BlogHer - More thoughts on Gardasil, as a mom - Comments

First of all, I agree that

kd1127 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:40:11 -0500

First of all, I agree that the idea of an immunization of this capacity is definitely a step forward towards a healthy lifestyle...IF there was few to no side effects. When I first heard about this shot, I was incredibly amazed and absolutely ecstatic to find out that there could potentially be a way to prevent the worst outcome of the STD known as HPV - cervical cancer. The huge outspread of media coverage and FDA reports on the drug has given it a "popular, need-to-have-it" aire. However, I believe that before jumping the gun, we should all consider a few very important factors in deciding whether the shot is "for me" or not.

The immunization is incedibly new!!! Yes, many side effects can be determined after short term use, but what about long term effects? What will this shot do to someone's body after x amount of years? What will this shot do to this person's ability to have healthy children in the future? We really do not know any long term effects at this point. There have been other cases in the history of medicine where a drug was pushed to the public and more adverse side effects occured than not, including child deformity and cancer. Drugs should be studied over a long period of time under hundreds of different circumstances in order to evaluate their validity to their original cause. I have researched plenty on this drug, including getting personal opinions from multiple types of doctors, and I have not gotten one answer where the doctor has been any less than extremely skeptical with the drug and its side effects. Side effects have been known to range from none, to typical, to longer lasting than typical, to constantly painful...who knows what will happen? The rumor of the drug causing related deaths aside (not a proven fact and I doubt the FDA would still keep this drug in circulation with multiple proven related deaths) long term effects are still under studied and unknown.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep this in mind when deciding whether the shot is right for you...

Gardasil is not the answer for everyone...yet

cmc1154 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:20:07 -0600

I'm sorry that you had to experience such a tramatic event in your life, however,
not everything that is on the market today is "GOOD" for you. My daughter is
proof, I'm thankful she did not suffer as much as many...yet...however, I will not
take the the chance of losing her either. She has taken 2 of the shots and since her
1st shot, she has experienced pain, suffering, passing out, vomitting, nasua..and this
is constant...not comes and goes! She is really ill. SHe has been hospitalized 2x, MRI,
blood work, ultrasounds you name it...nothing wrong!!! How can that be, a healthy 20
year old suddenly sick like this....if you read enough of the side effects you can figure
it out yourself...you don't need a medical degree!

READ>>>google side effects of GARDASIL and your education will begin....

Gardasil --- the bad and ugly

cmc1154 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:30:57 -0600

Pelvic pain
Severe stomach pain
Pain, swelling or stiffness in joints
Pain, swelling, redness or itching at the injection site
Mild fever
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach (always)
Dizziness (often)
Runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough
Muscle pain and general weakness (constant)
Fainting (2 times)

My daughter has recvd 2 of the vaccines/shots and will not get the third. She has been hospitilized (ER) twice over the past 5 months. Once, by ambulance from her college dorm. Diagnosis: NONE-stress etc due to college life. They ran all the blood tests, MRI of her head (fainting), ultrasound for ? of gallbladder disease/stones--all negative. Next, they want to run GI series. Of course, I will have these test, in fear that there could be something else but I am so sceptic now after reading all these reports and blogs...

My daughter is an athlete, plays college Lacrosse, and is in such pain all the time now. She NEVER had any of these symptoms prior to recving this vaccine. PLEASE, think twice about having your daughter receive this vaccine. Educate yourself and her about the ramifications of this drug. Teach her to abstaine instead of feeling the pain from this drug... even death (God forbid)---there have been at least 11 deaths to date and over 4000 reports of negative reactions...

I can understand the fear...which is why I had her take the vacinne to begin with...I now wish I had not. My daughter loves sports and cannot play now, this would have been her 2nd year playing college lacrosse and it is just destroying her "college" life feeling the way she does. Shoulda-coulda...wish I read more about Gardisil before having her take it....

THINK AGAIN! EVIDENCE not as appealing.

zmyr88 — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:53:17 -0600

IF she was Sexually active IT CAN HARM HER, if infected with HPV (likely if she had sex), 44.6% INCREASE in CERVICAL CANCER and all possible benefit from vaccine is lost.
FDA also in 03 stated "HPV is not associated with cervical cancer" both in a press release and a denial for class II approval for a company's medical device.
The JAMA supports this statment as well.

