HPV Vaccine

[Lucy43D]

Hi everyone, mum's, dad's,nans,grandads, uncles and aunts sisters brothers etc, my sons 12 and the school has sent home a vaccine card, for him to receive HPV, ,Tdap and MenACWY, now I'm relatively ok with Tdap as that's the booster for what was 3 in 1, tetanus etc, and THE menACWY is meningococcal ACWY...but my heads a little burnt out with the HPV, so I'm hoping to get some pros and cons from all you guys, see my daughter got HPV vaccine when it was introduced to school about 10 years ago and she was in bits afterwards for a long time (years)with side effects, massive headaches, mood swings depression etc so I'm hoping time has improved this vaccine but yes I'm very on the fence to let himself get it, so any views will be welcome TIA

I'd be wary of people giving you advice when they know very little about the subject. Especially ones that come across as experts.

We paid for ds to have it because it was only for girls in his school year. I read very recently that there have been zero cases of cervical cancers in girls/women who have had the vaccine, which is pretty miraculous really

https://publichealthscotland.scot/news/2024/january/no-cervical-cancer-cases-detected-in-vaccinated-women-following-hpv-immunisation/#:~:text=An%20exciting%20new%20study%20from,programme%20started%20in%20Scotland%20in

Considering it prevents death, the yes your son should have it.

Why on earth are you listening to your daughter's boyfriend? What are his qualifications?

Anti vaxxera baffle me, they really fucking do.

I'm a bit worried that your partner and your daughter's boyfriend are both sceptical about vaccines op. What do they know that the scientists don't?

It's so easy to get spooked by a few stories about vaccines. The scientists look at side effects and take that into account when deciding whether a vaccine is safe. It's based on huge, international data sets. On the other side, you have people posting on Facebook without any real evidence whatsoever.

@CadyEastman he wasn't giving advice, just an opinion like anyone else I've asked, including people on here, I'm very honoured that a young man who's a massive role model in my sons life took time out to even have an opinion, as I'm very grateful for people here to give opinions 😀

@CadyEastman thank you

@Lucy43D why don't you speak to your doctor or nurse practitioner and listen to their professional opinion? I realise this may come across snipey, but I genuinely mean this.

We didn’t have the HPV vaccine for any of our dc (they have other medical conditions and we just weren’t sure but fully vaccinated otherwise) and hopefully herd immunity is enough to protect them

People who around seem to be bashing my daughters long term boyfriend he just giving his opinion..he's not a scientist, doctor or any other type of medical specialist, not an anti vac, just giving me an opinion, my partner is anti vac so tbh I'm not concerned about his opinion that much obviously it came up in conversation 😉..but guys please can you stop having a go at People who just have opinions and have actually taken time out to be supportive and helpful, they make my life and my sons a little easier and I think everyone needs people to turn to especially in this day and age, not everyone has family and friends to rely on, to get advice and it can have a massive impact on someone's mental health when they think no one gives a damn...my question was put out purely about HPV vac, not who said or didn't say, or who's qualified in a certain field..I just wanted to have an idea as to how other parents were going about it..

Is it a matter of choice? Then just do as you chose.

@Hubblebubble I would have but I literally had from the time I put the post on here till this morning and I couldn't get a phone appointment in that time span.. I have a lot going on (partner to have serious surgery in couple of weeks) so I thought I'd use this page as you are all (mostly) pretty helpful, plus we've just moved back to Dublin from uk, sons just moved into new school etc, so it's a lot for 1 child to take on, and I just wanted to see had the opinions changed towards the vaccine and also I had no information on the boys side of things till yesterday

Exactly; is he a vaccine specialist or a consultant doctor?

You can’t even consider the opinions of anyone who isn’t a doctor or a vaccine scientist. Get the vaccine. Sorry for your daughters experience but there is no way to prove it’s linked to the vaccine.

You could split the vaccines and do them each a month apart if you are concerned about that aspect, we did this with the dc baby immunisations after reactions that caused them to be hospitalised (then had some done at the hospital as well on advice of the gp so they could be observed afterwards in case of reaction)

There’s no way to prove it wasn’t linked to the vaccine either . Side effects from any medication are possible and for anything other than vaccines people accept this - but query a side effect from a vaccine and you are called an anti vaxxer - which is unfair.

Acknowledging side effects then considering risk v benefit allows us to help OP make a decision- it’s far more likely to catch any of these preventable illnesses than it Is to have a reaction to a vaccine. So we need to then offer support and reassurance to OP and see if there’s a way to vaccinate that alleviates her fears and protects her dc as much as possible.

Im my personal situation the solution was split vaccinations , some at hospital and we left one out (hpv-after discussion with our consultant) . There are other options it’s not all or nothing and only to one schedule

I actually worry about this as HPV is not the only thing that cause cervical cancer. That to be honest was my only objection to it, so both mine have had it. DS just recently.

It isn't and never should be a replacement for preventive screening.

@PermanentTemporary thanks for the advice, I did speak to my gp at the time, he wasn't aware she had the vaccine until I told him, I took her there because of the symptoms, because her headaches and monthly cramps etc, and he'd asked me had she had the vaccine and went on from there, but as said it was so long ago, and part of the 1st roll out to schools here in Ireland, as another poster said I don't blame the vaccine, but I just don't (didn't) want my son having to possibly go through what she did, and still she suffers!

HPV vaccine protects against cancers of the penis, tongue, mouth, throat. Not only cervical cancer.

This is about protecting your ds as well as his future female partners.

Dsd died of cervical cancer at 23. Don't risk that with your child.

@Lucy43D it does sound like you've had a lot going on! I'd recommend the NHS choices website when you're rushed for time. Lots of useful stuff on there, all in plain English too. All medical terms explained clearly. Thing is, public opinions on vaccines shift and change. That's how we end up with low uptakes and resultant resurgences of measles. You don't want to go with the crowd, you want to protect your children and others from illness

@Moongirls thanks a million, makes a ton of sense

@Meadowfinch thank you and I'm so sorry 😞

@Hubblebubble thanks a million, this is very true!

I think my daughter was due to have it in 2013 when she was 15 and I didn't want her to have it and she didn't want it either.

Neither of us have regretted that decision.

I paid for my son to get it as it was only given to girls then - £350. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. I've had two relatives die from neck and throat cancer it's awful.