Help! Just had swine flu jag and regreretting it!

[chubbychipmonk]

Hi,

After much deliberating, discussion, research and sleepless nights I decided to get the Swine Flu Vaccine . .the decision was made jointly by myself and my partner although at the time I still had a niggling doubt in the back of my head about whether or not I was doing the right thing.

I thought after having the vaccine I would be able to forget about it but I had the Vaccine 3 days ago now and I ve spent the last 3 days tormenting myself that Ive just seriously damaged my unborn baby (am 35 weeks). I keep reading all the horror stories now and think, what if ive just given my baby autism or ive seriously affected it in some way . . ive convinced myself the baby is moving less often and am basically driving myself mad!!

Am looking from reassurance from other mums to be who had the vaccine that Ive done the right thing coz Im really upset and totally regretting what ive done!

Am sorry for you. It's unlikely that you have anything to worry about, but I understand your concerns.

If you are really worried about lack of movement you need to get checked out.

I am also pg an have decided against the jab, but I know of loads of mums who are having it. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I will be having it at 32 weeks. Why do you think you've damaged your baby - all it does at your stage is put on layers of fat, so there's no reason why it should have been harmed. If the medical profession thought there was any danger of that they wouldn't be offering it to us.

BTW autism was not caused by any vaccine. That so called piece of research has been well and truely discredited.

Bigpreggybelly - sorry to appear confrontational but that is completely untrue. Research is still ongoing regarding the safety of vaccines given in large doses and to young babies.

BPB you really sholdn't spout out so much when you don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about

Chubbychipmonk,

Sorry I overlooked your original post there. There's nothing to suggest that there's anything wrong with your baby, is there? And worrying about it too much will do more harm than anything else, so I hope you can manage to try and not. There's no point - what's done is done so just relax and put your feet up while you can - when the baby arrives, you won't have the time!

RnB - there's no need to be so rude. I really hope for your baby's sake, you don't get swine flu.

BPB there is no need to be so ill-informed and to make such sweeping statements.

There are many parents out there with vaccine-damaged children and many adults who have been damaged by vaccines (including people on here). The government even has a vaccine damage payment for victims, which includes payouts for people who were affected by vaccines which were given to their mothers while pregnant.

So you can't go around saying people shouldn't be concerned. Yes, the risks are small but there is still a risk. Believe me it is very real for people living with it.

RnB - Thanks for that . . .the purpose of me posting this was for people to try and reassure me . . you've juat panicked me even more!

chubbychipmonk As I said it is rare. Don't panic, there is no point and chances are you and baby are fine.

It's not fair when people like BPB wildly state 'facts' that aren't true.

Chubby i would try and not worry x I am waiting for my gp to get the vaccine in and want it as soon as it comes in, i havent done any research but have spoke to my gp about it who told me if his wife was pregnant at this stage he would want her to have it x

I have also got a chest infection at the moment and know how much pain that is causing in my lungs and how breathless i feel from that, so god knows what it would be like if you got swine flu x

I think you have done the right thing for you and your baby, you are protecting yourself and your child so try not to worry

As for people swearing at each other that is not very helpful, everyone has different opinions on this, poster is lloking for reassurance x

The swine flu vaccine is as safe as you could hope for - it is a dead vaccine, and is very very similar to the regular flu vaccine. Don't worry. It could be far worse for the baby if you got swine flu, and far worse for you too. And in a pandemic, that is not a negligible risk.

I'm 14 weeks pg and will have the swine flu vaccination.

Aah Cchipmonk - poor you! Please try not to worry. I had it last Saturday and have just tried not to think about it too much since then. You could end up doing yourself more damage by stressing over this than the vaccine could ever do to you or baby. You've done it now...you are safe and protected and that's all you need to think about at this stage. Try not to read anything else about the jab etc if you can and just look forward to meeting your beautiful baby in a few weeks time! xxx

Hi there - I just wanted to say the worry must be horrible... I agonised over having it... but I actually feel so much better after having my jab... but that is because I have had pneumonia (and subsequently developed asthma) that means that swine flu could be very bad news for me... so at least you won't have that worry.

I am sure you will be fine... we really are damned if we do, damned if we don't. Try and distract yourself from the worry if you can (tell yourself that that is all it is - I am a terrible worrier sometimes and just get consumed by it) and it will start to pass especially when you feel your baby kicking more again.

After my jab it was very reassuring to feel the baby kick away - and I had my 20 week scan today and everything was great, so at least superficially it hasn't done my baby any harm if that reassures you,

If you want reassurance on a medical matter, the last people you should ask are the people on this website, the vast majority of whom seem to be a bunch of hippies (there are a few exceptions of course) who really don't know what they are talking about!

Chubby Chipmonk please don't worry, I have spent many days worrying that the baby wasn't moving enough only to be laughing by the evening because it wouldn't stop. When my son had the MMR I was constantly paranoid that he had changed or was ill. Unfortunately this is just the start of the "mother guilt" which I imagine will last our whole lives..... if you are truly concerned then get it checked out hope you are feeling better

please be reassured that you made the best decsion at the time, with the information that was available to you.
You have protected yourself, and your baby from the potential risk of SF.
As a parent you will have to make a million decisons like this, and you can only use what youve got and then go from there.

Im so glad I had mine, i was getting nightmares every night, becoming paranoid about going out or crowded areas, it was becoming a problem.
Im now much more comfortable knowing that ive protected myself and my unborn child, and will also be here for my children.