Read http://www.newstarget.com/z022404.html
quick summary

Read for full report. :: http://newstarget.com/Report_HPV_Vaccine_0.html

if you agree pass it on.

Moms, Take Care of Yourself Too - Get the HPV Test with Your Pap

Mary Marcdante — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 09:40:14 -0500

To Mir and all the Moms reading this,

I applaud your research and how much you love your daughters and want them to have healthy lives free of cervical cancer. I am a 12-year cervical cancer survivor who is childless. I had a hysterectomy and was fortunate not to need chemo and radiation, which several women I know have suffered through.

Whatever your decision about Gardasil and vaccinating your daughters, I urge you to take as good care of yourself as you are your daughters and get the HPV test along with your Pap test the next time you go to your GYN. (Make it easy and make your annual screening appointments as a birthday gift to yourself.)

Women over the age of 30 are most at risk for cervical cancer and 80% of the population will have HPV at some time in their life. Getting the HPV Test along with your PAP is one of the easiest and fastest ways to identify if you have abnormal cells beginning to grow in your body and prevent cervical cancer. The HPV Test will detect those abnormal cells that a normal PAP test can miss. If the HPV Test had been available when I was diagnosed 12 years ago (it was FDA approved in 1999) and I’d known to ask for it (so many women forget to ask or don’t push back and say they want it anyway when their doctor says their previous PAP was normal), we now know I could have avoided a hysterectomy and maybe even a cancer diagnosis.

HPV Test or hysterectomy? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have the test anytime. You still have a choice. Be good to yourself and set the example for your daughters. Choose to know. Get the test. For more information, visit www.theHPVtest.com. They have excellent research and more details that will explain everything.

Mary Marcdante
Author, My Mother, My Friend: The 10 Most Important Things to Talk About with Your Mother
http://www.marymarcdante.com
http://mymothermyfriend.com

I will take it

hpvmagic — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:32:17 -0500

Parents should be serious to take their children to get vaccinated. The vaccine experiment is based on those young
women as inital trial, who have not had sex activity and have not get HPV. The study shows it is 100 pretection against the virus. The mandatory vaccine will not casue the high sex activity but just protect them from hpv that may casue cervical cancer or genital warts.

More information and source

I read that article in Jane

radioactivegirl — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 10:47:29 -0600

I read that article in Jane magazine too, and it made me cry that she had to go through this!

Yes, of course in a perfect world we wouldn't need vaccines, especially ones that protect us from the aftermath of sexually transmitted diseases (gasp!) but if there is something we can do to prevent cancer in our children, then why wouldn't we? If it is a decision left up to the parents, then we need to make sure that the information is easily obtained so everyone can make an informed decision. Not a decision based on the fact that they hope their kids don't have sex until...whenver they want them to wait until. Sure, yes, I hope my kids don't have sex until they are old enough and responsible enough, but who knows if that is realistic. Of course I am going to do my best to teach them what I believe is appropriate behavior and why, but who knows what they might do in the rebellion phase (I certainly wasn't stopped from doing anything by what my parents thought).

I had cancer, and had there been a preventative shot I could have had that my parents refused to give me for whatever reason, I would be pretty angry at them for skipping it!

I myself also have HPV. I

Kiki — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 17:19:47 -0600

I myself also have HPV. I found out when I was four months pregnant. My doctor had informed most people don't have any symptoms until their immune system weakens thus most women find out during pregnancy or a serious illness. I was 24 at the time, married and had only 2 sexual partners. I also had cone biopsies such as Kwiz did during my pregnancy which did not fix the cervical dysplasia. After giving birth by c-section I had to wait two months for my cervix to heal and shrink and then had to under go a LEEP procedure which was horrific. They used this electric scraper/shaver on your cervix and I have to be grounded so I wouldn't get shocked during the procedure. I have not had any recurrences. I never heard of HPV before I found out I had it.
I wish they would have came out with this vaccination 10 years ago to protect that many more americans from going through the horros of this disease.
The facts from CDC are 20 million americans have the virus. You have a 50% chance of getting this virus in your lifetime when you become sexually active. Even using a condom will not protect you from this disease. Even if you wait until marriage to become sexually active, did your husband?

