Gardasil: has your daughter had this vaccine?

Nurses General Nursing

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My daughters' pediatrician is encouraging all female patients to receive this vaccine. I have mixed feelings about this. I do not want my girls to get cervical cancer from HPV, but in 15 yrs from now, what if we find out that there are long-term problems associated with the vaccine? Why are males not targeted for this vaccine? I am interested in hearing from nurse/mothers who have or have not gotten their daughters vaccinated and why.

Except that condoms don't adequately protect against HPV - you can have lesions in an area that aren't covered by a condom. I wish I'd have had the vaccine, I've also had an abnormal Pap and had to have treatment last year. I'm married, I was never promiscuous (but have had more than one partner), and both my husband and I ALWAYS used condoms when we were single. My gyno explained it to me as, "basically, having HPV means that you've had sex." Gee, thanks. And about it "promoting promiscuity" - that doesn't even make sense. Haven't we all heard of HIV by now? As Jolie said, as long as there's no vaccine for that, reducing the risk of one of many possible STDs should have no effect on how people approach sexual activity or STD prophylaxis. I don't support making new vaccines mandatory until there is a lot more research on long-term efficacy/duration of protection as well as safety. However, I do encourage people who are debating whether or not to vaccinate their children or themselves to please read the peer-reviewed research that's out there and not assume that every anecdote is representative, or that everything on the internet is true.

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Specializes in all kinds of peds.

One of my very good friend's daughter DIED shortly after recieving this vaccine. This young lady was 19 y.o. and in very good health. She was heading out for a run (yes- really) and collapsed in the hall of her college dorm. The autopsy revealed a huge clot (pulmonary) and many small clots all throughout her blood supply. The ED doctor told my friend (mom) that she had not seen anything quite like it. She was on low dose BCP's to decrease skin issues. Her family had NO cardiac or blood disorders or history.

Merck and the FDA still insist that the vaccine is safe, there have been close to 10,000 adverse reactions reported to the VAERS system. Many are not serious but there has been more than one case of Guillian-Barre syndrome and other strange neurological syndromes affecting previously healthy young ladies that have received this vaccine. I believe that the number of deaths is at 20, last time I checked. There have been millions of doses given, so Merck states these deaths are no BIG DEAL. But, let me tell you if it's your kid or a kid you love, it most certainly is...

In the US, cervical cancer is not an epidemic and can be caught early and treated successfully with regular PAP screening. Having the vaccine does NOT remove the need for this screening. And HPV, even though it is highly transmittable (sexually) it is NOT something that you will get by sitting next to a classmate, like measles. So, the push to mandate this vaccine is obviously a result of heavy lobbying and inappropriate marketing (fear mongering). I am a peds nurse and all for vaccines and even mandating vaccines that are appropriate. This simply is not something that should be mandated.

Recent articles have discussed the long term efficacy of this drug and that the cost to immunize and then re-immunize in addition to PAPS may be much less cost effective and less clinically effective in reducing cervical cancer than PAPs alone.

In 3rd world countries, this vaccine could truly save lives as PAPs are not done regularly- but you don't see Merck giving it away... it's been heavily marketed in the US, UK, Australia and Canada... countries that can pay!

Give your child the injection now, if you must. Or wait, and see how this plays out. It's up to you. Just know that my lovely young friend is certainly "one less"- but not in the sense that Merck is selling.

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my daughters' pediatrician is encouraging all female patients to receive this vaccine. i have mixed feelings about this. i do not want my girls to get cervical cancer from hpv, but in 15 yrs from now, what if we find out that there are long-term problems associated with the vaccine? why are males not targeted for this vaccine? i am interested in hearing from nurse/mothers who have or have not gotten their daughters vaccinated and why.

males don't have cervix, therefore, they can not get cerviacl cancer.

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Specializes in Urology, Nephology, Internal Medicine.

When I took my 14 year old daughter to her pediatrician for her high school physical he wanted her to recieve the shot. I refused. I know what the implications are and I felt like she should have a say. We talked about it because she needs to be educated on the purpose of the shot. She said she did not trust it and that the long term effects werent known. Only 5 years of back research is available. It is a personal decision for every mom and daugther. We choose to wait.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
males don't have cervix, therefore, they can not get cerviacl cancer.

males, however, are the ones who spread hpv.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

There is an article in a recent Reader's Digest detailing a man's struggle with throat cancer that arose from HPV infection. It's not common, but it's out there and getting more common. And I do understand the problem with getting too much medical information from Reader's Digest.

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Specializes in Addictions, Corrections, QA/Education.

I have two young daughters. If they were old enough I would opt out. Its just too new for me. Maybe later... when there is more research, I may consider it. JMO though.

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Specializes in LTC/Skilled Care/Rehab.
There is an article in a recent Reader's Digest detailing a man's struggle with throat cancer that arose from HPV infection. It's not common, but it's out there and getting more common. And I do understand the problem with getting too much medical information from Reader's Digest.

My mom was just telling me how HPV can cause troat cancer. I never knew that. I wonder if she also read that in Reader's Digest. I probably won't have my DD get the Gardasil shot any time soon. I want to make sure it is safe and effective. It is just too new right now

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Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

Nope, no Gardasil for my girls. At least not yet. Right now I'm just waiting for the huge chickenpox outbreak we're going to be seeing in 25-40 year olds in the next 20 odd years because of the varicella vaccine.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.
We've recently seen several girls who collapsed within 24 hours of receiving the vaccine (most within 2-8 hours). One has still not completely recovered, the other couple recovered within hours. A daughter of a friend told her mother it was the most painful thing she'd ever experience, and the pain was so intense it made her feel cold and faint. My friend said she witnessed her daughter go pale and become diaphoretic. The pain lasted over 24 hours, though the intensity wore off after a couple of hours. The doc attributed it to the fact that she is a 14 year old girl and was being "dramatic." My friend makes her daughter (who has asthma) receive a flu shot every year, and she recently had her boosters for middle school, and did not have this sort of reaction.

With my children, I will be waiting and watching. I am not opposed to it, but I do not yet feel secure enough with it to have my own daughters receive it.

Having seen people of both sexes, and a fair range of ages, "go pale and become diaphoretic," I can safely say that it is not something I would consider fakable by any person prone to dramatic acting. Whatever the cause, it certainly bears investigating, and if it were my daughter having such symptoms I would consider it a medical emergency until proven otherwise. Some doctor telling me she's being dramatic doesn't count as proof.

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Hey. I got the 3 shots. I fainted every time I got it. (Never did that befor.) I am a nursing student. Sad thing is, now I pass out alot. And the doctors are worried because every time I fainted it looked like I was having a seizure. Like needles really bother me now and IV's. It's sickening, but I'm determined to overcome this because my passion for nursing is so great. I'm hoping it's psychological so I can over come it.

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My daughters' pediatrician is encouraging all female patients to receive this vaccine. I have mixed feelings about this. I do not want my girls to get cervical cancer from HPV, but in 15 yrs from now, what if we find out that there are long-term problems associated with the vaccine? Why are males not targeted for this vaccine? I am interested in hearing from nurse/mothers who have or have not gotten their daughters vaccinated and why.

I have not and don't plan on it. The most oncogenic forms of HPV are sexually transmitted. If my daughter chooses to become sexually active then there are many other forms of protection that are less risky than a brand new vaccine that has already shown itself to be problematic. IMO they pushed Gardasil onto the market WAY too fast.

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