A MA college requires the meningococcal disease vaccination. Just read this in her health questionare for her physical exam secheduled today.
Will this vaccine create more problems in students with lyme?
Hate to add more for her weak immune system to fight if un -necessary?
Anyone have good info and advice?
Thanks,
lp
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
on page 2 already; up for answers ...
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
I'd ask her lyme doc this one.
I was surprised when I asked my lyme doc if I should take the flu shot and he told me to take it.
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
Most states allow either religious or medical exemption. Your LLMD can sign the papers you get at the health department if you choose to not get them.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
It is always best to talk with your lyme doc. I too asked about the flu shot and my doc recommended that I get it.
Meningitis is a scary illness. Worst part is that it progresses so fast. Kids think that they have the flu, next thing you know their roommate finds them unconscious in the dorm. Lucky ones are diagnosed quickly (before they lose their limbs or die). Scary.
Is your child going to live in the dorms or at home? That is another thing to consider. If they are only going to take one or two classes and live at home maybe it would be ok to wait another year. If they are going full time and living on campus you might want to seriously consider the vaccine. Either way you have to weigh the risks with the benefits.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
all my llmds have always told me not to get any flu shots
but-both my ids with lyme got that shot-they were required to and in denial of lyme and also into making their own decisions
they did not have a problem with it
Posted by lymeparfait (Member # 14268) on :
Thanks all,
My daughter will be living in a large dorm, in a very large, diverse population type college in a very large city. Lots of international students.
She is also a competative swimmer, so I hear the pool area/moist environments harbor this virus!
Still trying to decide! I hear many college kids get meminigitis, and my daughter seems to get anything she is exposed to!
She is finally in lyme and ebv remission and all co-infections gone! Finally feeling strong and good.
I'm still praying about the decision! And trying to get a hold of my elusive LLMD!
Appreciate all your thoughts!
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
I got the DPT and got VERY ill afterwards, and this was during my most functional period throughout my whole Lyme/whatever else illness.
Very ill as in, it made me relapse backwards, and it has been hard digging out of that hole.
I would hate for your daughter to get menningitis, but please decide whether or not you think her immune system is strong enough to handle this vaccine.
In the DPT, they say the Pertussis component is the one people have trouble with. I also seemed okay (but was really sick back then so I don't know if I would have noticed a relapse) after a flu shot. But the DPT was horrendous.
So maybe the "P" component had something live in it? I dunno.
But my point is, check out this specific vaccine....see if it is live, see if there are more issues with this one than some of the others.
I was never one to pick up any germ I was exposed to (or at least, I never showed symptoms)....so maybe my immune system was compromised in a different way than your daughter's. (because you said she seems to pick up germs a lot)
Many college kids get menningitis? Dunno about that.....I think it is rare but serious. College kids are at risk though.
Posted by Jarla (Member # 20398) on :
I got the Meningococcal shot twice when I was younger and I don't remember having any significant adverse reactions to it, but my Lyme also wasn't nearly as bad as it is now.
We have a good family friend who nearly died from meningitis during college. Her parents were told that over a third of all meningitis patients die, and another third are severely disabled.
Thankfully, my friend survived relatively unscathed.
Posted by pryorka (Member # 13649) on :
My llmd and any knowledgeable doctor i've seen has told me not to get any vaccine manufactured for distribution in the U.S. I got the flu shot and it's what started my illness and I've been disabled ever since the day after I got it. The doctor I see that's treating me for vaccine injury/chelation has hundreds of patients with poisoning from the gardasil and flu vaccines along with many others.
Sure is funny how very few people got cancer until we started vaccinating everyone...
Posted by ThatColorGreen (Member # 16016) on :
dont they treat meningo with doxy? If she's on a long term oral antibiotic treatment with a tetracycline, might she not have to risk the vaccine?>