I'm with Evil Slut Clique...

Atena — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:33:08 -0600

You've articulated my feelings about this very well - thanks!

It's not that protecting our daughters is a bad idea, it's just that there's more to vaccines than "get it=protected/don't get it=unprotected." There are multiple strains of HPV out there - how sure are we that this vaccine provides the protection that we hope it does? Since I don't know the answer to that question, I'm going to hold off on jumping up and down and celebrating. I'm cautiously optimistic, but still not sold.

I feel like what's being hyped in the media about Gardasil is a lot more cut-and-dried than any new drug has any right to purport to be, and parents are so excited that there's a cancer vaccine out there, that many are forgetting that when it comes to new drugs, the FDA, and Big Pharma, it's usually worth it to slow down and ask questions.

That's what I think.

Atena

Assumptions, Biases & Irrational Fantasies

My Life As a Radical Whore/Madonna

Response to The Evil Slut Clique

mama2bna — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 15:15:24 -0600

I think my earlier post carried with it some of the anger from recently being attacked verbally and then publically mocked at a well baby visit when I turned down the not yet state mandated Hep B vaccination for my 2 year old. Reading back I realize I was being as close minded as those hateful nurses were to me in the phrasing I chose. For that, I sincerely apologize. I only meant to say that I thought it was something worth considering. I love that we are all free to make the choices that are right for our families.

Excellent Post!

PegCrossan — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 15:07:11 -0600

Excellent Post!

I too intend to bifurcate the actual innoculation from the eventual discussions with my daughter about sexuality and relationships.

Barring research that comes to light that Gardisil may be more harmful than currently demonstrated, my plan is also to have my daughter innoculated when she's 9 (she's only 5 now...)

Thanks, Mir, for a great post, and to all for an interesting discussion...

Peg
Peggy, As She Is...

I've suffered the consequences of this disease

KWiz — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:16:05 -0600

Hi,

I wrote about this very thing a couple of days ago on my own blog at Women Walking In Wisdomâ€™s Footstepsâ„¢. When I was in my mid-20s, I was diagnosed with severe dysplasia. Mind you, I had been getting my pap smears annually for years - I found out a couple of years after my diagnosis that the lab the doctor's office used (through the HMO) misdiagnosed many smears. By that time, the dysplasia had developed - I had precancerous cells.

I ended up having a cervical conization, where my gyn took out two cone shaped pieces of tissue to remove the disease. She got it all, and I haven't had a problem since (this was about 17 years ago). But one of the side effects of a procedure like this where your cervix is being manipulated is possible miscarriage.

I got pregnant in 2003. Since I was already considered high-risk because of my age (I was 39), I had prenatal appointments every 3 weeks. The last in-office doctor appointment I had, my cervix collapsed - it effaced and opened, and I was only 22 weeks pregnant! If I had not been in that office at that time, I would have miscarried my beautiful daughter. I asked my doctor if a cervical cone could have made my cervix weaker, and she replied it very well could have. I ended up spending 12 weeks on hospital bedrest, and 2-1/2 weeks additional at home before I was induced at 37-1/2 weeks.

My daughter will only be 3 in May, but I know that if I can avoid the possibility of any of this happening to my daughter, I will do it. Your thoughts, I believe, are right on target. It's just like I read recently, just because you mandate seatbelts doesn't mean you're endorsing reckless driving. I've done so much research myself on this disease - and to me, it's absolutely worth it - I know. I almost lost my daughter one day.

sometimes people make me feel like I'm crazy...

evilslutopia — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:58:35 -0600

It is the attitude of "why would you consider not doing it?" that prompted me to write my original comment above. I see nothing wrong with those of you who think this the right decision... I just resent the way this vaccine is being shoved down our throats by the media and the fact that people actually have to wonder why someone wouldn't consider it.

I don't think it's crazy to want to protect yourself or your children from cervical cancer. I just find it really really really offensive that someone might think I'm crazy for not wanting to use Gardasil to do it. (Or even that I'm crazy for just considering not using Gardasil to do that).

