Vaccine & Pots

[HopeSprings]

I have come across several people now who have made the link between Gardasil and the development of POTS. I always find it interesting when a direct cause and effect can be identified (since this seems to elude us for the most part). There was a post on here a few years ago by a mother concerned about the safety of the vaccine for her daughter with POTS - how ironic that it would later be identified as a possible CAUSE of POTS. This article makes me wonder if POTS is an autoimmune disease that is triggered by "something." The Dr. who writes this letter seems to think this is the case for some. Anyway, just thought this was interesting:

http://drblitshteyn.com/articles/Gardasil_and_POTS.pdf

[firewatcher]

This is one of several case reports of POTS caused by Gardasil. I looked into it briefly after the recent political gaff over the vaccine. There is a subgroup of POTS (if there really is that sort of thing) that is autoimmune triggered, usually post viral. I know that my symptoms flare after vaccines and have seen several articles and posted on how there can be transient autonomic dysfunction after flu vaccination. I have to weigh the options this year on getting a flu vaccine; last year I got the flu (but did not have the vaccine) and it was awful!

[lieze]

I just had to take my son yesterday for his DTaP 12 yr old booster.

He has to have it to be able to attend school.

While I was there they offered us five other vaccines.

All the other parents were agreeing and one was the gardisil. I was shocked to see them giving it to the boys also.

I declined and only got the two necessary.

The DTaP and the second chicken pox vaccine for him.

I guess I'm not trying to start a debate about the safety of vaccines-I just am paranoid about everything!!!!

I always felt sick taking my babies to get their shots.

I realize they save lives but they scare me too.

[HopeSprings]

Firewatcher - I know, it's a catch 22, isn't it? Risk a bad reaction or risk catching the flu - no good option there. My Dr. told me I need a tetanus shot - I can't bring myself to do it for fear of some wacky reaction.

Lieze- I am paranoid about vaccines for my children - I fully admit it. They get the required vaccines, but I had them spaced out more slowly (Dr. was ok with that) so as not to bombard their little systems. There is a law in NJ called Holly's Law that says a parent can have their child tested for immunity against MMR before the child receives the second dose between ages 4-6. I had my son tested and sure enough, the first shot was enough - he was immune. Had I not requested the blood test, he would have had a 2nd unnecessary dose. This law came about because a little girl died from the 2nd MMR shot. I think these are the common sense approaches that government should adopt. I usually stay away from optional vaccines, however, I did get them the flu shot the year of all the swine flu madness. That freaked me out even more than vaccines! I hope they won't legally require the Gardasil vaccination - I'd have to fight that one.

[hholmes13]

That's really interesting...I had a weird 2-3 week stint of POTS-like symptoms in 2010. That was about 2 weeks after I had the 2nd dose of Gardasil. I had my third dose in September of 2010. The chronic symptoms started in April of 2011. Hmmm....not sure if there is any connection or not as I've always been prone to light-headed/dizzy spells but it never lasted for so long until 2010. It was just small bursts that would make me feel weird for a few minutes/hours. Anyway, thanks for sharing the info, Naomi!

Heather

[sue1234]

At my neuro appt. last fall, one of the questions they asked me is if I had had any vaccinations prior to the development of my POTS. I had not, but always wondered if they had some background knowledge of some unknown something popping up in regards to certain vaccines.

And, I have two daughters in the age group to get the Gardisil. I told them about the vaccines, but left it up to them. I didn't push it, as I had been reading a few years ago about some reactions happening. I wasn't sure if the vaccine was absolutely necessary. I mean, from my understanding, making sure they go to their gyn regularly and having the pap smear done should give them a heads up if anything abnormal pops up.

[icesktr189]

I had the first vaccine with no reactions and the second dose I already had POTS. I did feel like poop that day but was fine afterwards. My two doses were three years apart. cant really say that either one had much effect on me

[MomtoGiuliana]

I'm confused as to how they make this association with one case? How do they have a high level of certainty it was the vaccine that caused it in her case? Hope more research is to follow.

[sandymbme]

I hate to point out the fact that most of the folks I have talked to in this forum are too old to have been eligible for Gardisil. The simple fact of the matter is with all of the political press picking on this issue, people have become very confused as to what this vaccine does. It will not turn your children into raving nymphomaniacs. There is a small percentage of people who have adverse reactions to the vaccine, much like ANY vaccine. The most common side effect is discomfort at the injection site. What the vaccine does is ensure that whether your child has unprotected sex at an age to horrifying for a parent to consider (which is pretty much ever, right? lol!) or on their wedding night, they will not get a sexually transmitted disease that currently 4out of every 5 sexually active people have. This is also an STD which not only can rob your daughters (or yourself, for the young ladies and gents out there) of their fertility, but can threaten their lives. If I were not too old for it, despite being in a monogamous relationship and getting married next year, I would be beating down my gynecologists door to get it. Since when is it a bad idea to prevent your children from getting an STD that can have such long ranging effects, and that is so asymptomatic they may not ever realize they have it until it is far too late. The bottom line is, this vaccine does not cause POTS, or I, and any number of other people, would not have POTS. I respect those parents that feel they are putting their children at risk vaccinating them. I respect their decision not to. But I do think that this issue has gotten politicized all out of proportion, and that it is not some evil thing the government is trying to subject your children to.

