H1n1

[maggie]

I was on the cleveland clinic health chat today and it was on this topic. I asked this question: I have a neurological disorder called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. I have been hearing on the news that people who are prone to neuro issues shoud not have the H1N1 given to them. What are your thoughts in regards to this issue? The doctor who answered my question was Dr. Thomas Tallman Medical Director for Disaster Preparedness of the Emergency Services Institute at cleveland clinic. His answer: Do not hesitate to get the H1N1 vaccine. The injectible vaccine does not contain live virus and is completely safe. The cases of neurological disorders associated with swine flue vaccine in 1976 were related to live virus vaccines. Ulitmately there was no good cause and effect relationship and the current H1N1 is completely safe in that regard. I'm not saying that everyone here should run out and get this vaccine, I don't think even after reading this I would get one, but I thought it would be good information for those of us on the forum to share. I have read about this topic being discussed before and thought I would add this to the forum.

Maggie

[erik]

That's helpful to know. Thank you.

[potsgirl]

Maggie,

Thanks for your thoughtfulness and thinking of us forum members.

[dsdmom]

That's very interesting. Thank you for sharing. My doctor does not want me getting the shot because there seems to be still so much unknown about it and with my possible autoimmune issues he doesn't think it's smart. But I guess only time will tell how people react to it!

[Kitsakatsa]

Just FYI while we're on the subject:

Single-Dose Monovalent H1N1 Vaccine Appears to Be Immunogenic Medscape Medical News

http://mp.medscape.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eCaeC...mp;uac=114819MR

This news release on Sept 11th cites a study that suggests that people receiving the vaccination could have an immune response to it. You should consult you doctor about your individual risk factors. There was a study published by Mayo 8 years ago by Dr. Low that suggested that POTS is itself an immune response. If this is true for an individual, it would stand to reason that this vaccination may carry more risk factors than safety factors. I have an advancing of POTS this year to my ears and my eyes as cited in the Mayo study and so my physician has elected that I should not get the shot. Whatever the outcome, I think a physician would be onboard and armed with a plan if they were looped in. I know sometimes we feel like we are bugging them, but I wanted you to be aware of this news brief.

[briarrose]

In late October 2001 I received the influenza vaccine because I work in a hospital. Within hours I started having a reaction and several symptoms from that shot. Within in a few weeks I was hospitalized with tachycarida and a few months later I was diagnosed with POTS.

I reported my initial outcome to VAERS.

Beware that the H1N1 vaccine has the preservative Thimersol unless you live in the state of Washington where it is illegal to give to young children and pregnant women. You can request the H1N1 vaccine thimersol free immunization.

On the other hand, because you already have POTS, what is worse the reaction to an immunization or the swine flu.

My primary doctor is recommending that I get the H1N1 vaccine.

Unfortunate as it might be, I don't think anyone can look into their crystal ball and tell you how you'll fair from the immunization.

[ramakentesh]

I often see a pattern - increased immunisation, increased sterility of environment, increase in allergies, increases in autoimmune illnesses.

[poppetkazutaka]

I never get a flu vaccine. Every time I did before, I would still get sick and be just as sick as if I hadn't, and they would tell me, "Oh, the way a flu vaccine works is we take a gamble, randomly select which three we think it'll be this year, and sometimes you get the ones we don't put in there." Or my favorite answer, "You got one that mutated."

So yeah. Why spend money on a vaccine to get sick, only to get sick when it mutates? XD

[kayjay]

My un-edjumakated 2 cents... the H1N1 may be a mist ( good ) and Mayo told me to get the shot b/c fevers are so bad for me.

I already got my regular flu shot and I have never had a problem. Every year I don't get the flu shot... I seem to get pneumonia....But I always was teaching and schools really are petri dishes!

[MomtoGiuliana]

I often see a pattern - increased immunisation, increased sterility of environment, increase in allergies, increases in autoimmune illnesses.

I suspect there is a lot of truth to this. I 've read anyway that the sterility of our environments as children probably has lead to increased problems with allergies as adults--so it would stand to reason thta this would extend to an increase in other inappropriate immune responses. My daughter's pediatrician recommends all standard vaccines (of course) but also recommends having pets and encouraging play in dirt, etc--and even a dirty house (within reason). So I think the mainstream medical understanding is that there is a concern with too sterile environments.