by pedinurse05

Hello everyone,
I posted on this topic before but just want our experience to be shared. My 2 daughters were both vaccinated using the live flumist. The next day the youngest developed a high fever and sore throat. This continued over the next few days but she also became achy with a bad cough and wheezing in the lungs. I took her to the pediatrician 3 days after the vaccination where she took nasal samples to be checked for H1N1. Her examination was consistent with H1N1 and especially with the proximity of the vaccination. She and I both feel she got the the flu from the flumist. Even though the printed material says you can't get it from the vaccination--my doctor confirmed you can and may pass it on to immunocompromised people. It is rare to have this happen though. Being a pediatric nurse myself, I am typically for an ounce of prevention HOWEVER I have definitely second guessed this H1N1 flumist! My daughter is currently on 2 antibiotics, tamiflu, and albuterol. With that said, I certainly would take this (even though it is terrible) over the full strength virus...but ultimately i think the killed virus injection is safest. This is mild in some but I can see where it is definitely a deadly virus to others--especially the children.

Just a side note--my kids are home schooled and we had been in no contact with anyone sick in the past month. I am on leave of absence and did not bring anything home from work. This is why we are so suspicious of the flumist--next day 24 hours later flu symptoms set into full swing. My oldest daughter had no problems. My post is just to raise awareness and inform others of our experience. Yes, I wish I had waited and used the injection--but I still would have vaccinated. This experience only has shown me how serious this is--and I'm still pro-vaccination just not pro flumist

Take care everyone and let's hope this passes soon!

Re: H1N1 flumist disaster!

thanks for your input!! I had already decided not to do flumist because i knew it was live virus, and just didn't like the sound of that being introduced into my child. i am still thinking on the vaccine, just wish I could know more about it first!