Immunizations and Titers

Nursing Students General Students

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So I called my pediatrician today to try and obtain my immunization records, but they told me that they have been sent off and it would be best to contact the dept. of health for them. I tried the dept. of health and was unable to get in touch with anyone. I've left a message so I'm hoping to hear back from someone. I even called my high school and the hospital that I had my shots at as a child and they were unable to help me as well. I've called around to local clinics but they said I would have to schedule an appointment but that they didn't have any openings till the end of the year.

I have till the end of June to have all the paperwork sent back to my school so I don't have the option to wait that long. I called hospitals and doctor offices but I'm looking at around $500 for everything required: TB test, antibody titers (measles, mumps, rubella & varicella), hep b vaccine, polio vaccine, TDaP and a physical.

I know I've had vaccinations in the past but my parents never put them away for safe keeping. Does anyone have any advice on what to do and where to go to get all of this done for a cheaper price?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

They should be apart of your medical record. Call the peditrician back and tell them you want them from your medical record.....check with your department of health for any low cost immunizations or free clinics in your area for your immunizations.

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Hi! I know I had to have titers drawn even if I had proof of the immunizations. My insurance paid for the titers although not all do. I had to be revaccinated on some even though I had vaccinations previously. Call your insurance company and see if they cover it. Once you have it all done, hold onto the forms that show your immunity because you will need them again for jobs in the future.

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I'll try calling my pediatrician again. Maybe if I bug them enough someone will go digging for my record in storage. I'll be calling the dept of health again tomorrow too. Unfortunately I don't have insurance yet so I'll be paying out of pocket for everything.

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Unfortunately, you're going to need more than just a record showing that you had the immunizations. They're going to want to make sure the immunizations are up to date. If you had the immunizations as a child, sometimes you have to get re-vaccinated. It may just be better to just go to the Dept. of Health and ask for booster shots covering you for everything. I do believe they do the shots either free or at a low cost. I would not bother paying the $500 for a Titer test ... I had insurance, so I just had a Titer test performed, and I was current on everything, even though I had the shots somewhere around 27 years ago.

You could try an Urgent Care Center, or a clinic ... they may be able to work something out for you with a sliding scale ...

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Specializes in tele, oncology.

I feel for you, just had to go through all that myself. I bugged my employee health nurse until she drew my titers, then had to get the MMR again anyway. TDaP she just gave me b/c I hadn't gotten a booster as an adult yet.

Google "titer" and see if any labs around you will do them...there are ones around me that have "nursing student specials".

Walgreens Take Care Clinics or anything similar might be helpful as well.

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That's odd. I've never heard of the records being sent somewhere else without having a copy in the chart. My professors harp on it all the time, "if it's not documented in the chart it wasn't done." That said I had titers drawn for everything and got a Tdap booster as well a MPSV4. My insurance covered most of it as preventative care, but I still had to pay for a few of the labs. I think I may have paid $40 total. If your insurance will not cover it see if your school does vaccines; ours had a week where they were offering the lot of all required vaccines for cheap.

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I was going to recommend Walgreens like the other poster, but that would run you more than $500. http://takecarehealth.com/Cost_menu.aspx

I didn't do titers, I just got completely revaccinated instead. My insurance paid that I know of.

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Specializes in Ambulatory care.

go to your state's department of health for free vaccinations. (MMR, dTap, flu, Hep B, HPV .. etc) eh might want to space em out a bit as thats alot to get redone. They will also give you a card document to keep track of them.. plz dont lose that paper or get it PDF and email it to self or store it soemwhere. Titers - no way around it must get it $400-500 for labswork is about right. this shows exactly how much immunity you have left

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Thank you everyone for your responses! I was able to find a place that is able to do everything I need for a reasonable price. Luckily I found my immunization records that had been stashed away by my Dad. But still have to get booster shots and titers. I called the dept of health and free clinics in the area but the wait for it was wayyyy too long. I have an appointment for the end of this week to get the mmr titers, TDap booster and ppd test for a little less than $300 which seems reasonable and won't break my bank. Thank you again everyone for your advice and suggestions :)

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