HPV VACCINE: EFFECT ON OTHER CONDITIONS

If you knew me and saw my tattoos and piercings, you would know that I’m not afraid of needles. The idea of adding another to my collection doesn’t bother me.

So if Gardasil, the HPV vaccine for human papillomavirus, became becomes mandatory, it’s not the idea of getting another shot that has me worried.

What has me worried is that I don’t know enough about the vaccine. After doing research, I still feel like I don’t have all the facts.

According to Planned Parenthood’s Web site, at any given time, 20 million Americans have genital HPV infections, and about half to three-quarters of them have high-risk types that can lead to cervical cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that this year, about 11,150 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States, U.S. and about 3,670 women will die from it.

Even knowing those sad facts, I’m not getting the shot for now, and I want to tell you why. I have asthma, and it can be severe. I take medicines to help me control it. Before I get a vaccine, I want to know how this new drug might interact with my other medicines or if it could make my asthma worse.

But, when I went on the Web searching for answers about side effects and drug interactions, I couldn’t find much. Instead, the same HPV information is repeated on one Web site after another. I turned to a librarian for help, and she even said Gardasil side effects were difficult to track down, but she finally found them.

Ultimately, I learned that Gardasil’s allergic reactions may cause wheezing — which is also a problem with asthma. Because the drug is new and may aggravate my pulmonary problems, I want to see more tests and statistics about the vaccine.

I feel that the public is not fully informed on the vaccine and how it can affect those who get it.

I'm also concerned that the vaccine doesn't protect against all types of HPV, — only about 70 percent of them. Finally, I don't have lots of money, and the Gardasil shot is not cheap and isn’t covered by all insurance companies. The three shots, are given over six months, costing about more than $360.

I'm going to keep reading about Gardasil. My nurse pushed me to get it, but I am I'm not ready for the vaccine because it's so new, and she couldn't answer all my questions.

When the doctor came in, she didn't even mention it.

I think doctors and nurses need to be ready to answer all the questions young people like me have if they want us to seriously consider getting the shots.

Copyright 2007 Y-Press