T-dap vaccine 💉💉💉 the real deal - LONG POST

So a few weeks ago I posted asking about the vaccine wanting know if it was worth, what side effects, etc. I got plenty of ladies who focused on the fact that I'm scared of needles insinuating that I'm selfish. But there were a handful of ladies who were awesome and gave some useful information.

With that being said I'm hoping this will shed a little light on the subject.

First of all, I do have to mention that I have a phobia to needles. As in make myself ill shaking and passing out scared. Over the years I've developed a few coping mechanism but most importantly I have a doctor's office who's understands and works with me. To keep it to a bare minimum. So get your doctor and nurses on board.

After my last post of the subject I did some research. My biggest fear besides the needle was my potential reaction to the shot. When I was younger I used to get horribly sick. Fevers of over 102, throwing up, swelling, etc. I was terrified that I'd have a negative reactions while pregnant and hurt my baby.

What is the T-dap vaccine for? What does it protect against?

Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. It's a 3-in-1 vaccine. CDC encourage women to take it during pregnancy to protect newborns against especially pertussis (whooping cough). We take the antibodies into our blood stream and it crosses the Placenta which the allows the unborn baby to take in the protection as well.

Not everyone should take it, if you're sick the day your schedule it, have any auto immune disease or if you've had reactions in the past.

TALK TO YOUR DR!!!

The VACCINE CHANGED!!! - Quote from Harvard Medical

Before the early 1990s, we used a different kind of pertussis vaccine, a “whole-cell” vaccine. It worked quite well, and rates of pertussis were quite low among vaccinated people. But the vaccine had side effects. Fever, swelling, and pain at the injection site, as well as sleepiness or irritability, were common. Rarely, it led to seizures or similar episodes, and even more rarely it caused acute encephalopathy, a more serious but temporary effect on the brain.

Because of all this, we changed the vaccine to the “acellular” kind, which has fewer side effects. We went from DTP to DTaP. And when we did, we stopped protecting children as well as before. Recent studies show that protection against pertussis goes down 42% each year after the fifth vaccine dose, which is given at 4-6 years. This means that by the time kids get to be 10 or 11, they have hardly any protection at all.

In 2010, when the first group of kids who had only gotten DTaP, not DTP, got to be about 10, there was an epidemic of pertussis in California. It was clear that we needed to boost protection. California made TdaP (the version of DTaP we give to older children and adults) mandatory in middle school, which helped for a while, but there was another epidemic in 2014.

Because by 2014, those who got it in 2010 or 2011 didn’t have protection anymore.

Researchers looked really closely at all of these data, and from them were able to figure out that in the first year after TdaP, its effectiveness is about 70%. By four years out, that protection is less than 10%. Given that the most common source of infection for infants is siblings, this is a real problem.

It was that last bit of information that CAUSED the to decide to take it. I personally was given DTP vaccine as a child... I actually got twice because my shot records where lost. The D-Tap I took when a little older because again mom list my records.

Knowing that the new shot had less side effects and isn't as effective as the old one.... I knew I had to protect my baby so weeks ago I told my doctor I wanted to get it. He said ok and the subject was dropped. Every time I've gone back to remind him he says next time I haven't forgotten.. Until yesterday. I'd forgotten about the whole shot thing when in pops in the lab tech said hey how you feeling. I'm good you and we start talking she like give me your arm. Not really thinking about it she wipes my arms and poke. Super fast!!! I wasn't expecting it so I had no time to be afraid. I signed the papers and off I went.

First of all it really didn't hurt! The needle is so thin and sharp it was a quick poke. By her not drawing it out I couldn't work myself into a frenzy.

Now it's been 24 hours. My shoulder is totally sore. Like I worked out too much sore. (plus I sleep on that side) But no fever no headache no side effects what so ever. I had a full brunch after my appointment ran some errands afternoon nap and was out til 1am at friends house party. (Different post coming about that) but I feel great!!!

Is it worth it... I believe so from the research I did and the information my doctor gave me at my appointment. Plus I live in highly tourist area so I come in contact from people from all over the world.

Get your doctor to help if your like me and afraid. Take the day of to just be you... You don't need work or kid stress if you can avoid it. Wish you the best ladies!!!