Gardasil- is anyone else planning on getting this vaccination to help prevent cancer

Guardasil is the new shot out on the market that is supposed to help prevent some types of cervical cancer in women. The shots are given 1 shot every 6 months (there are a total of 3 shots). Women ages 9-26 can get it. I'm 21...so i'm considering getting the shot at the moment. It seems like a good idea, but i'd like to weigh all the pros and cons first. I'm going to the doctor this month, so i will ask about it when i'm there. It's about $120 per shot at the moment (not sure if insurance covers it or not)....but hey, if it prevents you from getting some forms of cervical cancer- it seems worth it. Is anyone getting the new vaccinations? Or, for those of you who've already had them- did you have any issues with the shots or problems? I'm thinking about getting it soon, but will double check with my doctor before I decide for sure

here are a few links with info on the vaccine.
http://www.gardasil.com/
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...-vaccine_x.htm

One more thing- for those of you with young girls, are you thinking about asking your daughters doctor about the shot for her? My sister has an 11 yr old (12 next week! ) daughter, Taylor, and she's planning on discussing it with her doctor at her next visit- so that all 3 of them can make a good decision

Too late for me...but if it weren't, I'd get it for both myself AND my daughter.

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Too late for me...but if it weren't, I'd get it for both myself AND my daughter.

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Good to know someone else thinks it's a good idea / I'm going to ask about it at my next doctors app. to see if it's right for me.

To late for me, but if circumstances were different my choice would be to wait to see if any complications arose from this new vaccination. Then again I am one who won't get the flu vaccination because it has mercury in it. This is just my opinion for myself if I was considering getting the vaccination.

Originally Posted by abbycats

To late for me, but if circumstances were different my choice would be to wait to see if any complications arose from this new vaccination. Then again I am one who won't get the flu vaccination because it has mercury in it. This is just my opinion for myself if I was considering getting the vaccination.

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That's kinda how i feel at the moment- i'm a little nervous about getting something that's soo new and hasn't been really studied out in the public for years and years....but here's the catch - i'm 21 now...and it takes about a year and a half to finish up the vaccinations. I have to have all of the shots finished before I'm 26 if i do get it...so i don't have a lot of time to wait. One more thing too, Colin and I are planning on having children sooner rather than later (and you can't get pregnant or start the shots if you're pg. or nursing....so I'd rather go ahead and get the shots before i'm married and start a family as well) That's where i'm a little preplexed as to what to do. It does seem like an excellent option though if it is really able to help cut down on my odds of getting some forms of cancer / This is why i'm going to talk to my doctor this month about it and see what she recommends

Gosh I really don't know. It being new makes me nervous. I just turned 24 so I really don't have time to figure it out. But new drugs and things do make me nervous. DH knows a guy who had serious reactions to a controversial vaccination the military required and ever since then, I'm just very skeptical.

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

Gosh I really don't know. It being new makes me nervous. I just turned 24 so I really don't have time to figure it out. But new drugs and things do make me nervous. DH knows a guy who had serious reactions to a controversial vaccination the military required and ever since then, I'm just very skeptical.

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That's kinda what makes me nervous about it- i wish I knew more about the long term side effects you know? I remember when the birth control patch first came out- one of my friends (who was 17 at the time) was having girly isssues and her doctor recommended that. Within 3 months of being on the patch, she had a really bad blood clot and wound up in the hospital (thankfully, she wound up being ok). After that, I became a little reluctant to try new things as far as medicine goes. But the new Gardasil seems promising enough to make me curious- so I'm going to see what my doctor recommends when I go in this month. Maybe she can answer some of the questions about it

If you're within the age range, I highly recommend getting it. A single vaccination can help prevent you from getting one of the worse types of cancer a woman can get.

Cervical cancer is treatable though if its caught early isn't it? I'm not sure that vac is available in Canada

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

Cervical cancer is treatable though if its caught early isn't it? I'm not sure that vac is available in Canada

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Well, there are several different forms of cervical cancer...so i'm not sure about the treatablity of all those types. If the shots work as they claim to- it would be much cheaper (and less life threatening) to spend money on a preventative measure such as the shots, rather than treating cancer if you wind up with it later in life. Also, something to think about- if down the road, one were to be pregnant, and discover that they have cancer at that time, many times, certain treatments can't be preformed during pregnancy...so the cancer could progress. So it would be better to try and prevent the odds of getting it before starting a family, etc. Not everyone is planning on having kids....but since I am, that's one thing that I was thinking about earlier / Maybe you could ask your doc if the vaccine is available in Canada.

I think the vaccine is a great thing & I'm only 19(20 in Jan), so it is something I am definately considering.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

If you're within the age range, I highly recommend getting it. A single vaccination can help prevent you from getting one of the worse types of cancer a woman can get.

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All cancer is bad but cervical cancer is one that can be caught if you do regular pap smears. The one that is undectable by pap smears is ovarian cancer. There is a blood test that is fairly expensive but worth it to detect ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is usually caught when it's to late.

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

Gosh I really don't know. It being new makes me nervous. I just turned 24 so I really don't have time to figure it out. But new drugs and things do make me nervous. DH knows a guy who had serious reactions to a controversial vaccination the military required and ever since then, I'm just very skeptical.

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It's so new it makes me a little nervous as well. I might consider it down the road as I have many years to go before my 'vaccination time' is up.

I'm waiting to get results from my most recent pap so I know if it will do any good/all is normal. If yes, then certainly, I am getting it.

If I had a young daughter, there would be no decision. She would be getting the vax and I have no idea why it's so controversial. If it prevents CANCER is there really any hemming and hawing to do??

I am considering the vaccine...but we're not sure if we are going to wait that long to have our first baby right now. We had planned on starting really trying in about a year. If so, that puts me out of the ballgame. I haven't made up my mind yet.

Originally Posted by maddensmom

I am considering the vaccine...but we're not sure if we are going to wait that long to have our first baby right now. We had planned on starting really trying in about a year. If so, that puts me out of the ballgame. I haven't made up my mind yet.

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that's one thing i was thinking about too...is the effect it may have on fertility/babies. i'm going to talk to my doctor more in depth about it to find out some answers.

If I were in the age range ... I likely wouldnt get it ... This is due to no one knowing what IT may cause while it is trying to prevent something( Ie think of Polio when it came out causeing the diesease in some)

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

that's one thing i was thinking about too...is the effect it may have on fertility/babies. i'm going to talk to my doctor more in depth about it to find out some answers.

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I've also wondered what would happen to my baby if I were to accidently get pregnant before I fiinished the vaccines. That thought really scares me.

Originally Posted by maddensmom

I've also wondered what would happen to my baby if I were to accidently get pregnant before I fiinished the vaccines. That thought really scares me.

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me too! that's one thing that freaks me out- i wouldn't want to cause any birth defects,etc in my baby if i accidently got pregnant in that year & 1/2 while i'm being vaccinated.