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Original poster

Side effects from whooping cough jab?

76 replies

Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 08:31

Hi Ladies,

I wondered if anyone has had the whooping cough jab while pregnant and if they would be willing to share any experience of side effects or lack of? I reacted badly to vaccines as a child so this is a big concern for me...

Thanks in advance!
x

OP posts:
mummy2benji · 12/10/2012 08:49

Hello! I am 37+6 and had the WC jab a week ago. I remembered on my way out of the doctor's surgery that my mum had told me I didn't receive the other whooping cough boosters as an infant as I reacted badly to the first one I had. It was a bit late then as I'd just had it! I was absolutely fine with this one though, the only adverse effect being a sore shoulder for 2 days. I had the flu jab in the other arm and no problems with that either. I haven't felt unwell and even the sore arm didn't stop me being able to pick up ds and do things normally. We react differently to vaccines as adults so you are unlikely to have the same reactions to things that you had as an infant - plus, they used to not give the other boosters for all sorts of minor adverse effects and call them 'allergic reactions' whereas nowadays we recognise the importance of immunisations and need a really good reason to advise not giving them. x

GrandPoohBah · 12/10/2012 09:10

I had the WC jab on Tuesday morning. I was tired and felt a bit grotty on Tuesday evening (although that could have been because I was tired and needed a rest ), and my arm swelled up a bit and was sore. I still have a bit of soreness and swelling on my arm but nothing too bad, and it's definitely on its way down.

CharleeWarlee · 12/10/2012 09:24

Ive had whooping cough in one arm and flu jab in the other. Have been fine since I had them on Wednesday - just got 2 very sore arms Grin

Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 09:27

I'm intrigued by the sore arm thing! Is it achy or does it sting? When I was a child my leg swelled enormously from a jab so I'm a bit scared of that bit! x

OP posts:
CharleeWarlee · 12/10/2012 09:42

No - just feels like someone has given me 'birthday beats' as they say. Only hurts when i lift my elbow up to shoulder level.

Im a wuss when it comes to needles/injections etc. But it was fine :)

alwayspregnant · 12/10/2012 09:42

Got mine done on wednesday, my poor wee arm is still sore.

MsPickle · 12/10/2012 09:43

Just sore and achy. I had whooping cough in one arm and flu in the other last week at 31 weeks and was otherwise ok. I have whooping cough (tail end of now, thank goodness!) but was advised to have the jab as well to make sure protected. Having had the cough I really didn't want to risk my LO having it as its bloody awful as an adult let alone as a baby! I got a head cold afterwards but unconnected, that was a v kind family member sharing it with us all. I needed paracetamol to take the edge of the ache to sleep one night as with a cough, a bump and two sore arms I just couldn't get comfortable. It's a dead vaccine so other than the discomfort you should be fine. Good luck, hope you all are.

ScrambledSmegsEvilTwin · 12/10/2012 09:45

Had it on Tuesday. Apart from the sore shoulder, I've had no side-effects. Although I've had a horrible virus and still not back to normal, so I guess I wouldn't really know.

MousyMouse · 12/10/2012 09:46

you can report any side effects here (mhra yellow card)
please do so as that is where any medicine's safety data comes from.

Jules125 · 12/10/2012 10:05

slightly sore arm for a few days - had it on monday. That's all. Arm fine again now!

The vaccine has been widely used and safety established. That doesn't mean that there are never problems or side effects, just that there is a lot of confidence the benefits are worth the risks.

Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 10:14

thanks ladies! Jules125 the problem is though that they don't yet know whether there will be benefits to this - it is hypothetical as even the similar jab in America has not yet been assessed properly to understand whether it is affecting infant infection rates. I just want to be sure that the risks of side effects are minimal as I tend to react to vaccines (and hence was not given many by my parents) and there is no way to weigh up the risk/benefit of this when we don't yet know the benefits... :(

OP posts:
Jules125 · 12/10/2012 10:30

Problem is it will take a long time for the cohort / follow-up study type research to be publised (and I guess this is what you are looking for)? but babies are dying and getting very sick now. Mathemetical modelling studies will have been commissioned to assess the risk / benefit ratios. Sometime its necessary to respond quickly with this best evidence available. I don't mean to dismiss your concerns, but "perfect" information can't be available for those already at risk now (I am 34 weeks pregnant).

Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 10:54

no I definitely agree - I'm 30 weeks gone so also need to make my mind up quickly! Its just really difficult! How do you know about the modelling studies? Do you have links to anything? I've read all the meeting minutes etc but have never heard of these?

OP posts:
RockabillyKitty · 12/10/2012 11:05

Very timely discussion for me. I've just booked to have WC & flu jab. I'm currently 28 wks but can't get in until I'll be 31 wks - so don't leave it too long to book ladies! But I asked the receptionist if there were any side effects and she didn't know. I'm not worried or scared of it, I just wanted to know if I could legitimately book the afternoon off workWink

Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 11:09

It would also be interesting to know how many ladies are going for it, I think. I know that from forums it would seem like everyone is getting the flu jab, but only 25% took it up last year and less than 10% so far this year as far as I understand...

rockabillly yeah the side effects are awful, you'll definitely need the afternoon off Wink xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 11:11

(ps. those stats are % of pregnant women!) and Rockabilly thats a winking face above!! x

OP posts:
MousyMouse · 12/10/2012 11:20

wrt side effects, ask the nurse to let you read the package leaflet beforehand. if the surgery is very organised they might have the package leaflet at reception for you to read. or ask the name of the vaccine and google the package leaflet.

Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 11:26

thanks Mousymouse :) Yes I've read the product details online - but they make for terrifying reading - no one would ever have it done! ;) I just wondered what the 'real world' experiences were...

OP posts:
sleepybump · 12/10/2012 12:11

For anyone interested who is reading this thread...reading from the leaflet my MLU sent me this morning about it:

'there are no safety concerns related to having the vaccine during pregnancy. you may have mild side effects...common to all patients such as swelling, redness or tenderness where the vaccine is given in the upper arm. serious side effects are extremely rare, especially in adults.'

which sounds like what people are reporting here :)

For anyone who might be reading this and considering not having it: My 13mo caught whooping cough just before her 12m booster. Even though she had had all her boosters too! so I am certainly having this vaccine! Neither my brother or I had ours when we were little. As such, I had whooping cough twice as I grew up (really, really horribly as a baby and not so badly as a teen), so I made sure my daughter had her vaccines. I am actually lucky I didnt catch it off her this time round! It's really not nice (and very dangerous) for a small baby to have whooping cough so any help for the tiny ones is much appreciated by me :)

Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 12:28

sleepybump (cute name by the way!!) this is one of my key concerns - so many vaccinated people catch it anyway! I'm confused about why this makes you want the vaccine rather than thinking it is not very good?!

OP posts:
Orenishii · 12/10/2012 12:34

That's what I was going to say Leigh - Sleepy can't you see the contradiction in what you just wrote?

There's data to suggest that in the 80's, in the years of low vaccination numbers due to the possible link to brain damage, case of whooping cough did not go up. Likewise, in the years of high vaccination, cases did not go down.

So why inject something into yourself where a) there is no evidence to suggest yet that it is safe - and not having reported side effects yet does not equal safe and b) you yourself have said your DD still caught it despite being vaccinated.

I don't get it. The Truth About Vaccinations is a very good book written by a UK GP who is neither for or against vaccinations but simply wanted to put out a balanced view of to vaccinate or not to vaccinate. He willingly gives parents the option of what they want to do - but also feels strongly we should have a balanced access of information, not just one-sided, contradictory fear-mongering.

Orenishii · 12/10/2012 12:37

Also - sorry, forgot to say - it is a very emotive thing to say "babies are dying". Yes - as of September 2012, 12 babies have died so far this year. This is an incredibly low number of deaths in comparison to other reasons for infant mortality, such as SIDS.

Yes, you might say 12 is too many when it can be prevented. But clearly the vaccination doesn't prevent catching whooping cough so again - why?

All I would like is some perspective, some balanced, educational, non fear-mongering discourse with professionals - not "quick, get it, before it's too late!!!!"

Original poster
Leighgirl2012 · 12/10/2012 12:57

have 12 died now? I thought it was 10? Has more happened and if so where have you found out this info? x

OP posts:
snowchick1977 · 12/10/2012 13:11

Had it Friday, had the flu jab at the same time in the other arm. Feel fine!

Orenishii · 12/10/2012 13:22

Leigh I can't remember where I linked to it now, one of the many, many, many, many threads on WC.

It was a press release from September so I don't think numbers have risen, it's just that it is so hard to GET information!