If those of you worried about getting the swine flu vaccine, then go with the Celvapan rather than the pandemrix. The Celvapan is preservative free from the preservative Thimerosal that in some cases has caused autism and has been banned in some states in the US, California being one of them. The Celvapan is also squalene free, another controversial ingredient that has been removed. I am 31wks pregnant and have been booked in to receive the Celvapan next week. And yes, you can get it even if denied it, just work hard and make them give it to you! Its def the safer choice. But me personally doesn't feel any of this stuff is safe, but neccesary.

Chubbychipmonk- don't worry hun, the good thing is you got the shot in your later 3rd trimester so think of it as the baby is pretty much developed and can handle such shots. Thats what I would do. You can't beat yourself up with a decision thats already been made. There are loads out there that have gotten the shot and they said no change. Its just all become a mass hysteria. Enjoy the remainder of your pregnancy and keep in mind that you and your child will be protected since you will be having the baby right when winter kicks in the and flu bugs are circulating.

Chubbychipmonk - you have made a decision and EXPERT opinion would support that it is a good decision. Please relax and try to enjoy your pregnancy.....the links between vaccines and autism are unproven and people are (unfairly) bringing up this argument now to justify a decision that they have made for themselves. Each to their own......we don't know half the people on this forum, what level of knowledge they actually have, and what other beliefs they subscribe to....we are just looking at snapshots of peoples opinions on a very highly emotive subject. If you have done your own research and your partner and you have agreed that the jab is the best option in terms of relative risks, then you should trust in your decision and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

I am not saying people are wrong to say no to the jab as it's a highly personal decision, but (and please don't take offense to this, as I am just trying to lighten the mood here a bit) I would be devastated to find out that my mind had been swayed by a fellow mumsnetter who also believed that all vaccines were evil, childirth should be totally drug free, children should be breast fed until the age of ten and David Icke is actually the son of god!!!

Okay. I have my own views on SF, which I'm not going to go into here, suffice to say I personally don't want the jab but fully support anyone who wants to take it.

I think the link RnB posted was really interesting, and it was something I'd never heard of before. One thing on it is making me wonder though..... the Gov won't pay out any money for people in UK or Isle or Man who've been badly effected by SF injection (among some others). It says this about halfway down the page that RnB linked to.

I'm not sure if that means that the Gov is confident that SF jab is safe, or they are just trying to cover their ass.

I think the best thing any of us can do as medically unqualified mothers or pregnant women is to think about it and go with the option which is best for you and your views for your baby.

Hopefully all the babies of all the women on this site are healthy and well, but if the are sick for any reason I hope that they will still be loved and cherished.

There you go, my soppy post for the day is over!

I didnt find your post soppy I found it quite alarming.

I hope you didnt mean that if we've harmed our babies by having the SF jab then you hope those babies are still loved and cherished

For what it's worth, my friend whose job is in medical research, who spends her day developing drugs against diseases (university post, not drugs company funded), is very competent in sifting through evidence in medical journals, is highly sceptical of most claims, and is currently pregnant.... has had a good look at the evidence and has decided that getting vaccinated is definitely the best option.

I realise that's a bit convoluted 'friend of a friend' stuff.. but thought I would pass it on. IMO, she's a lot more experienced in these things than most midwives or GPs who inevitably are passing on info they have been given rather than looking at the primary research data.

Good luck all those yet to make decisions, and calm to those who have already made them.

Agreed - my obstetrician has recommended the vaccine (but only after she had time to look into it fully) and so does my lifelong friend in the US, who is also an obstetrician (a professor to boot). His pregnant wife has had the vaccine and I know he would never put her at risk intentionally. Having said that, he also believes that women should make up their own minds, and that even if we choose NOT to have the jab for whatever reason, we will probably be ok......the most important thing is not to worry too much as this is not good for mum or bub.

I have booked the jab for the 28th Nov - earliest I could get it from my health centre, and frankly I will be glad to get it done and over with as all this worrying and indecision has really been doing my head in!

It's absolutely shocking that people on here are scaremongering when the original poster specifically asked for support. She can't undo having the vaccine so I think it's highly insensitive, selfish and self-righteous of ANYONE to post a reply here about their opinion on the harm they think the vaccine can do including the implication that something is now wrong with the baby. Get off this thread and post elsewhere somewhere more appropriate.

Whoever said that Thiomersal causes autism, as if that is a fact, is totally wrong. Nothing has been proven and all the proper research has more or less ruled out any link between either squalene or mercury in vaccines and autism.

I've had the vaccine, for the record, two weeks ago I'm now 26 weeks. Nothing of any concern to report. Checkups and movement pattern are all fine and exactly as pre-vaccine.

Nobody should be worried about the choice they have made and can't change now so let's focus on the benefits and positives please.

The later you are in pregnancy the better. As you are 35 weeks your baby could be born at this stage without problems so I wouldn't worry.

Check out the lack of movements if you are worried but I wouldn't think it is a problem. I flew when I was 20 something weeks and I was convinced I had killed my baby as he didn't move once whilst we were on holiday, however as soon as the plane took off on the way home he went crazy!

Oh and bigpreggybelly I guess the hippy comment may have been somewhat influenced by some comments that I have made on other threads. I couldn't be any less like a hippy if I tried. I'm just a concerned anxious mother who likes to make a informed choice rather than just accept guidance blindly, like most of the people on MN I suspect.