posted
I have Lyme disease and I am going to Ecuador to do a medical mission in March. For this mission trip I need vaccinations such as hepatitis and malaria pills. Is it safe for me to get these vaccinations?
Posts: 55 | From Connecticut | Registered: Oct 2007
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Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
Hi Pepper, This is a decision that you will ultimately have to make, but if it were me, personally I would not do it. I wouldn't go on the trip, but I'm fairly sick right now. A few months before I relapsed hard back in 2003, I had a tetanus/diptheria vax and I am sure that it contributed to the relapse.
Because our bodies are working so hard dealing with the Lyme, I think adding more in is dangerous. PLUS, Lyme loves mercury which vaccines have.
If you are somewhat well now (which I assume since you are planning this trip), I still wouldn't do it, you could get very sick from all of this. I am not going to take my health for granted any longer, I've had several relapses over the years and now that I know I am dealing with Lyme, I am trying to treat my body with respect.
Please don't take this as medical advice, I am not a doctor and do not offer medical advice.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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Pepper,
You have lyme and you are planning to travel to work?
Are you being treated?
My concern, on top of the vaccines (and possible mercury in them) is that lyme REQUIRES rest.
Vigorous travel - and your work schedule and culture shock - can be detrimental to healing.
I am not trying to scare you but wonder what sort of safeguards will you have if you can't do anything once you arrive? Will you have a support system and a place to stay for free and be able to rest totally if you need that?
Will you be in a quiet environment? Away from farm chemicals, etc.?
What will you use for bug repellant that will not overload your liver right now?
And, after asking all that, I realize that life in the U.S. can be quite stressful, too. You may well have a healing environment to go to. I just wanted to stress the importance of that as stress of the endocrine system is very damaging to those with lyme.
You can do a search here about vaccines. I have had a few disasters with them - before I realized how sick I was. I will never have one again - I went into convulsions from a tetanus booster in '87 and I nearly died and was bed-ridden for one full year after a flu shot in '93.
posted
Hi Pepper....I am in China for 2 months right now and I have lyme and Bart and on treatment. I got my vaccinations over the month preceding my trip. I had no major worries except for feeling a little rough after the Hep B jab but I bounced back in a day and the second one did nothing. I got Hep A,B and thypoid done.
I am more or less functional but feel like crap most of the time. I assume you are in the same boat. The travelling did not do too much harm to me but I did get a terrible dose of food poisoning 2 weeks ago that had set me back a bit. Nothing major just a blip.
Its of course a personal choice on the vaccinations and if you do go ahead with it make sure you only get what you need and make sure they are well spaced out over a few weeks so not to over burden yourself.
Not all vaccinations have mercury by the way and I checked mine via an excellent website which I will post if I can find it again.
I am not roughing it either. I am pretty much a house cat in my girlfriends place so asides from all the flying I am not really burdened that much and I sleep and rest when I want. I also have a gym membership here and make sure I work out most days.
I would not recommend going into jungle areas or anything like that as if you pick up a tropical infection its curtains. You can't get vaccinated against everything and things like the typhoid vaccine are only 70% protection. A friend on mine got typhoid in Thailand and he had been vaccinated against it.
I would defo get 90% deet for the whole time your there. Screw the toxins. You dont want bites of any kind. I would also take high doses of Artemsia Annua herb as well as whatever Malaria drugs you will be taking. Malarone would be a good bet.
Again talk to your local tropical medical bureau when you are getting them done and make your decisions from there. Each country has its own Hazards. Sorry didn't mean this to be so long
-------------------- Pos BB and Bart(Q & H IGG pos) Began treat 1 year after start of illness. Diagnosed Feb 2007. Posts: 648 | From Ireland | Registered: Jan 2007
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Just my personal opinion, but no way would I do it. I would not take the vaccinations while ill with something as serious as LD and I would not go into a foreign country that is ridden with illnesses unlike the ones in our own country.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Definitely GO! I'll PM you. Also get the vaccines it is probably for Hep A (which you can get by eating food/ drinking water). And if you need the Hep B series, get that too. You really should have those anyways.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Vaccines have destroyed the lives of millions
posted
Adam. You always seem to be full of doom and gloom. Cheer up dude. I think someone needs a Huuuugggg!!!
Aspirin has ruined lives. Go to Ecuador if you feel up to it Pepper. Call it progress. Bon Voyage.
-------------------- Pos BB and Bart(Q & H IGG pos) Began treat 1 year after start of illness. Diagnosed Feb 2007. Posts: 648 | From Ireland | Registered: Jan 2007
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I am like NMN, feel like crap all the time but am fairly functional. I would definitely go and get educated on your decision about various vaccines, just make an educated choice.
At this point, I figure, if I waited until I felt in remission or "cured," my life might just slip away as I do absolutely nothing. I figure, I could get hit by a truck tomorrow, might as well live for today, even if I feel bad! Just my opinion. That's why I'm going to Mexico with my husband for 8 days in a couple of weeks...without our 3 kids! I decided I can feel bad there just as I can here. TS
Posts: 566 | From West Coast | Registered: May 2008
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Just don't eat even lettuce that has been rinsed in their water. I was careful on my honeymoon (years ago) about drinking water and still got very sick just eating the salad.
Thanks for advice. Yes, I will be armed with my charcoal along with the rest of my usual armory.
I intend to be over-the-top careful as far as foods, water etc. In my healthy state...I tend to take chances...but, not this go around. Thanks again...after dealing with my illness for the last 3 years, as supportive as my wonderful husband is...a little marriage rejuvination is in order! Thank God for grandma and grandpa willing to stay with kids. TS
Posts: 566 | From West Coast | Registered: May 2008
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posted
As far as vax go, find preservative free vaccines in single dose vials, they should be safe, and only get one vaccine at a time, ie: don't get bundled vaccines like DPT, and don't let them give you more than one vaccine per week, no harm in making more than 1 trip, and don't get a vaccination if you are fighting of a cold or flu.
The immune system is already dealing with quite alot on a daily basis in a well person, one with Lyme, a bit more, one with Lyme and a cold even more load...Add to that a new antigen and the immune system may be overloaded and go haywire. Vaccination protocols are well meaning but ill conceived, we are getting IM stimulation when the route of entry of alot of bugs is respiratory or GI...They could save alot on needles if they devised oral or inhaled vax's for alot of things.
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
I was never sick until I got the flu-shot two years ago. I nearly died after getting it and I've had babesia ever since (along with lyme or whatever else is in there).
Posts: 499 | From Indiana | Registered: Oct 2007
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Just my opinion. That's why I'm going to Mexico with my husband for 8 days in a couple of weeks...without our 3 kids! I decided I can feel bad there just as I can here. TS
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