Quick poll - Pg ladies, how pg are you and will you be having the swine flu jab?

[laurawantsababy]

I am 25 weeks pg with dc2 and very confused.

After another death but with conflicting advice about the jab chosen for the UK what are we to do??

I would love you here everyones choice and thoughts on it to help me out.

Thanks

Upsydaisy83 I had Pandemrix 11 days ago and feel totally normal. I was under the weather for a couple of days immediately afterwards but very mild, sore arm/shoulder and headache as if I was about to get ill but nothing worse. Baby has been just as before as well (I'm 25 weeks), same patterns of movement.

It has relaxed me in a couple ways. First the obvious of knowing that it's unlikely I'll get swine flu now or ever, and baby will also be protected possibly up to 6 months old. My husband has been ill with flu type illness this week and it has not bothered me and I have not got ill either.

But also I have stopped the obsessive following of swine flu in the media and the vaccine debate, agonising over the various ingredients and statistical info because I've had it now, can't change anything, there's no decision to make.

I've gone from no, to yes to no but now am on yes again.

Will do it tomorrow.

Mostly because if anyone gets it, it will be ds in reception (dh doesn't take pt) and I can't face having to leave or sending him somewhere until he gets over it.

I think you're right midnightsun I am also quite tired of worrying and thinking about it (constantly!), and would like to relax a bit for last 5 weeks.

I found the number of my PCT by typing primary care trust into google along with the area where I live. I do not think they are currently keeping any stats of how many pregnant women have had swine flu and of those how many have had complications in the UK. The GP told me they will be keeping a record of how many pregnant women have the vaccine though.

Does anybody know which other countries are using Pandremix vaccine during pregnancy and what the uptake has been?

It's so right I just need to make a decision so I can stop obsessing over this and get on with enjoying the rest of my pregnancy!

Pandemerix is being used in Sweden (they haven't bought any Cevlapan, so those with an egg allergy are not being offered vaccination at all). I don't know the exact statistics, but I've looked at a couple of polls on swedish parent sites and it seems to suggest about 50% of pregnant women are willing to have the jab.

I am flip flopping between the two. Was all for it at the end of last week and now am not sure again.

watingwating - my GP surgery gave me the number of the PCT

carmenmiranda Norway is the same as catski reports from Sweden. Pandemrix only here, no alternative. For egg allergy sufferers in risk groups the only advice is to vaccinate the rest of the immediate family.

Anecdotal evidence shows about half of pregnant woman are taking up the offer. I get the feeling a lot more were skeptical of the vaccine but then have changed their mind as they have read the info and weighed up the risks. I think the pro and against camps are even more polarised here than in the UK though. Probably based on this country's tradition of extreme conservatism with the use of any medication during pregnancy (paracetamol and caffeine included).

Had the pandemrix jab at a surgery drop in saturday lunch time.

I would have preferred to have cevlapan and wait a couple more months (im 17+3) but two of DPs work colleagues went down with suspected swine flu over the past week and i ran out of energy for wobbling between do it/dont do it every few days.

I found this thread really useful - thanks for all the info and the links. Also I found a couple of useful myth-busting articals in New Scientist though dont think i can link to them as DP subscribes.

good luck with your decision making ladies - all i can say is that apart from the sore arm i feel a lot better having done it and stopped fretting.

I have finally made the decision to go ahead and have the jab. I am 29 wks. I was dead against it at first but I work at a busy University with lots of germ ridden students! Also my son is at a nursery so weighing everything up I've decided to go ahead with the jab.

It really is a horrible decision to make but I also worry about the risk of new baby catching it afterwards.

xx

Well I've just come back from having the jab (pandemrix) and I feel fine, my arm isn't hurting but I'm sure that's to come! I thought I'd feel really bad and emotional but tbh I'm so relieved that I've finally made a decision and seen it through. I don't have to worry anymore about leaving my 5 year old DD should I have contracted SF and the worst happened as that was playing on my mind constantly. Here's to a relaxing remainder of my pregnancy :-)

Oh I'm 26 + 2

Thanks for updating after having the vaccine ladies! Great to hear you are all ok and feel better for taking the vaccine.

I decided to go ahead and have it but each time i call the surgery and ask if they have the vaccines in yet all i get is a big fat NO! Like they are really fed up of taking calls about this..Now im panicking that i will get flu before i can get the vaccine I have 2 friends who have had theirs already, they were booked in a week ago! One is 30 min drive from me and the other 20 mins away. How can they be a whole week ahead of my surgery when we are not that far apart?? Guess i'll just have to keep calling them and hope they get it in soon! Anyone else still waiting??

Last time I phoned my surgery they didn't haven't it either.

I keep checking the local pct website as they are publishing a list of surgeries with the vaccine so I can actually call the surgery when I know they have it and request it.

Ah thanks for that liskey! I will do that too!

5 weeks. not having it.

i have made my appointment for tomorrow evening! i am 24 weeks and am glad to be having it after lots and lots of deliberation and reading what you;ve all written. I feel really happy and confident in my decision.

I am booked in too - for mon night. I feel very nervous about it (I already have one dc with a chromosomal disorder), but I do think that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Just wanted to say thankyou to midnightsun and catski for their replies to my question. I think I have decided to go ahead and have the vaccine and have booked it for next Friday 20th I will be 26 weeks +2 by then. Am still not 100% but don't think I ever will be. Just hope that once I have had it I don't then start to worry because I have had it. As my midwife said whatever you decide is fine and not to feel guilty either way. Thankyou to everyone who has contributed to this discussion it has been very helpful, informative and supportive.