There are so many things about this vaccine that are still unknown... It is terrifying to me that it is not only cleared by the FDA already but being pushed to become mandatory. They have no idea about the long term side effects (and if Merck gets its way, they won't be liable for any side effects that do turn up), they have no idea about the duration of the immunity, they have done no studies on the carcinogenic potential of the vaccine...

I can 100% understand why someone would look at this vaccine and think the benefits outweigh the risks. I just wish more people could understand that maybe they don't outweigh the risks to everyone.

(This isn't all directly at anyone here in particular... just ranting in general because I'm frustrated, sigh).

The Evil Slut Clique
Evilslutopia

A Daughter

mama2bna — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:12:22 -0600

I am a mother of two girls. While I did not lose my viriginty against my will, it wasn't long after that I was in fact raped. The aftermath of assault spiderwebs in so many different ways, to take even one step to cauterize one of those paths, to prevent a preventable disease...what question is there? Why would you consider not doing it? There are so few ways we can really protect our children, I think your stance is a good one. Speaking as both mother and daughter.

The line about Jane magazine

evilslutopia — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:31:09 -0600

The line about Jane magazine was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, not offensive... so I apologize if it came out that way. I think everyone should make their own decisions... My personal one will be to wait until my daughter is old enough to understand what it means and help me make the decision with her. Hopefully by the time she is eligible though, we will have more concrete information on the vaccine.

The Evil Slut Clique
Evilslutopia

More thoughts on Gardasil, as a mom

Mir Kamin — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 15:12:15 -0600

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the new HPV vaccine, Gardasil, since Denise reported on it a few days ago. I'd left a comment on Denise's post saying that I planned to ask our pediatrician about it... and it's been on my mind ever since.

My daughter isn't even 9 yet. When I mentioned to someone that I was hoping to have her vaccinated as soon as possible (and 9 is the minimum age for eligibility), I was asked why I don't just wait a few years. Indeed, most of the talk I've seen about attempts to make the vaccination mandatory seem to be targeting sixth grade---that is, age 11 or 12, typically---as the "right time" to have it done.

Basically, having her vaccinated any time before she becomes sexually active will give her the necessary protection. I've even heard it asked if it would make more sense to wait and let it be her decision, later on.

On the one hand, we're talking about a stunning medical breakthrough: A vaccine that can effectively protect against cancer. On the other hand, it's a charged issue: The virus in question is sexually-transmitted. Whether we want to believe that changes things or not, it does. (Just take a look at some of the conservative organizations like the Liberty Counsel, who wants you to believe that Gardasil is just a liberal medical sanction for promiscuity.)

As a mother, I have to do what I believe is in my children's best interest. I read this story in Jane and realized that the choice, for me, is quite simple. Gardasil is a vaccine that can prevent a deadly disease; I don't want my daughter to contract said deadly disease if anything can be done to prevent it. Ergo, a-vaccinatin' we shall go.

I realized something else as well: If I have my daughter vaccinated at 9, it's all about disease prevention and nothing more. If I wait until she's older, then the other issues creep in unbidden. If I have my 11-year-old vaccinated just as puberty is coming to roost, I will feel compelled to tie this to issues of her budding sexuality, and perhaps seize on this rather inorganic opportunity to espouse my personal values and embarrass her terribly. If I wait until she's a full-fledged teenager, the unpleasant reality is that---all parenting and values aside, no matter what they are---we may be too late, for one thing, and she may feel compelled to seize on this rather inorganic opportunity to either protest her chastity or tell me what I can do with my values and embarrass us both terribly. She may even---with the invincible wisdom of a teen---insist she doesn't need it.

It's not that I don't want to be able to discuss these issues with my daughter. I do want to, but I don't want those discussions to be tied to an injection. And it's not that I don't want my daughter to think long and hard about when and how she shares herself sexually with another. I hope that she will.

In the meantime, I have an option available to protect her, and to protect her before it becomes an emotionally-laden event. She will be vaccinated as soon as possible at age 9; I will continue to parent her in a way that I hope allows her to develop into a thoughtful, responsible, mature young woman; she will hopefully never know the horror of cervical cancer.

Think about that last bit there. Is there really a time that's too soon to protect your child from something like that? I don't think there is.

[image courtesty of San Diego Center for Children]

BlogHer Contributing Editor Mir also blogs at Woulda Coulda Shoulda and Want Not.