Are vaccinations safe for people with immune deficiencies?

[Frickly]

I wasn't sure were to post this so am putting it here. I have read that it is possible that there will be mandatory vaccinations for the H1N1 flu. I know this is a controversial issue but this board seems to be open to discussions of all kinds.

I am asking because I recently filled out the government paperwork neccessary in order for my children to skip there vacs this year and still go to school. Of course, this H1N1 flu was not on it. My three year old daughter got a flu mist last season and got very sick that day and remained very ill for several months. After two doctors appt and finally insisting on blood test we found that she had mono. She also got fifths disease and immediatley developed and intolerance to dairy. I do not think it is safe for her to have another flu vaccination. I think that it is very possible that I have passed my immune dysfunction on to her and feel that the vaccination could be harmful to both of us, not to mention my son with all kinds of issues. We are all taking supplements to strengthen our immune systems and I feel this is the safest thing for my family.

It is said that vaccinations are safe for people with immune deficiencies and even strongly recommended for the weakest of our population. My thought is that we should vaccinate the strong in order to protect the weak. Rather than sacrificing the weak to protect the population as a whole. I also think we need more research so that we can develop tests that will find immune deficiencies or mitochondrial dysfunction in our children rather than having a "one size fits all" mentality.

What do you think? Do you think, considering your health issues, it would be safer to get the vaccine or go without it?

 

[SDD1244]

I've chosen NOT to get the Swine flu vaccination. I cannot tolerate vaccinations, even allergy shots, so I have no choice. I also believe (and a physician agreed) that if I continue to get vaccinations, it could harm my health.

Honestly if I had children, I would be very hesitant to allow someone to give them the Swine flu vaccinations. I do not believe that these vaccinations should be mandatory and guess what ? If you are harmed by this vaccination, you have no legal recourse.

I know the Gardasil vaccination is being blamed for dozens of deaths (GBS) and over 9,000 women, many of who have neuro-immune; CFS like symptoms.

I support safer vaccinations and informed consent should be instituted for all vaccinations.


AP - The last time the government embarked on a major vaccine campaign against a new swine flu, thousands filed claims contending they suffered side effects from the shots. This time, the government has already taken steps to head that off.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hjdCHrP82YTFser5vD6CzTK1az6wD99GGAM80

 

[SDD1244]

Q&A Session with FM/ME/CFS physician David S. Bell, MD - November 2, 2007

Q: Should we get the flu shot?


Dr. Bell: Everyone you ask this question to will give you a different answer. The flu shot will act as an antigenic stimulus and thus can worsen symptoms. But getting the flu would be worse. In general I avoid it in my more seriously ill patients.



http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=8474&T=CFIDS_FM&B1=EM110707F

 

[Wayne]

Vaccinations

Hi,

A few years ago, I had a doctor try to convince me to do a tetanus shot update. There was nothing immediate that had happened to suggest I should have one.

My instincts were to not do it. However, I thought I would do a quick search and see if I could get a sense of whether these kinds of shots might be harmful to people with compromised immune systems. It did not take me long to find examples of the kind of harm I had suspected.

I still look back at some of my grade school vaccinations and feel they likely contributed to my compromised health today. I just remember be so sick for many weeks, and never quite feeling the same afterward.

I would recommend being very, very careful about these vaccinations. They do far more harm than the government or medical profession ever let us know about, or even know about themselves.

SDD1224, I hadn't heard these latest statistics on Gardasil, but had been aware of the major neurological damage that was being reported by many who got these vaccinations. What an incredible crime. Nothing I have ever read would justify taking such a huge risk for a benefit that is not even proven. Just another example of how vigilant we need to be when interacting with our current health care politics.

Regards, Wayne

 

[Frickly]

SDD1244 and Wayne,

You may or may not know that Rick Perry tried to make Guardasil mandatory for all young girls (can't remember the age). I did alot of research on this and the information I gathered was frightening. I think I would go to jail before letting someone inject my little girl with this.

 

[SDD1244]

Frickly,

That is very frightening. I read somewhere that it isn't uncommon for a 2 year old child to have had 23 (yes 23 !) vaccinations.

I've also read that in other countries that do not vaccinate as much as we do in the U.S. (Mexico & New Zealand), that they have lower rates of allergies and asthma.

 

[Frickly]

SaraHg

Thanks Sara, I do regret getting the vaccination for my daughter and she will not be receiving another one. It was just too much for her immune system to handle. This is why I hate the one size fits all mentality when it comes to vaccinations.

Take care,

 

[susan]

vaccinations

Have a look at this site on vaccinations in children written by a cardiologist who reccomends spaaaacing kids vaccinations. Seems a huge amount you give kids in the US. Seems frightening what is going on. My generation seeemd to get by well just with tetanus, diptheria petussis and later polio. Overdone these days..http://www.alternative-doctor.com/vaccination/user_friendly_schedule.htm

 

[Frickly]

Susan,

This is an excellent article. I have read all this information from different sources but it is nice to have it all in one place. I will forward it to some of my family members. The following statement from this article really outlines the biggest problem we have with regard to our views on vaccination and I feel strongly that this must change.

