Cervical Cancer Vaccination

Weigh the risks vs. the supposed benefits, and make a choice. I did not give the vaccine to my DD. Gardasil's safety record is in serious question. As of September 28, 2010, the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) has more than 18,000 Gardasil-related adverse events listed in it, including at least 65 deaths. As a vaccine used in the developed world, the science speaks for itself: Gardasil can't – and never will – replace Pap smears, which are the reason that the incidence of cervical cancer is so low in the US and UK after decades of including pap smears in routine medical care for women. Today, cervical cancer is not even in the top 10 cancers that kill women every year. As a vaccine for children, it doesn't make sense to vaccinate to try to prevent an infection that is cleared from your body without any negative effects within two years in most healthy persons, and is not transmitted in a school setting like other airborne diseases that are easily transmitted in crowded conditions. Gardasil is designed to prevent only two of at least 15 strains of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer in those who do not clear the virus from their body within two years and become chronically infected. There is also some evidence that Gardasil-induced immunity may wane after about five years. Pre-licensure clinical trials did not follow young girls or women for decades to find out if the vaccine does, in fact, prevent cervical cancer. What went wrong with Gardasil is that this may be a vaccine that set many more health care consumers on a course of self-education that helped them make an informed decision about whether or not to take it – and there are several good reasons why many are deciding NOT to take it. Science vs. Politics First, the science: Peer-reviewed journal articles widely available on the Internet show that Gardasil is not what it was made out to be . Consumers now know that: • Gardasil is NOT a cancer vaccine. It is simply a vaccine for two strains of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) that in some instances can lead to cancer in some women (Gardasil's other two HPV strains are for genital warts, which don't cause cancer). • Since there are at least 15 HPV It is important to distinguish between HPV and cancer: Just because you currently have HPV, or may have had the infection in the past, does NOT mean you have cancer or will get cancer. HPV is NOT cancer. It is a viral infection that can lead to cancer in some people if the virus does not naturally clear from your body, as it does for most people within two years. Some high risk factors for developing chronic HPV infection are: • Smoking • Co-infection with herpes, Chlamydia or HIV • Long term birth control use • Multiple births In the US, infection with HPV is very common, and it is estimated that about 20 million Americans have an HPV infection at any given time. In fact, HPV is so common that most sexually active people will get it at some time in their lives. The important thing to know about HPV is that in almost all cases, it clears up on its own without any adverse health effects within two years in most healthy people. Genital HPV infection that is persistent, and more likely to lead to cancer, is most common in men and women who have had multiple *** partners. According to the CDC, other contributing risk factors to HPV infection that leads to cervical cancer includes smoking, having herpes, Chlamydia or HIV (the virus associated with AIDS), or another health problem that makes it hard for your body to deal with infections. When weighing evidence about risks and benefits, it is also appropriate to ask who takes the risk, and who gets the benefit This has been my stance from the beginning. My doctor raised the question to me last year and I did all kinds of research on it. I don't think at this point, that the benefits outweigh the risks. There are also 2 kinds of vaccines, Gardasil and Ceravix (one is given here and one is given in Canada - the one in Canada says it prevents warts). I've seen some of my DD's friends who have had it and they have complained of being really dizzy after, even to the point of nausea. One of her friends had it injected into her arm in the wrong area (it's supposed to go into muscle or something and the nurse missed!!!). I think I'll just wait.

Fingers crossed im sure i will, she did say its not as uncommon as we think to have abnormal results a few times so we will see, i hate going but its got to be done have a little one to think about and so a few minutes of being uncomfortable and wishing the ground would open up and swallow me (Lol) is worth peace of mind if it is something a bit more that its been caught early and can be treated. :)

9 out of 10 test results are normal. About 1 in 20 shows borderline or mild cell changes. In most of these women, the cells will go back to normal by themselves. So the women will usually have repeat tests every 6 months until they do. They will only go on to have treatment if the cells don't go back to normal. CIN 2 or 3 If you have moderate or severe cell changes, or CIN 2 or 3, you will need treatment to get rid of the abnormal cells. You usually only need treatment once. Then you have follow up tests. If you do have an abnormal test and have successful treatment you are very unlikely to get cervical cancer (provided you continue being screened). If you do not have treatment, you are very much at risk from cervical cancer. I am still not sure whats going on with mine, i have had no treatment yet and will find out when i go back if i am going to have treatment to sort out the abnormality or if the cells have reverted to normal i hope so :( Thanks for that. It is good that you are being proactive about it. A lot of women just don't bother. You seem to be knowledgeable about it and tackling the issue so inshallah you will be fine.:)

9 out of 10 test results are normal. About 1 in 20 shows borderline or mild cell changes. In most of these women, the cells will go back to normal by themselves. So the women will usually have repeat tests every 6 months until they do. They will only go on to have treatment if the cells don't go back to normal. CIN 2 or 3 If you have moderate or severe cell changes, or CIN 2 or 3, you will need treatment to get rid of the abnormal cells. You usually only need treatment once. Then you have follow up tests. If you do have an abnormal test and have successful treatment you are very unlikely to get cervical cancer (provided you continue being screened). If you do not have treatment, you are very much at risk from cervical cancer. I am still not sure whats going on with mine, i have had no treatment yet and will find out when i go back if i am going to have treatment to sort out the abnormality or if the cells have reverted to normal i hope so :(

What does it mean to have an abnormal smear?

