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) :
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????
Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
J
Also, now that I think about it, there are no children in the new ED because a children's hospital is right across the street-so, why the need for Pertussis? Guess this new place must pack them in so tight that they consider me to be at risk for human kennel cough!
Pertussis isn't just a children's disease. It can occur at any age.
While it's usually mild in adults, it can be life-threatening in children, and adults with persussis can spread it to children who are unimmunized or who did not develop immunity. Children can develop pneumonia, encephalitis, or seizures. Even in adults, the cough can persist for a long time.
I personally am of the better safe than sorry crowd. Hep B is no fun, and it can live on surfaces for 7 days. I got progressively sicker with each vax in my series (1997) but am still not sorry that I got it. To me it's a risk-benefit thing: there's a small chance that I might have some side effects from the vax but a much bigger chance that I will at some point in my career have a pt with HepB. I want to be protected.
I have gotten just about every vax recommended in the US (exception is varicella) and some for foreign travel. Lupus runs in my family, but again, it's a risk-benefit issue for me.
. Also, now that I think about it, there are no children in the new ED because a children's hospital is right across the street-so, why the need for Pertussis? Guess this new place must pack them in so tight that they consider me to be at risk for human kennel cough!
I too have heard of 17- and 18-yos with pertussis. Your titer wanes over time, which is why they've started offering the Tdap vax.
One thing to remember. The vaccine will not be effective 100% of the time. I was vaccinated before nursing school. In year 2 as a nurse, I had a needle stick injury. In the clinic, they drew blood as a baseline and checked for Hep B and HIV. My Hep B titer came back negative!
I was told that the series didn't always work and if I wanted I could receive the vaccine again but there was no proof it would work. I elected not to.
I told my sister that a few years later when she was a nurse. She had her titer checked and was neg, too. She retook the vaccine, waited the recommended six months then retitered - still neg.
So, always use universal precautions!!! Don't assume you are protected unless you have had a positive titer.
I try to switch and take care of non Hep B pts if it's not gonna be a problem.
santhony44, MSN, RN, NP
1,703 Posts
Pertussis isn't just a children's disease. It can occur at any age.
While it's usually mild in adults, it can be life-threatening in children, and adults with persussis can spread it to children who are unimmunized or who did not develop immunity. Children can develop pneumonia, encephalitis, or seizures. Even in adults, the cough can persist for a long time.