Do I have to get the Hep B again?

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I got this when I was about 17, do I have to get it again? Thanks!!!

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Specializes in ER/Ortho.

If you have already gotten the series you do NOT need to get them again. You should have gotten 3 of them. My kids got them when they were babies, but they were not offered when I was a kid so I get them now. Yeah Me!

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Whew!!!:yeah:Sorry you have to get the shots...I absolutely HATE getting shots.

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If you have already gotten the series you do NOT need to get them again. You should have gotten 3 of them. My kids got them when they were babies, but they were not offered when I was a kid so I get them now. Yeah Me!

This isn't necessarily true. When the vaccine first came out, people were administering it in the gluteus, and it turned out later that it isn't absorbed well from there and lots of people didn't develop immunity. Also, like any other vaccine, it just doesn't work for some (a few) people.

If your antibody titer level isn't high enough, you haven't developed immunity and the series could need to be repeated (that's a decision that would need to be made with your PCP). I'm one of the "early" people who had to have a second round, given in my arm. I didn't mind; in fact, I was v. appreciative that my new employer bothered to check my titer and found that I wasn't immune -- I had been assuming, for several years, that I was, since I'd had the vaccine. After the second round, I did develop immunity (we checked! :))

Also, we don't really know yet how long the immunity will last -- there's a good chance that, at some point many years down the round, it will just "wear off."

If there's any question, you can always get your titer checked (again, that's a decision to made with your PCP).

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Specializes in OPERATING ROOM, ICU.

Elkpark is correct. Have your antibody titer level checked. That is what will determine whether or not you will have to retake the shots.

And if necessary, getting the series of shots again is a lot less troublesome than getting Hep B!.

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Wow, thanks for the reply!

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And if necessary, getting the series of shots again is a lot less troublesome than getting Hep B!.

Definitely!!

And this conversation reminds me (hadn't thought of this in years :)) of the comment the employee health physician for my new employer (the one that ate the bill for repeating the Hep B series) made -- the Hep B vaccine isn't just the three shots; you're not really done until you've checked your titer and are sure that you've developed immunity.

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dear all, if i am a Hep B carrier, can i still go to the nursing school, or being a nurse. i am looking for someone prompt advice. thanks :cry:

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Specializes in OR, Telemetry, PCCU, Med/Surg.

As far as I know, they don't require you to get vaccinated here in Arizona. They do strongly suggest it, however. But unlike MMR, it's not REQUIRED.

I'm not sure if they'd prevent you from going through nursing school and working as a nurse because you have HepB. That actually sounds like discrimination. You should always practice standard precautions, so none of your patients should ever come into contact with your blood.

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.
dear all, if i am a hep b carrier, can i still go to the nursing school, or being a nurse. i am looking for someone prompt advice. thanks :cry:

check out the cdc web site (cdc.gov) on hep b--explains the difference between active, carriers, and exposure based on a group of titers..

i doubt it will be a problem for you--just remember to always be diligent about univeral precautions.:nurse:

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