I got offered the vaccine here by the GYN at Medcare, havent been able to have it yet as have had last few smears be abnormal so am still going every 6 months for smears (arrrgghh), she told me that if you have been with same partner for (i think it was 10 years) you should have the vaccine she didnt mention any age limit on the vaccine but i think the cost was around AED 700.

Weigh the risks vs. the supposed benefits, and make a choice. I did not give the vaccine to my DD. Gardasil's safety record is in serious question. As of September 28, 2010, the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) has more than 18,000 Gardasil-related adverse events listed in it, including at least 65 deaths. As a vaccine used in the developed world, the science speaks for itself: Gardasil can't – and never will – replace Pap smears, which are the reason that the incidence of cervical cancer is so low in the US and UK after decades of including pap smears in routine medical care for women. Today, cervical cancer is not even in the top 10 cancers that kill women every year. As a vaccine for children, it doesn't make sense to vaccinate to try to prevent an infection that is cleared from your body without any negative effects within two years in most healthy persons, and is not transmitted in a school setting like other airborne diseases that are easily transmitted in crowded conditions. Gardasil is designed to prevent only two of at least 15 strains of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer in those who do not clear the virus from their body within two years and become chronically infected. There is also some evidence that Gardasil-induced immunity may wane after about five years. Pre-licensure clinical trials did not follow young girls or women for decades to find out if the vaccine does, in fact, prevent cervical cancer. What went wrong with Gardasil is that this may be a vaccine that set many more health care consumers on a course of self-education that helped them make an informed decision about whether or not to take it – and there are several good reasons why many are deciding NOT to take it. Science vs. Politics First, the science: Peer-reviewed journal articles widely available on the Internet show that Gardasil is not what it was made out to be . Consumers now know that: • Gardasil is NOT a cancer vaccine. It is simply a vaccine for two strains of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) that in some instances can lead to cancer in some women (Gardasil's other two HPV strains are for genital warts, which don't cause cancer). • Since there are at least 15 HPV It is important to distinguish between HPV and cancer: Just because you currently have HPV, or may have had the infection in the past, does NOT mean you have cancer or will get cancer. HPV is NOT cancer. It is a viral infection that can lead to cancer in some people if the virus does not naturally clear from your body, as it does for most people within two years. Some high risk factors for developing chronic HPV infection are: • Smoking • Co-infection with herpes, Chlamydia or HIV • Long term birth control use • Multiple births In the US, infection with HPV is very common, and it is estimated that about 20 million Americans have an HPV infection at any given time. In fact, HPV is so common that most sexually active people will get it at some time in their lives. The important thing to know about HPV is that in almost all cases, it clears up on its own without any adverse health effects within two years in most healthy people. Genital HPV infection that is persistent, and more likely to lead to cancer, is most common in men and women who have had multiple *** partners. According to the CDC, other contributing risk factors to HPV infection that leads to cervical cancer includes smoking, having herpes, Chlamydia or HIV (the virus associated with AIDS), or another health problem that makes it hard for your body to deal with infections. When weighing evidence about risks and benefits, it is also appropriate to ask who takes the risk, and who gets the benefit

The vaccine only protects against certain strains( 80% I believe), so yes i have been getting my smear done as per Australian reccomendations. Joy of joys. ;)

I must have been exposed to it before I had the vaccine, the government still saw fit to provide me with the vaccine. I had the third shot in Dubai and paid for it. Well, that's probably ok, but unless you are 100% sure you have never been exposed to HPV, you should still be getting an annual pap smear.

I must have been exposed to it before I had the vaccine, the government still saw fit to provide me with the vaccine. I had the third shot in Dubai and paid for it.

I googled it too and didnt really understand. My take on it is that for example a married woman of 35 who has been with the same partner for the last 15 years is less lightly to have had this HPV virus than a say 26 year old woman who has had 5/6 different partners in the last 15 years... everyone is so different.... so surely if we are willing to pay.... we should be able to have the vaccine?? what do you think?

if you have had ***, and you weren't both virgins (or haven't remained entirely faithful) you can be pretty sure you have it. Yes, that is how I understand it and is the reason they don't routinely give the vaccine to adults. That is why annual pap smears are so important.

if you have had ***, and you weren't both virgins (or haven't remained entirely faithful) you can be pretty sure you have it.

I've just searched google and read a bit about it. I dont really understand enough to repeat what I have read!

I see the point but how would you ever know if you have been exposed to this HPV virus if you had no symtoms? I have no idea. You'd have to ask a doctor.

I see the point but how would you ever know if you have been exposed to this HPV virus if you had no symtoms?

I've been reading and I think the australian government were giving it free between the ages of 12-26 or something like that. I dont know if that is still the case.

But surely it would be beneficial to have it anyway....? No, because once you've been exposed to HPV, the vaccine does you no good. I think the consensus is that most sexually active people have been exposed to HPV.

But surely it would be beneficial to have it anyway....?

I think they generally don't give it to adults because they assume most of them have already been exposed to HPV.

Yes I have had it, age 25 (or younger? Cant remember). I believe there may be an upper age limit, or suggested limit but I may be wrong?

Has anyone had this vacination as an adult???

Yes, and also to our Sons. There is an increase in throat and other head cancers linked to HPV and transmitted through oral s3x.

Wouldn't hesitate if I had a daughter!

Absolutely!

I took mine last year, my bestie's DD got hers last yr too..she was 13 then.... and am definitely taking my kid too...in another 4 yrs! 3 shots...spread over 3 months...