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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

HPV vaccine, don't know what to do!

203 replies

Busymummy50 · 23/03/2021 23:47

Before a few days ago, only knew hpv vaccine was for girls. 13 year old brought home a consent letter last Friday. Vaccination takes place 29th at school.

Initially I thought it was a good idea. I had a smear which came back with hpv found and then had a biopsy years ago. Luckily I was ok and my immune system fought it off. So I knew all about it.

Then I looked into possible side effects and asked other parents (as boys have only been offer this since 2018, so not long). Friends sons have already had it and my son's friends at school are going to have it. But the more I've researched, the more serious side effects I'm finding. I know these have not been proven but I cannot help to worry.

I have consented but having second thoughts. My partner on the other hand is happy for the vaccine to go ahead despite my findings but is also happy is our son doesn't have the vaccine as most of the time our bodies would fight it off.

I just don't know what to do! Has anyone's child had it and had side effects or chosen not to have it and why? Does anyone have more information on these serious side effects?

OP posts:
Runway · 25/03/2021 17:32

@Busymummy50 you do not know who the poster is who told you about a life threatening side effect. Look at the science, not anecdotal data from a random person on the internet who’s agenda you don’t know.

Original poster
Busymummy50 · 25/03/2021 17:35

My son is scared of needles too. I spoke to the immunisation team and they said if he really couldn't go through with it at school, then to call them back and they will sort something out. So perhaps you could speak with school? They suggested school may be able to arrange for my son to get it done first thing before everyone else goes. Hope that helps

OP posts:
AnaofBroceliande · 25/03/2021 17:35

Doesn't she have the right to consent for herself? Hmm My teenager said no. I respected that.

YouokHun · 25/03/2021 17:42

I’m sorry you feel a bit got at OP because I can see you are simply a concerned parent weighing up information. Don’t feel bad for that. I think it’s hard to ignore some of the stuff in the media and on social media.

My daughter had the vaccine a few years ago when scare stories were doing the rounds and we paid privately in 2019 for our son to have the HPV vaccine at 14 years of age. We made the decision based on the evidence available (my DH is a doctor, I’m not medical but work in an evidence-based healthcare area so have some understanding of how studies are designed etc), it was overwhelmingly clear the vaccine was the right course of action.

It’s tricky because so many horror stories come about through people’s misinterpretation. For example: “My friend’s Aunt had the flu vaccine and a week later she died in her sleep, so she was killed by the vaccine”, but there is no evidence that she died because of the flu vaccine, yet that neat story can gather pace and get shared and find its way to others looking for answers who also have a loved one who had the flu vaccine and then died, and so the flu vaccine becomes something (tenuously) linked as fatal in a handful of cases while the VAST silent majority continue to have the flu vaccine safely. And the scare stories are shared and shared again on social media and in the press. It’s frustrating for those who deal in evidence and can interpret data such as previous PP on this thread, because some of the anecdotes available in internet searches are emotive and appeal to people’s fears and do put people off vaccines and treatments. Our own internal bias can lead us unwittingly into reading and absorbing things that confirm our own thoughts rather than the facts, so the concept of anecdotal internet research is flawed in terms of understanding the safety aspect.

Pyjamaface · 25/03/2021 17:47

@Busymummy50

My son is scared of needles too. I spoke to the immunisation team and they said if he really couldn't go through with it at school, then to call them back and they will sort something out. So perhaps you could speak with school? They suggested school may be able to arrange for my son to get it done first thing before everyone else goes. Hope that helps
It'll be next year so I am planning on calling them when he gets the letter. It will need to be either at GPs or the children's hospital he attends as it is all over his records that he hates all things medical, even having his blood pressure taken causes a meltdown.

Same if the Covid vaccine is offered to children. He says he would have it as long as he has time and space to freak out and then calm down without his friends seeing him.

Gerla · 25/03/2021 17:49

Can it be given at a later age? My youngest kids have had it but my oldest didn't as it wasn't standard when he was younger. At 16 is it too late?

bruffin · 25/03/2021 17:52

@Busymummy50

Teens also have the 3 in 1 booster and MenAwcy vaccine. Are there any info online about people who have had these and had a serious reactions? Doesn't seem to have 'conspiracies' As the HPV with groups set up and parents saying their kids were affected by the vaccine.
The were a certain element of society that were against HPV from get go because it "promoted sex" Then the fact it is given at around puberty when diseases like POTs are most likely to start occurring, like MMR and autism means that people will blame the HPV ie correlation rather causation. There is a lot of misinformation out there like deaths on the antivax websites ie the case of Meredith Prohaska who actual died of a benedryl overdose but according to the antivax websites died from her gardisil vaccine.
Angrymum22 · 25/03/2021 17:56

HPV is also thought to be a causative/ contributor to oral cancer. A rise in oral cancer in under 30 yr olds in the last two decades was linked to oral sex. The more partners you have oral sex with the greater the risk.
HPV vaccination for both girls and boys would prevent both CA cervix and CA mouth in young adults.

Trinacham · 25/03/2021 17:59

I was one of the first years (if not THE first year) to have it, I'm 30 now. If the side effects were that bad wouldn't we have heard more in the last 15(?) years that it has been given? Had no issues myself btw.