I had mine yesterday, and feel very relieved to have had it. I was in two minds about whether it was necessary, as I don't actually know anyone who has had SF, but the idea of catching it now in the last month of pregnancy is too horrible to contemplate (my lungs feel all scrunched up by my bump and it's hard to breathe as it is - if I were 'fluey on top of that I imagine it would be really horrid).

The only ill effect is that my arm feels a bit sore! That I can live with.

Just back from having the vaccine and am 27 weeks 2 days. I managed to get the Celvapan also by going straight through to the local PCT, who then put me onto the local swine flu centre, who booked me in for the next day! I don't have an egg allergy, but told them I do, and don't feel bad about it. I would not have had Pandemrix under any circumstances as we have a lot of auto-immune problems in my immediate family including multiple sclerosis (and my dd DOES have egg allergy along with other allergies, asthma, eczema etc - she will also have the Celvapan jab) and I would have been too worried about setting off autoimmune problems in myself of the baby to take the adjuvant. Ummed and ahhed about this for ages and even spent a few sleepless nights but feel glad I've done it. Feel fine so far but of course only time will tell.

Had my vaccine this morning also by going direct to the local PCT. Was given Celvapan as I said I was unhappy to have pandemrix. Will go back for the 2nd dose in a few weeks. Would suggest that anyone unhappy to have pandemrix contact their PCT directly

Hi,
I've just spoken to a guy from our Health Protection Team (North Wales) and they said that the guidance about Pendemrix and Celvapan has changed over the last 10 days to give pregnant women the 'RIGHT TO MAKE THAT CHOICE' between the two vaccines.
I had a really good chat to him, very helpful and very informed, and he very much was in favour of pregnant women having either vaccine and that they were as safe as each other, the added benefit of Pandemrix being that you are protected sooner (within 14 days of the injection)
As I am 35 weeks next week he was pushing me to go for the pandemrix and was absolutely sure that that one would be the best one for me and he added that he didnt have any shares in either company!! As supplies of Celvapan havent yet come to North Wales, also as time scales are so tight for me, I've decided to go for the Pandemrix.... I think its far better to be protected than not, you never know when and where the swine flu will next strike and its not worth the risk. As I write my brother-in-laws sister is seriously ill in hospital with swine flu, and my sister happened to be with her a few days before, just goes to show that its closer to home than one thinks!!! I could also continue living like a hermit over the next few weeks, but then go to hospital to give birth and then catch it, not worth the risk!
so.... Pandemrix here I come!!

Waiting, thank you for sharing that!

36 weeks, asthmatic, had it today (Pandemrix).

Following the advice given on this thread, I contacted my PCT directly. I was sent this email soon after:

"Firstly, I fully appreciate how apprehensive you must be, especially at such a late stage in your pregnancy. I therefore hope that this email will help allay these concerns.

Your GP surgery may not be due to receive the Pandemrix vaccine until today, which may explain why you have not heard from them yet. I will contact them myself ? please can you confirm the full surgery name for me?

I understand that the use of adjuvant in the Pandemrix vaccine is causing concern to pregnant women. It is normally used to enhance the immune response to the vaccine. The use of an adjuvant can also reduce the amount of antigen (an antigen is the active substance that causes your immune system to produce antibodies) that is needed to produce a satisfactory immune response, which in turn, makes the vaccine safer. It contains a fish oil (squalene) and vitamin E - both naturally occurring products that we have in our bodies. There is also a substance called Polysorbate 80 that is a food additive and is in many medicines.

Other pregnant women are also asking why they can?t choose between the two vaccines. If choice is neutral there is no reason why people cannot choose what they want. However, when the choice is not neutral we have to advise people to have what we believe to be the best protection. We know that in healthy adults one dose of Pandemrix protects almost everybody with very high levels of antibodies. With Celvapan, the proportion of people who will be protected after one dose is considerably fewer. For this reason, the European Commission still recommends two doses of Celvapan. At a time when H1N1 viruses are circulating it has to be better for everybody to be protected after one dose than fewer and with lower antibodies. Pregnant women are advised to receive the adjuvanted vaccine Pandemrix as this vaccine appears to give adequate levels of antibodies after a single dose which provides protection more rapidly than would be offered by Celvapan. As pregnant women are at increased risk of severe disease and hospitalisation, it is vital that they are protected as soon as possible from swine flu infection.

You also mention that other pregnant women you know are accessing Celvapan elsewhere in the country. I am not actually aware of this, and unfortunately, cannot comment on what other PCTs decide to do. However, across the southeast coast health authority area (which consists of Kent, Surrey and Sussex) our policy is to only offer Celvapan those patients who have severe egg anaphylaxis. Unless you fall into this category, I am afraid that WK PCT will be unable you to offer this. However, please let me assure you that the Department of Health has fully licensed Pandemrix for use in all pregnant women."

Don't knwo what to do now...
(Oh and I got my appointment letter from my surgery today too...)

Tomate - v. interesting post. I too am in Surrey and was told (but this was two weeks ago) that Celvapan was only being made available to those with egg allergies. And since my jab was at my GP's; there was no way I was willing to/ or could invent a sudden egg allergy. I wasnt given a choice, so went with Pandemrix.

Interesting Tomate - so it seems to be a postcode lottery then? This seems entirely unfair. I don't know what I would have decided if I hadn't been able to get Celvapan. It's a hard decision because it feels wrong putting anything like this in your body. I hope you are able to come to a decision you feel happy with.