Sandy

[HopeSprings]

I'm not saying Gardasil gave us all POTS - I've never had that vaccine. Just questioning whether certain "triggers" could create an autoimmune response and wondering if POTS could be an autoimmune disease. Or it is possible that something within this vaccine can damage the autonomic nervous system - but clearly this hasn't been proven. Several people have said they or their daughter received the vaccine and then very shortly after developed POTS. Just thought that was interesting ...and I wouldn't doubt or discredit them.

[sj75]

I know very little about this vaccine tbh, but there is lots of documented evidence of vaccines causing autoimmune issues. I think we are over immunised and have to say my understanding is this is more of a problem in USA? For example, in the uk we don't generally vaccinate everyone against chicken pox because it's a childhood disease that is actually fairly harmless and good at developing our immune systems ( anyone in at risk categories or in contact with at risk groups get vaccinated) but for everyone else it's a normal childhood disease.

I think the person saying about the issue being political is missing the point somewhat. My son was vaccinated for mmr ( I'm a nurse and didn't question the information pushed on us all) I also know there is no scientific link between mmr and autism but as a mother I know my son and know that before his second mmr he would make eye contact, would interact normally and was healthy. After, he wasn't - fact.

I have done a lot of reading about effects of vaccines and there are lots of documented auto immune issues. I think the point is that we have to weigh up risks and benefits. For most the risks are low but why give uneccesary vaccines if they aren't needed?

[lieze]

The info I looked up when I got home re: Gardisil was vague regarding damages and death related to the vaccine.

It did present a brother sister case in Florida that both children started having grand mal seizures after the vaccine. They were given at different times and the seizures did not begin for either children until they had the vaccine.

[Guest maia]

I have had reactions and issues caused by vaccines and so has my son. We no longer vaccinate and i recommend to thouse i know personally not to eithr. period. Ill save the rant and all the research ive done, but final decision is that the info fed to us is very biased to suit marketing/approval purposes if not outright false, uncorroborated, understudied, and all are experimental.

[gertie]

I'm to old for Gardisil but I have to say my problems got much worse when I took the flu shot. I had tolerated the flu shot in the past by taking it in 2 doses, a few weeks apart. Then several years ago I was going to a dr that insisted I take it all at once saying it would not do any good if I split the dose. I let them give it to me & thought no more about it until I woke in the middle of the night & could not move. I was terrified. I finally managed to get my body moving but was very sick for at least 2 weeks. I could barely lift my arm to feed myself. I have never fully recovered & have never taken another flu shot.

[MomtoGiuliana]

In very rare instances it is believed that Guillain-Barre syndrome can be caused by vaccination. So it seems reasonable that POTS, which is believed to possibly be triggered by infection as well, could also in rare instances be triggered by a vaccination, not just Gardisil but any vaccination. It seems very hard though to tease out in specific instances if a vaccine caused a reaction or if the condition actually has another cause, especially in these very rare situations. The human brain is keyed into cause and effect, but causes may not always be so obvious which is why scientific approach is needed, as opposed to circumstantial evidence.

[issie]

I recently was checked by an allergy/immunologist for three different things - tetanus, pneumonia, flu. I had immunity to the tetanus (even though the vaccine was give over 10 years ago) and the flu - but not to the 26 or 28 strains of pneumonia. He wanted to give me the dead vaccine and recheck in a few weeks to see if it took. Then they said if it didn't take they'd want to give me a live vaccine. I have low IGG levels and they thought it would be good to protect me against this. I had pneumonia when I was 20 - they said there are so many different strains and I wouldn't be protected against all of them.

Well...... upon doing research. I found out that with this vaccine you can possibly get Guillain Barre. My father got this from a flu shot. It cause autonomic nervous system disorders and can be deadly. It can cause you to have to be on a respirator and be in a wheel chair for life. In that my dad had such a bad reaction and I already have dysfunction in this area. I decided not to take it, genetics may run deep.

[lieze]

The problem is I think how are they supposed to identify the change point?

How can they determine at what point exactly the body gets damaged and from what element of the vaccine.

Is it the antigen??? Itself of the disease? Or the other components of the vaccination that actually does the damage and at what point in the body.

Like POTS I don't know how this can be seen or measured with the human eye.

If it's a chemical type damage the chemical is going to be introduced and then excreted from the body.

How can they look at specific neurons that maybe damaged and identify that?

I'm just not sure that science is that exact maybe my ignorance.

We see cause and effect for example the kids in Florida.

They got the vaccine-now they have seizures.

I think it could be presumed a fact we can not prove it was the vaccine but in both cases if that was the change point for these kids it may be presumed that the vaccine triggered this in them.

I am just not that sure that science is that exact when it comes to all issues happening on a microscopic level.