"A communitarian ethic increasingly governs health care in the U.S. It places a greater value on the health of the community, on society as a whole, than on the health of particular individuals. Public health officials have put together a vaccination schedule designed to eliminate infectious diseases to which the population is prey. These officials recognize that these vaccines will harm a small percentage of (genetically susceptible) individuals, but it is for the common good. The communitarian code posits that it is morally acceptable, if necessary, to sacrifice a few for the good of the many. Or as one observer more bluntly puts it, "Individual sheep can be sheared and slaughtered if it is for the welfare of their flock."

This article talks alot about autism but also mentions other diseases such as autoimmune, gulf war illness and MS. I think the connection between vaccines and all these diseases, including CFS need to be looked at closely and not ignored for the common good.

"Vaccinations do not have the same effect on the immune system as naturally acquired diseases do. They stimulate predominantly the Th2 part of this system and not Th1. (Over-stimulation of Th2 causes autoimmune diseases.) "

Thanks Susan,

 

[Cort]

Dr. Klimas on Swine Flu Vaccinations

This was in an email someone sent me.

Dr. Klimas

The flu shot is an injection. The treatment for the flu this season that covers all of the expected bugs is the nasal spray zanamivir. Tamiflu (tablets) is another option it does cover H1N1.

(So for the usual flu's -take zanamivir? - Cort.)

The CDC recommends doctors with at risk patients give the patients a prescription to fill if the need arises. The need arises if you have a flu like illness WITH FEVER. 30% of those of us over 30 have some level of immunity from prior exposures. Younger people are having a rough time with this flu.

The seasonal flu vaccine, available now covers the usual flus, but the pandemic H1H1 will not be covered and requires the new vaccine, due out in November. It looks like a single shot will do, not the two shots they had been thinking would be necessary.

I know a lot of my patients are nervous about the new vaccine, and if you have severe relapses after vaccines and don't want another, then you should get a prescription from your doctor to take should you become ill.

The CDC is not recommending widespread prophylaxis (that is taking the medicine at half the treatment dose), but if someone is sick in your house you certainly should.

Better to risk severe relapse than battle through the flu I guess???

 

[Michelle]

I read Dr. Klimas as saying don't get the vaccine if you get bad relapses from them. But do get a standing prescription for Tamiflu or zanamavir so you have it available to take should you or someone in your home become ill with the flu.

 

[nina_online]

What does your CFS doc think of (swine) flu vax?

Well, I'm not sure where to post this, but here goes.

There isn't a great/dedicated CFS doc I my city, but the doc I use thinks vaccinations in general are causing unknown havoc to our immune systems (and in his earlier years, he actually ran the county's vax program.). So, I stooped getting my annual flu vax, even tho I had switched to preservative-free.

Given the swine flu, and that we PWC are immune-compromised, I wondered what other CFS docs are saying about vaxing for flu or swine flu. Anyone know what the big players (Cheney, etc) are saying?

I have 2 young kids and the schools here are getting hit pretty bad with swine flu. It's almost inevitable that my family will be exposed.

Thanks,
Nina

 

[Tony]

Dr Lapp on swine flu

http://www.prohealth.com/ME-CFS/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=14839&B1=EM093009B

 

[Cloud]

Very well put Chronically Fatigued......

We pretty much share the same opinion on vaccines but, I am a little more against them than you and, maybe that's because one of the triggers for my ME/CFS was the HepB Vaccine. Also I beg to differ on the fears of the smallpox vaccine being unfounded. Obviously some NeuroImmune diseases are set off from only one vaccine, but kids get too many too close together, and that I personally believe to be more of the problem.

Your obviously correct that vaccines are primarily for the greater good. That is THE purpose for vaccines. But what about the collateral damage like myself? The greater good rational is just fine as long as one gets to make an informed choice about the risks. Children do not have that luxury unless they have wise and educated parents. Adults don't have that luxury unless they can access accurate information on vaccine safety, and that is not easy to find. I personally feel it is immoral to subject anyone, especially an innocent child to even the slightest chance of a lifetime of hell, without their fully informed permission, all for the motive of the "greater good". Besides, who says that a thousand lives is more important then one? I agree that harming a few for the greater good is just fine, as long as the "few" are fully informed and willing to make this sacrifice. But that is not what I see happening....and that's understandable considering the source with control over dissemination of that information.

Bottom line....Take vaccines very seriously......take this h1n1 vaccine even more seriously because it was "fast tacked". Consider everything including past reaction to vaccines. Do good research...and ultimately make an informed decision based on benefits outweighing hazards. Indeed we are all different in our particular Immune problems...so talk with a doctor who knows you well and can help with this decision.

 

[Wayne]

It is said that vaccinations are safe for people with immune deficiencies and even strongly recommended for the weakest of our population. My thought is that we should vaccinate the strong in order to protect the weak. Rather than sacrificing the weak to protect the population as a whole. I also think we need more research so that we can develop tests that will find immune deficiencies or mitochondrial dysfunction in our children rather than having a "one size fits all" mentality. ...... What do you think? Do you think, considering your health issues, it would be safer to get the vaccine or go without it?

I don't believe vaccinations are safe for weakened immune systems. I also don't believe they're safe for infants with immature immune systems, which is at least the first several months of its life. One study has shown that babies die at a rate eights times greater than normal in the three weeks following a DPT shot. Another study revealed 2/3 of babies who died from SIDS did so within three weeks of receiving a DPT shot, many dying within a day. The SIDS rate in Japan apparently disappeared after they banned vaccinations in the first two years of life.