Oh boy I am freaking out (HepB vax)

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2006

I, personally, still think it is better to receive the entire series of Hep B vaccinations rather than contract Hepatitis actively via patient care.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Jun 15, 2006

I, personally, still think it is better to receive the entire series of Hep B vaccinations rather than contract Hepatitis actively via patient care.

Yes but what about the risk factors? If you had family who had autoimmune disorders, and the vaccine was suspected of causing autoimmune diseases in those suseptable (like I am), you would still get it? Some countries have banned it because they do believe this vax contributes, did you read the link?? Even though the chance of contracting chronic HepB from a patient was extremely low? Is it better to get HepB (which 95% of adults fully recover from) or an autoimmune disease from the vax?

Those are the types of answers I am looking for. This is SO frusterting for me

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2006

Autoimmune diseases run in my family. Type 1 diabetes has insiduously struck several of my family members. I suffered from autoimmune Graves Disease for 7 years.

I still think the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the negatives.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Jun 15, 2006

Autoimmune diseases run in my family. Type 1 diabetes has insiduously struck several of my family members. I suffered from autoimmune Graves Disease for 7 years.
I still think the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the negatives.

Thanks. I just feel like sometimes no one really understands where I am coming from here. It can be scarey.

Yes diabetes, type 1 and 2 has struck both my mother and father and almost all of their family as well. It scared the crap out of me. My mother has a host of other autoimmune factors on top of that. Ughhh.

Anyways, thanks for replying. Did you do a lot of research on the vaccine before you went ahead with it?

allnurses Guide · Jun 15, 2006

I think that, perhaps in light of this article, if someone does have a strong family history of autoimmune disorders, they should be allowed to refuse the Hep B vaccine. Or, are nurses in most places ALREADY allowed to refuse it?

I too have autoimmune disorders in my family. My dad and my grandma both have/had Type 1 diabetes. It has, so far, spared me, thank goodness.

allnurses Guide · Jun 15, 2006

I almost added that my mom suffers from fibromyalgia. Is that considered an autoimmune disorder? Anyone? (just wondering)

MA Nurse · Jun 15, 2006

I have been going round and round with myself about the HepB vaccine. Well, a friend of mine from nursing school called me tonight. He got his first HepB vax this morning and is now SICK. He is throwing up, has a fever about 100F, he says he feels HORRIBLE and is kinda scared. The nurse told him that some people have these reactions and he called his Dr who told him the same thing, that is sucks but it happens. He is sending a report to VAERS about it though at least. I just hope nothing bad happens to him.
I read stuff like this and get freaked out (and Dr Dunbar is NOT a nut, she is very well known and respected and has gone before Congress about this. Sorry this link though might not be from the greatest source, I couldn't find the one I thought I had bookmarked though, its still exactly the same though) :
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/May2001/BonDunLet.htm
But of course who the hell wants to take the risk of the damn disease!? I did read over on the CDC site, if this makes anyone who comes into contract with HepB any better, that 95% of all adults who contract HepB recover completely (but still, who wants to get it to begin with?) and many have no symptoms.
But the vaccine really does scare me, especially when a friend of mine calls me. He is scared to even get anymore and I don't blame him.
I'm just upset and confused and just ughhhh....
I guess one of my main worries about this specific vaccine (no real long term studies have been done) is autoimmune diseases run in my family and I don't want to do anything to increase my odds of getting one basically. We all know that vaccines have risks. How do I decide if my risk is greater for an autoimmune disease (from both my genetics and the vaccine possible) or the risk of HepB itself from a needlestick????

I had the vaccine series in 1990, no side effects at all and I'm fine today.

Didn't do any research about it. Some people I think get sick around the time of vaccines, but that might not be related...you never know.

SherBearRN · Jun 15, 2006

This post caught my interest. I have been doing research recently on the correlation between Hep B vaccines and multiple sclerosis (MS). The reason I have been researching this is because I was recently diagnosed with MS. Looking back now, I recall having symptoms in my second semester of nursing school. The first thing I noticed was my complexion. Then I started having vertigo and fatigue, followed by numbness in my lower extermities. It took the trip to the ER last month with a diagnosis of optic neuritis and an appointment with a neurologist to get the official diagnosis.

Your link was very informative. Some of the same information I have uncovered was in the link and some new information was presented, too. The CDC denies any link to autoimmune dieseases such as MS. However, the French conducted a study a few years ago and found a direct link between the two and have stopped immunizations among children. There are also other journals articles out there that are peer reviewed that discuss the potential affects of Hep B vaccines and autoimmune disease.

If I had the opportunity to change things, I think I wouldn't have taken the Hepatitis B vaccination. This is just my opinion. I'm not trying to scare anyone, either...just my story and what has happened.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Jun 15, 2006

You can refuse the series where I work, but you also have to sign a waiver stating that if you contract Hep B on the job, you knew the risks and they aren't responsible for your care.

platon20 · Jun 15, 2006

That original link is pretty weak.... its testimony by a PhD in cell biology, with no training in clinical medicine.

Until you do the proper epidemiological studies, or even better yet, randomized controlled clinical trials, then this is very premature.

platon20 · Jun 15, 2006

This post caught my interest. I have been doing research recently on the correlation between Hep B vaccines and multiple sclerosis (MS). The reason I have been researching this is because I was recently diagnosed with MS. Looking back now, I recall having symptoms in my second semester of nursing school. The first thing I noticed was my complexion. Then I started having vertigo and fatigue, followed by numbness in my lower extermities. It took the trip to the ER last month with a diagnosis of optic neuritis and an appointment with a neurologist to get the official diagnosis.
Your link was very informative. Some of the same information I have uncovered was in the link and some new information was presented, too. The CDC denies any link to autoimmune dieseases such as MS. However, the French conducted a study a few years ago and found a direct link between the two and have stopped immunizations among children. There are also other journals articles out there that are peer reviewed that discuss the potential affects of Hep B vaccines and autoimmune disease.
If I had the opportunity to change things, I think I wouldn't have taken the Hepatitis B vaccination. This is just my opinion. I'm not trying to scare anyone, either...just my story and what has happened.

I want a link to those studies. There is no evidence of causation here.....

The Institute of Medicine is the best authority for this kind of stuff. They dont just look at one study, they do meta analyses of hundreds of different studies to reach a conclusion. They are the ones who rebuked Andrew Wakefield and his claims that MMR vax causes autism.