So I guess what I want to know is because my immune system seems so ropey (not just these two examples, other things too), should I not overload DS with the MMR? He had a bad reaction to the first triple jab (frightened looking, pasty, etc) and I delayed the others for a few months (he was better, but still unhappy after these).

We're happy to pay for singles, but want to know what's in them and that they've been stored correctly. Are there questions we should ask about this (which ingredients are the no-nos - thiomersal? Is that in the MMR now? Or the singles? Or neither?)?

If we give him the singles, how does that go down with HVs and GPs? Not that I mind one jot upsetting them! Just wondering if I should prepare myself for a fight!

I think that's all, but I'm sure there are more things that I'll think of as soon as I hit post!

HM, if I were you I would definitely consider singles. There are threads with clinics named who do this. don't know about the reaction from HV's etc. as we live in the states. It has been incredibly difficult to do it here though.

PS there were two threads on this just very recently so should be easy to find. I posted on both so you could put in my name and MMR (I think lockets posted too) and they shoudl pop right up.

Hi,

There is a thread which asks for clinic recommendations and I think one called Direct Health got lots of recommendations.
Don't worry about your GP and HV - it's not their decision - it's yours. I'm a HV too and I know several Mums on my caseload have gone down the singles route and it doesn't worry me in the slightest. You've got to be happy with what you do and if you feel that single vaccines are the right choice for you and your baby then that's fine and should be fine with your HV and GP too. Just a pity you can't get hold of them on the NHS.
The majority of clinics giving single vaccines are fine and will get their vaccines from reliable sources. For example France still offers a single measles vaccine for babies under 12 months ( and still gives the MMR too!) so they are one source of the vaccine and it'll be fine from there. The clinic should tell you where they get their supplies from and how they are produced and stored. There is a shortage of the mumps vaccine though as I am sure others will tell you.

Hope that helps

Mandy

Ds2 and ds3 haven't been jabbed at all (not even dtp let alone anything else) and both my HV and GP are fine. The surgery don't even pass on the be wise immunise letters sent out centrally. They just bin them. The GP asked for a letter and was happy with that.

Was going to say check out mumps complications as it is hard to get single mumps jab at the moment (the govt has restricted import). There is quite a lot of mumps around at the moment- more than there has been in years- mainly in the teen/ young adult population (where immunty offered by the jab may well have worn off, and off course where complications are far more likely). I'm fairly certain ds1 (age 5) has it this weekend.

I cannot tell you what to do but I can tell you what we did.

DH has an auto-immune disease with a genetic marker which may or may not be passed on to our children. We do not know what triggered him to develop the disease but we do know the his AS / PsA is in the same family as chrons.

We decided on sepvax just because we don't know and wanted to give as much chance as possible for DS's system to cope. I am currently however wondering whether to give him an MMR booster (he's now 4) and potentially considering MMR for DD (who had thimerosal free primaries), but I do think we will give sepvax again .. I know that might not help but that is how difficult it is to make up your mind

as for your other questions

If you choose singles just tell the GP / HV .. there is no fight, smile and ignore any well-meaning advice to the contrary or blind them with your medical history

We used Direct Health in Eltham and have no issues with them at all (but it is costly . .up to £80 per jab now) ..

HTH

no-one can tell you what to do, you need to make up your own mind

watcving the washing machine at the moment lockets (so obviously feeling a bit better).

Thanks ladies. Lots to think about!