Anyone with a year 8 girl thinking about the HPV vaccine?

[seeker]

Any thoughts?

[fedupandisolated]

Cervical cancer is a killer - nothing to think about apart from "thank God there is an immunization for one of the causative factors"

My niece is having it done.

[MOrticiaAdams]

Thought about it, signed the forms and she's done. First one anyway, two boosters to follow of the next 2 months or so.

[seeker]

I suppose my concern is that these girls are the first cohort - ! wish it was further down the line before my dd had it. Irrational I know!

[MOrticiaAdams]

Totally understand, I thought the same too! Thing is, there are just to many good reasons for it. Someone has to be first and really, our girls aren't first anyway, they are second - its been trialed enough!

If it makes you feel any better, my DD's school was the first in the country to have it done! Top tip. She will have a stiff arm for a couple of days after, and the stiff arrives quiet quickly after the jab. If you can, either give her a couple of Ibruprofen before she goes to school that day or shove a couple in her bag for when she needs then.

[bleurgh]

Yes, I've thought that I won't give it. It hasn't been trialled enough, and all those thousands of girls in the US that have been vaccinated were not given Cervarix, they were given Gardasil. Cervarix is not licensed in the US I don't think. Pin cushion or guinea pig? Pick your phrase.

[MOrticiaAdams]

I think thats the plan Herbie, at some stage. Not sure when, but I'm sure I read somewhere, that boys would be vaccinated eventually.

[bleurgh]

Perhaps in Pharmaceutical Marketing Daily.

[MOrticiaAdams]

Maybe it was, yes.

[BodenGroupie]

Turned it down after a lot of thought. Didn't like the fact that it's the first year, limited
research done on this age group, not licensed yet in US cos FDA have reservations, no one sure how long immunity lasts. Also felt very unhappy the way it was sold to the girls but not the parents. Spoke to the nurse who did the talk and she felt the same way - says next year
she will do a talk for the parents too. She said her understanding is that we will have to pay if we want her to have it later, can't be done as part of the catchup. NHS Direct could neither confirm nor deny - they just read out the leaflet I already had.

Didn't take the decision lightly - I had grade 3 CIN when she was a baby.

[kingprawntikka]

I have also declined for my daughter. I am in favour of the vaccine in principle but as far as i am aware the test groups focussed on 15+ year olds , with only around 2000 12 year olds given the trial vaccine out of 40,000 girls. I do not feel it is sufficient to be sure how it affects girls newly in puberty. Also even the NHS Direct site says immunity may only last four and a half years,
I thimk given the very limited history of the vaccine i would rather wait a few years and have more info on it before i allow my child to be vaccinated.

[Tortington]

i paid for my dd to have it done

i felt that strongly

[seeker]

OK - I am puzzled now. The NHS Direct website says
"Research has shown that the HPV vaccine's protection is effective for four-and-a-half years after completing the three dose course. Beyond that, it is not known how long the vaccine's protection will last."

So is the assumption that between the ages of 12 and 16.5 girls are at a hight risk of being infected with this virus and not thereafter? Or am I missing something?

[seeker]

And the only RL people I know who are even thinking twice about are a couple of loons who think that girls are going to say "Oh, I am immunized against the PV virus , I think I'll go and shag for Britain - it was only the thought of possibly getting cervical cancer when I'm 40 that was holding me back"

[UniversallyChallenged]

DD had first one today, anyone elses? Thought it was November 13th it was due so was pretty surprised. Dd said a couple of the girls went "blind" for up to 5 seconds after, not sure if it was teenage dramatics but must have been scarey if true.

[kingprawntikka]

No i don't think you are missing something Seeker, i guess its a new vaccine and hasn't been around long enough for doctors to know enough about it long term. I don't think my 12 year old is going to be having sex any time soon and so i am more than happy to wait and see a while with regard to the vaccine.

[seeker]

I don't think my 12 year old is going to have sex soon either - but neither does anybody else - and a lot do!

So you think they are only saying 4.5 years because there haven't been any trials lasting longer than that?

[kingprawntikka]

I don't know ... i have read that boosters may be needed after the four and a half years, I take your point about the sex but i do think my daughter would discuss it with me as we have a very open relationship. I was suprised how shocked she was that a fifth of 14 year olds are already having sex. The vaccine only protects against 70% of cervical cancers so i think a safe sex message still needs to be taken on board.

[BodenGroupie]

KPT your name makes me so hungry

I would agree my 12 year old is a long way off sex - she told me last night she thinks late twenties is about right - I was delighted! No doubt that will change but my 15 year old isn't
much more likely - I think watching that C4 sex
ed programme together has helped no end.

Seeker - I think they're saying only 4.5 years immunity cos that's the extent of the trial so far.

[smartiejake]

My DD had this last week and was the only child out of 4,000 that the nurses had done who had a reaction! (Trust her) She felt really odd and then fainted about 15 mins after the jab.

SHe was fine after a few hours but I am going with her for the next one. Not sure if it was the jab or just her anxiety about it ( although she said she wasn't worried.)

BTW she says she will never have sex and will adopt a baby to avoid this!

[MarsLady]

After lots of doubts (ie children being injected with things left right and centre) I spoke to my lovely doctor who I trust. She said she'll give it to her daughters in a heartbeat. That was good enough for me and DD1 will get it on the catch up program.