Rainbowqueeen · 25/03/2021 18:10

@Gerla it’s too late once a person is sexually active. That’s why it is given at 13.

Op yes there is a risk But driving in a car carries a higher degree of risk. As others have pointed out, every medication on the market and every medical procedure carries risk. Don’t let that put you off

Trinacham · 25/03/2021 18:10

@MarieDelaere

My DD was in one of the first ever cohorts to have it. She and all her classmates are fine, are glad they had it, and this year are being called in for their first cervical smear tests.

Amazing.

The vaccine is a wonderful free public health programme for girls, and now also boys, for the benefit of all young people.

If your daughter is only just being called for a smear test, how can she be one of the first? Isn't that started at 25? I am 30 and had the HPV jab. I believe my year was the first.
Original poster
Busymummy50 · 25/03/2021 18:18

I don't understand why they can't have it later if they missed it. Girls can still have it if they missed it up to age 24 I think but not boys. If it is not effective once someone becomes sexually active then why can men who have sex with men can have it up to age 45?

OP posts:
TheCatsPjammas · 25/03/2021 18:21

www.rte.ie/player/movie/laura-brennan--this-is-me/102220328261

Laura Brennan:this is me

If anyone every needed convincing of taking the hpv jab, watch this documentary.

This girl is inspirational, it follows her journey as she battles cervical cancer and her bid to promote vaccination.

chocolateoranges33 · 25/03/2021 18:24

My DD15 had it at school - no problems. My DS16 missed out having it by one school year so I'm paying for him to have it privately. Its been used for a long time in other countries such as Australia and has proven to be safe.

Mammyofasuperbaby · 25/03/2021 18:26

I was in the first wave of students to get the vaccine and so far no one I know has had cervical cancer and we've been having smears for 2 years now. No one has had any side affects that I know of.
Funny thing is we were all saying that the boys should have the vaccine when we had ours, so my sons will be getting theirs when it's time - no questions asked

Trinacham · 25/03/2021 18:29

@chocolateoranges33

My DD15 had it at school - no problems. My DS16 missed out having it by one school year so I'm paying for him to have it privately. Its been used for a long time in other countries such as Australia and has proven to be safe.
Just had a look and the UK only started a year later than Australia (Australia started in 2007, we started in 2008). Just found my HPV record and I got my 3 jabs done in 2008 and 2009. It has been around for a longer time here that people realise.
Tatum1234 · 25/03/2021 18:29

I paid for my oldest son to have it as the boys rollout only began for the school year after him. My other sons will all be having it too.

Trinacham · 25/03/2021 18:30

than* not that

stclair · 25/03/2021 19:03

@Busymummy50

I don't understand why they can't have it later if they missed it. Girls can still have it if they missed it up to age 24 I think but not boys. If it is not effective once someone becomes sexually active then why can men who have sex with men can have it up to age 45?

Boys can also have catchup before the age of 25.

stclair · 25/03/2021 19:06

It can still be given up to 25 as although one may have been exposed to some of the strains, it’s unlikely to be all so could still be covered for those. But yes, the earlier the hpv vaccine is given, the better .

TJ17 · 25/03/2021 19:32

@Busymummy50

I don't understand why they can't have it later if they missed it. Girls can still have it if they missed it up to age 24 I think but not boys. If it is not effective once someone becomes sexually active then why can men who have sex with men can have it up to age 45?
I don't understand why any of this matters? The scientists know why...mumsnet doesn't.

It's irrelevant...

RampantIvy · 25/03/2021 19:35

HPV manifested itself in my tonsils

I’m sorry to hear that @FinallyFluid I have a close family relative who is recovering from an operation and several weeks of brutal radiotherapy for tonsil cancer. She also had over 20 lymph nodes removed. This was because she tested positive for HPV over 20 years ago. She has a huge scar down her neck and looks like someone has attacked her.

DD became needle phobic when she was undergoing extensive tests for bone cancer (thankfully it wasn’t), so she didn’t have her HPV jab at school. Instead I took her to a health centre where they specialised in looking after children with needle phobia.

Nothing is licensed unless the risk of harm is massively less than the risk of the disease itself

This ^^
No vaccine is 100% risk free, but you weigh up the risks of contracting HPV with its associated cancer risk against the risk of side effects. The risk of HPV is many, many, many times that of the risk of side effects from the vaccine.

According to the NHS website, in 2017 the WHO global advisory committee on vaccine safety issued a statement saying that there's no evidence of any link between the HPV vaccination and CFS, POTS, complex regional pain syndrome or Guillain-Barré syndrome.

TJ17 · 25/03/2021 19:35

I also really don't understand why you are fixated on these "serious side effect" anecdotes with no proof they are from the vaccine yet you have hundreds of accounts of actual horrific stories from people who have had/lost people to cancer caused by HPV...Why do these stories not scare you yet some random accounts of side effects do...

Sweettea1 · 25/03/2021 19:38

I was surprised when ds brought his letter home and had to Google it boys have been getting it for 2 years now. My ds had his about 4 weeks ago no side effects apart from a sore arm for a day or 2.

Sweettea1 · 25/03/2021 19:41

It's been around for girls but not boys. It's recent for boys couple of years.